The Record, March 14, 2011, V19.17



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Gordon lauded for 'Excellence in Education'

by Gina K. Logue

The Murfreesboro City Schools Foundation honored former U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, an MTSU alumnus, at its Excellence in Education Celebration on Friday, March 11, at Murfreesboro's Stones River Country Club.

Gordon represented Tennessee's 6th Congressional District, which includes Murfreesboro, from 1985 to 2011 and chaired the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 to 2011.

"I am most honored to chair this year's Excellence event with Bart Gordon as the honoree,"; said Elizabeth McPhee, wife of MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. "He has done so much for middle Tennessee, and as a schoolteacher, I value his efforts to motivate young people to seek education and careers in the sciences.";

Dr. Sidney McPhee added that Gordon's "ability to find sources of federal funding over the years to promote learning at all levels has elevated our quality of life in the state and most assuredly throughout the nation. It is our privilege, on behalf of his MTSU family and his alma mater, to honor him in this way.";

Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, noted that one of Gordon's greatest achievements was requesting a report showing that America's edge in science and technology fields is waning. The findings led to congressional passage of the America COMPETES Act of 2007, a measure to stimulate research and development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields.

The son of a farmer and a schoolteacher, Gordon attended the Murfreesboro City Schools system and graduated from Central High School. He served as student-body president at MTSU, graduating in 1971, and earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1973.

"Many of Murfreesboro's most visible assets are products of the hard work of Congressman Bart Gordon,"; said City Schools Foundation President Doug Young, who also was Gordon's classmate at Hobgood Elementary School.

"He was instrumental in the development of our beautiful Stones River Greenway and in funding for The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring and improvements to Stones River National Battlefield, not to mention his never-failing loyalty to the city schools and Middle Tennessee State University.

"As he retires, the Excellence event gives us a chance to honor one of our own for a job well-done.''

Jim Free, president and CEO of The Smith-Free Group in Washington, D.C., noted that he and Gordon met in 1967 when they were students at MTSU and have been "fast friends"; since.

"From the beginning, Bart wanted to be in public service,"; said the 1969 alumnus, who also earned a master's degree in public administration from MTSU in 1972. "His love of politics was equal only to his love for helping others, so it was no surprise to any of us when he stood for election to Congress.Bart has had a lot of tough elections, since then but there was no one who was better or tougher when it came to winning support from his constituents.

"Bart often says, 'I never forgot where I come from and who I work for,'"; Free continued. "In Washington, this kind of remark is overused and often rings hollow, but in Bart's case, this is the principle that has guided how he has lived his life and how he served Middle Tennessee. … Any of us who have known Bart since his days at MTSU know that he wakes up every morning thinking about ways he can help our community and improve the quality of life for the people of Rutherford County.";

Joe Bales, vice president for development and university relations at MTSU, has worked closely with Gordon for several years.

"Arguably his biggest contributions have been in the area of math and science education,"; Bales said. "The congressman had a great appreciation for public education and the important role that MTSU plays in educating our state's teachers. In his role on the House Science and Technology Committee, which he chaired in the latter part of his tenure, he worked diligently to improve our nation's efforts in teaching math and science, highlighted by his co-sponsorship of the America COMPETES Act.";

Dr. Jim Burton, dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at MTSU, noted that Gordon received the college's Exemplar Award in 2006. The honor goes to alumni "whose body of work and whose life as a whole are worthy for our students to note as an example for them to follow,"; Burton said. "Congressman Bart Gordon's devotion to his alma mater has been well documented by his extraordinary pursuit of university/government partnership opportunities.";

Gordon also contributed to the School of Nursing's success, chair Dr. Lynn Parsons said, including "obtaining federal dollars to add the 25,000-square-foot addition for the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building that opened for the spring 2007 semester!";


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Best of Show leads MTSU parade of student ADDYs

by Randy Weiler

Five gold awards—including Best of Show by senior Stefanie Cobb—and two silvers led to a spectacular night for the MTSU Department of Art at the 2011 Nashville Student ADDY Awards in Nashville.

Cobb, who will graduate May 7, earned a Gold ADDY and Best of Show at the Feb. 22 event for her "American Ladies Feline Fellowship Society Annual Report"; entry.

