The Record, May 9, 2011, V19.21




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EMC Productions gets rolling

by Tom Tozer

"EMC Productions" is the official name of the student-run production company in the College of Media and Entertainment at MTSU, one more field where experiential learning—hands-on learning—is becoming a tradition.

An MTSU student can become an EXL Scholar and receive an EXL Scholar's designation on his or her diploma, signifying for a prospective employer that the applicant has worked in the trenches of the real world and is job-ready.

TV production students at MTSU will be among those with hands-on experience. EMC Productions already is broadcasting select Sun Belt Conference football and basketball games and also will be available for hire for concerts, theatrical performances, telethons and more.

For the last 20 years, students have created what they call "truck productions," said Dr. Dennis Oneal, chair of the college's Department of Electronic Media Communication.

"We even call it the "truck class," but it's really the Mobile TV Production class," Oneal said. "We've always done some athletic events, but over the last few years, the Athletic Department really started to pay attention.

"They asked us if we would mind if they took our signal and put it on ESPN3. We couldn't figure out a good reason why not, so we worked out a rate card," Oneal said, explaining that the students needed some modest compensation. "It's not a lot of money, but we're already trying to put together a crew for next year."

All the games produced by EMC Productions this year were either on ESPN3, Comcast Sports South or both, Oneal said.

"From an academic standpoint, what a fantastic experience for the students," he said. "How many kids in college can say they have their class assignments on ESPN3?"

"It has been a very successful venture," added Mark Owens, director of athletic communications. "The fact that ESPN has agreed to take these games is a strong statement of our students' quality of work. The students have been tremendous, and it will only get better as we continue to grow the program."

There are several open positions available in EMC Productions for next fall, Oneal noted. They will be accepting applications for jobs ranging from producer and director to camera operator and grip.

"We'll come up with job descriptions and minimum requirements," he said. "We want to make something where students aspire to be part of this team."

"There are several universities starting to use production students in their sports production," added Marc Parrish, director of EMC's technical systems. "I believe we're different in that our students fill all production positions except announcers. Other universities have professional producers and directors."

Sarah Fryar, a senior from McMinnville, Tenn., can vouch for the hands-on experience that she is gaining through her work with EMC Productions. She already works as the sideline reporter for the Blue Raiders and hosts her own sports show on Athlon Sports.

"Producing is my strong suit because that's what I spend the most time doing," said Fryar, a double major in electronic media journalism and business administration. "I can run a camera, and I can run the board. Graphics, maybe not so much, and stats—I usually hire someone to do that. I don't have a problem making decisions, but it can be very intimidating."

With the anticipated arrival of a new mobile production truck, Fryar said she wants to familiarize herself with the entire range of equipment.

"I'll be in the last class that will get to use the old truck and the first to use the new truck," she said.

Fryar said that experiential learning is a key part of mass comm.

"There are book-learners, and there are doers. We're fortunate here at MTSU. We'll get a degree in doing it, not a degree in book-learning."

Fellow senior Sabrina Tucker from Chattanooga, Tenn., prefers the EMC Productions editing room.

Tucker graduated from UT-Chattanooga with a bachelor's degree in marketing and worked in hotel sales for two years. Her work with marketing and sales videos reinforced her dream of being a film editor. She came to MTSU and was set to graduate May 7 with a degree in media production.

"It's basically playing God," Tucker said of the editing process. "You can shoot as much footage as you want, but it's how you actually piece it together that makes the show—and where you make the cuts to portray the director's vision."

Tucker's first internship was with rootsHQ in Nashville, where she worked on State Sen. Jim Tracy's video when he was running for the Tennessee General Assembly. She's currently interning at Ground Zero in Nashville.

"I love the EMC department here, because you pretty much get your hands on everything as far as doing concerts, truck work, single-camera, music videos, short features"it's so diverse. I also like the fact that we have to take media law. You get to explore every aspect of media," Tucker said.

"In 10 years, I hope to be editing Quentin Tarantino movies. If I can't find an editing job, I want to be director of continuity. It's all about continuity."




QUIET ON THE SET—MTSU seniors Sabrina Tucker, left, and Sarah Fryar check out the video equipment in the Office of News and Media Relations. The pair of electronic media communication majors are part of the new student-run EMC Productions.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by Andy Heidt


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2 more MTSU scholars win Fulbrights

by Randy Weiler

Graduating senior Kim Yarborough of Murfreesboro and alumnus Patrick Pratt of Tullahoma are MTSU's most recent recipients of prestigious Fulbright Program for U.S. Students awards, University Honors College officials said.

Yarborough, 21, who was scheduled to graduate on May 7, was offered a Fulbright for an English-teaching assistantship at a high school in Spain's Cantabria region.

Pratt, 27, an August 2010 graduate, will spend a year conducting research on poverty reduction in Tanzania at the University of Dar es Salaam's Institute of Developmental Studies via the Fulbright Program, Honors College Dean John Vile said.

