MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University faculty and staff recently provided the media with their perspectives on various issues, including First Amendment rights, aging, electric vehicles, personal safety, and food and financial tips.

• Kent Syler, political science professor, talked with Courthouse News Service on Aug. 6 about U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s announcement to run for governor of Tennessee. Read the article.

Syler talked with the Tennessee Lookout on Aug. 28 about Blackburn’s campaign finance strategies. Read the article.

• Dr. Andrew Polk, history professor, was a featured guest on Aug. 13 on “Faith and Politics” to discuss the growing religious diversity in Congress. Watch the segment.

• Dr. Sean Salter, associate professor of economics, talked with Homes.com on Aug. 14 about mortgage rates. Read the article.

Salter talked with WalletHub on Sept. 1 about zero-based budgeting. Read the article.

• Dr. Brandon Grubbs, associate professor of health and human performance and co-founder of the Positive Aging Consortium initiative at MTSU, talked about lifelong learning programs at MTSU on the Aug. 20 episode of Nashville Public Radio’s “This Is Nashville.” Listen to the segment.

• MTSU Police Chief Ed Kaup talked with WSMV-TV Channel 4 on Aug. 22 about the university’s evaluation of safety measures on campus. Watch the segment.

• MTSU Police Sgt. Jason Hurley shared his expertise on domestic disturbances with WKRN-TV News 2 on Aug. 25. Watch the segment.  

Hurley talked with WKRN-TV News 2 on Sept. 1 about MTSU Police Department’s self-defense classes. Watch the segment.

• Yvette Clark, vice president and chief information officer of the Information Technology Division, and Brian Hinote, professor and vice provost for faculty and strategic initiatives, talked with the Milford Free Press on Aug. 26 about MTSU’s decision to move to Canvas Learning Management System. Read the article.

• MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Dean Beverly Keel were both featured in multiple publications Aug. 26 speaking about the renaming ceremony of the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment. Read articles in Billboard magazine, The Daily News Journal, Music Row magazine, among others.

• MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee talked with WKRN-TV News 2 on Aug. 27 about the university’s new Applied Engineering Building that opened Aug. 6. Watch the segment.

• Dr. Karen Tan, assistant professor in tourism and hospitality management, provided commentary for The Tennessean on Aug. 29 on the reason behind Americans’ guilt over taking vacations. Read the article.

• Dr. John Vile, Honors College dean, talked with USA Today Network-Florida on Sept. 2 about the implications of free speech regarding Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ move to erase “street art.” Read the article.

Vile was spotlighted on Sept. 16 in the Southern Standard for a speaking engagement in McMinnville where he weighed in on America’s status as a Christian nation. Read the article.

Vile talked with USA Today on Sept. 16 about President Donald Trump’s dismantling of a peace vigil near the White House. Read the article.

Vile talked with WTVF-TV NewsChannel 5 on Sept. 24 about Tennessee State University’s legal rights to remove a conservative activist group from campus. Watch the segment.

• Dr. Daniel Smith, economics professor and director of the Political Economy Research Institute, talked with WKRN-TV News 2 on Sept. 5 about the increase in unemployment in Tennessee. Watch the segment.

Smith talked with WTVF-TV NewsChannel 5 on Sept. 29 about the potential fallout in Tennessee with the government shutdown. Watch the segment.

• Dr. Steven Sprick Schuster, associate professor of economics, talked with WKRN-TV News 2 on Sept. 5 about General Motors’ decision to lay off workers at its Spring Hill plant. Watch the segment.

• Dr. Melissa Cohen, finance lecturer, talked with WalletHub on Sept. 9 about car rental insurance. Read the article.

• Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center, offered 10 ways to use free speech without losing your job in an opinion piece published on Sept. 16 by Main Street Media. Read his commentary.

Paulson talked with the Nashville Banner on Sept. 16 about First Amendment rights of employees in relation to social media posts. Read the article.

Paulson talked with Houston Public Media on Sept. 23 about free speech protections in the backlash following the death of Charlie Kirk. Watch the interview.

Paulson was referenced in a Sept. 23 News from the States commentary about First Amendment rights of employees. Read the article.

Paulson shared his opinion on “passive-aggressive” censorship by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in USA Today on Sept. 26. Read the article.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)