MTSU students can discover how to become more involved around the campus community and in the classroom through the upcoming second annual MT Engage Week.

The week of events showcasing the university’s latest quality enhancement plan, or QEP, provides a number of activities presented by colleges and departments throughout campus to promote the program’s motto, “Engage Academically. Learn Exponentially. Showcase Yourself.”

Activities kick off 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, when the University College hosts a presentation on student health behaviors in Room 221 of the Ned McWherter Learning Resources Center. The event will consider the impacts of various student health behaviors, including alcohol, drugs and sexual health risk management, on academic performance and student success. ​

Lexy Denton

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 Friday, Sept. 29.

Students who attend two or more of the week’s activities will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad Mini.

“We hope that students take full advantage of these opportunities to expand their knowledge,” MT Engage Assistant Director Lexy Denton said. “In addition to a great learning experience, many of the events will be offering food and prizes.”

Some of the other events include:

• “Engagefest,” 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, live on the Bragg Media and Entertainment Building steps facing the Quad. This event features music performances from Department of Recording Industry major student organizations and other performing outlets and is presented by the College of Media and Entertainment.

• “First Impressions 2017 Workshop,” 11:45 a.m. Sept. 26 in the Student Union Ballroom. Students will learn how to make a positive first impression and will be given a chance to practice with each other and put their skills to the test with the professionals on hand. This event is hosted by the Jones College of Business.

• “Challenging Women’s History,” 4-5 p.m. Sept. 26 in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. Presented by the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of English, this event’s featured speaker is Rebecca Price, founder of the nonprofit Chick History. Price is on the forefront of efforts to record overlooked contributions to women’s history, particularly those of women of color who sought votes for women.

• “The Free Exercise Thereof: An Interfaith Dialogue,” 10:20 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, in Student Union Ballrooms A and B. The Rutherford County Interfaith Council will present “Finding Shared Truths Among Our Differing Faiths” with representatives from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Quaker faiths. This event is hosted by the University Honors College.

• Makerspace Open House, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in the James E. Walker Library’s Makerspace on the second floor. The Makerspace opened last year and serves as “a creative hub” that features, among other things, 3D printers, a laser etcher, vinyl cutter, Raspberry Pis, Arduinos, Makeblock kits, Macintosh workspaces and virtual reality headsets. Demos will be on display and refreshments provided.

• “First Look Revisited,” 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, in Room 103 of the Bragg Building, will feature a screening of exemplary work by MTSU film, video and animation students hosted by the College of Media and Entertainment.

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.

MT Engage staff includes Denton, Director Mary Hoffschwelle, Assessment Coordinator Scott McDaniel and Secretary Jayme Brunson. The office is located in the James Union Building, Room 306. Call 615-898-2761 or 615-904-8281 for more information.

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

— Jayla Jackson (news@mtsu.edu)