"It's a fairly involved piece,"; says the advertising major. "I made everything from the copy to the illustrations. I tend to really get into the details of a project, so there are a lot of little elements that I wanted to include to make the piece really fun, like the cat jingle bell along the spine. It was a lot of work, but I had a lot of fun creating it.";

Cobb, a past president of the student chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, also earned a Silver Student ADDY for a mixed-media campaign, "Streets in the Sky: The Rise and Fall of Brutalist Architecture.";

"If I had a whole class of Stefanies, it would be a dream world,"; says Noel Lorson, associate professor of art at MTSU. "She's creative, talented and dedicated. Basically, her passion for design is what helps her find time to make every project successful.

"When I graded the annual report that won her the Gold Student ADDY and Best of Show Award, I wrote, 'This project will get you any job you want.' It had fabulous design, illustration, photography and copywriting.";

The following senior art majors also received Student ADDY Awards:

  • Cody Newman, who earned a Gold ADDY in the television category for his submission "Ten to Two";;
  • Eric Pavol, who earned a Gold ADDY for an interactive website submission, "A Field Guide to Benches in Nashville";;
  • Nathan Henris, who received a Gold ADDY for a mixed-media campaign, "Vintage Walls Museum Exhibit";;
  • Whitney Mortimer, who captured a Gold ADDY for a package design for the "The Weather Witch Doctor Voodoo Doll";; and
  • Michael Slattery, who earned a Silver ADDY for an animation of "The Beasties.";


In the Nashville Student ADDY Awards, MTSU competes against students from the Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville; Watkins College of Art, Design & Film; O'More College of Design; Nossi College of Art; and other public and private colleges.

"The Student ADDY competition gives our students a chance to experience competition for their design work and see how their work stacks up from the other regional universities,"; says Professor Jean Nagy, art department chair. "The MTSU Department of Art is proud that our students' work stacks up to the scrutiny of design professionals within the American Advertising Federation-Nashville.";

The competition marks the first of three tiers. Winners of gold and silver awards in Nashville will compete next at the district level against winners from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Winners from 14 American Advertising Federation districts then will advance to the National Student ADDYs for a chance to win $1,000 for the Student Best of Show.

The art department's graphic-design program, which is a part of the College of Liberal Arts, features more than 220 student majors and is one of the largest and most successful in the state, said Associate Professor Seth Johnson.

"We have hundreds of graduates throughout the country working in the graphic-design industry that graduated from our program over the last 30 years,"; Johnson says. "Naturally, we are excited about this honor and our student accomplishments.";

Professor Barry Buxkamper joins Nagy, Lorson and Johnson as faculty mentors.

The graduating senior capstone projects from the graphic-design program will be on display in the Art Department Todd Gallery from April 11 through May 5.



ADDY ENVELOPE PLEASE—MTSU winners celebrate their showing at the recent Student ADDY Awards in Nashville with Art Department Chair Jean Nagy. Joining the fun are, from left on the front row, Nagy, seniors Eric Povol and Professor Noel Lorson. On the back row are, from left, seniors Stefanie Cobb, Cody Newman, Nathan Henris and Whitney Mortimer. Not pictured are senior Michael Slattery and Professor Barry Buxkamper.

photo submitted


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Open house



AN HONOR TO BE HERE—Catherine and James Zanoni of Brentwood, left, talk with Brian Walsh of the MTSU Admissions Office during the recent Presidents' Day Open House for prospective students at the University Honors College. James Zanoni, a junior at Brentwood High School, plans to graduate early this spring and has been accepted as a freshman honors student at MTSU this fall. The Feb. 21 event attracted more than 125 prospective students and their families to the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building for the afternoon, where they met Honors College staff, visited information booths, asked financial-aid and scholarship questions, toured the Lyon Hall living and learning center and attended that day's Honors Lecture Series address.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by J. Intintoli


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In Brief: ET Open House set April 27

The Department of Engineering Technology will celebrate its annual Open House on Wednesday, April 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Cantrell Hall in the Tom Jackson Building. An awards ceremony also is planned for 3:30 p.m. The event will feature poster presentations and displays of experimental student vehicles as well as free shirts and food. For more information, email sswoape@mtsu.edu.


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Construction helping reshape MTSU campus

by Tom Tozer

It's nothing short of a marvel to watch the progress of MTSU's Education Building and Student Union Building. One can almost hear the bustle of pedestrian traffic in and out of both facilities.

