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Grad student needs votes by May 10 to keep moving forward

April 30, 2013 By

UPDATE: Because she received enough votes to make it into the top five percent of contestants, MTSU student Jennifer Austin now is a semifinalist in the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association competition. The judges will select three winners of special vans fully equipped for disabled people to drive, which will enhance their independence and self-sufficiency.

Austin says, “I cannot begin to describe how incredibly grateful I am to all of you for helping make this dream a possibility!! … Please pray that my story can make an impact on the judges’ minds and hearts, as each of the semifinalists is deserving of this awesome prize!”

Winners will be announced at the end of May. Please read Jennifer’s story below.

Jennifer Austin’s life changed forever on Sept. 15, 2006.

She’s hoping her life will change forever again on May 10, 2013.

The 26-year-old graduate student in MTSU’s Department of Health and Human Performance is a contestant in the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association competition.

Austin, who is paralyzed from the chest down, needs votes to become one of three people in the United States to win a fully equipped van that will enable her to drive herself wherever she needs to go.

Jennifer Austin, a 26-year-old MTSU graduate student from Cowan, Tenn., hopes to win a specially equipped van in the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association competition. May is National Mobility Awareness Month. (photo submitted)

If she wins, it will be a giant move forward in her continuing quest to regain more control over her life after a 2006 hit-and-run accident on Interstate 24.

“The whole point of going to graduate school is for better career opportunities, to really take that last step in independence and be able to drive again,” Austin said. “That’s going to open so many other doors for me.”

At present, Austin’s caregivers from At Home Care of Murfreesboro provide her with transportation. When the weather is nice, she travels to class in her electronic wheelchair from her apartment at Campus Crossings.

Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation Services is helping her manage, but she aspires to a job in the health professions so that she can pay for her therapy and care herself. Being able to drive herself to her future workplace would help make that possible, she said.

“It would have an automatic ramp that comes down, which would allow me to drive my chair up into the van, right into the driver’s seat,” Austin said of the grand prize that would be so much help to her.

“There are special locks that would lock down my chair for safety when I’m driving.”

Austin was injured while driving home to Cowan, Tenn., on I-24 when an SUV swerved into her car and sent it into the median, flipping it several times.

Police told her they believe she would not have survived if she hadn’t been ejected through the windshield.

Austin was flown to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, where her spleen and part of her left lung were removed. She now has minimal use of her arms and hands, but everything else is paralyzed.

The perpetrators of the hit-and-run accident remain at large, but Austin said she has moved on.

She credits MTSU’s Disabled Student Services with helping her take notes for her classes.

“That’s what sets MTSU apart,” Austin said. “They’re so passionate about helping students.”

It also helps to have a supportive family. Austin still goes home to Cowan every weekend to see her parents and sister.

“They are the complete reason why I’m still here and able to do all this,” Austin said.

To vote for Austin, go to www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/jennifer-austin-cowan-tn, enter your information and agree to the terms. The final day to vote is Friday, May 10.

To get an extra vote each day for Austin, click on the “want an extra vote” icon and answer the question before you submit your vote.

Only one vote per IP address is allowed per day, but individuals may vote from their cell phones as many times per day as they wish until the end of the contest.

At the end of the competition, the judges will read the individual stories of entrants who made it into the top 5 percent of vote-getters.

— Gina K. Logue (Gina.Logue@mtsu.edu)

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

MTSU researcher needs volunteers for lifestyle coaching program

March 8, 2013 By

MTSU graduate student Saori Ishikawa prepares Mary Belle Ginanni for a bone density scan. Ishikawa now is seeking participants for the second phase of her study, which involves activity monitoring and lifestyle coaching. (MTSU file photo by News and Media Relations)

Women who are 60 and older have a golden opportunity to learn how to reduce the risk of postmenopausal bone fractures.

MTSU graduate student Saori Ishikawa is beginning a free lifestyle-coaching program for 30 women who are retired and age 60 and older.

“For this study, participants will begin by monitoring their physical activity and sedentary behavior,” said Ishikawa.

“They will then receive feedback on their daily activity patterns and be provided with information on reducing sedentary behaviors by replacing them with easy lifestyle activities over a four-week period.”

