MTSU student organizations typically hold bake sales to raise funds. The new Agriculture Business Society, however, held a joint bake sale and Dunk Your Professor event April 17 outside the Stark Agribusiness and Agriscience Center.

Senior MTSU Agribusiness and Agriscience major Heidi Spradlin throws at the target during the Dunk Your Professor fundraiser April 17 outside the Stark Agribusiness and Agriscience Center. She attempted to get adjunct faculty member Ken Barlow wet, but her throw missed the target. (MTSU photos by News and Media Relations)

Professors Justin Gardner, the student organization’s adviser, and Nate Phillips joined adjunct faculty member Ken Barlow, senior ag major Gabby Starr of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Joseph Acuna of Woodbury, Tenn., on the hot seat in the dunking machine. All five landed in the bottom of the water tank.

College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Bud Fischer “dropped by to dunk me,” Gardner said, adding that David Otts from University Studies “had the highest success rate (of hitting the target) — 66 percent.”

During the event, passers-by could pay $3 for the opportunity to throw five baseballs at the target, $5 to throw seven baseballs or $10 to push the target and dunk the tank’s occupant by hand.

Society members raised more than $300 with the dual fundraiser.

Gardner said the students plan to use the money to help defray travel costs for a spring 2014 trip to the Southern Agriculture Economics Association annual meeting in Dallas, Texas.

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

Senior Heidi Spradlin, second from right, runs to avoid getting wet after dunking adjunct faculty member Ken Barlow by hand. Alvin Jensen, right, president of the Agriculture Business Society and a junior from Joelton, Tenn. watches with delight.

MTSU sophomore biology major Morgan Armstrong, left, of Memphis, Tenn., laughingly rejects an attempt at a hug from friend Gabby Starr, right, of Hendersonville, Tenn., after Starr, a senior School of Agribusiness and Agriscience major, emerged from a swim in the Agriculture Business Society’s dunking machine.