Exterior work is almost done on the Education Building, which is slated for completion by Brasfield & Gorrie by mid-June. The interior walls, along with the mechanical, electrical and plumbing, are 90 percent finished, and the interior work and AV infrastructure are in progress.

Workers from Messer Construction are installing ductwork in the new Student Union Building, which is projected for completion in spring 2012. The brick is going up on the columns, fireproofing materials are being placed and sprinkler lines are currently being installed.

The renovation of Deere and Nicks residence halls includes replacing mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, making architectural improvements and providing accessibility to users with disabilities. The work, performed by Denark Construction, should be completed this May.

Also planned for completion in May are improvements at the MTSU Dairy Farm by Hardcastle Construction, including road work and shed construction.

The new fencing along MTSU Boulevard signals the extensive parking and transportation improvements being carried out by Rock City Construction. A new roundabout will be constructed at the corner near Scarlett Commons, along with a new entrance to campus from Greenland Drive. The changes will create two-way traffic from the Recreation Center roundabout to Founders Lane, where traffic will then turn right. The eastbound one-way portion of MTSU Boulevard alongside Jones Hall, Saunders Fine Arts and the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Auditorium will be widened but will remain a one-way street. These roadway projects will continue through mid-December, officials said.

Modernizing campus lighting and energy systems also will continue this spring. New lamps for walkways and parking lots will use lower-wattage sources, and new lighting will be installed in some areas to provide better overall visibility. Elmore Electrical & Mechanical is doing the lighting work, while Siemens is providing temperature-control and energy-management capabilities campuswide.

Jolly Roofing will install a new roof on the Business and Aerospace Building by early June, officials said.

MTSU's Media Convergence Center is another ongoing project. It includes work in both the Bragg Mass Communication and Fairview buildings, and bids will go out April 1 with a projected August completion date. Space will be renovated in the Bragg building to accommodate WMOT-FM and WMTS-FM radio stations, Sidelines, MTTV cable-TV station and the student record label, MTSU Records. The existing space in Fairview, located at the corner of Greenland Drive and Fairview Street, will be renovated to house Creative Marketing Solutions and related areas under the Office of Marketing and Communications.

Completed projects around campus include the Tucker Theatre renovation; Jones Hall heating, ventilation and air-conditioning improvements and updates; fiber-optic installation for data centers and node locations; the Rutledge Hall porch reconstruction; and roof replacements on the Tom Jackson Building, Jones Hall, Ellington Human Sciences, Fairview Building, Jean Jack Flight Center and Photography Building.

Other projects in the design phase include updating the Learning Resources Center for the Department of Human Sciences, Todd Hall indoor air-quality upgrades and demolition of Wood, Felder, Gore and Clement residence halls, which will begin in May or June.

MTSU's Parking Garage/Student Services one-stop facility also is in the design phase; Messer Construction will serve as construction manager and general contractor. The project will include a 980-space parking garage and a bridge connecting it to the new Student Union, along with administrative space for the Financial Aid Office, admissions, the bursar's office, campus tours, the registrar, college advising, the Enrollment Technical Systems Office, the MTSU ID Office and a quick-service desk. There also will be vehicle access to MTSU Boulevard and pedestrian access to the main east/west pedestrian walkway.




ON THE WAY UP—This aerial view of construction on the east side of MTSU's campus, looking southeast, shows the rapid progress of the new Student Union Building, which is scheduled to open in spring 2012. At the upper left of the photo is the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, while just above and to the right of the new SUB is the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors College Building. The campus roundabout, which is partially visible at the lower left of the photo, will get a partner on campus later this year with the addition of another roundabout on MTSU Boulevard near Scarlett Commons.

photo by Lindsay Scott/Aerial Innovations of Tennessee



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Sexual-slavery survivor to speak at conference

by Gina K. Logue

Internationally heralded anti-human-trafficking activist Somaly Mam will be the keynote speaker for the MTSU Women's and Gender Studies Program's ninth biennial Interdisciplinary Conference slated for March 24-26.

Mam will speak on "The Road to Lost Innocence: Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery—A Personal Journey"; at 3:15 p.m. Friday, March 25, in the Tom H. Jackson Building. The event is free and open to the public, and Mam will sign books following her address.

