The Record April 5, 2010 V18.19

Conscientious Consumption Day is one of several events involving MTSU's Students for Environmental Action during Earth Month and Earth Day activities in April.

In its effort to be conscientious, the student environmental group will partner with the Career Development Center to hold the first Green Expo on Wednesday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Keathley University Center Knoll.

The goal of Green Expo is to host an exposition of sustainability projects, carbon-footprint reduction efforts or environmental-awareness programs, said Karen Austin, associate director of MTSU's Career Development Center.

"We (SEA) ask students to think about how their consumer choices affect the environment,"; said Brandy Potter, SEA co-chair. "The Green Expo on the Knoll will be filled with green vendors students can become familiar with.";

MTSU's Center for Environmental Education, the student chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, SEA and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will be among the participating vendors, Austin said. The MTSU Recycling Program will provide containers.

Austin said there is an open invitation to academic and administrative departments, along with employers and "green"; nonprofits in Murfreesboro and Nashville, to attend this expo "to showcase what they are doing in the areas of sustainability, education and green initiatives."; No fee is required, although sponsorships are available.

While most colleges and universities are calling the same type of event "green career fairs"; and charging fees to participate, Austin said she "thinks it's counter-productive"; and believes it's best to "broaden it to an educational event. I think it will only get bigger.";

"It's our first endeavor,"; she said. "It potentially could be a great program if we have community participation.";

Austin added that some vendors will have internship and job opportunities to discuss with students.

"I want people to walk away and say, 'I didn't know we did that,'"; she said. "Through planning this, I learned MTSU is the No. 1 consumer of green power from TVA and so much more that I didn't know we're doing around here.";

Cynthia Allen, natural resources coordinator for the Center for Environmental Education, said their expo plans include promoting the Tennessee Stormwater Association along with internship and job opportunities.

TNSA membership includes designated municipal separate storm sewer systems, or MS4s, that take in city and county governments, universities, military installations and other entities, such as the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Associate members include environmental advocacy groups, consultants and vendors. To view SEA's scheduled April activities, visit www.sea-mtsu.org .

If there's rain, Green Expo will move inside the KUC to the first floor. For more information, call 615-898-5732 or email kaustin@mtsu.edu.

Dr. Kathy Reichs, producer of the Fox Network TV series "Bones"; inspired by her work and related novels, will visit MTSU Wednesday, April 14, as the featured speaker of the Legends in Forensic Science Lectureship.

Known as "Dr. Bones,"; Reichs will deliver a free public lecture, "From Crime Lab to Crime Fiction,"; at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center.

The lecture series, sponsored by for the university's Forensic Institute for Research and Education, was designed to bring internationally known lecturers in forensic science to MTSU each fall and spring, said Dr. Hugh Berryman, FIRE director.

One of only 87 forensic anthropologists currently certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Reichs has long served as a consultant to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and continues to do so for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the Canadian province of Quebec.

Now dividing her time between Charlotte, N.C., and Montreal, Quebec, Reichs' career experience is diverse. From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montreal lab, as a forensic anthropologist she has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerizing forensic thrillers.

Reichs' first novel, Déjà Dead, catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan novels include Death du Jour, Deadly Décisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning and the most recent, 206 Bones.

Event organizers said Reichs will sign books following her MTSU lecture. Copies of her titles will be available for sale in Phillips Bookstore prior to her talk.

Reichs' campus visit also was made possible by sponsorship from the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Committee, the College of Liberal Arts, the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies and Phillips Bookstore.

For more information, please contact FIRE at 615-494-7713.

In a cooperative show of support for Tennessee's farmers, representatives from several federal and state agencies as well as nonprofit organizations joined forces to help protect the state's farms from development.

Among those participating in the signing in a memorandum of agreement at the State Capitol in Nashville was Gov. Phil Bredesen, who said, "I am so pleased to see so many agencies and other groups committing to protecting Tennessee's farms from development.";

The Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU also is part of the cooperative, whose representatives have partnered to show their dedication to assist and inform farmers through the Tennessee Farmland Legacy Partnership.

According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics, the number of Tennessee farms decreased by 8,000 from 2003 to 2008. In that same time, the average annual loss of farming lands was 100,000 acres. State Commissioner of Agriculture Ken Givens reminded those at the Feb. 16 gathering that "agriculture is a $3 billion industry at the farm level.";

"This partnership is about giving farm families options for keeping their land in sustainable production for future generations,"; he added.

Caneta Skelley Hankins, assistant director of the CHP and director of the Tennessee Century Farms Program, said the cooperative wants to help farmers stay on their farms and keep their land in agricultural production. Topics for workshops, publications, conferences and a Web site will include current incentive programs as well as information on planning for farm ownership to continue to future generations.

Hankins noted that the cooperative, which is modeled after programs in other states, also will work to match new and experienced farmers.

In addition to MTSU's CHP, partners in the pro-farmer cooperative include the Tennessee Departments of Agriculture, Economic and Community Development, Environment and Conservation, and Tourist Development, along with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, the Land Trust for Tennessee, Cumberland Region Tomorrow, USDA National Resources Conservation Service and the USDA Rural Development.

For more information, visit www.tennessee.gov/agriculture/marketing/legacy.html .

MTSU senior Andrea Morrow advanced to the quarterfinals and senior Mitch Washer also competed in the 12th annual National Collegiate Sales Competition March 5-8 in Kennesaw, Ga.

"Ihad an amazing educational experience at theNational Collegiate Sales Competition,"; said Morrow, who is from Florence, Ala., and plans to graduate in December.

"As a competitor, I was able to role-play sales calls that were judged by professors from other schools and professional salespeople. Receiving critiques from real salespeople was a great learning opportunity that you cannot get in most classrooms. I learned how to properly present myself and interact with business professionals in both a casual and professional setting. I will use what I learned from this opportunity for the rest of my life.";

Washer, who is from Leonard, Mich., and also plans to graduate in December, said, "The NCSC and the training from Dr. (Katie) Kemp taught me not just how to sell a product but how to sell myself. I gained more confidence and learned how to network more effectively by speaking with over 30 different professional companies in one weekend. It was a great experience.";

Senior Jennifer Threlkeld of Carrollton, Texas, also attended as the third team member but did not compete, since only two competitors per university are allowed to participate. Threlkeld will graduate in May with an advertising degree and minors in psychology and marketing.

"It was a priceless weekend and changed my future undeniably,"; she said. "Speaking as someone who had not prepared properly for the job search, being on the sales team not only got me ready, it provided opportunities to find jobs. … This is an experience that people should be fighting over.";

"She worked very hard role-playing with the competitors and served as a student coach for them,"; Kemp said of Threlkeld's role. Kemp, an assistant professor in the Department of Management and Marketing, accompanied the students on the trip, where they also attended a career fair and met most of the employers.

The NCSC is the world's largest collegiate sales competition, organizers said. Hosted by the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University, about 350 students from 61 universities participated this year.

Nearly 30 companies, including Liberty Mutual, ADP, Tom James, Owens Corning, AT&T, Hewlett Packard, Dow Jones, NCR and Reynolds and Reynolds, took part in the event.

MTSU's Public Service Committee is seeking the names of faculty and staff who have performed outstanding public service for the university to be recognized by the MTSU Foundation with one of three annual Outstanding Public Service Awards. More information, including nomination forms, is available at www.mtsu.edu/learn/public/awards.shtml .

MTSU's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America is paying back a professor in a big way—by hosting a premiere party for his latest short film.

Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication professor, said he reveled in working with the 30-plus undergraduate and graduate students who made up part of the crew for "The New, True, Charlie Wu.";

"They are amazing, talented, passionate, young people,"; Pondillo said.

Paul Bernardini, vice president of fundraising for PRSSA, saw Pondillo's second short film, "My Name is Wallace,"; in class a couple of years ago. The professor's commitment to students, combined with Bernardini's amazement that a movie of such good quality was made at and around MTSU, fueled the junior mass communication major's desire to aid Pondillo's endeavor.

"The movie came out recently, and since the PRSSA held the VH1 Save the Music Benefit Concert last semester, we wanted to do another big event this spring. The time was right for both the PRSSA and the film,"; Bernardini explained.

On Saturday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the film will be screened for the public in multiple showings at the Premiere 6 Theatre at 810 NW Broad St. in Murfreesboro; admission will be $8 per person or $10 for admission and a personal copy of the film. An evening celebration from 7 to 10 p.m. is also scheduled in the Bragg Mass Communication Building, when admission will be $10 per person or $20 for admission and a copy of the film.

"Charlie Wu"; won't be playing in Murfreesboro alone. It's also showing at a growing number of major film festivals across the country and, perhaps, the world.

"Charlie Wu"; already has been chosen as "Best Short Film"; at the Smogdance Film Festival in Claremont, Calif., as well as the 15 Minutes of Fame Film Festival in Palm Bay, Fla. It's also been chosen as an official selection for multiple festivals, including the Trail Dance Film Festival in Duncan, Okla.; the Kent Film Festival in Kent, Conn.; the New Hope Celebrates Film Festival in New Hope, Pa.; and the Wildwood Film Festival in Appleton, Wis.

The professor plans to enter the film in many more festivals, including the Cannes International Film Festival in France. "My Name is Wallace"; and his third film, "Wait . . .,"; both were shown at Cannes.

Though Pondillo said he's grateful for the awards and nominations he has received for this film, he is more grateful that the film is being shown at all.

"It's not about the win; it's about the fact that the film is being shown and that the story in the film is being understood and actually seen,"; he explained.

Pondillo's next project is his fifth film, "Miracles on Honey Bee Hill,"; which will be a fairy-tale, Disneyesque love story centered on a young girl, Milly. Children may comprise the cast, he said, and it will contain musical numbers. Pondillo, who has no formal musical or songwriting training, wrote one of the pieces, "My Special Someone,"; for the film, which he said will "move fast "and may include some animation. He wants it to be under 30 minutes; his previous films, including his first, "Would You Cry if I Died?";, run from 10 to 33 minutes long.

Pondillo said he hopes to begin shooting this summer on "Miracles on Honey Bee Hill."; MTSU students also will be involved in this film, just as they were in the other four. And like before, the professor is accepting donations to fund the project. To make donations, or for more information about Pondillo's films, visit www.youandcharliewu.com .

Photo p2

IT'S TRUE, CHARLIE WU—MTSU Professor Bob Pondillo, standing at left with clipboard, watches as his crew films a scene from "The New, True, Charlie Wu."; The MTSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America is hosting a premiere party for the film April 17. photo submitted

"My special someone . . . " is a line from the musical creation of Dr. Bob Pondillo, MTSU assistant professor of mass communication. It also describes how many people feel about the cheerful professor just a few moments after meeting him.

After discussing details of his three previous films for a news article on an upcoming premiere of his fourth movie, I asked him if he was working on a new film project. The moment I spoke, Pondillo's eyes lit up with excitement. He was obviously thrilled about his next project, "Miracles on Honey Bee Hill.";

The movie, which Pondillo will begin shooting this summer, is inspired by Disney's take on fairy tales. The story is about a young girl named Milly, who just wants to find her "special someone.";

Pondillo wrote the song that Milly will sing to express her desires, which is a common theme in fairy-tale films. It was his first try at composing a piece of music. He has no formal musical training, but with the aid of his wife, he was able to bring his idea to life.

"I knew how I wanted the song to sound, but no idea how to express that,"; Pondillo said. "My wife sat down at the piano with me, since she can play, and plucked out each note by the way that I thought it was supposed to sound.";

He then asked me if I wanted to hear it. Of course I said "yes,"; and for the next few minutes, in the middle of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building, with students, faculty and staff passing by, he sang the entire song.

Even without accompaniment, I could see how much time and effort Dr. Pondillo had invested in this song. When he would change lines, his head would rise with the pitch and then bop with the progression of the song. His smile was a permanent fixture while he performed his handiwork for me; he clearly was proud of it—not because it was a complex piece, but because it was a first for him.

Though he didn't know how to write or play music, the professor found a way to make his song happen, just as he does with his films. If the money isn't there, he finds a way to keep the production going, because he knows that he isn't the only one involved and invested in the project. Students are counting on his films to gain real-life experience in their major of study, which is one reason Pondillo says he'll always find a way to bring his visions to life—so that others can benefit from the experience.

Sometimes, though, you can benefit from the experience of sharing just a few moments with the professor.

Elizabeth Warren is a senior journalism major working on a practicum with the Office of News & Media Relations this semester.

The deadline to submit applications for MTSU's Distinguished Lecture Fund for fall 2010 speakers is Friday, April 16.

The Distinguished Lecture Committee wants to promote appearances by nationally and internationally known speakers who discuss regional, national and global issues in a variety of fields. Through the fund, the committee supports departments that wish to bring individuals who represent a recognized level of expertise in their respective fields to speak at MTSU.

Speakers may include authors, lecturers, politicians and other relevant individuals. Preference will be given to funding the appearance of well-known speakers who can bring educational excellence to campus. The programs should generally be open to students, faculty, staff and community members without charge.

Apply online at www.mtsu.edu/nsfp/fund_nsfp.shtml . You'll receive an email confirmation from committee member Gina Poff within three working days, and the Distinguished Lecture Committee will meet shortly after the deadline to review the applications for funding.

MTSU's Department of Human Resource Services is reminding all participants in the Tennessee Optional Retirement Program, or ORP, that beginning this July, there will be significant changes in the program administered by the State of Tennessee Treasury Department.

Meetings are scheduled on campus in the Keathley University Center Theater on Wednesday, April 21, at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Thursday, April 22, at 2 p.m. There will be time available after the meetings for questions.

The vendors for the ORP will remain the same—ING, TIAA and VALIC—but, due to the nature of some of the changes, some employee action will be needed. In short:

• Contributions made into ORP accounts after July 1, 2010, cannot be distributed into current investment option choices.Participants must make new investment selections for contributions made after July 1, 2010, with ING, TIAA or VALIC; and

• Contributions made before July 1, 2010, can remain in the current investment options or can be moved into the new investment options that will be available through the vendors.

Please make plans to attend the meetings on campus. HRS cannot advise employees on investment options; employees need to work directly with their representative or contact their vendor.

Watch campus mail and home delivery for different packets of information highlighting the changes. Participants should receive a packet from HRS via campus mail; in addition, the information that you receive at home should advise how to make your new investment option selections.

For more information before the meetings, contact Lisa Batey in HRS at lbatey@mtsu.edu.

The Confucius Institute and the Office of the Dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at MTSU will present a Chinese Film Festival on Sunday nights through April 18 in Room 103 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building.

Each movie will begin promptly at 6 p.m. Following each movie, Liu Xiao, a master's degree candidate in mass communication, will facilitate a question-and-answer session.

All movies in the series have English subtitles and are free and open to the public.

Films scheduled to be presented include "Eat Drink Man Woman"; (1994) on April 4, "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress"; (2002) on April 11 and "Getting Home"; (2007) on April 18. The series began March 28 with "Rickshaw Boy.";

This is the festival's 10th semester, according to organizer Dr. Bob Spires, professor of electronic media communication, who noted that more than 200 people attended the fall 2009 film series.

Founded in 2004, the Confucius Institute is a nonprofit organization established to strengthen educational cooperation between China and other countries. MTSU administrators and officials from the university's partner school, Hangzhou Normal University, held a ceremonial signing ceremony Dec. 1 to celebrate their joint management of the institute.

For more information, call the Confucius Institute at 615-494-8696 or Spires at 615-898-2217.

Organizers of the 26th annual BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Tommy T. Martin Chair of Insurance Golf Tournament anticipate raising $50,000 toward student scholarships from the event.

The tournament, which will have a best-ball, scramble format, has a noon shotgun start on Tuesday, April 20, at Champions Run Golf Course in Rockvale.

"This is the primary fundraiser for the Martin Chair of Insurance,"; said Dr. Ken Hollman, the chairholder. "We have raised an estimated half-million dollars in the past 25 years.

"This year, we are looking to have our best tournament ever. We have the prospect of raising $50,000 after all expenses have been met.";

Hollman added that corporate sponsor BCBST's $10,000 contribution "is a great jump-start toward this $50,000 goal.";

Lunch and registration start the day's activities from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. A meal and awards presentation sponsored by State Farm will start around 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Hollman at 615-898-2673 or khollman@mtsu.edu.

Sure to be an event to remember, participants are encouraged to run with their dogs in the annual See Spot Run 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, April 11.

The event, which is sponsored by MTSU's Office of Leadership and Service, supports Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity in an event unlike any other in middle Tennessee. It all begins at 6:30 a.m. with registration at Peck Hall, followed by the 8 a.m. race start on MTSU's campus. The entry fee is $20 before Sunday, April 4, and $25 thereafter.

Organizers also are offering a group rate to student organizations and faculty. A group will include 10 or more participants at $15 per entry.

Entry fees include a T-shirt for the first 200 participants and awards to the top age-group finishers. The 5K course is both flat and fast.

Registration is available at www.mtsu.edu/mtleader/service/service_opps.shtml or www.active.com (search for "See Spot Run";).

For more information, please contact the Office of Leadership and Service at 615-898-5812.

Three events aimed at raising awareness of violence against women are slated for April as extensions of the National Women's History Month celebration at MTSU.

Volunteers will distribute literature about self-protection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Safety Awareness Day, which is Wednesday, April 7, on the first floor of the Keathley University Center. This event is co-sponsored by the June Anderson Women's Center, the President's Commission on the Status of Women and the University Police Department.

The Women's Center will sponsor its annual Clothesline Project from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, April 19, and Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC Knoll. This visually powerful display of T-shirts emblazoned with messages and stories of sexual assault and other violence against women symbolizes the airing of society's "dirty laundry.";

Another annual event, Take Back the Night, is a rally slated for 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC Knoll. An open microphone will be available for anyone to express views on sexual assault. Take Back the Night also includes a candlelight vigil and a march.

"This year, we are looking for a more diverse crowd,"; says Terri Johnson, director of the June Anderson Women's Center. "Therefore, we're reaching out to the greater community as well as the MTSU community to make a dynamic stand for safety awareness.";

Men are invited to take part in "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes"; during Take Back the Night. A feature initiated last year, "Walk a Mile"; encourages men to take part in the march wearing high-heeled shoes to give them an idea of how women make themselves uncomfortable to present an attractive image.

These events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the June Anderson Women's Center at 615-898-2193.

The MTSU chapters of Alpha Chi Omega social organization and Phi Mu Alpha music honor society are teaming up to host a benefit concert for a local school band program.

The concert, "Boropalooza,"; will be held on Friday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in Murfreesboro's new bowling alley, Lanes, Trains and Automobiles, located at 450 Butler Drive in Murfreesboro. Members from both organizations are selling tickets across campus and the community.

All concert proceeds will go to the Watertown High School band program in Watertown, Tenn., which has been through many ups and downs. In the last four years, the program has seen three new band directors. Color guard members are forced to sew their own flags, and booster programs, which are normally fundraising events completed by parents or volunteers, aren't allowed at the school.

"This program and these kids need help, so we are extending our helping hand,"; said Brittney Sceals, Alpha Chi Omega president.

The event also will feature a raffle with door prizes like Red Robin restaurant gift certificates, a free car wash, a bass guitar and a $100 gift certificate to Textbook Brokers, an off-campus bookstore.

For more information on Boropalooza, contact Charlotte Smith of Alpha Chi Omega at charlottesmith5t@gmail.com or Phi Mu Alpha member Chris Salts at cas4m@mtsu.edu.

Free tickets will be available beginning Monday, April 5, for MTSU faculty and staff and the neighboring community to attend the April 29 gubernatorial candidates' forum on campus.

Students already have been picking up their free tickets for the event, which begins promptly at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center.

Farmers Insurance Group is partnering with MTSU to provide an opportunity for Tennesseans to hear from the candidates for the 2010 governor's race.

Tickets should be picked up in advance at the MTSU Ticket Office, which is located at Gate 1A at Floyd Stadium on Faulkinberry Drive. For ticket and general information, call the MTSU Ticket Office at 1-888-YES-MTSU (1-888-937-6878).

A group of organizational communication students at MTSU are sponsoring a benefit concert for a jazz/pop trio on Monday, April 5, to help the group represent Tennessee in the upcoming VSA International Arts Festival in Washington, D.C.

The concert for Lake Rise Place will take place in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. The event is open to the public.

Lake Rise Place is one of only 28 acts in the world to be selected to perform at the VSA International Arts Festival in June. They will be the first representatives from Tennessee to participate in the festival.

The Organizational Communities class decided to offer the concert as a class project to help defray travel expenses for the jazz/pop trio. The funds will be given to VSA arts Tennessee, which will provide the travel arrangements.

Nick Sharp, The Riker Project and Lake Rise Place all will perform at the concert. MTSU Football Coach Rick Stockstill will serve as the master of ceremonies for the evening.

VSA arts Tennessee's mission is "to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and express themselves through the arts and arts education.";

For more information about VSA, visit its Web site at www.vsaartstennessee.org. For more information about the benefit concert, please contact Edgard Izaguirre at eizag001@gmail.com.

"Moon: Cheese or Not"; was the title of Dr. Barbara Carr's first science project in the seventh grade.

"After that, I was hooked on science, and even more so after my sophomore biology class where I got to use a microscope,"; said Carr, who will appear Wednesday and Thursday, April 14-15, speaking to MTSU's Women in Science and Engineering group and one chemistry class.

Carr, who is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 5 spill prevention, control and countermeasures coordinator, will be talking to WISE at 6 p.m. April 14 in Monohan Hall.

At 11:20 a.m. April 15, Carr will present "Oil, Pollution and Prevention"; during an environmental chemistry class in Room 115 of Alumni Memorial Gym.

"I am going to talk about oil and why it is toxic to aquatic life and environments,"; said Carr.

Carr added that her talk will include "kinds of oils, facilities and industries that use or store oils, a general history of the oil-pollution prevention regulation, photos of oil-storage facilities big and little, photos from one of the worst oil-spill disasters in decades (the Ashland Oil spill), the regulatory process and how it is influenced by industries and green groups, the financial impacts of a spill, and regulatory agencies that may deal with a spill, like the EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. EPA Criminal Investigations Division, etc.";

Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, the MTSU chemistry professor who is coordinating Carr's visit, said Carr is a "friend of a student from last semester, and when she heard about WISE, she asked her boss to send her to Murfreesboro to encourage more women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers.";

For more information, call Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or email jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

Eighty percent of behavioral problems come from 20 percent of students, says Dr. Zaf Khan, assistant professor of elementary and special education at MTSU, who will oversee the university's annual Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion Conference.

Now in its fourth year, the event is scheduled for Thursday, April 29, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in MTSU's James Union Building. The conference is free and open to teachers, parents and MTSU students as well as anyone involved in teaching children.

Khan, who is the project director for MTSU's Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion grant project, said that positive behavior support, or PBS, uses a positive approach to address "negative"; behaviors and encourage social competence and academic achievement through effective strategies, practices and intervention.

Dr. Harry K. Wong, a former classroom teacher-turned-author and speaker on classroom management, will be the featured speaker for the conference, which also will include breakout sessions on "Inclusive Teaching Practices,"; "PBS and Inclusion Success Stories"; and "Reading Strategies for Inclusive Teaching,"; among other topics.

Dubbed "Mr. Practicality"; for his common-sense, research-based, no-cost approach to managing a classroom for high-level student success, Wong has been credited with transforming schools through his teaching techniques that reduce dropout rates and alleviate discipline problems.

Registration for the MTSU conference is currently open, but seating is limited.

Registration forms, as well as an agenda for the conference, are available at www.mtsu.edu/pbsi. For more information about PBSI and the conference, contact Khan at zkhan@mtsu.edu.

MTSU's Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will sponsor the second of two Distinguished Lecture Series in Youth Fitness and Sports events this semester on Wednesday, April 14, beginning at 7 p.m.

Dr. Greg Heath, chairman of the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, will present "Physical Activity and the Built Environment: If You Build It, Will They Come ... and Use It?"; in the State Farm Lecture Hall, Room S102, of MTSU's Business and Aerospace Building.

"There is great interest in better understanding how activity-friendly environments can influence the choices that people make to be physically active,"; said Dr. Don W. Morgan, professor of health and human performance and director of the CPAHY.

"Dr. Heath's talk will address how the physical design of our communities can play an important role in reducing childhood obesity and providing children and families with greater opportunities to lead an active lifestyle.";

A former lead health scientist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Heath also currently serves as director of research at UT's College of Medicine. He has devoted most of his professional career to understanding and promoting physical activity and exercise to enhance health and prevent and manage chronic diseases.

For more information, please contact Morgan at 615-898-5549 or at dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

A home game against Minnesota of the Big Ten is one of three national broadcasts highlighting the 2010 Middle Tennessee football schedule as announced by Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.

The Blue Raiders once again will have six home games as the Golden Gophers, Austin Peay and Sun Belt Conference foes Troy, Louisiana-Monroe, North Texas and Florida Atlantic make up the home slate. There are two home games each in September, October and November.

"To get three national broadcasts on ESPN is a direct result of the success of our program from a year ago and says a lot about the direction Rick Stockstill's program is headed,"; Massaro said. "We are hoping for more televised games when other packages are announced later in the year.";

Middle Tennessee, coming off a 10-3 season and a New Orleans Bowl championship, will open the season at home on Thursday, Sept. 2, against Minnesota in hopes of extending a seven-game winning streak. It marks the fifth straight year the Blue Raiders have played host to a team from one of the Big Six conferences—and the third straight year a national broadcast has originated from Floyd Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPNU, officials announced March 26.

The Blue Raiders will remain home the following week to face in-state foe Austin Peay for the first time since 1997. Game day is Saturday, Sept. 11.

The Blue Raiders then will hit the road for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 18, to take on Memphis before beginning conference play Sept. 25 on the road at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Middle Tennessee will be open on Oct. 2 before hosting Troy at Floyd Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 5, in a game airing nationally on ESPN2.

The Blue Raiders will play their final nonconference game of the season 11 days later at Georgia Tech. It will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Middle Tennessee jumps back into conference play on Saturday, Oct. 23, with a home game against Louisiana-Monroe and will then head to Arkansas State on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The game with the Red Wolves will be shown nationally on ESPN2.

On Saturday, Nov. 13, the Blue Raiders will host North Texas before traveling to Western Kentucky on Nov. 20.

The Blue Raiders will play their home finale on Thanksgiving weekend (Saturday, Nov. 27) against Florida Atlantic before closing out the regular season on the road at Florida International on Saturday, Dec. 4. The FIU contest will be the latest date for a regular season game in school history.

"For our program, the three nationally televised games are great for exposure, but what I really like about this year's schedule is how fan-friendly it is," said Head Coach Rick Stockstill.

"It's great for our fans that we play 10 of our 12 games within a three- or four-hour drive by car, which should allow us to get a lot of support on the road. It is a challenging schedule that presents us with a lot of opportunities, and we look forward to getting things started in August."

The Blue Raiders' 2010 football schedule is ready to roll!

Clip and save this handy listing; home games are in BOLD. Open dates are Oct. 2 and 9 and Nov. 6.

Sept. 2 MINNESOTA (ESPNU)
Sept. 11 AUSTIN PEAY
Sept. 18 at Memphis
Sept. 25 at Louisiana-Lafayette

Oct. 5 TROY (ESPN2)
Oct. 16 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 23 LOUISIANA-MONROE

Nov. 2 at Arkansas State (ESPN2)
Nov. 13 NORTH TEXAS
Nov. 20 at Western Kentucky
Nov. 27 FLORIDA ATLANTIC

Dec. 4 at Florida International
December TBA: New Orleans Bowl (ESPN or ESPN2)

MTSU Theatre will celebrate the rich music and stories of Appalachia with its production of "Appalachian Roots"; on Friday, April 16.

Combining the mischief and fun of Appalachian tales and music with the hardship of life in a coal-mining community, the production highlights the strength of a people who didn't just "make do"; with what they had but found joy in it as well.

Directed by Dr. Jette Halladay, professor of speech and theatre, "Appalachian Roots"; began in September 2009 when 11 MTSU students and Carol Ponder, Appalachian folk artist, met with MTSU faculty members Halladay, Nancy Boone Allsbrook (music) and Kim Neal Nofsinger (speech and theatre) to create a show about Appalachia. The creative process lasted through February 2010, and now the show has begun performances for area elementary schools.

Set in the 1920s, the show takes place in a one-room schoolhouse in a small coal-mining community in East Tennessee, where the children are practicing their spring program when they hear the siren from the coal mine.

"The students know the siren means there has been an accident at the mine—the mine where their daddies, brothers and uncles work. But they've been asked not to go to the mine until the siren sounds again,"; Halladay explained.

To distract them, the schoolteacher, Aunt Julie, insists they keep practicing their program. The stories and songs take on a greater meaning to the children as they find strength and courage to face what lies ahead.

"Appalachian Roots"; will be presented at area elementary schools in April. In May, the cast and crew will travel to Ireland to perform at the Ulster American Folkpark in Omagh and in various schools across Northern Ireland.

Residents may take in the production at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, in the theater at Patterson Park Community Center, 521 Mercury Blvd., in Murfreesboro. A suggested donation of $5 for admission will help fund the Ireland trip.

The Blue Raider baseball program and MTSU will play host to the 2010 Sun Belt Baseball Championships May 26-29 at Reese Smith Jr. Field.

Festivities will begin on Tuesday, May 25, with a Family Night, which will include all-conference awards as well as a student-athlete home-run derby. The event is open to the public, and the community is invited to attend the official kick-off to the tournament.

Tournament play begins on Wednesday, May 26, and the double-elimination tournament will round out on Saturday, May 29, with the championship game.

Tournament ticket booklets are $60 until Thursday, April 1, and will increase to $75 per booklet after that date. Single-game tickets are $15 for reserved and $10 for bleacher seats, and children under the age of two will be admitted free. Sun Belt Conference member students can show a valid student ID at the gate for free admission to all games.

For more information, contact the Middle Tennessee ticket office at 1-888-YES-MTSU (1-888-937-6878) or visit www.goblueraiders.com.