At the conclusion of the four weeks, the study participants will recheck their physical activity and sedentary activity profiles and be provided with further feedback on their activity patterns.

“We hope to show that simply increasing the amount of time spent on your feet doing light-intensity activities may help to minimize bone loss that occurs naturally with aging,” Ishikawa said.

Ishikawa, who is pursuing a doctorate in the MTSU Department of Health and Human Performance, completed a bone-density study of older women last semester in which she scanned the lower back and hipbone areas of her participants.

According to www.medtv.com, osteoporosis is a major bone health threat for 44 million Americans, 64 percent of whom are women. In the United States, 10 million persons already have osteoporosis, and 34 million more have low bone mass.

To volunteer or for more information, contact Ishikawa at 774-240-7517 or si2p@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

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Grad student bones up on women’s health on ‘MTSU On the Record’

December 23, 2012 By

MTSU grad student Saori Ishikawa points to the area on the hip bone that is scanned for her density study. (MTSU photo by News and Media Relations)

An MTSU graduate student is helping postmenopausal women learn how to improve their health.

Saori Ishikawa explained her bone density research in an interview aired Dec. 17 and 23 on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and www.wmot.org). You can listen to a podcast of the broadcast here.

Ishikawa is attempting to determine the impact of sedentary behavior on women at a time in their lives when loss of bone density could lead to fractures or even death.

Her hypothesis is that even moderate lifestyle changes, such as washing dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher or walking the dog an extra 10 minutes per day, could make a substantial difference in women’s bone health.

To listen to previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to the “Audio Clips” archives here and here.

For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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

Bone density study subject says it’s ‘simple’ to improve health

December 11, 2012 By

MTSU graduate student Saori Ishikawa, right, prepares Mary Belle Ginanni for a bone density scan. (MTSU photos by News and Media Relations)

Mary Belle Ginanni knows her body type, gender, family history and European heritage make her a candidate for osteoporosis.

That’s why she took part in a bone density study that is seeking more participants now at MTSU’s Alumni Memorial Gym.

“As we age, loss of balance is a major factor in falling, and, therefore, exercise is thought to help one to maintain balance,” said Ginanni, a Murfreesboro resident.

Saori Ishikawa, an MTSU graduate student, took the opposite approach to her research. Instead of studying the impact of exercise, she decided to examine the impact of sedentary behavior on bone density.

Ishikawa, who is working on her doctorate from the Department of Health and Human Performance, is studying postmenopausal women 65 years of age or older who are able to walk with or without the use of assistive devices.

Ishikawa points to the area on the hip bone that is scanned for her density study.

Ishikawa records each subject’s height and weight, asks a few health-related questions and uses a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry machine to scan the lumbar spine and the femoral neck area of the hip — the narrow neck between the round head of the femur, which fits into the hip socket, and the shaft of the bone — all at no charge to the participant.

Ginanni’s visit to campus took about 30 minutes. She and other study participants then wear a small, noninvasive monitoring device, similar to a pedometer, for a week.

“I couldn’t believe how easy it turned out to be,” Ginanni recalled. “The gizmo, which one wears over the hip bone of the dominant hip, is very small and caused no problem at all with my clothing.”

Participants document the times they take part in certain sedentary behaviors, including sleeping, lying down to watch TV, non-work-related sitting and work-related sitting.

“My study is an intervention where I communicate with the participants … and measure their activity level and sedentary behavior at the beginning and at the end of the study,” Ishikawa said.

Images of an unidentified participant’€™s hip, left, and lumbar spine scans help determine her degree of vulnerability to fractures and osteoporosis.

Ishikawa’s recommendations are not for vigorous, intense exercise, but for moderate lifestyle changes, such as walking while talking on the phone or washing dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher.

“Such simple things as standing on one foot while in a checkout line or while standing at the sink is a good way to improve balance,” said Ginanni. “If necessary, you can touch a finger to the counter for reassurance.”

To volunteer for the free bone health study, or for more information, contact Ishikawa at 615-898-5545, 774-240-7517 or si2p@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

Ishikawa also will explain her bone density research in an interview to be aired on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17, and 8 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and www.wmot.org).