Born into extreme poverty in Cambodia, Mam was sold into slavery as a child and forced to work in a brothel, where she was tortured and raped daily. After Mam's best friend was murdered, she escaped and vowed to fight the underground economy that feeds on sexual exploitation of the vulnerable.

In 2007, Mam established the Somaly Mam Foundation to support anti-trafficking organizations. She has won numerous awards, including the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation and the World Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child. In 2006, she was honored as a CNN Hero, and she was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009 by Time magazine.

Mam's appearance is only one highlight of the conference, which carries the theme of Global Discourses in Women's and Gender Studies.

"We welcome scholars, activists, nonprofit professionals, students and others who engage issues of social justice, particularly those related to women and gender,"; says Dr. Newtona "Tina"; Johnson, director of the MTSU Women's and Gender Studies Program.

Dr. Nancy Rupprecht, professor of history at MTSU, will moderate a special conference session, "When Death Panels Were Real: The Abuse of Medical Ethics,"; from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, in the Jackson Building.

Also on March 24, from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. in the Jackson Building, Travis D. Gatling, associate professor and associate director of the School of Dance at Ohio University, will lead a workshop on using nonverbal communication to engage creativity and diversity in the classroom.

"Women Without Men,"; a movie about the 1953 British- and American-backed coup that brought down Iran's democratically elected government, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. March 24 in the Jackson Building. Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of MTSU's Middle East Center, will moderate a panel discussion after the film.

"Engendered Movement: A Dance Concert and Discussion"; will take place at 7:30 p.m. March 25 in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Professor Kim Neal Nofsinger, director of dance and artistic director of the Middle Tennessee Dance Theatre, will moderate the question-and-answer session.

For more information, contact the Women's and Gender Studies Program office at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@mtsu.edu.


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Activist Angela Davis to deliver keynote address

by Gina K. Logue

Social-justice activist Angela Davis will deliver the keynote address for MTSU's National Women's History Month celebration at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.

Davis, whose dynamic speeches and embrace of controversial issues catapulted her into national prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, recently retired as Distinguished Professor Emerita in the History of Consciousness Department and professor of feminist studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, after 15 years there. She was a Visiting Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Women's and Gender Studies and African-American Studies at Syracuse University last year.

In 1969, the Board of Regents of the University of California, acting at the behest of then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan, removed her from her position as an assistant professor of philosophy at UCLA because of her outspoken political views and her membership in the Communist Party, which she later left. She eventually was rehired after taking legal action.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation placed Davis on its "Ten Most Wanted List"; in 1970 after it was revealed that she had purchased guns used by others in the murder of a California Superior Court judge. Davis went underground but was arrested and charged as an accomplice to conspiracy, kidnapping and homicide. An all-white jury acquitted her in 1972 after she served 18 months in prison.

Davis' experience behind bars informed her commitment to prison reform, including issues of racism, sexism and class discrimination in the criminal-justice system. She often speaks of a "prison-industrial complex"; in which more resources are devoted to incarceration than to education.

During the last 25 years, Davis has lectured around the world. She is the author of eight books, including Abolition Democracy and Are Prisons Obsolete?

Following her presentation, Davis will sign books at a reception in her honor. The entire event is free and open to the public, but seating will be limited, so attendee should arrive early.

Davis' appearance at MTSU is sponsored by the National Women's History Month Committee, the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students, the Distinguished Lecture Fund, the Black History Month Committee, Women in Action, the American Democracy Project and the Women's and Gender Studies Program.

For more information, contact Terri Johnson at 615-898-5989 or trjohnso@mtsu.edu.


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'Breaking Boundaries' is focus of annual celebration

by Gina K. Logue

"Breaking Boundaries and Breaking New Ground"; is the theme of MTSU's National Women's History Month observance, a celebration so jam-packed with events that it encompasses not only March but parts of February and April, as well.

The keynote speaker for the NWHM campus celebration is Angela Davis, the Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Women's and Gender Studies Department at Syracuse University. She is slated to speak at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.

In addition to Davis' address, NWHM events at MTSU include:

  • an interdisciplinary conference, "Global Discourses in Women's and Gender Studies,"; slated March 24-26 on campus, including a keynote lecture by Somaly Mam, a Cambodian author and human-rights activist, "The Road to Lost Innocence: Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery,"; at 3:15 p.m. Friday, March 25, in the Tom H. Jackson Building;
  • a visit from Meghan McCain, author of Dirty Sexy Politics and daughter of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who will help kick off SpringOUT with a speech presented by MT Lambda and Scholars Week at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in Room 221 of the Learning Resources Center (MT Lambda is a student organization that supports and raises awareness about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community); and
  • "When Civil War is Waged by Women,"; the final Women's and Gender Studies Research Series presentation of spring 2011, which will be delivered by Dr. Nancy Rupprecht, professor of history, at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in Room 100 of the JUB.

