Friday, November 30, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Pomp and circumstance

More than 1,400 degree candidates are expected to graduate during MTSU’s 96th fall commencement ceremonies, according to Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost for enrollment services. On Saturday, Dec. 15, MTSU again will feature dual ceremonies and dual speakers starting at 9 a.m and 1 p.m. in Murphy Center. Gregg F. Morton, president of AT&T Tennessee, will be the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Dr. Viola Miller, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, will be the featured speaker for the 1 p.m. ceremony. On Dec. 15, the doors to Murphy Center will open at 8 a.m. for the morning ceremony. For the afternoon ceremony, the doors will open at noon.

Contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.

Inca dinka doo

Join Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, and Dr. Kathy Burriss, elementary and special education, for an enrichment program for students to be presented through the MTSU Satellite and Webcasting Center from 9-10 a.m. CST (10-11 a.m. EST) Tuesday, Dec. 4. “Machu Picchu: Lost City of the Incas” will take students in grades 4-8 back in time to sail on the world’s highest lake and enable them to spend time on floating islands made of woven reeds. The Burrisses will explore the mysteries of pre-Colombian Bolivia and Peru and visit the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. They’ll discover the mysteries of 500-year-old temple sound systems and see interlocking stonework so precise a piece of paper will not fit between the joints.

For more information, call 615-898-2737 or send an e-mail to vmoxley@mtsu.edu.

“I have confidence in confidence alone.”—Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music”

The June Anderson Women’s Center (JAWC) will present “How to Gain Confidence, Handle Conflict and Be Successful in the Workplace” at 12 noon Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the SunTrust Room of the Business and Aerospace Building. This workshop, the latest in the Career Professional Development Brown Bag Series, will be presented by Terri Johnson, director of the JAWC. The focus will be on tips and strategies for building confidence and self-esteem. Participants will be able to role-play different scenarios, learn techniques for handling conflicts and understand strategies for achieving professional goals in the workplace.

Contact the Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.
jawc@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

TUNE IN NEXT TIME--The December edition of the television program “Middle Tennessee Record” will present MTSU homecoming highlights; the groundbreaking at the site where a veterans memorial will be erected on campus; the dedication of a new home built by MTSU students volunteering for Habitat for Humanity; the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage girls who are interested in math and science; a new television program from the Department of Recording Industry that offers professional advise on songwriting; and other features that highlight MTSU faculty, students and events. To find out when “Middle Tennessee Record” airs in your area, go to http://www.mtsunews.com and click on “Middle Tennessee Record” on the right side of the page. For more information, contact John Lynch, Director of Marketing Technologies, at 615-898-5591 or jlynch@mtsu.edu.

A FIRST AT THE FRIST--The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway in Nashville, will feature “Mid-State Art Majors,” an aptly titled exhibit that will include works by eight MTSU art students through Monday, Dec. 31. “I’ve been here four years and there’s never been a show put together like this,” says Erin Anfinson, assistant professor of art and liaison for the exhibit. “They came to us with the opportunity, and we were thrilled.” Art professors nominated MTSU students to be featured in the exhibit. Then a panel of faculty chose students to represent each of the concentrations of the art department—printmaking, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and graphic design. For more information about the exhibit, including driving directions, please visit the center’s online site at http://www.fristcenter.org.

I’LL GRANT YOU THAT--The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is accepting applications from faculty for its 2008 Curriculum Integration Grants. The 2007 grants, which have been awarded to three professors in allocations of $1,800 each, are being used to infuse courses at MTSU with an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of women. Dr. Jane Marcellus, journalism, will teach a course in the spring semester titled “Women in Journalism History.” Dr. Karen Petersen, political science, used her grant to create a version of her “Foundations of Government” general education class that would be applicable in a study-abroad context in Cherbourg, France. And Jeremy Rich, history, fashioned a course on “Women in Africa.” For more information on how to apply for this year’s grants, contact Dr. Tina Johnson, PCSW chair and associate professor of English at 615-898-2705 or ntjohnso@mtsu.edu.

GET THE PICTURE?--“One Perspective/Two Countries: Mexico/Italy” is the photography exhibit on display through Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery at MTSU. Harvey Stein teaches at the International Center of Photography and has been on the faculty of the New School University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Drew University, Bridgeport University and Jersey City State College. His photographs have been published in numerous magazines, including Time, Life, Esquire, The New Yorker, Forbes, People, and Smithsonian. For gallery hours, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE--The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County will honor its successful community partnership and commemorate its official grand opening with a “Warm, White Winter Welcome” public reception from 3-5 p.m. today, Nov. 30. Located at 225 West College St., the center’s staff will kick off the free and open event with a 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that also celebrates the completion of The Heritage Center’s main exhibit gallery, The Time that Changed Everything. Missouri native Julie Lenger, who is a graduate student enrolled in MTSU’s history program, was one of two student designers of the permanent display. “The Civil War exhibit is more elaborate than previous Heritage Center exhibits, both in scope and style,” she says. “This exhibit includes 13 interpretive panels that explain the events of the war in Rutherford County and includes period maps, photographs and drawings.” For more information, contact Melissa Zimmerman at 615-217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.

STEP LIVELY!--MTSU Dance Theatre’s 40-member cast will bring new life to the stage through innovative and classical choreography in its Fall Dance Concert, which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 1 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre. This year’s concert will feature “Crossing Ground,” choreographed by Michelle Ikle, a specialist in jazz, and “Freedom Riders,” choreographed by Travis D. Gatling, a celebration of individuals who had the courage to take a stand on racial issues in the 1960s. “MTSU’s guest artists match those of larger universities or more established programs,” remarks Kim Nofsinger, director of dance for MTSU. “Exposure to the artists provides students with a variety of insights and experiences within dance.” For more information, please call 615-494-8810 or visit the department’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre.

STEELY PAN--Liam Teague, a speel-pan (drum) virtuoso, will perform in a public concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, in the T. Earl Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. Hailed as the “Paganini of the Steel Pan,” Teague is recognized as a prodigy in his native Trinidad. A three-time winner of the National Solo Pan Competition, Teague currently serves as assistant professor of music and co-director of the Northern Illinois University Steel Band, the same institution where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. Lalo Davila, associate professor of percussion at MTSU, says Teague’s playing as soloist with a symphony orchestra has led to performances in Europe, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. General admission for this concert is $5. For more information, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com.