Yarborough said she "hopes she can make a difference in peoples' lives" during her time in Spain.

"The point of the Fulbright is to foster cross-cultural understanding. The main goal is not to just teach English but to build relationships and present a positive image of the United States," she said.

"The purpose of the Fulbright program is to increase mutual cultural understanding," Pratt added in an email from Washington, D.C., where he has been serving as an intern with International Bridges to Justice. "As a Fulbright Fellow, I will have the dual responsibilities of representing the United States and of learning and appreciating Tanzanian culture."

Yarborough has been an Honors College participant with a double major in international relations and Spanish and a minor in economics. She received the Outstanding Student in Spanish Award from the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures during the College of Liberal Arts Awards Day on April 18.

In spring 2010, Yarborough spent a semester interning at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., where she worked on the White House initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. In fall 2008, she spent an additional semester in Argentina, where she further developed her love for the Spanish language, Vile said.

Pratt, who earned an associate's degree in psychology from Motlow State Community College in Tullahoma, earned MTSU degrees in international relations and political science. He previously received the David L. Boren Scholarship for study in Kenya. At MTSU, he received the Meritorious Service Award from the Department of Political Science and participated in the Society for International Affairs and Rotaract International.

"The MTSU international-relations program attracts exceptional students," said Dr. Karen Petersen, an associate professor of political science at MTSU. "Kim and Patrick are perfect examples of the types of students I have the pleasure of working with in our program.

"Kim is a hard-working, intelligent student with a welcoming personality. Patrick is the ideal scholar. He is intelligent, thoughtful and dedicated—always one of the best students in my classes."

MTSU Fulbright applicants work through the Undergraduate Fellowships Office in the Honors College. They work under the direction of Laura Clippard, who noted that two MTSU students, Kaitlin Howell and Eric Little, currently are serving as Fulbright Scholars in Germany and Portugal, respectively. Another MTSU student, Christopher Watkins, is awaiting word about his Fulbright award.

Fulbright Scholars serve in 155 different countries, Vile noted.

"One of the greatest goals of the Honors College is to see that MTSU students compete for national scholarships," Vile said.

"MTSU's increased emphasis on foreign languages, multiculturalism and study-abroad programs all have made students more competitive for national and international awards."


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In Brief: Scholarship Office open

The new MTSU Scholarship Office is now open in Room 206 of the James Union Building. The Scholarship Office will continue to fall under the direction of the Office of Financial Aid, which will remain in Cope 218. All scholarship programs (other than athletic scholarships) will be managed through the new office. For more details, go online to http://bit.ly/MTScholarships .


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Men's tennis takes down South Alabama for 3rd SBC title

from MT Athletic Communications

No. 4-ranked Middle Tennessee came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat host South Alabama 4-3 for the Sun Belt Conference Men's Tennis Championship on April 24.

The win marked the third Sun Belt Conference championship for the Blue Raiders and their first since 2009.

The team will open its 10th NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 13, when it travels to Atlanta as the to square off against Georgia Tech at noon CDT. The Blue Raiders are making their first appearance in the field of 64 since 2009 after winning the league tournament and securing the conference's automatic bid.

"What an incredible week for our team," said Head Coach Jimmy Borendame. "Our backs were against the wall and we responded like champions. Every match was amazing, and our kids deserve so much credit for the way they kept battling. I am very proud of them for what they accomplished today.

"I also want to recognize my assistant coach, Nate Feldman, who was very instrumental in this championship. He works extremely hard and has been a key to our successful first season."

Middle Tennessee cruised past No. 5 seed Louisiana-Lafayette and upset No. 1 Denver in the semifinals to reach the championship match. MT's Matt Langley was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after winning all of his singles matches at the No. 3 position.


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High-schoolers get 'concrete' info

by Randy Weiler

Alumna Samantha Hart brought five of her Cane Ridge High School students and a fellow faculty member for a return visit for another firsthand look at the Concrete Industry Management department.

After spending about an hour in Dr. Gerald Morton's classroom on April 27, the Cane Ridge group spent nearly two hours in the CIM lab under the guidance of Jon Huddleston.

The students—sophomore Mario Ahumada and seniors Andreas Johnson, Juan Carreon, Francisco Martinez and Zavier Osborne—broke the concrete cylinders that they made in October 2010 when Huddleston, the lab manager, and Daniel Cook, a May 7 degree candidate, visited Cane Ridge.

Later, Huddleston introduced them to a bit more interesting aspect of decorative concrete, making two vessel sinks and two bowls.

"The class we have been taking has been interesting," Carreon said. "I'm thinking about making concrete my career choice, and I hope to attend MTSU. I haven't visited the campus yet, but I hope to."