Featured on MTSU's 2011 NWHM button is artist/activist Frida Kahlo, a catalyst in the "neomexicanismo"; art movement and the subject of Salma Hayek's 2002 Academy Award-winning film "Frida."; Kahlo burst from the shadow of her husband, muralist Diego Rivera, to become a national hero in Mexico.

The entire MTSU NWHM calendar is available at www.mtsu.edu/jac . All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.

For more information about NWHM events at MTSU, please click on the flier above for a printable calendar or contact Terri Johnson, chair of the Women's History Month Committee, at 615-898-5989 or trjohnso@mtsu.edu.


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Pleasant recognition



SETTING THE EXAMPLE—MTSU music professor Dr. Raphael Bundage, center, accepts the 2011 John Pleas Faculty Recognition Award from Professor Emeritus John Pleas, right, and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee during a March 1 ceremony that concluded MTSU's celebration of Black History Month. Bundage, who also serves as director of choral activities for MTSU's School of Music, is assistant conductor and chorus master for the Nashville Opera Association. The Pleas Award has been presented since 1996 to a minority faculty member who makes significant contributions to MTSU and the surrounding community.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by J. Intintoli


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March 22 open house has MTeach charting program's growth

by Randy Weiler

Growing from zero students to 76 appears to be outstanding progress for MTSU's first-year MTeach Program, officials say.

Freshmen Alex Herrera of Manchester and Shelby Bales of Murfreesboro are just two of the 76 students excited about the program.

"This is one of the most amazing programs to be in if you want to be a teacher,"; said Bales, a chemistry major.

"They walked in (at CUSTOMS) and handed out a flier. It looked interesting. They have a really great staff. Everybody is amazing. They work with you. You can bounce ideas off them.";

Herrera, a biology major, added that MTeach is a "really good program for anyone who wants to go into the science field. It makes us think out what we want to teach kids. It tests our knowledge. We learn something new every day. The instructors are very good at helping you and knowing what you need.";

MTeach Program Coordinator Leigh Gostowski and master teachers Sally Millsap and Mark LaPorte said they hope to see more growth, especially after the open house on Tuesday, March 22, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building Room 123.

For more information, call 615-898-5786 or visit www.mtsu.edu/mteach .


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Keep an eye out for TSSAA-tournament traffic



If it's March in Tennessee, it's TSSAA time at MTSU—and time for temporary traffic changes, too!

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's High School Basketball Tournaments are under way once again at Murphy Center. The girls' tournaments were set for March 9-12, and the boys' playoffs are scheduled March 16-19.

The biggest traffic change around MTSU will involve the east side of Middle Tennessee Boulevard, where tournament team buses will be parked during both tournaments. That will create a brief single lane of traffic heading north on Middle Tennessee between Lytle Street and Faulkinberry Drive.

As a result, the Faulkinberry entrance from Middle Tennessee Boulevard will be closed for the four-day duration of each tournament. Faulkinberry also will close at Normal Way.

MTSU's Greenland Drive parking lots will be reserved for TSSAA ticketholders during the tournaments, and there will be a $5 charge for any vehicle parking in those lots. MTSU students, faculty and staff who usually use the Greenland Drive lots should use alternate parking locations on campus during the brief busy period.

Some of those alternate locations include reserved parking for vehicles with appropriate campus permits in the Woodfin's, Maintenance, Horseshoe, Corral, S-Curve/Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building and Baseball parking lots. Visitors with appropriate permits also will be allowed to park in those lots.

Tournament visitors will be routed to outer parking lots around campus, including the Tennessee Livestock Pavilion and Rutherford lots. All other scheduled campus events during the TSSAA tournaments will be allowed to park on a first-come, first-served basis in the usual non-paid lots, based on availability.

