Thursday, July 12, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

My Siamese Self

My Siamese Self is a three-piece punk band from Atlanta. It has been complimented with comparisons to Joy Division, Television, and The Clash. Lead singer and guitarist Deb Davis has been in numerous bands (The Gamma Clones, Jane West and the Lone Star Impalas), but currently is also in another great Georgia band called Hope for A Goldensummer. Drummer Kat Riederich was also in Jane West and the Lone Star Impalas, as well as Wig Barn and Pisghetti. Stacey Singer plays bass and sings backup. My Siamese Self formed in 2003 and currently has a DIY EP called "If You Please." My Siamese Self is slated to lend its collective musical wisdom to the Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp July 16-21 at MTSU. Girls ages 10-17 will benefit from the tutelage of experienced musicians and have fun exploring their own creativity.

Contact the camp office at 615-849-8140.
sgrrc05@gmail.com

We are the world.

A new course that will be available at MTSU in the Fall 2007 semester will emphasize that we don’t have to go to another country to interact with people who have different cultural norms. The demographic changes in the U.S. have been dramatic enough that Time magazine published a cover story called “The Browning of America.” This situation raises an important question: what do you need to know in order to communicate effectively with people of different ethnic/racial backgrounds in the U.S.? The course, titled “Multicultural Communication,” will focus on issues ranging from stereotypes to handling conflict—all with the goal of promoting effective communication strategies and cooperative relationships across ethnic/racial boundaries.

For more information, contact the Department of Speech and Theatre at 615-898-5640.

Be true to your school.

About three out of 10 American ninth-graders don’t graduate with their class. Dr. Ellen Slicker, psychology, says, “Students fail classes for a variety of reasons, then become discouraged and lose confidence in their abilities to ever succeed in academics. This problem does NOT begin in high school, but begins back in elementary school, then comes to a head in high school. All students can learn, but they learn at different rates. Providing more individualized assistance for those who need it can greatly enhance the learning that takes place. Math and reading appear to be the major stumbling blocks in academic success. Along with academic problems are the behavioral problems that cause students to miss out on their educational opportunities by being absent, suspended, expelled, or simply disengaged from school.”

Contact Slicker at 615-898-5966.
eslicker@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ROCK, ROLL, AND RECORD—It’s that time again! Registration runs through July 13 for the latest recording workshop for children ages 12-17 at MTSU. The workshop will be conducted by MTSU student Ryan York in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building July 19-Aug. 12. For a fee of $125 per student, York will introduce the youngsters to cassette-four-track recording, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. The workshop is sponsored by the Youth Culture and Arts Center, a project of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a nonprofit organization.
For more information, or to enroll, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

CREATIVE KIDS--Generation for Creation (GFC), a nonprofit visual and performing arts program founded in 2001, is based in Murfreesboro and housed in the local Boys and Girls Club facility. GFC’s founder, Monica Johnson, is a 1996 MTSU graduate with a B.S. in psychology and minors in speech and theatre and biology. Johnson says she created GFC to help talented children reach their artistic dreams with encouragement and positive motivation. GFC’s annual Children’s Benefit Talent Show, featuring children in the categories of art, dance, drama, music and modeling, will get underway at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Miss USA 2000, Columbia native Lynette Cole, will host the event. Tickets are $10 each with discounts available for groups. For more information, call GFC at 615-890-7116. To request interviews with Johnson or with child participants, contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

GRISSOM AND WILLOWS, CALL YOUR OFFICE--For the first time, MTSU is introducing the CSI experience on campus. “CSI: MTSU” is a three-day program designed for eighth-grade students in Rutherford County and its surrounding area July 25-27. The goals of “CSI: MTSU” are to allow students to explore the many unique career possibilities in forensic science, to provide a “real life reason to tackle higher level math and science courses, and to develop skills in team work, seeing and understanding details, critical thinking, and presentations. The camp is co-sponsored by the Forensic Institute for Research and Education (FIRE) and MTSU’s College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning. Due to space considerations, we are limited to 30 student investigators. Meals are included. To register or for more information, contact Eve Shockley at 615-898-2462 or eshockle@mtsu.edu.