Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Don’t let “How Dry I Am” be your swan song.

Mark Sterner was just months from graduation when he and four fraternity brothers embarked on their spring break vacation. On the final night, they decided the one of them who was least intoxicated would drive home. The next morning, three of the men were dead, and Mark lay in the hospital critically injured and facing three counts of DUI manslaughter. Instead of being the first in his family to go to college, he would be the first to go to prison. Mark Sterner will speak about that fateful event at 8 p.m. tonight, March 2, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. Sterner’s talk is presented by the Student-Athlete Enhancement Center, the Student Programming Council, Tau Kappa Epsilon, and Health Promotion in partnership with the Office of Greek Affairs.

Contact Lisa Thomason Schrader at 615-494-8704.
thomason@mtsu.edu

Since they’re the Predators, how about the Loan Shark Bowl?

How many times can you resell the naming rights to an athletic arena before you reach a point of diminishing returns? The name of the arena in which the Nashville Predators play has changed identifies five times since 1998. Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says, “If the naming rights to this facility were a dress in a department store, one might think it would be found on the 75 percent off clearance rack because of its shopworn condition.” However, Roy approves of the recently announced five-year deal with Bridgestone. “While there are challenges in rebranding a sports venue, the frequent changes in names could actually benefit Bridgestone in this case,” Roy says. “The length of time the previous corporate names were on the building was relatively short given that the length of naming rights agreements can be 10 years or more.”

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

I’d like to thank my parents for making me possible.

The Academy Awards telecast is scheduled for this Sunday, March 7, on ABC. Of course, it is surrounded this time of year by the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the American Music Awards, the Grammy Awards, and on and on. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “For the stars, the televised programs are little more than infomercials that can generate millions of dollars from ratings, album sales and box office receipts. For the networks, the programs yield millions of dollars of advertising revenue. … Of course, if you ask the producers or sponsors, they will tell you that the awards are for ‘artistic merit’ or for ‘contributions to humanity through the arts.’ Well, if that is the case, don’t you think we would be seeing the Nobel Prize Awards during prime time? Don’t’ count on it anytime soon.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THE GANG’S ALL HERE.--The Forensic Institute for Research and Education (FIRE) and the Tennessee Gang Investigators Association will present the 2010 Youth Gang Organized Crime Symposium March 11-13 in MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This symposium will examine contemporary gang issues involving (and distinguishing) youth and adult gang members. The subject matter will be of interest to law enforcement, business and education professionals and community leaders. The training is being provided free to attendees with scholarship support from the U.S. Department of Justice. Scheduled topics include “The Impact of Youth Gangs on Our Communities,” Ethnic Youth Gangs in the Community: How Are They Different?,” “Not Just Sex, Drugs and Firepower—The Anatomy of a Gang;” and “Hispanic Gang Identification and Officer Safety Issues.” The deadline for registration is Thursday, March 4. Go to http://mtsufire.ning.com for more information. To register, go to http://cte.mtsu.edu/gangs/new.htm.

LEARNING FROM THE LANDSCAPE--MTSU history students produced the exhibit “Listening to the Landscape: The Stories of Stones River National Battlefield,” which is on display at Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro, through March 9th. The exhibit highlights the changes that occurred on the battlefield landscape prior to the Civil War through the present. One of the four exhibit panels highlights the African-American community known as “Cemetery.” It formed around Stones River National Cemetery after the Civil War. Linebaugh also will feature books that are related to the exhibit. “Listening to the Landscape” is sponsored by Eastern National, the Public History Program at MTSU, the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and Stones River National Battlefield. Contact the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area office at 615-898-2947 or the MTSU Department of History at 615-898-2536.

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.