— Gina K. Logue (Gina.Logue@mtsu.edu)

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

‘Tunnel of Love’ is alternative route away from infection, disease

September 7, 2012 By

The Tunnel of Love, an exhibit presenting dramatic evidence of the dangers of unprotected sex, will be presented from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building.

The tunnel is decorated with photographs of infected genitalia and pertinent statistics on the rates, causes and consequences of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as STD treatment and prevention information.

Community organizations will have staffers on hand to answer questions and provide additional information and free condoms. MTSU Student Health Services will provide free HIV testing with results available within minutes.

This event, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by MTSU Student Health Services and the MTSU Department of Health and Human Performance. For more information, contact Tracy Morris at tracy.morris@mtsu.edu or Casie Higginbotham at 615-898-8274 or chigginb@mtsu.edu.

– Gina K. Logue (Gina.Logue@mtsu.edu)

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Army parachutists escort MTSU professor in skydive

June 14, 2012 By

Dr. Steven G. Estes, chair of the MTSU Department of Health and Human Performance, soared with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team in a June 14 tandem jump at Fort Knox, Ky.

Dr. Steven Estes and Sgt. 1st Class John Ewald, a paratrooper from the U.S. Army Golden Knights, sail toward their landing spot on the Fort Knox, Ky., campus during their June 14 tandem parachute jump over the post. Ewald and Estes pose for a post-landing photo at left. (photos submitted)

Since their inception 53 years ago, the Golden Knights have performed in more than 16,000 shows in all 50 states and 48 foreign nations, breaking 348 world records. The team conducts more than 850 tandem jumps each year.

Some of the more celebrated individuals to jump with the Golden Knights include actor/comedian Bill Murray, Ann Curry of NBC’s “Today Show” and former President George H. W. Bush, who took the plunge on June 12, 2009, to celebrate his 85th birthday.

Estes jumped simultaneously with an Army paratrooper, who pulled Estes’ ripcord in addition to his own.

“I’m absolutely sure that he’s going to get it right, because his life is on the line just as much as mine is,” Estes said before the big jump.

While Estes had never before jumped out of an airplane, he is intimately acquainted with military leadership exercises. He completed a 26-mile march with Army ROTC personnel a year ago, and his score on the Army Physical Fitness Test is in the top range for his age group.

Civilians volunteer and then are nominated for the honor of jumping with the Golden Knights, but the Army chooses only 15, said Mark Boylan, recruiting operations and training specialist with the 7th Brigade at Fort Knox.

“This is one of the great ways the Army has of getting closer to the people it serves to try to make them all champions and strong supporters and dispel misconceptions about ROTC,” Boylan said.

Lt. Col. Therrel Kast, chair of MTSU’s Department of Military Science, said Estes is a great supporter of the University’s Army ROTC program.

“His department assisted our Ranger Challenge Team that was invited to the Sandhurst Competition at West Point in April,” said Kast. “They performed specific tests on the entire team to help tweak their physical performance, and Dr. Estes traveled with the team to West Point for the competition.”

The professor, who teaches leader-development courses at the doctoral level, saoid he hopes to return to MTSU with more life lessons that will translate into classroom performance.

“By studying them, I’ll try to extract … best-practice principles so that I can bring them back to the university and put them in place in all of the things that I do,” said Estes.

For more information, contact Kast at 615-898-2406 or tharrel.kast@mtsu.edu or Boylan at 502-624-6822 or mark.boylan@usacc.army.mil.

– Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

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

‘Moving and Learning’ lecturer urges children to jump into spring

March 30, 2012 By

The MTSU Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will present its Spring 2012 Distinguished Lecture, “Physical Development and Beyond: Why Young Children Need to Move,” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3.

Rae Pica

Rae Pica, founder and director of “Moving and Learning,” will deliver the free public address in Room 160 of the MTSU College of Education Building.

A children’s physical activity specialist since 1980, Pica has shared her expertise with “Sesame Street,” “Blue’s Clues,” Head Start, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and state health departments across the nation.

A former faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, Pica is the author of 18 books, including Experiences in Movement and Music, Jump Into Literacy and A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free time Create a Successful Child.

