MTSU students can discover ways to be more involved in the campus community through a host of activities to promote MT Engage, the name of the university’s latest Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP.

The first MT Engage Week features events hosted by several colleges and divisions to bring students a wide array of events and engagement opportunities at MTSU.

Wednesday, Sept. 21, events include:

• “First Look 2016: Students on the Verge of an Oscar,” 3 p.m., Student Union Ballroom. Come see screenings of exemplary work by MTSU film, video, animation and photography students. Presented by the Department of Electronic Media Communication in the College of Media and Entertainment.
• Symposium on Gang Violence Reduction, 6:30-8 p.m., Student Union Parliamentary Room. Hosted by the departments of Criminal Justice Administration and Social Work.

Visit the MT Engage website at www.mtsu.edu/mtengage/get_involved.php for the full list of events, including electronic fliers with more information. MT Engage events will run through Thursday, Sept. 29.

Participating students can also win prizes, with students who attend more than one event entered to win an iPad Mini and other prizes.

Dr. Mary S. Hoffschwelle

“We are grateful to the colleges and divisions for their support of our first MT Engage Week,” said Dr. Mary S. Hoffschwelle, a professor of history and director of MT Engage. “Deans, staff, and faculty across the entire campus are showcasing the many ways students can be more involved in their learning and campus life.”

With a motto of “engage academically, learn exponentially, showcase yourself,” MT Engage encourages students to not only think in a more integrative way about their academics but to reflect on their experiences inside and outside of the classroom from the time they set foot on campus. The mission is to create opportunities for students “to become physically and psychologically involved in productive learning activities.”

The QEP is a requirement by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC, the regional accreditation body for higher education institutions in the South.

A SACSCOC review committee visited campus in late March for a campus assessment of MT Engage, which was developed through an inclusive, comprehensive approach that included input from faculty, administration and staff, as well as students, alumni and community members.

Shakeya Fielder

Lexy Denton

Lexy Denton was recently named assistant director of MT Engage with responsibilities for MT Engage experiences initiatives, student outreach and recognitions, and marketing and communications for the program. Denton was involved in the development of the MT Engage program as assistant to QEP Chair Dr. Dianna Rust and is an MTSU alumna.

Reach her at Alexis.Denton@mtsu.edu or 615-904-8281. Her office is in Walker Library Room 236.

Shakeya Fielder is the secretary for MT Engage and responsible for office management. She previously worked at Health Connect America and Tuskegee University. Reach her at Shakeya.Fielder@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2761. Her office is in Walker Library Room 216.

To learn more about MT Engage, visit www.mtsu.edu/MTEngage.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)