"Cane Ridge has moved from the initial concept of replicating our Intro 3000 basics course to now adding a facility to do hands-on application and testing," said Huddleston. "This gets them a little better prepared if they come here to pursue Concrete Industry Management."

Cane Ridge art-department faculty member Lisa Wagner, who is interested in adding decorative concrete sculpture to her sculpture and ceramics classes, joined Hart on the trip, which was cut short because of bad weather.

Last summer, CIM Chair Heather Brown and her department joined a large contingent of universities and businesses in a partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools' The Academies of Nashville, which created specialized career- and theme-based academies that began classes last fall.


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Making an environmental difference




CEREMONIAL TREE PLANTING—Facilities Services Executive Director Joe Whitefield, left, Ground Services Supervisor Larry Sizemore and Dr. Heather Brown, right, Concrete Industry Management chair, observe as Sara Andon, a CIM alumna currently working on her MBA degree, finishes planting a ceremonial tree at the Keathley University Center Knoll. The tree, planted April 21 as part of MTSU's Earth Day activities, is part of a purchase of 640 trees for Facilities Services, which received 240 of the trees, and the School of Agriculture, which received 400 trees. Concrete-industry sponsors of the purchase include C&C Concrete Products, Irving Materials, Memphis Ready Mix, Sicalco and the MTSU CIM Patrons. The organizing committee for the project included the Tennessee Environmental Council and the Tennessee Concrete Association, Brown said.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by J. Intintoli



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Campuswide power outage is scheduled for May 14-15

A campuswide power outage is scheduled for the weekend of May 14-15 to tie in new electrical systems, Facilities Services officials said.

To prepare for the power outage, all elevators on campus will be shut down at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 13, and will be back up and running again early Monday, May 16. The weekend-long shutdown is necessary to avoid potential elevator-system problems during the campuswide outage.

On Saturday, May 14, electrical power will be out from approximately 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. for most of the campus. The only buildings that will have power on May 14 are Womack Lane Apartments; Abernathy and Ezell Halls; the Student Recreation, Health and Wellness Center; and the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building.

On Sunday, May 15, the power will be out from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Monohan, Lyon and Rutledge Halls; the Tom Jackson Building; the James Union Building; and the Voorhies Engineering Technology Building. All other buildings on campus will have power on May 15.

MTSU's central-plant annual shutdown, already scheduled for May 7-13, will be extended through May 15 because of the power outage. The central-plant shutdown stops the steam pressure that provides heating across campus, so building temperatures may be cooler than normal and no domestic hot water will be available May 7-15. Full steam pressure is expected to be restored by 8 a.m. on Monday, May 16.


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Employee-health screenings planned in Ingram Building

MTSU employees who need to complete their health-screening requirement for the ParTNers for Health group-insurance plan will have another on-campus opportunity this month.

On-site screenings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11, from 7 to 11 a.m. on the first floor of the Sam Ingram Building. The health screenings can be completed in as little as 20 minutes and are free for all plan members, including dependent spouses.

Plan members must schedule an appointment for their screenings by calling APS Healthcare at 888-741-3390 or visiting www.partnersforhealthtn.gov .

Walk-in screening appointments will be accepted as scheduling and staffing permit. Scheduled appointments will be seen first, however.

To prepare for the health screening, organizers say plan members:

  • will need the member ID number included on each Caremark prescription card; and
  • shouldn't eat or drink anything, except water or black coffee, for nine hours before the health screening. Members may take any regular medications, however, before the appointment.


Please direct questions about the Partners for Health Wellness Program to APS Healthcare at 888-741-3390.


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Professor's efforts net Read to Succeed honor

by Sydney Warneke

Dr. Terri Tharp, professor of elementary and special education at MTSU, has been honored as Read to Succeed's Volunteer of the Year Award for Family Literacy.

Read to Succeed is a community partnership that promotes literacy in Rutherford County. Incorporating the program into her curriculum, Tharp and her students travel to local schools to conduct a "family reading night." The community gatherings include a reading of a selected book, craft-making, educational activities and a meal that allows families to sit down together.

"For most of these families, it's just so nice to sit down and have a meal and spend time with their family," Tharp says.

Tharp and her students have worked with such schools as Smyrna Primary, Hobgood and Mitchell- Neilson Elementary to help children up to the fifth grade. The program not only encourages reading for the students but serves as a model for the parents as well, she says.

"It teaches the importance of conversation and discussion of books with your children, not just reading," Tharp says.

Each "family reading night" includes a number of events, all planned and coordinated by Tharp's students. A book is chosen, and Tharp's students are split into two teams. The "Materials Team" puts together everything that will be needed for the evening's activities, while the "Room Team" prepares for the read-aloud session. This part of the process is principal according to Tharp.

At Smyrna Primary, for example, the book chosen was Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. Following the read-aloud, student made egg-carton creatures and 'slime" to go along with the book.

