Friday, February 5, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Top of the news

After nearly 15 years, National Public Radio’s top-of-the-hour newscasts have returned to WMOT-FM, 89.5, Middle Tennessee Public Radio. At the top of every hour, every day, millions worldwide listen for concise five-minute summaries of the top news from NPR. Solid research, good news judgment, quick response, enriched with sound and background, conveyed by assured, intelligent familiar voices—qualities the newscast unit delivers time and again. “WMOT is a charter member NPR station, and we’re glad to return top-of-the-hour NPR news to 89.5 FM,” says WMOT’s Keith Palmer. The station’s recently added morning and afternoon world news programs, “BBC World Briefing” and Public Radio International’s “The World” will remain as they are with hourly news from BBC World Service. “The Takeaway,” which airs from 6-9 a.m. weekdays, has top-of-the-hour news presented by the show’s regular hosts.

Contact Palmer at 615-898-2770.
kpalmer@mtsu.edu

Will it play in Patagonia?

It should surprise neither lay persons nor experts to learn that Tennessee exports were down in the third quarter. Foreign shipments fell by a billion dollars to $5.16 billion. Dr. Steven Livingston, editor of Global Commerce, a publication of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center, writes, “The good news, if you wish to call it that, is that the state at least suffered smaller percentage losses than did the nation overall. And a relatively small loss in October, the first month of the last quarter, suggests that the worst might indeed be over.” Livingston says exports sank in 45 of Tennessee’s top 50 markets. The only three overseas markets that produced positive numbers were Luxembourg, Singapore and France.

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

Saving South Sudan

GLOBAL, an MTSU student organization, will hold a bake sale for the New Sudan Education Initiative, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, the second floor of the Keathley University Center. New Sudan Education Initiative is a nonprofit organization “focused on increasing secondary education access, business training, and gender equity development. Our education enrichment programs are primarily targeted for young women in South Sudan,” according to its Web site, www.nesei.org. The GLOBAL organization at MTSU “strives to develop, foster and nurture diversity and tolerance within our campus community and provide intellectual training and outlets to aid well-informed, culturally tolerant global student citizens,” states the Global Studies Web site (http://www.mtsu.edu/global/GLOBALSO.shtml).

For more information, call 615-494-7744 or send e-mails to:
jrw6m@mtsu.edu
keh3v@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

PASS THE SYRUP–The Wesley Foundation at MTSU will hold its 32nd annual Pancake Breakfast at the foundation building, 216 College Heights Ave., from 7-10 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 6. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children and are available from members of the Board of Directors, the Wesley Foundation office and at the door tomorrow. All funds raised will support the ministry of the Wesley Foundation on the MTSU campus. For more information, call 615-893-0469.

SOMEDAY YOUR PRINTS WILL COME.--The Todd Hall Art Gallery will present “PRINTS: Through the Collector’s Eyes,” an exhibition that brings together a wide variety of original prints, Feb. 16 through March 4. An opening reception for the show will be held one day prior to its official opening, 6-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, in the campus-based gallery. The public is encouraged and invited to attend this free event. Among the works that will be displayed are wood engravings, etchings, lithographs and screen prints, all of which are primarily from area collectors. “Included are prints from the 17th to the 21st centuries with work by famous artists as well as those who are less known,” says Christie Nuell, exhibit curator and MTSU art professor. The gallery is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-noon on Fridays. Call Eric Snyder, gallery curator, at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

“CELLULOID HEROES NEVER REALLY DIE.”—RAY DAVIES--Two MTSU students who are semifinalists in the second annual “Oscar Correspondent Contest” will discuss their video entry and their aspirations in the television business at 8 a.m. this Sunday, Feb. 7, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Nicki DeCroce, a junior journalism major from Nashville, and Tony Holt, a senior electronic media production major from Maryville, combine for one of ten teams hoping to win a chance to interview the stars on the red carpet at the 82nd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7, in Los Angeles. The video DeCroce and Holt made can be viewed at http://oscars.mtvu.com. Visitors to the Web site may vote for their favorite teams once each day through the deadline of Wednesday, Feb. 10.
Contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

THE COLOR OF MONEY—Earl Graves Sr., founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine, will speak at 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 8, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Graves is a nationally recognized authority on black business development. He also has served as a director of Aetna, DaimlerChrysler, Federated Department Stores and American Airlines. Graves’ appearance is in celebration of Black History Month at MTSU, which is based on the theme of “The History of Black Economic Empowerment.” This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Black History Month Committee, the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence, the Distinguished Lecture Fund, the School of Journalism, and the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs. Contact Vincent Windrow at 615-898-2831 or vwindrow@mtsu.edu.

TEA TIME--The Association of Faculty and Administrative Women (AFAW) and the June Anderson Women’s Center will honor MTSU Associate Athletic Director Diane Turnham with the 2010 King-Hampton Award at a high tea from 3-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Hazlewood Dining Room of the James Union Building. The award, which was established in 1990, is named for Miss Jeannette Moore King, a member of the first Middle Tennessee Normal School faculty, and Miss Martha Hampton, the first woman administrator at MTSU. The award is presented to an individual from the MTSU community who has made an outstanding contribution to improve the status and equality of women on the campus. The cost for the reception is $7.00 for members of AFAW and $9.00 for non-members. Please register by the end of today, Feb. 5. For more information, contact Christy Groves at cgroves@mtsu.edu.

APPLAUSE FOR THE PLEAS AWARD--Dr. Dwight E. Patterson, associate professor of chemistry at MTSU, has been named as the 2010 winner of the John Pleas Faculty Recognition Award as part of the university community’s celebration of Black History Month. A reception in honor of Patterson will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Tom Jackson Building’s Cantrell Hall on the MTSU campus. Presented since 1996, the Pleas honor is given to a minority faculty member who has made significant contributions to the university and community. He or she must have excelled in research, instruction, publications and/or service to the university. The recipient also must have demonstrated a commitment to MTSU’s African-American students. Contact Dr. Adonijah Bakari, director of African-American Studies, at 615-898-2536 or abakari@mtsu.edu.

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS.--“Ramblings and Dwellings,” a joint exhibit of work by husband-and-wife artists Ken and Libby Rowe, is on display in MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery now through Tuesday, Feb. 9. An award-winning figurative sculptor, Ken’s “Ramblings” feature small-scale ceramic sculptures with a narrative bend and a whimsical nature. “His sculptures rely on a strong sense of humor and are often viewed as sardonic and quirky,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator. In “Dwellings,” Libby’s current photographic work, she explores the emotional state of dwelling through the construction and photographing of small sculptural houses. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Todd Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. Call Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

HOME IS WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS ARE.--MTSU students are building a second Habitat for Humanity home for a Rutherford County resident. Building dates will include Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays. There will be two shifts per day—in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to noon and in the afternoon from noon until 4 p.m. The home dedication is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 25. The Office of Leadership and Service is rounding up volunteers from student organizations for this humanitarian effort. The future resident’s family also will be helping to build their home, and Central Middle School and Jason’s Deli are pitching in. Media welcomed. Good photo opportunities throughout the construction process. For more information, contact Jackie Victory at 615-898-5812 or mtleader@mtsu.edu.