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Celebrate with some of MTSU’s top students!

May 21, 2013 By

Some of MTSU’s finest celebrated their graduation and discussed their futures with University Provost Brad Bartel during a recent photo session in the Cope Administration Building. The students graduated with honors May 11 after years of dedicated study to earn the highest grade point averages in their class: cum laude, which denotes a 3.5-3.74 GPA; magna cum laude, 3.75-3.89 GPA; and summa cum laude, 3.9-4.0 GPA.

all photos by Andy Heidt, MTSU Creative and Visual Services  

 

Spring 2013

 

Blount County Honor Graduate

Blount County Spring 2013 honor grad web
Blount County native Jennifer Kathleen Isenberg, seated at right, a global studies major who graduated with highest honors during the university’s May 11 spring commencement ceremonies, joins Bartel to discuss her future plans. Isenberg, a Louisville, Tenn., resident and 2009 alumna of William Blount High School, received her Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from MTSU’s University Honors College and minored in French and business administration. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society, the Order of Omega and the Golden Key honor society as well as a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Isenberg, a summa cum laude graduate, is the daughter of Peter Isenberg and Dawn Isenberg of Kingsport, Tenn., and plans to travel abroad before attending graduate school in fall 2014.

 

Hamilton County Honor Graduate

Hamilton County Spring 2013 honor grad web

Hamilton County native David Hull, seated at right, a music theory and composition major who graduated with highest honors during the university’s May 11 spring commencement ceremonies, joins Bartel to discuss his future plans. Hull, a Chattanooga resident and 2009 alumnus of the Baylor School, received his Bachelor of Music degree with distinction as one of MTSU’s Buchanan Fellows, the highest award offered to students in the University Honors College at MTSU. A Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society inductee as well as recipient of the College of Liberal Arts’ Outstanding Achievement Award in Music Composition for fall 2011-spring 2012, Hull was included on the Dean’s List during each semester of his enrollment at MTSU. Hull, a summa cum laude graduate, is the son of William Hull and Eleanor Hull of Chattanooga and plans to become a freelance composer and eventually attend graduate school.

 

Roane County Honor Graduate

Roane County Spring 2013 honor grad web

Bartel, seated at left, joins Roane County native Molly Jones, a recording industry major who graduated with honors during the university’s May 11 spring commencement ceremonies, to discuss her future plans. Jones, a Kingston, Tenn., native who now lives in Murfreesboro, is a 2009 alumna of Roane County High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in public relations. She plans to work in Nashville in the music business. Jones, a cum laude graduate, is the daughter of Doug and Cathy Jones of Kingston.

 

Rutherford County Honor Graduates

Rutherford County Spring 2013 honor grads group web

Bartel is joined by six Rutherford County residents who graduated with honors during the university’s May 11 spring commencement ceremonies. Seated with Bartel is Nadina Manganiello of Murfreesboro, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in K-6 interdisciplinary studies and graduated cum laude. Standing are, from left, Kaela M’Kenzie Armbrister of Murfreesboro, a magna cum laude graduate who received a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication; Kayla Barnes of Murfreesboro, a summa cum laude graduate who received a Bachelor of Science degree in K-6 interdisciplinary studies; Maureen Moeller of Murfreesboro, a cum laude graduate who received a Bachelor of Music degree; Jacob Ellis of Murfreesboro, a summa cum laude graduate who received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry; and Trey England of Murfreesboro, a cum laude graduate who received a Bachelor of Science degree in professional physics.

Manganiello, a native of Plymouth, Mass., and a 2008 alumna of Plymouth South High School, plans to become a teacher. She is the daughter of Christine Manganiello and Bob Manganiello of Plymouth. Armbrister, a 2008 alumna of the Aaron Academy, minored in business communication and English and was the student vice president of the Phi Kappa Phi national honor society and MTSU chapter vice president of the Public Relations Student Society of America as well as a recipient of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Scholarship. She plans to pursue a career in the entertainment industry as a publicist. Armbrister’s husband is Daniel Dalecke of Murfreesboro, and her parents are Gregg and Katrina Armbrister of Christiana, Tenn.