Tharp recalls the parents participating in a game of "pin the egg on the ham" that night, too, which supports the program's drive to engage parents as well as children.

"Parents can be so fun, and once you get them involved, the kids love it, because they have their parents" attention," she says.

At the end of each evening, everyone leaves with a book, says Tharp—including the parents and other children in the family, regardless of age.

Tharp praises her students, saying that the program is a win-win situation for everyone.

"It really is so rewarding to see my students who are going to be teachers (working with families), and the students say that the program is one of the most productive activities in their program because it's so hands-on," she says.

Though Tharp received the award, she gives all the credit to her students.

"They really are wonderful students that do a great job. There's no way I could do it all on my own. It's definitely a team effort," she says.

Sydney Warneke, a print-journalism major, was scheduled to graduate May 7 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. She has worked as a practicum student for the Office of News and Media Relations during spring 2011.


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Positive Behavior Support conference scheduled

by Gina K. Logue

Educators who seek to help students with severe behavioral issues are slated to attend the fifth annual Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion Conference on Thursday, May 12, at MTSU.

"The primary goal of this conference will be to promote positive inclusive teaching and the quality of education services for students identified as having behavioral challenges in accordance with the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act," says Dr. Zafrullah Khan, an assistant professor of elementary and special education at MTSU and the conference organizer.

Khan says PBSI encourages social competence and academic achievement through strategies, practices and interventions that have proven to be effective.

The featured speaker for the conference will be Dr. Rick Lavoie, who will address the gathering from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the James Union Building.

Lavoie is the author of The Motivation Breakthrough: Six Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-out Child (2007) and It's So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success (2005). He has served as an administrator of residential programs for children with special needs since 1972. Lavoie also has served as a consultant for the National Center for Learning Disabilities, USAToday, the Girl Scouts of America and National Public Radio, among other agencies and organizations.

Educators who have experience with PBS are scheduled to participate in breakout sessions in the afternoon. Teachers from Bradley Academy in Murfreesboro, Elzie D. Patton Elementary School in Mt. Juliet, Tenn., and Decherd (Tenn.) Elementary School will discuss how they have implemented PBSI principles and supports in their classrooms. These and other sessions will take place in various classrooms in Peck Hall across the street from the James Union Building.

Seating for the conference is limited. To register, go to www.mtsu.edu/pbsi . For more information, contact Khan at 615-904-8429 or zkhan@mtsu.edu.


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Project Help offers classes for 3-year-olds

MTSU's Project Help has added a new class designed for 3-year-olds, offering a new option for many Rutherford County parents, including those whose children could not continue at Project Help after they turned 3.

The early-intervention program at MTSU, which offers services free to families of very young children with developmental delays or disabilities, provides play-based learning experiences in a natural environment alongside children who are developing typically.

Project Help is the only center-based program for very young children—ages 6 months to 3 years—with special needs in Rutherford County.

Children with developmental delays or disabilities can receive services from the local school system when they turn 3. Some children with delays and disabilities do not qualify for services in the school system, however.

Now children who have or have had developmental concerns, as well as those who are typically developing, are eligible to enroll in Project Help's "pay to stay" 3-year-old class.

"The Project Help staff has wanted to offer a program for 3-year-olds since I became director," Director Susan Waldrop explained. "I think it was the first goal in our first strategic plan. We are pleased to finally be able to offer an option for families when their children turn 3. Looking toward the future, we envision a program that provides a creative, highly individualized curriculum focusing on skill attainment, literacy and diversity."

State funds don't cover a program for 3-year-olds, but with the assistance of funds generated from events such as the Project Help Advisory Board's annual "Saddle Up for Project Help," Waldrop said Project Help was able to offer the new class at a modest tuition rate.

Classes will be held in the "Yellow Room" of Project Help's Fairview Center, where teacher Amanda Kelley will lead the new program. The year-round program will hold classes Monday through Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Families will be offered the choice of a two- or four-day plan. Two-day programs will consist of a Monday-Wednesday option or a Tuesday-Thursday option.

Program fees are $40 weekly for a two-day program and $65 weekly for a four-day program.

Class size is limited, so Waldrop is encouraging interested families to contact her at 615-898-2837 or at swaldrop@mtsu.edu.

For more information about the new class for 3-year-olds, visit the Project Help website at www.mtsu.edu/projecthelp and click on the "3-Year-Old Class" button.


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Clarification

An article in the April 25 print editions of The Record, "Grad student's work helps kids fight obesity," misstated grad student Debbie Goddard's initial role in the "BAM! Body and Mind" program in the Murfreesboro City Schools and Rutherford County Schools systems. She requested permission to become involved with the 12-week pilot program and used her research from it to earn her master's degree. Read the full Record article online at http://bit.ly/MTGoddardResearch .