The Raider Xpress shuttle service will run its normal schedule during the TSSAA tournaments with the exception of the "Green Route,"; which will not serve Greenland Drive. Instead, the shuttle will serve the lots along Crestland Drive as normal, then re-enter campus behind the James Union Building and make its way around Old Main Circle by Peck Hall and Kirksey Old Main. The route then will take a right on MTSU Boulevard and head out of campus via Champion Way back to Greenland Drive.

Please remember that construction projects across campus can cause or create traffic delays. With the expected traffic increases during the TSSAA tournaments, Parking and Transportation Services officials are encouraging everyone on campus to allow extra time to reach their destinations.

For a printable campus map, visit http://bit.ly/MTParkingMap . For more information about TSSAA, visit www.tssaa.org or call 615-889-6740.


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International collaboration



EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION—MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, at left, meets with faculty and administrators from Celal Bayar University in Manisa, Turkey, during their March 1 visit to MTSU with Dr. Ismail Fidan, a member of Tennessee Tech's manufacturing and industrial technology faculty, and Alp U. Levent, president of the Knoxville Turkish Cultural Center. Seated with Fidan, second from left, are CBU faculty member and researcher Dr. Selim Uzunoglu; Levent, who also is president of the Society of Universal Dialogue; CBU President Dr. Mehmet Pakdemirli; and MTSU University Honors College Dean Dr. John Vile. CBU, founded in 1992, is one of the third largest universities in Turkey's Aegean region and has more than 920 faculty members in 34 departments across three campuses and a total student enrollment of more than 30,000. Pakdemirli was in Tennessee to lecture on multiple international research and educational-collaboration opportunities.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by Andy Heidt


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Award-winning author plans lecture on Armenian atrocities

from Staff Reports

Award-winning poet and author Dr. Peter Balakian will bring his expertise on the Armenian genocide to MTSU on Friday, March 18, as part of the ongoing Distinguished Lecture Series.

Balakian's free public lecture, "The Armenian Genocide and Modernity,"; is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. March 18 in the State Farm Lecture Hall, Room S102, of the MTSU Business and Aerospace Building.

Balakian is the Rebar Professor of the Humanities in the Department of English at Colgate University, where he also runs the Creative Writing Program and was the first director of Colgate's Center For Ethics and World Societies.

He is a well-known advocate for greater recognition of one of the 20th century's worst episodes of mass violence, in which some 1.5 million Armenians, including members of his own family, were killed by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The professor has appeared on "60 Minutes,"; "Fresh Air,"; "The Charlie Rose Show"; and numerous other national programs discussing the killings and the struggle to obtain Turkish recognition of the genocide.

In addition to his Pen/Albrand Prize-winning memoir, Black Dog of Fate, and the first English translation of Armenian Golgotha: A Memoir of The Armenian Genocide, 1915-1918 by his great-uncle, Grigoris Balakian, Balakian is also the author of six books of poems, including Ziggurat, published in September 2010 by the University of Chicago Press.

His essays on poetry, culture, art and social thought have appeared in many respected publications. He is co-founder and co-editor with the poet Bruce Smith of the poetry magazine Graham House Review, which was published from 1976 to 1996, and is the co-translator with Nevart Yaghlian of the book of poems Bloody News From My Friend by the Armenian poet Siamanto.

The lecture is sponsored by the MTSU History Department, Department of English, the Holocaust Studies Committee and the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Fund.

Visitors planning to attend Balakian's lecture should park in MTSU's Rutherford Boulevard parking lot and ride the Raider Xpress shuttle to the Business and Aerospace Building to avoid the traffic congestion caused by construction in that area.

For more information on the Balakian lecture, contact MTSU history professor Dr. Mark Doyle at mdoyle@mtsu.edu.


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'College correspondents' will help in gathering news

A group of MTSU faculty and staff members are "college correspondents,"; the new eyes and ears on campus for the Office of News and Media Relations.

Each person represents a college at MTSU, and each will be feeding news of all kinds to NMR to share with the campus and surrounding community. Faculty and staff will be working with their college's representative to share events, honors and awards, new hires, research, international travel, captivating human-interest stories and more.

NMR intends to publicize fresh news from every college as frequently as possible with the help of these new college correspondents.