Barnes, a 2009 alumna of Eagleville High School, graduated with a 4.0 GPA and plans to pursue a career in education. She is the daughter of Charles and Marilyn Barnes of Murfreesboro. Moeller, a 2008 alumna of McNairy Central High School in Selmer, Tenn., majored in flute performance and received the 2013 Outstanding Achievement in Woodwind Performance Award. She is the recipient of scholarships from the Rome Festival Orchestra and Central America Teaching/Performing Tour aw well as the Tennessee HOPE Lottery Scholarship and music scholarship. Moeller was principal flute in the MTSU Symphony Orchestra and a concerto soloist with the MTSU Chamber Orchestra in spring 2012. She has received a graduate assistantship at Eastern Illinois University to work toward a Master of Arts degree in flute performance beginning this fall and plans to become an orchestral musician. Her parents are Angelia Moeller and Kurt Moeller of McCalla, Ala., and her sister is Dr. Miriam Moeller of Queensland, Australia.

Ellis, a 2009 alumnus of Siegel High School, minored in biology and was recognized as Senior Honor Student in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. He is a four-year recipient of the Provost Scholarship and plans to attend Vanderbilt University Medical School to become an anesthesiologist. His parents are Sam Ellis and Miriam Ellis and his siblings are Joshua and Samantha Ellis, all of Murfreesboro. England, a 2008 Siegel alumnus, majored in physics and minored in mathematics. He plans to seek employment in business with possible technology applications. England’s parents are Tim England and Susan England of Murfreesboro.

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11-week MTSU CUSTOMS orientation series begins this week

May 20, 2013 By
Signs point the way for people attending MTSU CUSTOMS, two-day orientation sessions that will be held for 11 weeks between May 22 and July 31 on campus. (Photo by MTSU News and Media Relations)

Signs point the way for people attending MTSU CUSTOMS, two-day orientation sessions that will be held for 11 weeks between May 22 and July 31 on campus. (Photo by MTSU News and Media Relations)

CUSTOMS, Middle Tennessee State University’s summer orientation program for new students, gets underway this week with the first of 11 sessions that will run through July 31.

Major scholarship recipients will visit campus Wednesday and Thursday, May 22-23. Other students who preregister on a first-come, first-served basis will attend CUSTOMS in the following weeks.

Find full details, including dates for all sessions, online at http://www.mtsu.edu/customs/.  To find parking, attendees should use this printable link: http://tinyurl.com/MTParkingMap12-13.

CUSTOMS shows freshmen the ropes of being an MTSU student. It helps new undergraduate students make the transition into the university; it prepares them for educational opportunities; and it propels them into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the university.

Transfer students who have earned 14 or more credit hours do not have to participate in the traditional CUSTOMS program designed for freshmen. They must complete an online orientation before registering to meet with an adviser. Preferred transfer student advising days include three Mondays — June 21, July 12, Aug. 9 — and Friday, Aug. 19.

Many events will move to the Student Union Building, said Gina Poff, director of New Student and Family Programs.

“One of the big changes this year is we are going to be in the Student Union for most of the events, so we have lots of room this year,” she said.

Before things shift to the Student Union on Day 1 of the two-day sessions, attendees will register in the James Union Building, attend the welcome and general assembly in Murphy Center and view an orientation video in Learning Resources Center Room 221.

Also, My MT Connection Point is a new CUSTOMS program “to get freshmen connected by attending events when school begins immediately,” Poff said.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

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In the News: MTSU faculty, staff share expertise on WGNS radio

May 20, 2013 By

Economic research and analysis, University College offerings and the importance of private donations were the topics of discussion Monday morning during WGNS radio’s “Action Line” program featuring MTSU.

Featured on the program were Dr. David Penn, director of the Business and Economic Reseach Center, or BERC; Dr. Mike Boyle, dean of University College; and Nick Perlick, director of development for MTSU.

Check out the podcast of MTSU faculty and staff discussing their areas of expertise with veteran show host Bart Walker. You’ll probably learn something too!

http://wgnsradio.com/update-special-guest-from-mtsu—listen-to-the-podcast-now–cms-12866

Nick Perlick

Nick Perlick

Dr. David Penn

Dr. David Penn

Dr. Mike Boyle

Dr. Mike Boyle

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Filed Under: Faculty/Staff News Tagged With: , , , , ,

MTSU recognizes high achievers on new Dean’s List

May 20, 2013 By

More than 4,000 MTSU students are included on the latest Dean’s List for their academic achievements for the spring 2013 semester.

This list, alphabetized by home county and surname, is the final compilation by the MTSU Records Office of the names and hometowns of students receiving the Dean’s List distinction for the spring 2013 semester. The PDF is available by clicking here.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must maintain a current semester grade-point average of 3.5 or above and earn at least 12 semester hours.

The “Dean’s List” notation applies only to undergraduate students. MTSU’s lists are updated after each semester ends and grades are posted.

An archive of recent Dean’s Lists by semester is available here.