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Pieces of history




















CLEANUP TIME—Robert Adcock, top center, of the Anything Outdoors tree-surgery company in Murfreesboro joins two crew members in Walnut Grove to inspect a 40-foot tulip poplar felled by windstorms on April 27. Winds damaged several neighborhoods in Murfreesboro as well as trees on the MTSU campus, including a huge oak near Peck Hall and another tree alongside the Old Main Circle-Normal Way fork at Jones Hall. The tulip poplar claimed by the storm has been estimated at more than 80 years old and grew at the southwest corner of Walnut Grove. Walnut Grove was created in 1930, when custodian J.H. Bayer brought home walnuts from Mount Vernon, George Washington's Virginia estate, and planted them between what was then the Middle Tennessee Normal School library (now the site of Peck Hall) and the southern edge of the school's property. When it fell, the tulip poplar damaged the sidewalk north of the Cope Administration Building (built in 1965). "When you get as much rain as we have lately to saturate the ground, and then have relatively small root systems for these big trees, you see many of them turned over," Adcock explained. "We've been working with MTSU for more than 10 years, and this is some pretty big damage." In the second photo, Adcock uses a chainsaw on a tulip-poplar limb to cut it into manageable pieces. University officials are considering possible uses for the fallen trees.

photos by News and Media Relations


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Employees of the Year




EXEMPLARY WORK—MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, left, joins winners of the 2010-11 Employee of the Year Awards during the April 27 celebration in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Displaying their awards are, from left, Technical Employee of the Year Annette Merriman, Information Technology Division; Administrative Employee of the Year Marsha Powers, University Honors College; Secretarial/Clerical Employee of the Year Betty Weigant, Construction/Renovation Services; and All-Classified Employee of the Year Mary Evelyn Winsett, Admissions and Enrollment Services. The winners, who received engraved crystal awards and monetary gifts for their commitment to MTSU's success, were chosen from nominations made during the 2010-11 academic year. The committee regularly salutes staffers who make outstanding contributions and demonstrate excellence in their roles. To nominate an administrative, secretarial/clerical, classified or technical/service co-worker for an award, go to the HR website. 

MTSU Photographic Services photo by J. Intintoli


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All in agreement




BIG PLANS—MTSU has made plenty of plans this spring to expand its offerings to students from Chattanooga to China. In the first photo, President Sidney A. McPhee and Li Ruiyi, CEO of China Flying-Dragon Ltd. Co. of Harbin, China, shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding on April 8 to bring qualified flight students from China Flying-Dragon to participate in flight-training activities with MTSU's aerospace department. The agreement also commits the University and the company to develop cooperative endeavors in flight education and other aviation-related education and to exchange educational and cultural materials. China Flying-Dragon was to supply a cohort of at least 20 students to be trained at MTSU within 60 days of the approval of the MOU.



In the second photo, McPhee joins Chattanooga State Community College President James Catanzaro in signing a dual-admission agreement on April 13. That memorandum of understanding laid the groundwork for a shared curriculum plan for CSCC students who also wish to pursue a bachelor's degree at MTSU. Under the agreement, Chattanooga students who meet specific eligibility requirements will qualify for dual admission at both the community college and MTSU. Students in the program will be guaranteed acceptance into MTSU, will have access to MTSU faculty and staff while attending Chattanooga State and can take advantage of enhanced advising and transition services offered at the Murfreesboro campus.

MTSU Photographic Services photos by J. Intintoli and Andy Heidt


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Military Science commissions 20 into service

by Randy Weiler

Twenty MTSU seniors and degree candidates were scheduled to take part in the annual spring ROTC Commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 6, in the Military Memorial area outside the Tom H. Jackson Building.

Retired Brig. Gen. Les Fuller, a 1973 alumnus of MTSU, was to serve as guest speaker.

Of the new second lieutenants, 10 will move to active duty, two will join the Army Reserves and eight will be a part of the National Guard.

The spring 2011 commissionees include:

  • Brandon G. Albritton of Milton, Tenn., who was to receive his Bachelor of Science in concrete industry management at MTSU's May 7 commencement and will be serving in the Engineer Corps of the Tennessee National Guard on reserve forces duty;
  • John A. Baggett of Nashville, who was to receive his Bachelor of Arts in history on May 7 and will be assigned to active duty in the Quartermaster Branch at Fort Carson, Colo.;
  • Brandon D. Cornwell of Clarksville, Tenn., another May 7 CIM degree candidate, who will be assigned to active duty in the Ordnance Branch at Fort Campbell, Ky.;
  • Taryn M. Davis of Hendersonville, Tenn., a criminal-justice degree candidate who also will be reporting to the Ordnance Branch at Fort Campbell;
  • Daniel L. Ervin of Hendersonville, who was to receive his bachelor's degree in exercise science and then report to the Medical Service Corps in the Tennessee National Guard;
  • Bryon D. Gothard of Whitwell, Tenn., a criminal-justice degree candidate who will be reporting to Fort Campbell's Quartermaster Corps;
  • Cody L. Hammond of McDonald, Tenn., a criminal-justice degree candidate who will be heading for reserve forces duty with the TNG's Military Police;
  • Rachael N. Lezon of Cleveland, Tenn., who has earned her MBA and will report to the Army Reserves for duty with the Signal Corps;
  • Darren J. Magles of Smyrna, Tenn., who will receive his bachelor's degree in liberal studies before reporting for active Ordnance Corps duty in Korea;
  • Justin T. McQueen of Spring Hill, Tenn., who has earned his MBA and will report for duty in the TNG's Adjutant General Corps;
  • Daniel L. O'Neill of Murfreesboro, who has earned a bachelor's degree in aerospace and will be reporting for reserve forces aviation duty with the National Guard;
  • Erika Ortega of Clarksville, who was to receive a bachelor's degree in global studies before reporting for reserve forces duty with the Guard's Medical Service Corps;
  • Michael L. Page of Manchester, who has earned a bachelor's degree in organizational communication and will report for duty with the Guard's Military Police;
  • Matthew K. Popejoy of Nashville, who was to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in nursing before reporting for duty with the Army Reserves" Nurse Corps;
  • Jonathan A. Snider of Murfreesboro, who was to receive his bachelor's degree in health education and report for active infantry duty at Fort Benning, Ga.;
  • Koekhamphet P. Sourinho of Murfreesboro, who has earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and will serve with the Guard's finance branch;
  • Evelyn A. Stewart of Clarksville, who was to receive her bachelor's degree in psychology and report to Fort Stewart, Ga., for active duty in the Signal Corps;
  • Andrew T. Stokes of Murfreesboro, a criminal-justice degree candidate who will report to Fort Benning for infantry duty;
  • Laura A. Wiemar of Bartlett, Tenn., who has earned her bachelor's degree in nursing and will be on active duty with the Nurse Corps; and
  • Trenton B. Wiggins of Brentwood, Tenn., an international-relations degree candidate who will be reporting for infantry duty at Fort Benning.



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Gordon donates congressional papers to Gore Center

by Sydney Warneke

The Hon. Bart Gordon, who has represented Tennessee's 6th Congressional District in Washington, D.C., for 26 years, has donated his congressional papers to MTSU's Albert Gore Research Center.

Serving from 1985 to 2011, Gordon, an alumnus of MTSU, has held prominent positions in a number of committees in the U.S. House of Representatives, including chairing the Committee on Science and Technology and working on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Budget Committee.

The papers document Gordon's political career and follow his multiple roles. Politicians often donate their papers to their alma mater upon their retirement; the late U.S. Sen. Albert Gore Sr., for whom MTSU's Gore Research Center is named and who was also an MTSU alumnus, did the same with his archives.

"It is the core function of the Gore Center to collect these papers," said Dr. Jim Williams, director of the research facility, who noted that the Gordon addition will double the amount of information available at the center.

"The possibilities are endless to find out about federal and local politics," he added.

MTSU's Department of Political Science offered a class that incorporates the Gordon papers into the curriculum. Taught by Kent Syler, another MTSU alumnus, the "Political Campaign Management" class makes use of Syler's former position as Gordon's district chief of staff to use the papers, according to Williams.

Syler also will use the papers in the two new classes he will be teaching this fall: "Advanced Studies in American Government: American Politics in the Information Age" and "Advanced Studies in American Government: Advertising in Modern American Politics."

"I have shown students Gordon campaign ads from the Gore Center to help teach them how to make TV ads," Syler explained. "I have also incorporated donated polling data into the class to help students understand which issues voters think are important."

The papers currently are not open to the public and won't be for up to 11 years. Williams said the deed of gift often restricts access to donated papers for a period of time.

"There are also parts of the papers that have sensitive personal information from constituents that we are legally bound to protect until the person's death," Williams said.

During the restricted time, Williams said, the Gore Center will process and analyze the papers to make them research-ready for students, faculty and other researchers.

"It takes time for archives to arrange and prepare finding aids for collections, especially ones of this size—"almost 650 boxes," said Williams.

Sydney Warneke, a print-journalism major, was scheduled to graduate May 7 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. She has worked as a practicum student for the Office of News and Media Relations during spring 2011.