The correspondents include:

  • Sheila Bleam, College of Basic and Applied Sciences;
  • Nancy Bragg, College of Business;
  • Dr. Peter Cunningham, College of Graduate Studies;
  • David Foster, University College;
  • Drs. Sharon Smith and Andrienne Friedli, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs;
  • Linda Hall, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences;
  • Connie Huddleston, College of Liberal Arts;
  • Kristen Keene, James E. Walker Library;
  • Jamie Morgan, College of Education;
  • Drs. Zeny Panol and Bob Kalwinsky, College of Media and Entertainment; and
  • Dr. John Vile, University Honors College.




SHARING GOOD NEWS—The new "College Correspondents"; for campus news gather in a Walker Library conference room. From left on the front row are Dr. Sharon Smith, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; Connie Huddleston, College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Andrienne Friedli, RSP; Sheila Bleam, College of Basic and Applied Sciences; Nancy Bragg, College of Business; and Dr. Peter Cunningham, College of Graduate Studies. On the back row are, from left, Jamie Morgan, College of Education; Dr. John Vile, University Honors College; David Foster, University College; Kristen Keene, James E. Walker Library; and Linda Hall, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Not pictured are the College of Media and Entertainment reps, Drs. Zeny Panol and Bob Kalwinsky.

photo by News and Media Relations


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Ag Career Day planned for March 16

School of Agriculture students and alumni are invited to attend the third annual Ag Career Day.

It will be held Wednesday, March 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the first-floor hallways of the Stark Ag Building.

Department Chair Dr. Warren Gill is encouraging students from across MTSU to discuss full-time opportunities, internships and/or graduate school with recruiters. He added that students and alumni should bring copies of their resumes for prospective employers.

Gill said that a number of outstanding companies will have recruiters on hand, seeking students from all ag majors and concentrations.

Ag Career Day is sponsored by the Student Agriculture Council and staff and faculty from agribusiness and agriscience.

For more information, contact Kym Stricklin in SAG Room 100 at kstrick@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2523 or visit www.mtsu.edu/agriculture .


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People Around Campus: Busy spring challenges Interior Design Program

by Randy Weiler

Spring 2011 is turning out to be an extremely busy semester for the students and faculty of the Interior Design Program in MTSU's Department of Human Sciences.

The Student Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers/International Interior Design Association and its faculty adviser, Professor Deborah Belcher, have a particularly full calendar.

Belcher said interior-design students and faculty will be participating in "Day on the Hill,"; the Wednesday, March 23, session of the state Legislature at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. A link on the Tennessee Interior Design Coalition website, www.tndesigners.org , will help people locate their senators and representatives.

The 2011 Lecture Series will feature Lisa Tucker, a member of ASID and the American Institute of Architects and a Virginia Tech faculty member, on Wednesday, March 30, for a 5 p.m. reception and 6:30 p.m. lecture at Oaklands Historic House Museum, 900 N. Maney Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

Oaklands is a platinum sponsor, and the MTSU Interior Design Program is a bronze sponsor.

On Thursday, April 28, starting at 6 p.m., the student ASID/IIDA officers and interior-design senior-class members will conduct a "Trunk or Treat"; project in the Crestland Student Parking Lot. Students will recycle samples of materials they've used in the program to give to other interior-design students, said Belcher, who is interim chair of the department.

This spring's events kicked off on Feb. 19 with MTSU's ASID/IIDA 2011 Student Showcase. More than 40 students presented their designs to family, friends, MTSU administrators and faculty, industry professionals and others in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.

Following a dinner, which was attended by 150 people, showcase participants heard guest speaker Charles Brindley, an artist living and maintaining a studio in Adairville, Ky. His work appears in public and private collections throughout the United States and in international private collections.



DESIGN ON DISPLAY—Passers-by admire the work of MTSU interior-design students on display in the James Union Building's Tennessee Room in February.

photo submitted


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Community's service



GATHERED TOGETHER—More than 2,500 people from MTSU and the surrounding community join members of the MTSU Women's Basketball team and staff during a March 3 vigil at Murphy Center in honor of junior exercise-science major Tina Stewart, a Lady Raider basketball player who was killed March 2. Organizers reminded participants at the vigil that MTSU Counseling Services, located in Room 329 of the Keathley University Center, is always ready to provide free, confidential assistance to students who need help resolving personal issues. More information is available at the department's website or by calling 615-898-2670.