Please note: These lists are provided by the MTSU Records Office and are compiled from information received from each student. For questions about an individual student’s inclusion on the list, please contact the Records Office at 615-898-2600 or records@mtsu.edu.

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MTSU finalizes spring 2013 graduation list

May 20, 2013 By

MTSU is proud to release a printable list of the 2,642 graduates who received their degrees in the recent spring 2013 commencement ceremonies.

MTSU dignitaries and guests celebrate with the graduating students at spring 2013 commencement ceremonies May 11 inside Murphy Center. From left are Dr. John Omachonu, vice provost for academic affairs; Dr. Brad Bartel, university provost; former Congressman and MTSU alumnus Bart Gordon; and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. (MTSU photo by Classic Photography)

This list, alphabetized by home county and surname, is the final compilation by the MTSU Records Office of the names and hometowns of MTSU’s spring 2013 graduates. The PDF is available by clicking here.

Full coverage of the spring 2013 commencement ceremonies, including videos and links to plenty of photos, is available here.

You also can view a searchable PDF of the program from the May 11, 2013, ceremonies here.

MTSU graduation lists are finalized after each commencement day. An archive of recent graduation lists by semester is available here.

Please note: These final graduation lists are provided by the MTSU Records Office and are compiled from information received from each student.

For questions about an individual student’s inclusion on the list, please contact the Records Office at 615-898-2600 or records@mtsu.edu.

Filed Under: Student News Tagged With: , , ,

In the News: Ford gives economic insights for Bankrate.com article

May 20, 2013 By

Dr. William Ford, the Weatherford Chair of Finance in MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business, provided his perspective on the economy for a recent article on the financial website Bankrate.com entitled “The Fed in focus.”Bankrate(dot)com grab

Dr. William Ford

Dr. William Ford

Read the full story here.

Ford, a former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, often appears on nationwide and regional TV and radio business news shows as an economic policy expert.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

 

Filed Under: Faculty/Staff News Tagged With: , , , ,

New mass comm dean helped stage new Songwriters Hall of Fame

May 19, 2013 By

NASHVILLE — The incoming dean of MTSU’s College of Mass Communication, Ken Paulson, played a key role in the development of the new Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame that was unveiled Sunday.

Paulson, vice chair of the songwriters’ hall, oversaw the content development for the 10-by-50-foot interactive display within the Music City Center, the new 2.1 million-square-foot conference and event facility in downtown Nashville.

Ken Paulson

“The members of the hall made Music City possible, and it’s time they were given their due,” said Paulson, a former president of the Newseum, the Washington, D.C., museum devoted to the history of news.

The display features three handicap-accessible computers with interactive touch screens. Visitors can call up digital exhibits of each of the 188 hall inductees, along with song clips, videos, lyric sheets and photos.

The wall also includes display cases for the hall’s memorabilia, including a pair of boots from legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash that are on loan from Paulson.

A nearby outside area, called Songwriters Square, features inlaid stones engraved with the names of the inductees, the year they were honored and their songs. Paulson said the hall plans to stage songwriter events in the square. Also, the stairs leading into the building are engraved with the song titles of the hall of fame’s members.

The Tennessean also featured Paulson and songwriter Pat Alger, chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, in a blog post and video to preview the new display.

Paulson, who is president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, will assume leadership of the MTSU College of Mass Communication on July 1. He replaces Roy Moore, dean of the college since 2008, who will remain with the college as a professor.

MTSU boasts the fifth largest mass communication college in the nation and is the only one that features departments of recording industry, journalism and electronic media communication. It also is home to the Center for Popular Music, which maintains a large research library and archive and interprets various aspects of American vernacular music; as well as the Center for Innovation in Media, which houses all student media outlets as well the student music label Match Records.

A member of The Recording Academy and a former music journalist, Paulson is also a member of the Music City Music Council and a Leadership Music board and executive committee member.

— Andrew Oppmann (andrew.oppmann@mtsu.edu)

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MTSU researcher Ricketts receives Silver Column Award (video)

May 17, 2013 By

MTSU professor Cliff Ricketts capped off an eventful and historic spring 2013 semester by receiving the President’s Silver Column Award from Dr. Sidney A. McPhee and learning that news reports on his 2,600-mile coast-to-coast drive — using no gasoline — generated more than 2.2 million viewers across the country, according to Metro Monitor, a news and media monitoring service.

Ricketts, a 37-year faculty member in the School of Agribusiness and Agriscience, has spent much of his career in alternative fuels research. You can read the complete story at mtsunews.com/ricketts-silver-column-award-2013 and watch a brief video from the event below.