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Helping hands




REACHING OUT—MTSU volunteers deliver a check for more than $4,005 to the American Red Cross's Heart of Tennessee Chapter offices after "Genki for Japan," a four-day outreach campaign organized by faculty members to help victims of a deadly March 11 earthquake and tsunami. From left are Red Cross Development Director Beth Ferguson and Graduate Teaching Assistant Chiaki Shima, Adjunct Instructor Yumiko Hirao and Dr. Priya Ananth, all of MTSU's Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. "We are very grateful to the MTSU community for coming forward with a big helping hand for this important cause," said Ananth. "I also would like to thank all the student volunteers who tirelessly worked hard during the entire campaign." As of April 29, the American Red Cross reported that it had contributed more than $33.5 million for the Japan and tsunami relief and recovery efforts and expected that figure to rise as more donations are received.

photo submitted


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TBR requiring chickenpox-vaccine proof

Effective July 1, 2011, the Tennessee Board of Regents is requiring all new and full-time college and university students to obtain and provide documentation that they have received two doses of the Varicella, or chickenpox, immunization or show proof of immunity to the disease.

In addition, all health-science students who expect to have contact with patients will be required to show proof of protection against hepatitis B before pursuing their work in this field.

Students who are currently enrolled are exempt from the new requirements. Other conditions for exemption include students enrolled only in online courses and those born before Jan. 1, 1980.

The newer requirements are additions to the standard immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella that have already been in effect.

Specifically, any new full-time student who attends an institution enrolling 200 or more students must receive and provide proof of two doses of Varicella or provide laboratory evidence of immunity. If a student has a family history of Varicella disease, a health practitioner also may offer documentation to that effect as proof.

The Varicella vaccinations are available for new students at MTSU's Student Health Services. For more information, contact Health Services at 615-898-2988.


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People Around Campus: Senior's research tops homeland-security summit

by Tom Tozer

Jeannie Stubblefield, a senior biology major at MTSU, won first place for her poster research at the Fifth Annual U.S. Department of Homeland Security University Network Summit, held in Washington, D.C., March 28-April 1.

Her research was conducted under a $161,000 Forensic Institute for Research and Education grant funded by the Department of Homeland Security and managed through Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Southeast Region Research Initiative.

"I was shocked and surprised—that's about all I can say," Stubblefield said. "I really didn't think my project had a chance of winning, because I was up against so many master's- and doctorate-level research projects. Everyone's work was so impressive. I'm extremely honored."

Stubblefield, who is originally from Hickman County and now resides in Murfreesboro, was working on a federally funded award, "Aerobic Decomposition—Alternative Methods for Managing Large-Scale Animal Fatalities."

Dr. Hugh Berryman, MTSU professor of sociology and anthropology and director of FIRE, and Dr. John Haffner, MTSU assistant professor of agribusiness and agriscience, served as project leaders.

The grant focused on alternatives for managing animal remains in mass fatalities.

The official title of Stubblefield's research was "Potential Use of Chlorine Dioxide to Decontaminate Skin Surfaces in an Animal Mass-Casualty Response." MTSU biology professor Dr. Anthony Newsome worked with Stubblefield as her faculty adviser.

"What impressed me so much about Jeannie's work was that she carried out her research with a minimum of supervision," Newsome noted. "She worked independently, remained focused on the task, and she made us all very proud. There is no greater delight than to have a student excel at such a high level."

Homeland-security officials were so impressed with Stubblefield's presentation that they have asked to meet with her, Newsome added.

"Jeannie represents what our Forensic Institute is all about," Berryman said. "She is a prime example of a student who utilizes the knowledge she has acquired and shows what she can do—especially by virtue of the fact that she was competing against graduate-level researchers. We are extremely proud of her. She represents our department, college and university with distinction."

The conference is DHS's flagship research meeting and brings together university researchers working on DHS projects with others linked to the department, including first responders, lawmakers and policymakers.

The theme of the conference was "Catastrophes and Complex Systems," focusing on how transportation systems help prevent, mitigate and respond to natural and man-made disasters.

In addition to her first-place honor, Stubblefield was one of 74 university students out of more than 700 applicants invited to present their research at the Posters on the Hill event on April 13 in the Rayburn Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Stubblefield was scheduled to graduate from MTSU on May 7. She said she plans to pursue a doctorate in molecular sciences.

Stubblefield's mother, Deane Stem, is an MTSU alumna (B.S. '94), and her son, Michael Batty, is a sophomore at MTSU majoring in global studies. Stubblefield's father is Micheal Moore of Donelson, Tenn.




TOP RESEARCH—Senior Jeannie Stubblefield, center, displays her first-place research award from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security University Network Summit with two of her professors, Drs. Hugh Berryman and Anthony Newsome.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by J. Intintoli


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Faculty/Staff Update


Awards

Men's Tennis Head Coach Jimmy Borendame (Athletics) and Men's Golf Head Coach Whit Turnbow each have been named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year by their fellow SBC coaches. Borendame guided his team to its third conference championship and an automatic NCAA berth, while Turnbow brought home his third top-coaching win in four years.

Mary Barnes Glass (Business Office) was honored April 16 in the inaugural class of Murfreesboro's F.A.I.T.H. (First African-American In The History of Murfreesboro) Awards for her role as the first black president of MTSU's Association of Secretarial and Clerical Employees.

Dr. Debra Rose Wilson (nursing) received the 2011 Harold Love Community Service Award during an April 28 reception at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission offices in Nashville. Wilson was honored for her work in stress-management training and with women with at-risk pregnancies and their families.

Media

Dr. Larry Burriss (journalism) was a guest on "Morningline" April 27 on NewsChannel5+, where he discussed access to open records. Burriss also commented on the issue in the April 25 edition of The Daily News Journal.

Dr. William Ford (Weatherford Chair of Finance) discussed actions taken by the Federal Open Market Committee on CNBC's "Larry Kudlow Report" on April 26 and 27.

Dr. Derek Frisby (history) played a key role in the series "Civil Warriors," which was broadcast April 11 and 18 on the National Geographic Channel. Frisby provided an on-camera interview with a descendant of William Fletcher, a Confederate soldier-prisoner who escaped into the Rutherford County countryside.

Passages

Dr. Richard Hannah (economics), 59, passed away April 20. He was born in Maryland, the son of the late Andrew "Buddy" Hannah Jr. and Myrtle Elizabeth Caldwell Hannah, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Dr. Hannah joined the MTSU family in August 1993 as a professor in the Department of Economics and Finance. Survivors include his wife, Emma Burassa Hannah of Murfreesboro; sister, Patty (Ray) Stevens of Cowan, Tenn.; brothers, Brian (Betty Jo) Hannah of Cowan and Gary (Gay) Hannah of Estill Springs, Tenn.; and several cousins.

Randolph C. "Randy" Wood (B.S.'41), 94, passed away April 9. Founder of Dot Records and vice president of Paramount Pictures, the Gallatin, Tenn., native was a leader in the entertainment industry for more than half a century, founding Randy's Record Shop, Dot Records, Ranwood Records and Studio Masters Recording Studio. Wood was an avid philanthropist and a passionate supporter of educational causes, establishing important scholarship funds both in his native Tennessee and in Los Angeles. He and fellow MTSU alumnus Whitney Stegall co-founded the MTSU Foundation, the first of its kind at a Tennessee public university. (The Wood-Stegall Center was named for the pair in 2004.) Wood also was active in charities and civic groups and served as director of the Hollywood YMCA, the Hollywood Museum, the Recording Industry Association of America, the Radio-Television-Recording-Advertising Charities and the Lawrence Welk Foundation, among many others. He is survived by his wife, Lois Henry Wood; his children, Linda Wood of San Diego and Larry and John Wood of Los Angeles; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Donations may be made to the Volunteer State Community College Foundation in Gallatin.


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Campus Calendar: May 9-22, 2011

Please note: Event dates, times and locations may change after press time. Please verify specifics when making plans.

TV Schedule: "MTSU Out of the Blue"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m., 5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+ (Comcast 250): Sundays, 1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other airtimes or www.youtube.com/user/MTSUOutoftheBlue for a complete show archive.

Radio Schedule: "MTSU On the Record"
8 a.m. Sundays, WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcasts available anytime at www.mtsunews.com .

Sports @ Home
May 13-15: Track and Cross Country Sun Belt Outdoor Championships
May 19-21: MTSU Baseball vs. Western Kentucky (6, 6 and 1 p.m.)
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com .

May 11-13
2011 Ethnic Organized Gangs Crime Symposium
sponsored by the Forensic Institute for Research and Education at MTSU
8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102), Business and Aerospace Building
For information, visit the FIRE website or contact: 615-494-7713.

Wednesday, May 11
Tornado Siren Test Date
(no action needed)
11:15 a.m., campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-2424.

Thursday, May 12
Fifth Annual Positive Behavior Support Initiative and Inclusion Conference
James Union Building
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/pbsi , email zkhan@mtsu.edu or contact: 615-904-8429.

Saturday, May 14
See Spot Run 5K Run/Walk
6:30 a.m. registration, Peck Hall; 8 a.m. start
Entry fee: $20 before May 8; $25 up to and on race day
For a registration form and more details, visit http://bit.ly/SeeSpotRun11 .

Inaugural MTSU Walking Horse Instructional Show
9 a.m. clinic, 1:30 p.m. show
For information, email pkayser@mtsu.edu or contact: 615-494-8849.

May 16-17
"Shots Fired" Video Presentations
9-10 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. daily, Keathley University Center Theater
For information, contact: 615-898-2424 or 898-2919.

Monday, May 16
Summer 2011 Full-Term and May Term Classes Begin

Thursday, May 19
Retired Faculty/Staff Coffee
9:30 a.m., Foundation House
For information, contact: 615-898-2922.

Get noticed in The Record!

Submit Campus Calendar items, Faculty/Staff Updates and other news to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, for the May 23 edition of The Record. Deadline to submit items for the June 6 edition of The Record is 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 24 (to accommodate the Memorial Day holiday on May 30.) Thanks for your contributions!



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