MTSU Photographic Services photo by Andy Heidt



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Campus Calendar: March 14-27, 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
March 14: Men's Tennis vs. Murray State, 2 p.m.
March 15-16: MTSU Baseball vs. Southern Illinois, 3 p.m.
March 18: Women's Tennis vs. Arkansas State, 1 p.m.; MTSU Softball vs. North Texas, 1 p.m.
March 19: MTSU Soccer vs. Belmont, 10 a.m.; vs. Tennessee Tech, 4 p.m.
MTSU Softball vs. North Texas, 1 p.m.
March 20: Women's Tennis vs. Memphis, noon
March 23: MTSU Softball vs. Jacksonville State, 1 p.m.; Men's Tennis vs. Austin Peay, 2 p.m.
March 25: Women's Tennis vs. Denver, 1 p.m.
March 26: MTSU Soccer vs. UT-Martin, 10 a.m.; vs. Vanderbilt, 4 p.m.
March 27: Women's Tennis vs. South Alabama, 1 p.m.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com .

Monday, March 14
Spring Honors Lecture Series: Dr. Don Roy, "A View from the Bleachers: The Sports Consumer in the Digital Age";
3 p.m., Room 106, Honors Amphitheatre
For information, visit the Honors College website or contact: 615-898-2152.

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

March 15-24
Bachelor of Fine Arts Candidates' Exhibition: Studio 1
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Todd Gallery (opening reception 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15)
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/art or contact: 615-898-5653.

Tuesday, March 15
TIAA-CREF Employee Financial Counseling Sessions
To schedule an appointment, contact: 800-732-8353.

20th Annual Windham Lecture: "A Conversation with Béla Fleck";
5 p.m., Tucker Theatre
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-494-7628.

Wednesday, March 16
School of Agriculture Career Day
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Stark Agribusiness Building
For information, visit http://bit.ly/MTAgCareerDay or contact: 615-898-2523.

Thursday, March 17
National Women's History Month: Terri Johnson, Nancy Rupprecht and Mary Hoffschwelle, "When Grandma Had No History: One Decade of Women's History";
4:30-7:30 p.m., Tom H. Jackson Building
For information, contact: nrupprec@mtsu.edu.

Guest Lecture: Dr. Gary Namie, "Take a Stand: Stop Bullying";
6-8 p.m., Room S102 (State Farm Lecture Hall), Business and Aerospace Building
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-5418.

MTSU Wind Ensemble/Chamber Winds
7:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, West Thompson Lane
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com or contact: 615-898-2493.

Friday, March 18
TIAA-CREF Employee Financial Counseling Sessions
To schedule an appointment, contact: 800-732-8353.

Distinguished Lecture Series: Dr. Peter Balakian, "The Armenian Genocide and Modernity";
6:30 p.m., BAS S102
No admission charge
For information, contact: mdoyle@mtsu.edu.

Jazz Concert
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Saturday, March 19
MTSU Jazz Festival
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

MTSU Jazz Artist Series: Dave Rivello with the MTSU Jazz Ensemble I
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
Admission: $15 for general public; free for MTSU faculty, staff and students
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Sunday, March 20
Faculty Recital: Andrea Dawson, violin, and Arunesh Nadgir, piano
3 p.m., Hinton Music Hall

Guest Flute Recital: Tracy Schmidt
7 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Monday, March 21
Spring Honors Lecture Series: Dr. June McCash, "'Almost to Eden'";
3 p.m., HONR 106
For information, visit the Honors College website. 

Faculty Tuba Recital: Daryl Johnson
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Tuesday, March 22
NWHM: Keynote Speaker Angela Davis
5 p.m., Tennessee Room, JUB
For information, see article above or contact: 615-898-5989.

Wednesday, March 23
Faculty Lecture: Dr. Ryan Otter, "Capitalize on the Campus Pros";
6 p.m., BAS S102
For information, visit www.thecollegegameproject.org or contact: 615-898-2063.

March 24-26
NWHM Interdisciplinary Conference: "Global Discourses in Women's and Gender Studies";
For information, see article above or contact: 615-898-5910.

Thursday, March 24
Faculty Trumpet Recital: Michael Arndt
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
For information, visit www.mtsumusic.com .

Saturday, March 26
Spring Preview Day
9 a.m., campuswide
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/admissn or contact: 615-898-5670.

Get noticed in The Record!

Submit Campus Calendar items and other news to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, for the March 28 edition of The Record. Deadline to submit items for the April 11 edition of The Record is 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 30.


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