 

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MTSU College of Ed hosts training for Midstate K-12 principals

May 17, 2013 By

MTSU’s College of Education continued training recently to help area public school administrators meet the state’s First to the Top goals.

The May 10 professional development training session brought in about 30 principals from 11 southern Midstate public school districts to help them establish or improve their own systems’ Professional Learning Communities.

Dr. Bob Eaker, a professor in the MTSU Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, recently conducted a training session on Professional Learning Communities at the College of Education building for principals from surrounding public school districts. (Photo by MTSU News and Media Relations)

Dr. Bob Eaker, a professor in the MTSU Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, recently conducted a training session on Professional Learning Communities at the College of Education building for principals from surrounding public school districts. (Photo by MTSU News and Media Relations)

Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, focus on student learning and results by creating better collaboration and more accountability for teachers and administrators.

Under the direction of President Sidney A. McPhee and Dean Lana Seivers, the MTSU College of Education has been partnering with surrounding school districts on a number of school improvement initiatives, including PLCs.

Dr. Bob Eaker, a professor in the university’s Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, conducted the recent training session at the College of Education building. It followed a similar session in late March comprised of directors and central office staff from area districts.

Both sessions were recorded by the Center for Educational Media and will be available for other school districts’ training on the center’s website, http://www.mtsu.edu/education/cem.php.

MTSU collaborated with education consultant Battelle for Kids, whose services are provided through First to the Top funds. Battelle’s services are directed by the state Department of Education’s eight Centers for Regional Excellence (CORE).

The recent training targeted the south central CORE district, which includes Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry and Wayne counties and city systems in Manchester, Tullahoma and Fayetteville.

For more information about the MTSU Center for Educational Media, visit www.mtsu.edu/education/cem.php; for more on the Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, visit www.mtsu.edu/edu_leadership.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

 

Dr. Bob Eaker, a professor in the MTSU Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, recently conducted a training session on Professional Learning Communities at the College of Education building for principals from surrounding public school districts.

Dr. Bob Eaker, a professor in the MTSU Womack Family Educational Leadership Department, recently conducted a training session on Professional Learning Communities at the College of Education building for principals from surrounding public school districts.

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MTSU offers new master’s in management degree

May 17, 2013 By

Starting in the fall, MTSU will offer a new master’s degree in management geared toward professionals in the workforce looking to advance in their careers.

The Tennessee Board of Regents recently gave final approval for the Master of Science in Management program through the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. To complete the program, a student must finish 33 credit hours as well as complete a research project in partnership with an organization or nonprofit.Jones College logo web

University Provost Brad Bartel described the new program as “a management degree for the real world.”

Dr. Brad Bartel

Dr. Brad Bartel

“We designed this degree to help employees develop skills they need to accelerate their careers,” Bartel said. “This will help position them for greater responsibilities and promotions.”

Bartel said students “will be exposed to real-life experiences, not just theory, and courses are offered at night, on weekends and online.”

The program offers three concentrations: not-for-profit management, supply chain management and organizational leadership. Applications are being accepted immediately and can be found at http://www.mtsu.edu/graduate/programs/mgmt.php.

Professor Jill Austin, chair of the MTSU Department of Management and Marketing, noted that the concentrations were developed after the university researched the area’s workforce needs.

For example, a recent study by MTSU counted more than 2,000 nonprofits in the Midstate. The new program aims to help nonprofit managers, some of whom don’t have a strong business-oriented background, learn to think more strategically while managing the growth of their organizations.

“We talked to a number of students, we did surveys, and we talked to a number of business people about the needs they have and the skills they need from graduates,” Austin said.

Dr. Jill Austin

Dr. Jill Austin

Students will be able to take six hours of courses in specific areas related to their career interests, said Daniel Morrell, director of the new degree program and an assistant professor.

For example, a healthcare professional may wish to take a course in healthcare management, or a law enforcement professional may wish to take courses in criminal justice.

The research project ties all of the program’s components together and allows the professionals to apply their new skills directly back to their current organizations by tackling an organizational issue while receiving the support and advice of faculty, Morrell said.

A limited number of assistantships will be awarded on a competitive basis each semester, with most covering the cost of tuition and most fees as well as providing a monthly stipend. The assistantships can be renewed up to two years.

For more information, contact Morrell at 615-494-7758, Dan.Morrell@mtsu.edu or Austin at 615-898-2736 or Jill.Austin@mtsu.edu. Or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/graduate/programs/mgmt.php.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)

Filed Under: Student News Tagged With: , , , , ,
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