August ‘Out of the Blue’ features MTSU Esports, Tennessee Teach Back, communication studies [+VIDEO]

The August 2024 edition of “Out of the Blue,” the television magazine program featured, from left in order of appearance, Middle Tennessee News student reporter Jayce Standridge, Dr. Michelle Stevens, director of the Center for Fairness, Justice and Equity, and Dr. Mary Beth Asbury, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies. (MTSU photo illustration by Joe Poe)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Check out to the August edition of “Out of the Blue,” the television magazine program for Middle Tennessee State University, where viewers will learn about the growing competitive student video gaming club on campus, hear about the progress of our new teacher training initiative to help high-needs communities in the state, and learn a bit more about how our Communication Studies Department supports the professional interests of a variety of majors.

Watch the full episode below:

In this month’s episode with program host Andrew Oppmann, vice president for marketing and communications, viewers will hear from:

• Middle Tennessee News reporter Jayce Standridge, a senior journalism major, represents Out of Blue’s ongoing partnership with the student journalism laboratory as he talks about his in-depth report on the rapidly expanding MTSU Esports, short for electronic sports, competitive student gaming club and culture on the Blue Raider campus.

• Dr. Michelle Stevens, director of the Center for Fairness, Justice and Equity in the College of Education, discusses the progress of the Tennessee Teach Back Initiative, an innovative program offering full scholarships to students committed to teaching in rural school districts after graduation.

• Dr. Mary Beth Asbury, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies, discusses how the department within the College of Liberal Arts is empowering students with a diverse range of career-focused concentrations.

Andrew Oppmann, vice president of marketing and communications — Andrew Oppmann

“Out of the Blue” is available anytime on the university’s YouTube channel, the True Blue TV channel, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. It also airs on Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 daily at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; NewsChannel5+ at 3:30 p.m. Sundays; and streamed on the MTSU Jazz Network through WMOT.org at 7 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month; and on other cable outlets in Middle Tennessee, so check local listings.

It is also available as a podcast on iTunes and Google Play and as individual interview segments on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/453hxg3.

Watch previous episodes of “Out of the Blue” at https://mtsunews.com/out-of-the-blue.

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)