By Raegan Faught

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. –– Middle Tennessee State University representatives recently appeared on WGNS Radio to discuss MTSU’s new title as an age-friendly university, the upcoming events of the Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival, and a history professor’s new graphic history book on Civil War-era guerilla warfare.

They appeared on the live “Action Line” program with host Scott Walker broadcast on FM 100.5, 101.9 and AM 1450 from the WGNS studio in downtown Murfreesboro. If you missed it, you can listen to podcasts of the featured guest segments from the April 21 program by clicking the appropriate links below.

Guests on the April program included:

• Dr. Deborah Lee, holder of the NHC Chair of Excellence in Nursing at MTSU and director of the Positive Aging Consortium, and Dr. Brandon Grubbs, associate professor of exercise physiology and cofounder of the Positive Aging Consortium, discussed MTSU’s achievement of becoming the first higher education institution in Tennessee to be globally recognized as an age-friendly university by the Age-Friendly University Global Network, or AFUGN.

The AFUGN is comprised of more than 120 colleges and universities across five continents that are committed to promoting positive and healthy aging to enhance the lives of older members of the global community through innovative educational and cultural programs.

Lee and Grubbs detailed how MTSU is creating inclusive and accessible environments for older populations through the Positive Aging Consortium. Some of the initiatives include supporting lifelong learning, encouraging second careers, and structuring inclusive education for older adults. Listen to the segment here.

• Dr. Kim Cleary Sadler, professor of biology education at MTSU, shared highlights of the upcoming Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival, taking place May 2–4, at Cedars of Lebanon and Long Hunter state parks. 

On Friday, May 2, two expert presentations will begin at 7 p.m. at the Cedar Forest Lodge in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Tennessee Rare Plants legislation. Then on Saturday, May 3, activities will begin with birdwatching followed by a full day of activities ranging from visits to cedar glade wildflower sites, hikes with botany professionals, and more family friendly activities. The festival will wrap up on Sunday, May 4, when attendees are invited to enjoy more cedar glade wildflowers with staff from Long Hunter State Park from 2 to 4 p.m. 

Preregistration is required for some events due to space limitation and no pets are permitted. While most events are free, some require a small fee for materials. Click here to see events on the Cedars of Lebanon website. If you have questions, visit https://glade-center.mtsu.edu or contact Kim.Sadler@mtsu.edu or by phone at 615-904-8283. Listen to the segment here, beginning around the 13:47 mark. 

• Dr. Andrew Fialka, associate professor of history at MTSU, shared details about his new book “Hope Never to See It: A Graphic History of Guerrilla Violence during the American Civil War.”

Fialka’s book delves into two harrowing episodes of violence in Missouri — one by a Union spy and another by a Confederate guerrilla. Both stories explore the complex morality and brutality of Civil War-era guerrilla warfare and feature illustrations by Anderson Carmen.

The book, supported by MTSU and backed with full academic endnotes, challenges romanticized views of war while sparking reflection on justice, trauma, and how conflicts truly end.  His work has gained national attention, securing a spot in the Civil War Monitor and a CSPAN lecture. Listen to his segment here.

Students, faculty and staff who are interested in guesting on WGNS to promote their MTSU-related activities should contact Jimmy Hart, senior director of MTSU News and Media Relations, at 615-898-5131 or via email at jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu.

— Raegan Faught is a senior journalism major in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media. Contact her at news@mtsu.edu.