MTSU student, faculty and staff representatives appeared on WGNS Radio recently to share information about an upcoming holiday-themed arts event, a fall dance concert and a grant-funded initiative to promote better nutrition among students.

The details were shared during the Nov. 18 “Action Line” program with host Bart Walker. The live program was 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 a podcast of the show here.

MTSU faculty and staff appeared on WGNS Radio recently to share information with host Bart Walker. Pictured are, left photo, back row from left, dance students Koura Wright and Ruth Anne Smith; second row, dance professor Meg Brook and instructor Laurel Walker; bottom, dance student Kadie Cooper; at top left is host Bart Walker.
Shown in top right photo, from left, are H. Stephen Smith, College of Liberal Arts, and John Underwood, Tucker Theatre;
Shown in bottom right photo, from left, are Cynthia Chafin, Center for Health and Human Services, Christina Byrd, program coordinator for the “Blue Raiders Drink Up” nutrition initiative, and Spring Garner, dietitian. (MTSU photo illustration by Jimmy Hart)

Guests and their topics were as follows:

• Stephen Smith, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and voice professor, and John Underwood, production manager for Tucker Theatre, discussed the upcoming “Joys of the Season” concert.

Now in its fifth year, the event will run from 3 to 4 p.m. Dec. 1 in Tucker Theatre, showcasing music, dance and more by MTSU students and faculty. “Joys of the Season” launched in 2015 as a way to showcase the college’s performing and fine arts departments and to express the university’s gratitude for decades of community support.

• The MTSU Dance Theatre’s Fall Dance Concert was discussed by Meg Brooker, dance professor in MTSU’s Dance Theatre program, dance instructor Laurel Walker, dance students Kadie Cooper and Koura Wright, and dance studentRuth Anne Smith, a Dance Society board member in charge of outreach to Cold Patrol.

The concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 21-23, in Tucker Theatre. The performances by MTSU’s pre-professional company of more than 30 artists will include faculty and guest choreography with themes as varied as homelessness, technology, and personal triumph.

Dancers also are encouraging concertgoers to bring blankets, socks, sleeping bags, three-man tents and adult undergarments to Tucker Theatre to donate to the Murfreesboro Cold Patrol. Learn more here.

• Cynthia Chafin, associate director for the Center for Health and Human Services, Christina Byrd, program coordinator for the “Blue Raiders Drink Up” nutrition initiative, and Spring Garner, a dietitian who counsels students, discussed the “Blue Raiders Drink Up: Healthy Choices for Healthy Students” program. 

“Blue Raiders Drink Up: Healthy Choices for Healthy Students” is sponsored by MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services. It is funded with a three-year grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Health as part of the Project Diabetes initiative. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month.

The goal is to help reduce excess weight and obesity as risk factors for the development of diabetes. Students are learning the importance of health beverage choices and reducing sugary beverage consumption. Learn more here.

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