Thursday, October 29, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Pictures of you, pictures of me

A different take on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is on display in Stan Strembicki’s exhibit “Memory Loss/Lost Library” in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in the Learning Resources Center at MTSU. Strembicki has been photographing the streets, people and events of New Orleans since 1984. Returning after Katrina, he was drawn to photograph not the ubiquitous crushed homes or overturned cars, but the subtler tragedy of washed-away personal ephemera in the debris of the Lower Ninth Ward. “Memory Loss/Lost Library” will be on display until Dec. 9. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Strembicki, a professor of photography at Washington University in St. Louis, will deliver a free and open lecture at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in Room 103 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building with a reception to follow.

For more information, contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085.
tjimison@mtsu.edu

Dragging the line

It’s not “green.” It’s not politically correct. But it’s more popular than ever. It’s the American Drag Racing League (ADRL), whose operators expect revenues of $12 million this year. That’s a 100 percent increase over 2008. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, thinks he knows why. Roy says, “The ADRL story is a great lesson for businesses in any industry, not just sports. Business success is driven by coming up with game changing ideas and mindsets. The one aspect of ADRL that fascinates me most is CEO Kenny Nowling's view that ‘our product is our fan, and the customer is our sponsors.’ What a unique way to view a sports property! Rather than beating its head against a wall trying to sell tickets in a competitive, economically challenged market, ADRL realized it could harness the value of fan access and monetize it.”

Contact Roy at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

Weekend warriors and warblers

Two opportunities to see “Ragtime,” the MTSU School of Music’s presentation of the Tony Award-winning musical, and the Blue Raiders’ home game against Florida International University are highlights of the Nov. 6-7 Family Weekend. “Ragtime,” starring Shawn Lewis and Scott Willis, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, in Tucker Theatre. Saturday’s events include registration at 11:30 a.m. and a silent auction in Walnut Grove. While the silent auction is underway, the “Blue Raider Lunch, Tailgating and Fun” is set from noon to 2:30 p.m. in Walnut Grove and other activities are planned. The Raider Walk, a pregame tradition, is slated for 1:15 p.m. The football game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. in Floyd Stadium.

For more information, call the Office of New Student and Family Programs at 615-898-2454.

TR EXTRA

MICKEY MAKES A SCHEDULE CHANGE--The date of the Disney Keys to Excellence Conference hosted by MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business at the Sheraton Downtown Nashville has been changed to Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is a rare opportunity to take an exclusive look at the "business behind the magic" from Walt Disney World© insiders, who will share the successful business practices and unique philosophies that have made the Disney name synonymous with creativity, quality, and innovation the world over. Also, the special free 90-minute session on leadership on campus for MTSU personnel only will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Tom Jackson Building. Those MTSU personnel who have already registered need do nothing further. To learn more and to register, go to www.keysnashville.com or call 877-544-2384.

LADIES IN THE LABORATORIES--The 13th annual Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science Conference for middle-school and high-school girls is slated for this Saturday, Oct. 31, at MTSU. This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Leslie Wisner-Lynch, co-founder of BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. The company is described on its Web site (http://biomimetics.com) as “a biotech company utilizing recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor as its primary technology platform.” EYH is a hands-on science and math gathering that will give girls opportunities to participate in science workshops that are educational and fun. Workshops slated for this year’s event include “Lighting up the Future;” “Ooze, Goo and Slime;” and “Egg Drop Contest.” Participants also will be able to learn the perspectives of undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu.

DESIGNING STUDENTS--The juried work of graphic design students at MTSU is on display through Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Todd Art Gallery. The purpose of the exhibition is to showcase the department’s largest segment of declared majors and to promote the making and understanding of Graphic Design’s role in our academic culture and the community at large. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Todd Art Gallery closes only on state and university holidays. For more information, contact Eric Snyder, gallery curator, at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.