Pica also is the co-founder of the BAM radio network and host of the network’s premiere radio program, “Body, Mind and Child,’ for which she interviews experts in child development, education, play research and the neurosciences.

For more information, contact Dr. Don Morgan at 615-898-5549 or don.morgan@mtsu.edu.

– Gina K. Logue (Gina.Logue@mtsu.edu)

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‘Weighing the Real Moneyball Question’ at MTSU

March 26, 2012 By

“MTSU On the Record,” the University’s weekly radio show with Gina K. Logue, features an interview with MTSU graduate student Mitchell Woltring on his paper, “Weighing the Real Moneyball Question: When is college the better choice for MLB-drafted high school baseball players,” on Monday, April 2, at 5:30 p.m. with a repeat airing on Sunday, April 6, at 8 a.m. The show airs on MTSU radio station WMOT, 89.5 FM, and also is available via podcast anytime at www.WMOT.org and the “Audio Clips” link at www.MTSUNews.com. Woltring is currently in his final semester as a sports management major and plans to pursue his doctorate in human performance. His article appeared in the January 2012 issue of CollegeSportsBusinessNews.com.

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MTSU Professor Receives 2012 John Pleas Faculty Award

February 29, 2012 By

Dr. Cheryl Slaughter Ellis, MTSU professor of community and public health in the Department of Health and Human Performance, is the recipient of the University’s 2012 John Pleas Faculty Recognition Award. The award is presented annually to a faculty member who has contributed significantly to the teaching, research and service of African-Americans. Ellis was recognized during a special Feb. 28 ceremony at the MTSU Foundation House in Murfreesboro. To learn more about the award and Ellis’s work, go to mtsunews.com/2012-pleas-award.

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Public-health educator Ellis receives 2012 Pleas Faculty Award

February 29, 2012 By

Dr. Cheryl Slaughter Ellis, professor of community and public health in MTSU’s Department of Health and Human Performance, is the recipient of the University’s 2012 John Pleas Faculty Recognition Award.

Dr. Cheryl Slaughter Ellis, right, professor of community and public health in MTSU's Department of Health and Human Performance, accepts the University's 2012 John Pleas Faculty Recognition Award from psychology professor emeritus Dr. John Pleas at a special ceremony at the MTSU Foundation House Feb. 28. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

The award is presented each year to an MTSU faculty member who has contributed significantly to the teaching, research and service of African-Americans. The celebration of each honoree’s work is a regular part of the University’s observation of Black History Month.

Ellis was recognized during a special Feb. 28 ceremony at the MTSU Foundation House in Murfreesboro.

She and Pleas, a psychology professor emeritus at MTSU, joined the University faculty in 1985 as part of an effort to better diversify the faculty with nine new African-American professors. Ellis instigated the Pleas Award in 1997 to honor her fellow educator for his contributions to MTSU through teaching, mentoring, public service and obesity-treatment research.

“She exemplifies the professional educator at her best,” said Dr. Gloria Bonner of MTSU’s Office of Community Engagement and Support, a friend of Ellis’s as well as her former dean at the University.

“One of the things that impressed me most about Cheryl is her unquenchable search for knowledge,” added Pleas of his longtime colleague. “When I’m asked about professors at MTSU, I always hear [from former students] ‘She helped me a lot.’ She has a great deal of compassion for her students as well as her community.”

Pleas joked that his colleague “would have gotten this award sooner, but she always deferred to someone else. It was always, ‘Oh, I haven’t done enough. I need to do more. Give it to someone else.’ … Well, Cheryl, it’s your time.”

In addition to her extensive community health- and wellness-education efforts, including the popular National Youth Sports Program at MTSU, Ellis is a member of the honors and graduate faculty at MTSU. She is a native of Jackson, Miss., and a graduate of Jackson State University, the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

As an advocate for community and public health, Ellis, a certified health-education specialist, has appeared as a guest on numerous radio and TV programs. In collaboration with Nashville’s Meharry Medical College and MTSU, she has presented and coordinated hundreds of health-education programs, including workshops, fairs and seminars, in nearly two dozen Tennessee counties.

Watch a brief video about the 2012 award presentation below.

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