Hot Tips with Engage! – 11/24/25

Please join us for this exciting event modeled off of the YouTube show Hot Ones, in which celebrities are interviewed as they eat increasingly hotter wings. Have fun while hearing tips for success from members of the MTSU community.

The “campus celebrities” serving on the panel are Dr. Mark Byrnes, Dr. Christina Cobb, Dr. Brian Hinote, and Mr. Michai Mosby.

Event details: Monday, November 24 from 3-4 pm in SCCM 105. Wings, pizza, and MTSU milk will be provided!

Prizes will be given after each round of wings.

Meet our Panel

Dr. Mark Byrnes

More than 30 years ago, Mark Byrnes joined the faculty at MTSU as an assistant professor of political science. He would eventually serve as interim department chair, associate dean, and dean. In 2016, Byrnes was asked to be interim provost and earned the full-time role a year later. Today, he is the longest tenured chief academic officer in any Tennessee public university.

An author of dozens of articles and book chapters, Byrnes is probably best known for his book about U.S. President James K. Polk, who like Byrnes, has boyhood ties to Murfreesboro. Byrnes is a graduate of Murfreesboro’s Riverdale High School and is an alumnus of MTSU, where he received a B.S. in political science.

Byrnes also earned a diploma in international and comparative politics from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. in political science from Vanderbilt University, where he studied as a prestigious Eisenhower Institute Fellow.

An active member of the campus and local community, Byrnes is a past winner of MTSU’s Outstanding Public Service Award (2010). He coordinated the university’s legislative internship program for nearly two decades and continues to make regular presentations to local civic and professional organizations. Byrnes is a current member of the board for ThinkTennessee, a nonpartisan think tank focused on public policy, and is past president for the Tennessee Political Science Association. He was elected to the Rutherford County School Board twice, as chair and vice chair, and is an alumnus of Leadership Rutherford and the Regents Academy Leadership Institute.

Byrnes’ hobbies include biking, gardening, and traveling the globe. Never one to completely leave the classroom, he has taught a very popular study abroad course annually for the past decade.

Dr. Christina Cobb

Dr. Christina Cobb is an Associate Professor in the University Studies Department and Director of the True Blue Core at MTSU, where she teaches mathematics and university studies courses. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Master of Science in Mathematics, and Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee State University. Dr. Cobb has received Outstanding Teaching awards at MTSU in 2019 and 2022 and serves as the President-elect for the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS). She has presented nationally on innovative mathematics teaching methods and was awarded a TBR SERS grant for research on enhancing African American male student success. Beyond the classroom, she is active in community organizations and recently launched her non-profit platform “EducatHER” to mentor young women.

Dr. Brian Hinote

Brian Hinote is a Professor of Sociology and MTSU’s Vice Provost for Faculty and Strategic Initiatives. Entering his 19th year at MTSU, he currently oversees all matters dealing with the faculty and is closely involved with many large Academic Affairs projects. Brian is an ardent supporter of faculty and student success through mentorship and his work in the Provost’s Office. That work keeps him mostly out of the classroom nowadays, but he welcomes opportunities to meet and assist students as they prepare for their careers after graduation. In his time away from the office, Hinote enjoys being outdoors, especially hiking, camping, and backpacking. He also serves as Assistant Scoutmaster in Boy Scout Troop 1108 and coaches youth softball in the Murfreesboro community.

Michai Mosby

Michai Mosby is a native of Memphis, TN and is a dedicated student leader and emerging higher education professional committed to advocacy, communication, and community impact. He currently serves as the Student Trustee on the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees, providing a strong student voice in university governance. A former two-term Student Body President, Michai has led initiatives centered on student engagement, access, and institutional accountability.

He now works as a Graduate Assistant in the Division of Student Affairs while pursuing his master’s degree in Higher Education, focusing on administration and supervision. Michai also serves as the Communications Director at First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, where he leads strategic messaging, digital media, and community outreach.

Recognized as the Murfreesboro NAACP Youth of the Year and MTSU Fraternity Man of the Year, Michai is known for his integrity, strategic leadership, and commitment to uplifting students and communities.

Dr. Ben Sawyer, emcee

Dr. Benjamin Sawyer is a Nashville-based historian, podcast host, and public speaker. Ben has worked at Middle Tennessee State University since 2013 and has been a Visiting Scholar at Vanderbilt University since 2022. He also hosts The Road to Now podcast, which airs weekly on Sirius XM 124, and Perfect Timing: A Live Comedy Game show, every month at Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville.