The Record, Nov. 1, 2010, V19.09



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Serving, saluting MTSU's veterans: Magazine names university as 'military-friendly'

by Leslie Lynn

MTSU has landed in the top 15 percent of military-friendly schools in the United States, according to a recent survey by G.I. Jobs magazine.

Tennessee's largest undergraduate university currently enrolls nearly 1,000 veterans. MTSU originally saw an increase in veteran students after the first GI Bill® was passed in 1945. The higher-education veterans' population doubled after passage of the Post 9-11 GI Bill®, which allowed virtually unlimited funds for a veteran pursuing further education, said Dr. Derek Frisby, assistant professor of history and a veterans' adviser at MTSU.

MTSU's Military Center, established in 2009, is a major reason for the university's top ranking in the magazine's Military-Friendly Schools 2011 List.

Considered a "one-stop shop"; in the University College for veteran students, its services help soldiers recall how to be students and to make the transition into the classroom. The center provides a support structure for veteran and military students and aims to create a positive and successful experience at MTSU, said Cathy Delametter, Military Center coordinator.

Some services offered to students are readjustment counseling, career direction, the Blue Raider American Veteran Organization or B.R.A.V.O., academic advising, assessment of military credit and processing educational benefits.

Veterans can choose degrees that maximize their specialized training. Students may choose beginning classes through veteran learning communities, which Delametter said can give them a more comfortable classroom setting and may increase their potential for success.

"We process the G.I. educational benefits and work very organized so that no one is forgotten in the filing process,"; said Veterans Affairs Coordinator Ray Howell, who works in MTSU's Records Office. "We never handle paperwork twice.";

Howell's office even contacts veteran students if they have not confirmed their classes or paid fees by the purge date so they don't have to go through the frustration of signing up for classes again.

Delametter, who also is a member of the university's Military Issues Committee, works with the students on the adult degree-completion program.

"This is an appealing option for many family-oriented students,"; Delametter said, explaining that veteran students are placed with veteran advisers to help smooth the transition process.

Veterans also can get involved in B.R.A.V.O., a student-run organization providing veterans' services on campus.

Frisby said veteran students complete their degrees at a slightly higher and faster rate than nonveterans, but he added that veterans also have a higher dropout rate, possibly because of the demands of their family lives.

"The high caliber of maturity in the military brings students with experiences, diversity, leadership and different perspectives,"; Frisby said.

The future of MTSU's Military Center depends on a pending grant to fund a director's position and an adviser. For more information, contact Delametter at cdelamet@mtsu.edu or 615-494-8952, or visit www.mtsu.edu/military .


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Nov. 13 planned as day of Armed Services events

from Staff Reports

World War II veteran Charles A. Jones of McMinnville will be the recipient of the 21st annual Joe Nunley Award on Saturday, Nov. 13, at MTSU.

The presentation to Jones will be made during pregame picnic festivities as part of the 29th annual Salute to Armed Services/Veterans Day activities, said Maj. Chuck Giles, assistant professor of military science. The events are a prelude to MTSU's 2:30 p.m. Sun Belt Conference game against North Texas.

Along with their family members, veterans and active-duty military personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are welcome to participate, Giles said.

A Veterans' Memorial Service will be held outside the Tom H. Jackson Building starting at 11:30 a.m. The catered picnic will start at noon outside the Rose and Emmett Kennon Hall of Fame, and the Nunley Award presentation will begin at 1 p.m. In case of inclement weather, activities will be moved indoors.

Jones, born in 1923, is a native of McMinnville. He graduated from McMinnville High School and attended Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville.

Inducted into the U.S. Army at age 20 in 1943, Jones served until December 1945, said Harriett L. Howard, a former nurse and veteran and recipient of the Nunley Award in 1999. Jones served in the 88th Infantry Division, known as the Blue Devils, which fought from North Africa to Italy and to the Brenner Pass in Austria.

After the war, Jones was employed by First National Bank of McMinnville for more than 20 years. In 1965, Jones was elected state adjutant-quartermaster for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Tennessee. In this role, he accounted for funds of 142 VFW posts from Kingsport to Memphis and served his fellow veterans with distinction until retiring in 1988, Howard said.

Sixteen alumni officers also have been invited to be special guests of university President Sidney A. McPhee and his wife, Liz, for the day's events.

MT Athletics and the Department of Military Science are collaborating on a number of other activities, including a possible flyover by either National Guard or Air Force planes. Free game tickets are being provided for veterans, active-duty personnel and their families, and MTSU ROTC cadets will lead the veterans onto Jones Field when the Band of Blue plays their branch's official song during the patriotic halftime salute.

The Marine Corps once again will collect new toy donations at the gate in the annual Toys for Tots drive.

Sponsors include State Farm Insurance, Barrett Firearms, the National Guard and Dollar General.

For more information, contact Giles at 615-898-2470 or Brad Keen, athletics marketing and promotions assistant director, at 615-494-7825.

The 16 alumni officers include retired Brig. Gens. Patrick W. Harrison (Class of '51), Kenneth E. Wallace ('54), Edward N. Fletcher ('55), Noah Daniel ('59), James P. O'Neal ('69), Leslie L. Fuller ('73), Stan Lillie ('76) and Robert D. Ogg Jr. ('78); retired Lt. Gens. George Stotser ('56) and Horace "Pete"; Taylor ('60); and retired Maj. Gens. Thomas D. Farmer ('58), Charles R. Henry ('59) and James Myles ('74). Active-duty Brig. Gens. William N. Phillips ('76), Max Haston ('79) and James B. Burton ('83) also are among those invited to attend.

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Campus can 'bleed blue' to beat WKU, save lives

MTSU and Director of Athletics Chris Massaro have challenged Western Kentucky University to a blood-donation drive to see whose fans will lend a hand and hold out an arm.

The campaign, "Bleed Blue to Beat WKU,"; will be held Nov. 15-18 leading up to the football game between the two schools on Saturday, Nov. 20. Both universities have partnered with the American Red Cross and plan to make this an annual event before the MTSU-WKU gridiron clash.

The winner of the blood-drive challenge will be announced at halftime of the Nov. 20 game in Bowling Green, Ky.

"This is an excellent opportunity to help the community and save lives at the same time. It is even better when you can make it a competition against your biggest rival,"; Massaro said. "I hope Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky can make this event an annual success. I encourage all Blue Raider fans to come help us with this noble cause.";

To be counted in the competition, all MTSU blood donations must be collected at the Student Health Wellness and Recreation Center. MTSU student-athletes, student ambassadors, fraternities and sororities will check in donors and hand out juice and cookies after donations have been made.

Donors must be 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health. They also must provide identification. Blood donors may park in the gravel lot on MTSU Boulevard or at the Recreation Center.

Appointments aren't required, but donors can make an appointment to donate by visiting www.redcrossblood.org , clicking on the dark-blue "Make a Blood Donation Appointment"; box on the right and entering the sponsor code of MTSU19. Appointments may be made until Sunday, Nov. 14, the day before the competition begins.

The donation schedule is noon to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, and Wednesday, Nov. 17; Tuesday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18,

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In Brief: RAD classes are back!

A series of free Rape Aggression Defense classes will be offered every Thursday through Dec. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the MTSU Police training room, 1412 E. Main St. The RAD class is open to all female MTSU students, faculty and staff and the general public. Enrollment is limited; for more information or to enroll, call MTSU RAD Instructor David Smith at 615-692-2424.

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For the Record: Tanzania trip is unforgettable for senior ROTC cadet

by Erika Ortega

This past summer, I returned home from Tanzania, Africa, where I volunteered for three weeks with 25 other cadets from schools all over the nation, all paid by university Reserve Officer Training Corps groups.

I saw a side of the world that maybe a quarter of Americans, if that many, will ever experience. My volunteer work consisted of teaching little children, ages 5 to 7, subjects such as math and English and, most importantly, nursery rhymes.

Along with teaching, we were given opportunities to visit places like the Ngorongoro Crater, The Serengeti ecosystem and geographical region in northwest Tanzania, and the villages of the ancient Masai tribe.

Let me tell you, seeing the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater live puts National Geographic to shame! Having been to these places that are said to be "great"; and "fantastic,"; I have learned that such adjectives are an understatement. The sights were breathtaking.

Most people would be terrified to travel to Africa, but I saw this as an opportunity for adventure and a new perspective. Best part of the trip: It was free!

I couldn't explain in one article how magnificent this country is and the amount of generosity I was shown by their people, but I can say that I think about that place every day, wondering what will be next for the Tanzanians.

Being in that country gave me the feeling that I had walked through a time machine and landed where there were no washers and dryers, no clean water and other luxuries we see as necessities, and I think of how far the United States has come. I am and always will be extremely grateful for the chance to have seen in person what I have always seen on television.


Erika Ortega, 21, of Clarksville, Tenn., is president and captain of the MTSU women's rugby team and an MS IV, or senior military science, cadet. She plans to graduate in May 2011 with a global-studies degree and receive her commission. Because her father, William, served in the military, she has been to numerous countries, including Japan and Germany.


LEARNING AND LAUGHING—MTSU senior Erika Ortega, center right, is joined by attentive Tanzanian children as she teaches math, English and nursery rhymes during her summer 2010 volunteer trip to the central east African nation.

photo courtesy of Erika Ortega

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Chinese Film Festival under way

MTSU's Sunday Night Chinese Film Festival is returning for the fall semester with cinema guaranteed to intrigue, entertain and educate, organizers say.

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

Co-sponsored by the College of Media and Entertainment and the Confucius Institute, the festival, now in its 11th semester, kicked off Oct. 24 and continues on Sunday, Nov. 7, with "Mountain Patrol,"; the 2004 true story of volunteer rangers fighting to save the endangered Tibetan antelope from a band of ruthless poachers in the massive Kekexili wildlife reserve.

On Sunday, Nov. 14, "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles"; is the feature, directed by Yimou Zhang and telling the 2005 tale of a Japanese fisherman battling language barriers and government red tape to complete his dying son's unfinished documentary.

And on Sunday, Nov. 21, the festival's fall 2010 semester will conclude with "Go Lala Go!";, a 2010 romantic comedy by actress/director/writer Xu Jinglei about a white-collar worker's joys and pains as she grows from an office rookie into a human resources manager.

Each movie will begin promptly at 6 p.m. in COMM 103. Following each movie, Liu Jue, a master's degree candidate in the College of Media and Entertainment, will lead a question-and-answer session.

Founded in 2004, the Confucius Institute is a nonprofit organization established to strengthen educational cooperation between China and other countries TheConfucius Institute at MTSU was established in partnership with Hangzhou Normal University of China with thesponsorship and authorization ofthe Office of Chinese Language Council International under the Chinese Ministry of Education.

For more information about the film festival, call the Confucius Institute at 615-494-8696 or Dr. Robert Spires, professor of electronic media communication, at 615-898-2217.

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Sign up for Breckenridge ski trip

Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas? Sign up by Friday, Nov. 19, for a Dec. 18-23 Skiing and Snowboarding Trip to Breckenridge, Colo., with Campus Recreation.

This trip to Colorado's premiere resort will cost $825 for each student, $850 for faculty and staff and $875 for each guest, all with airfare included. If you have your own transportation, the cost is $485 each for students, $510 for faculty and staff and $535 for guests.

Get your snowshoes on and don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience! If you are not an experienced skier or snowboarder, don't worry; instruction is available at the resort.

For more information about the Skiing and Snowboarding Trip to Breckenridge, contact Josh Stone at 615-898-2104 or visit www.mtsu.edu/camprec .

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Distinguished Lecture deadline is Nov. 19

The deadline to submit applications for money from MTSU's Distinguished Lecture Fund for spring 2011 speakers is Friday, Nov. 19.

The Distinguished Lecture Committee seeks to promote appearances by speakers who focus on regional, national and global issues in a variety of fields. Through the Distinguished Lecture Fund, the committee supports academic and other departments that wish to bring recognized experts to the MTSU campus.

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

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

For more information, visit the website or contact Poff via email at ghpoff@mtsu.edu.

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Make a big blue difference by giving this year

The MTSU Employee Charitable Giving Campaign is now under way in support of several local charities, said Dr. Gloria Bonner, campaign chair.

"Make a Big Blue Difference" is the 2010 theme, and the goal is to receive at least $85,000 in pledges this year. Pledge forms must be turned in by Tuesday, Nov. 30.

With slightly more than 2,200 employees at MTSU, this goal can be easily attained if each employee pledges $40 per year or just $3.33 per month. Brown-bagging your lunch for one workday a month can help you make that simple gift!

"The need continues and gets greater from those who benefit from our giving,"; MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee said. "There are challenges every year, but we always step up to meet them. What you give doesn't have to be a large gift; just a dollar makes a difference in the lives of the people we help.";

Gifts may be designated to any charitable organization from a list of nine independent charities and three federated charitable organizations, including Community Health Charities, Community Shares and the local United Way.

The payroll-deduction option is provided and is a cost-effective way of making a gift. Employees also have the option of writing a personal check, made payable to "MTSU Employee Giving Campaign," as a one-time payment method.

All campaign material, including the printable pledge form, is online at www.mtsu.edu/givemtsu .

Submit pledge forms to your division's team captain:

  • Academic Affairs—Dr. Hilary Stallings, hstallin@mtsu.edu, MTSU Box 546 or 615-898-5039;
  • Business and Finance—Janice Benson, benson@mtsu.edu, Cope Administration Building Room 119 or 615-898-2852;
  • Development and University Relations—Belinda Young, byoung@mtsu.edu, Box 109 or 615-898-5014;
  • Information Technology Division—Cassie Leyhew, cleyhew@mtsu.edu, CAB 217 or 615-898-5570; or
  • Student Affairs, Enrollment and Academic Services—Pat Grimes, pgrimes@mtsu.edu, Box 196 or 615-898-5342.


Team captains should submit all forms to Dr. Rosemary Owens in CAB 111 by Nov. 30, so employees should sign and submit their pledge forms to their captains before that date.

For more information, contact Allison McGoffin at 615-898-2953.

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Happy birthday!



SEE HOW WE'VE GROWN—MTSU Human Sciences Professor Nancy Oxford, left, shows student work to State Sens. Bill Ketron, center, and Jim Tracy during a tour of the Ellington Human Sciences Building during an open house celebrating "100 Years of Human Sciences"; on Oct. 14. The event also featured interactive cooking demonstrations, student displays and a pumpkin-carving contest. Students majoring in human sciences may choose emphases in textiles, merchandising and design, family and consumer studies, nutrition and food sciences, and interior design.Watch video from the event by clicking the "Human Sciences Open House" link on the upper-right column of this page.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by Andy Heidt

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Counterinsurgency tactics by America are speaker's topic

Dr. Conrad C. Crane, director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute, will speak at MTSU on Tuesday, Nov. 2, on "America's Counterinsurgency War: Iraq and Afghanistan.";

Crane's address is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU's Business and Aerospace Building (Room S102). The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a question-and-answer period.

Crane is the lead author of the current Army-U.S. Marine Corps counterinsurgency field manual, released in December 2006. When the manual was released, Crane told Military.com that warring nations will continue resorting to insurgencies because they cannot take on the U.S. military in conventional warfare. "Enemies will make us fight these kinds of wars until we get them right,"; Crane said. "Then they'll switch.";

A published author and veteran of 26 years of military service, including nine years as a professor of history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Crane holds a bachelor's degree from West Point and master's and doctoral degrees from Stanford University.

Crane's lecture is part of the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Series and is presented under the joint sponsorship of the Departments of History and Political Science, the College of Liberal Arts and the Society for Military History.

For more information about the lecture, contact Dr. Robert Hunt, professor of history at MTSU, at 615-898-2536.

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Associate VP for marketing, communications named

Andrew Oppmann, president and publisher of The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, will become associate vice president of marketing and communications at MTSU, President Sidney A. McPhee announced.

Oppmann will assume his new role in early November.

"We're pleased to have found a strong communicator with national experience—but also so close to home—to lead our efforts,"; McPhee said.

Oppmann's journalism career spans 25 years. He has been with the DNJ since 2007 and also served as a vice president at The Tennessean. In 2008, he added The Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville to his responsibilities. That same year, Gannett honored Oppmann as one of its top three publishers for his work in Murfreesboro and Clarksville.

"It's been a wonderful ride, filled with great memories, interesting people and daily doses of adrenaline,"; Oppmann said. "But I'm just as excited to begin this new chapter of my life in service to an institution so vital to all of Tennessee.";

The new associate vice president will oversee communications and marketing as well as printing, publications and graphics, and Web operations.

"We are excited to have Andrew on board,"; said Joe Bales, vice president for the Division of Development and University Relations. "This was a very competitive search, and we feel very fortunate to have attracted someone with Andrew's unique skill set.";

During Oppmann's tenure, the DNJ received top honors from Gannett and the Tennessee Press Association for its coverage of the 2009 Good Friday tornadoes that struck Murfreesboro. He led efforts to build a stronger multimedia operation at the 162-year-old newspaper, and his formation of the DNJ Media Group expanded digital communications and created several audience-targeted websites.

He is chairman-elect of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties and led its $2.3 million fundraising effort in 2009. Oppmann also serves on the advisory board for MTSU's College of Mass Communication and on the board of the TPA, and he is a vice president of the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Oppmann, a University of Kentucky graduate and Hopkinsville, Ky., native, lives in Murfreesboro with his wife, Elise, and their three daughters, Emily, 11; Sarah, 9; and Rachel. 5.

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Honors College publications earn national acclaim

Two University Honors College publications, Honors Edition and Collage: A Journal of Creative Expression, received awards in September, Dean John Vile said.

Honors Edition, the Honors College newsletter/magazine, earned second place in the National Collegiate Honors Council Publications Board Newsletter Contest.

Honors Edition, which was one of 12 entries in the Faculty/ Administrator/Student Published category, is a two-color magazine. Regular features include honors faculty news and profiles; student study-abroad stories, theses, student news, Buchanan Fellowship updates and scholarship and award winners; and alumni news and profiles. Marsha Powers serves as Honors Edition editor.

Collage, the arts and literary magazine of the Honors College, received an overall Gold Medalist Certificate, the highest rating given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, a program affiliated with the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York City.

The fall 2009 and spring 2010 issues of Collage also received the Gold Medalist Certificate. The magazine received All-Columbian Honors for special merit in the organization and design categories. All-Columbian Honors are given only when a publication is in the 95th percentile or higher in one or more of three categories.

May 2010 honors graduate Jasmine Gray, who was selected for the USA Today All-USA College Academic First Team, was editor of the fall 2009 and spring 2010 issues of Collage. Jennifer Johnson was assistant editor, and art majors Danny McClain and Nathan Henris designed the fall and spring issues.

Vile noted that honors publications continue to underscore the excellence of MTSU's programs and that Powers has done an extraordinary job supervising the publications. He added that the college soon will be publishing Scientia et Humanitas, a journal of undergraduate research.

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Students will walk through WWII history next summer

by Gina K. Logue

After two excursions to the South Pacific to expose students to some of the critical sites of World War II, an MTSU historian is preparing to embark on a tour of some of the pivotal sites of the European Theater of Operations for his "Warfare and Public Memory in Western Europe"; class.

Dr. Derek Frisby, an associate professor of history, will escort students across the continent May 19-June 3, 2011, in tracing the war's "Great Crusade"; for HIST 3070. The 16-day tour will include an examination of Normandy, Bastogne and Dachau as well as Operation Market Garden, a campaign fought in Germany and the Netherlands, and the "Eagle's Nest,"; Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's retreat in the mountains above Berchtesgarden.

Students also will follow the route of the 101st Airborne Division's "Band of Brothers."; Tours of Omaha and Utah beaches, Arnhem and the "Battle of the Bulge"; site are on the itinerary as well as the Bayeux Tapestry, Paris, Verdun and Waterloo.

"Being in Europe and so close to many other historical sites, we're able to sprinkle in a broader type of conflict,"; says Frisby, a retired U.S. Marine and a veteran of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Frisby says he anticipates that a diverse mix of students will accompany him on this study-abroad experience, including pre-law and interior-design majors joining the expected history majors. Students who went to Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Pelilieu with Frisby two summers ago, while benefitting educationally, endured a grueling physical experience marked by scorching heat, crawling through caves, battling insects and discovering human remains and explosives. He believes closer proximity to traditional Western amenities will make the European excursion more attractive.

"We've begun to recruit some people who've never seen the ocean before and yet are motivated enough by this trip to go with us to Europe,"; Frisby says. "I think we've got a much broader range of students lined up for the European trip.";

Another difference in the Asian and European journeys is the educational emphasis. Instead of just analyzing individual battles, Frisby says students will be able to look at the fighting in the larger context of a campaign and to dissect the nature and culture of warfare itself, in addition to studying the way today's Europeans frame the conflict for public consumption.

"Are they geared more toward American tourists?"; Frisby says his students will be asking. "Are they geared to a European perspective? How do the Europeans promote this as a tourist industry?";

Frisby, who has performed painstaking research for MTSU's Veterans Memorial Committee on students and employees who perished in military conflict, plans to visit the sites of some fallen MTSU alumni, including Robert J. Sarvis ('41). A Canadian attached to the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe, Sarvis was killed on July 25, 1944, when his B-25 bomber reportedly was strafed by a German fighter near Carquebut, France.

"The village there has found wreckage over the years, including the remains of Robert Sarvis,"; Frisby says. "So even today, that incident continues to play a role in that village's collective memory.";

Scholarships for up to 50 percent of the program cost will be available through the MTSU Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange. Pell Grants and other financial aid also may be available, and Honors College students may be eligible for additional scholarships or grants.

MTSU alumni, history buffs and other interested people also may join Frisby's group, but the course is limited to 20 people. A 10 percent discount is available for those who make their final payment before Jan. 20, 2011.

For more information, contact Frisby at 615-904-8097 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. To learn more about study-abroad opportunities, contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange (MT Abroad) at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.

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Alumna Minter aims to provide 'driven' lecture

Alumna Freneka F. Minter will return to MTSU Thursday, Nov. 4, for a special lecture, an event organizer said.

Her talk, "DRIVEN—Motivated by Something,"; will begin at 7 p.m. in Wiser-Patten Science Hall Room 102. It is free and open to all students, faculty, staff and the public.

Minter's presentation, part of MTSU's Distinguished Lecture Series, will be of particular interest to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math participants.

The Murfreesboro native now works for Oak Ridge Associated Universities as a health-education specialist in the Health Communications and Technical Training Department's Health and Safety Training Group.

Minter's previous experience includes the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities' Division for Alcohol and Drug Abuse and MTSU's Center for Health and Human Services as well as work with local, state and federal agencies on alcohol, tobacco and other drug-prevention efforts and cancer, heart-disease and stroke prevention. Her master's degree in health, physical education and recreation and bachelor's degree in chemistry are from MTSU.

For more information, contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, chemistry professor and WISTEM Center director, at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

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Helping hands


OFFERING GUIDANCE—MTSU student nurses helped emergency personnel and staffers at Middle Tennessee Medical Center transfer more than 100 patients Oct. 2 to its new facility on Medical Center Parkway from the 83-year-old hospital at Bell and North Highland Streets. Seniors Bethany Powell, right, and Whitney Cottingham, center right, help EMT Shelby Stewart and MTMC surgical services nurse Elaine Gregory guide a patient's gurney into the new hospital.

photo courtesy Titus Bartos/Made in Murfreesboro Photography

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'New Muslim Cool' explores Islam through hip-hop

by Gina K. Logue

Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana will lead a town hall meeting on the intersection of Islam, hip-hop and identity among a new generation of American youth Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Room 221 of MTSU's Learning Resources Center.

The panel discussion and viewing of the documentary "The New Muslim Cool"; will begin at 7 p.m.

The 2009 film, which has been screened at the Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on the Public Broadcasting System, follows Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez as he steers away from his former life as a drug dealer and embraces Islam.

As he rebuilt his life with a message of faith through hip-hop music, the FBI raided Perez's mosque, challenging him to embark on an even deeper exploration of his religion, profiling, tolerance and American identity.

"New Muslim Cool"; was an Official Selection of the Rooftop Film Festival and Lincoln Center Independents Night and the winner of the Freedom Award at the Al Jazeera International Film Festival.

Following the screening, Kitwana will moderate an interactive panel discussion about the film with documentary subject Perez and attorney Nura Maznavi of Muslim Advocates, a San Francisco-based nonprofit sister organization of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers and counsel for its Program to Combat Racial and Religious Profiling.

Perez is an artist, community activist and educator who works for a national nonprofit organization as a youth and jail counselor and as the vice principal of a private Islamic elementary school. He performs with his brother, Juan Suliman Perez, as part of the hip-hop group M-Team and the interfaith poetry project Crossing Limits.

Kitwana is senior media fellow at The Jamestown Project, a think tank based at Harvard University Law School, and CEO of Rap Sessions: Community Dialogues on Hip-Hop, which conducts town hall meetings around the country on issues facing the hip-hop generation.

The author of four books, Kitwana's most recent offering is this year's Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama Era (Third World Press). He holds a bachelor's degree and master's degrees in English and education from the University of Rochester.

This event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the Center for Popular Music, the MTSU Department of History, the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, the MTSU School of Music and Student Programming.

For more information, contact Dr. Felicia Miyakawa at 615-904-8043 or miyakawa@mtsu.edu.

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Ensuring more scholars


INSURANCE SCHOLARSHIPS—MTSU professor Dr. Ken Hollman, center, and two senior finance majors accept a $15,000 scholarship donation from representatives of the Cumberland Chapter of RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. The scholarships of $1,500 each will serve 10 students in the Martin Chair of Insurance program. Lori Jackson, second from left, of Auburntown and Patrick Basile, far right, of Hendersonville are two of the recipients. Joining the students and Hollman, who is the Martin Chair of Insurance chairholder, for the check presentation are Cumberland RIMS chapter participants David Dixon, Kevin Gabhart, Brian Spears and Steve Heckle.

photo submitted

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People Around Campus: Senior's display seeks, shares cultural heritage

by Gina K. Logue and Edgard Izaguirre

Laurence Tumpag, a Jackson, Tenn., native and a senior majoring in social work, has been on a mission to embrace his Filipino heritage and share it with his fellow students.

"The Filipino culture was first exposed to Americans in the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis,"; Tumpag says. Unfortunately, he adds, the people who participated in the event were presented inhumanely, in human "zoos,"; and subjected to harsh conditions and treatment, resulting in many deaths.

In hopes of raising awareness of the Filipino culture, Tumpag has set up a rotating display of Filipino ethnographic wares in Peck Hall.

These dolls "represent the many tribes that existed and still exist in the Philippines today,"; says Tumpag, adding that his display also is in memory of his ancestors. Most importantly, he says, the dolls are being used to represent the Filipino culture in a positive light. (October is Filipino American Heritage Month.)

Tumpag, who is an American citizen, says he began collecting Filipino cultural items such as ethnographic dolls as a means to better understand and reconnect with his Filipino heritage. He felt he had become estranged from his culture by living in the United States, especially in the South.

Tumpag asked his family members for some items, bought others online and began doing research to prepare for his display.

The Philippines, a Southeast Asian nation located in the western Pacific Ocean, is made up of more than 7,000 islands. All of the country's indigenous tribes originated from a single area and eventually spread to islands, mountains and lowland areas. Water separated most tribes, leading to change in dialects, cultural traditions and beliefs.

Throughout the history of the Philippines, Tumpag explains, Spain, the United States and other nations have colonized or occupied the country. Also, several religions such as Islam and Christianity have influenced different tribes in the country, making it the diverse nation that it is today. A consequence to this rich diversity, however, has been infighting and bloodshed. Nevertheless, he says, the people of the Philippines continue to strive toward a movement that promotes peace, co-existence and unity.

As a social-work major, Tumpag says he feels it's his passion and duty to advocate for the rights of all disenfranchised individuals. As a history minor, he's also found great value in and appreciation for the lessons humanity has taught us.

EDUCATIONAL DISPLAY—Dolls from the Philippines, reflecting MTSU senior Laurence Tumpag's cultural heritage, are on rotating display in Peck Hall.

photo submitted

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Faculty/Staff Update


Conferences

Lorie Krauss (social work) provided ethics training for the Upper Cumberland Council for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth at its annual networking conference Sept. 17 at Nashville State Community College's Cookeville campus.

Events

MTSU professors participating in the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville Oct. 8-10 included Dr. David Pierce (English), who has published two successful children's books with his wife, comedian Chonda Pierce, and read from his book Don't Let Me Go: What My Daughter Taught Me About the Journey Every Parent Must Make; and Dr. Amy Sayward (history), author of two previous books on economic development, who read from her new book, Tennessee's New Abolitionists: The Fight to End the Death Penalty in the Volunteer State, co-edited with Dr. Margaret Vandiver (University of Memphis). Dr. Reza Ordoubadian (English), who retired from MTSU in 1989, read from Sufi and Mystical Poems of Abu Sa'id, An 11th Century Persian Poet and Divine, one of his five books, at the event.

Media

Dr. Mark Anshel (health and human performance) was interviewed for the "Fitness Feature"; in the November issue of Self magazine. He answered the question "Do men worry less than women about what others think of their bodies?"; and discussed "body self-image"; and "social physique anxiety.";

Drs. Ken Blake and Jason Reineke (journalism, MTSU Poll) were guests on "OpenLine"; on NewsChannel5+ Oct. 14. Blake and Reineke also appeared on "This Week with Bob Mueller"; on WKRN-TV Oct. 17. This fall's MTSU Poll measured Tennesseans' attitudes toward Muslims, the Tennessee governor's race, the Tea Party movement and gun laws and ownership.

Dr. Mark Frame's (psychology) research on men and the glass ceiling is source material for a blog posted—along with a mention of MTSU—on the Harvard Business Review website.

Dr. Andrew Owusu (health and human performance) was interviewed about bullying in African educational institutions by Jackson Mvunganyi for the program "Up Front"; on the Voice of America.

Publications

Dr. Wandi Ding (mathematical sciences) and Dr. Suzanne Lenhart (University of Tennessee-Knoxville) published "An Introduction to Optimal Control for Discrete Models with an Application to Disease Modeling"; in AMS-DIMACS Series on Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science, Vol. 75, 109-119, 2010.

Dr. Mark Doyle (history) published an article, "The Sepoys of the Pound and Sandy Row: Empire and Identity in Mid-Victorian Belfast,"; in Journal of Urban History 36 (November 2010): 849-67.

Dr. Dennis R. Papini (psychology) co-authored "The effect of life expectancy on aggression and generativity: A life-history perspective"; in Evolutionary Psychology 8(3), 492-505.


Get noticed in The Record!

Submit your Faculty/Staff Update items and other news tips to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, for the Nov. 15 edition of The Record or 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, for the Nov. 29 Record.

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Campus Calendar Nov. 1-14, 2010

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+: Sundays, 1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other cable-outlet airtimes or www.youtube.com/mtsunews 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
Nov. 4: Women's Basketball vs. Lincoln Memorial, 5:30 p.m.; Men's Basketball vs. Lincoln Memorial, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 5: Volleyball vs. South Alabama, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6: Volleyball vs. Troy, 7 p.m.
Nov. 9: Women's Basketball vs. Alabama-Huntsville, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 12: Men's Basketball vs. Tennessee Temple, 7 p.m.
Nov. 13: Football vs. North Texas, 2:30 p.m.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com .

Through Nov. 2
"HYPE Design Show"; Graphic-Design Student Juried Art Exhibition
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Todd Gallery
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/art or contact: 615-898-2455.

Monday, Nov. 1
Fall Honors Lecture Series—Dr. Jun Da, "Language Policy and Language Use in China";
3-3:55 p.m., Room 106, Honors Amphitheatre
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~honors or contact: 615-898-2152.

Faculty Voice Recital: Christine Poythress
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com or contact: 615-898-2493.

Nov. 2-3
19th Annual Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium, "Talking Trash: Garbage in Society and the Environment";
Tennessee Room, James Union Building
For event details, visit http://bit.ly/TrashSymposium .

Tuesday, Nov. 2
General Elections
including gubernatorial, Congressional and state legislative races
For information, visit www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/election or contact: 615-898-7743.

Brown Bag Enrichment and Development Series: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, "Chocolate!";
Noon-1 p.m., Room N127 (SunTrust Room), Business and Aerospace Building
For information, contact: 615-898-5989.

Nov. 3-4
Art Exhibit: Art Scholarship Seasonal Exhibit and Sale
9 a.m.-4 p.m., Todd Gallery
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/art or contact: 615-898-2455.

Wednesday, Nov. 3
Faculty Trumpet Recital: Dan Whaley
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Thursday, Nov. 4
MTSU Jazz Ensemble I
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Friday, Nov. 5
Guest Artist Recital: Traverso Colore
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

First Friday Star Party: Dr. Eric Klumpe, "The Cosmic Microwave Background";
6:30 p.m. lecture, Room 102, Wiser-Patten Science Building; followed by telescope viewing at the MTSU Observatory (weather permitting)
For information, contact: 615-898-2483.

Guest Bassoon Recital: Jenny Mann
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Saturday, Nov. 6
MTSU School of Music "Evening of Swing";
6:15 p.m., Stones River Country Club, 1830 N.W. Broad St.
Tickets: $100 per person
For information, visit http://bit.ly/MTSwing or contact: 615-898-5924.

Sunday, Nov. 7
Daylight Savings Time ends (set clocks back one hour)

Nov. 8-12
Art Exhibit: Bachelor of Fine Arts Candidates—Studio 1
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Todd Gallery (opening reception 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8)
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/art or contact: 615-898-2455.

Monday, Nov. 8
Fall Honors Lecture Series—Steve Saunders, "The Effect of China's Ascendancy on U.S. Foreign Policy";
3-3:55 p.m., HONR 106
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~honors .

Faculty Senate Meeting
4:30 p.m., JUB 100
For information, visit the Faculty Senate website or contact: 615-898-2582.

Wednesday, Nov. 10
Tornado Siren Test Date (no action needed)
11:15 a.m., campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-2424.

Thursday, Nov. 11
Retired Faculty/Staff Coffee
9:30 a.m., Foundation House
For information, contact: 615-898-2922.

MTSU Jazz Artist Series: Trombonist Steve Davis
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Tickets: $15 per person; students and staff free with ID
For information, visit http://bit.ly/MTJazzSeries10 .

Nov. 12-13
MTSU Opera: "The Marriage of Figaro";
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Tickets: $10 per person at door
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Sunday, Nov. 14
MTSU Opera: "The Marriage of Figaro";
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Tickets: $10 per person at door
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .


Get noticed in The Record!

Submit Campus Calendar items and other news tips to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, for the Nov. 15 edition of The Record or 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, for the Nov. 29 Record. The final edition for fall 2010 is Dec. 13, so submit your late December and early January 2011 items before 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1. Thanks!

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