Monthly Archives: April 2014

NEWS

TSU Students Compete in ‘Battle of the Brains’ National Tournament

A team of students from Tennessee State University competed against 47 other teams from across the country in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship April 12-16 in Torrance, Calif. Members of the team included (left to right) Aurora Garvin, Brandon Bartee, Joseph Patrick, and Adriann Wilson.
A team of students from Tennessee State University competed against 47 other teams from across the country in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship April 12-16 in Torrance, Calif. Members of the team included (left to right) Aurora Garvin, Brandon Bartee, Joseph Patrick, and Adriann Wilson.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Students from Tennessee State University had the opportunity to compete in a “battle of the brains” recently when they took on challengers from universities and colleges from across the country as they took part in the 25th Annual Honda Campus All Star Challenge.

Held in Torrance, Calif., April 12-16 the competition featured the best and brightest students from 48 of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities to match wits and test their knowledge on such topics as the arts, geography, literature, history, politics science, as well as African-American literature and history among other categories.

The team, according to Dr. John Miglietta, professor of Political Science and coach of the team, has traditionally done very well in the competition, and has advanced to the Sweet 16 the last two years. TSU also claimed the top spot in 2007 as the national champions.

“The students did very well, with several of them playing in their first national tournament,” said Miglietta. “TSU was very competitive and the team received valuable experience. This will serve them well for next year’s tournament.”

The competition is divided into two phases, with the first phase a round-robin competition in which the field of 48 is divided into eight divisions of six teams. Each team plays the other team in its division once.

TSU alumnus Malick Badjie was inducted into the HCASC Hall of Fame during the competition. Malick captained the team for three years from 2001-2003.
TSU alumnus Malick Badjie was inducted into the HCASC Hall of Fame during the competition. Malick captained the team for three years from 2001-2003.

“Our team started off slow losing its first three games but rallied to defeat Virginia Union and Clark Atlanta Universities,” added Miglietta. “The team finished 2-3 and ultimately took third place in the division.”

“The top two teams advance from each division into the playoffs. TSU did not advance but was rooting for our friends from Fisk University who eventually were winners of the tournament.”

Representing TSU this year were: Adriann N. Wilson, a junior Mechanical Engineering major from Albany, Ga.; Brandon Bartee, junior Mechanical Engineering major from Manchester, Tenn.; Aurora Garvin, a sophomore Art major from Nashville, Tenn.; and Joseph Edward Patrick II, a junior Electrical Engineering major also from Nashville.

“The great thing about this competition is that it allows students from all over the country to interact and make ‘friends for life’ while also competing for scholarships for their institutions,” said Miglietta. “Every school that participates receives some scholarship money with the winners taking home $50,000 for their school. This year as National Championship Qualifiers TSU will receive $3,000 from American Honda.”

A highlight of the tournament was the induction of former player and TSU alumnus Malick Badjie into the HCASC Hall of Fame. Malick captained the team for three years from 2001-2003. While at TSU, in addition to HCASC, Malick was also active in Model United Nations, the Muslim Students Association, as well as the Honors Program. Malick now lives in London, United Kingdom, and has gone on to a career in financial services.

Celebrating 25 years of HBCU excellence, Honda Campus All-Star Challenge is one of Honda’s largest and longest running philanthropic initiatives in the United States. Since 1989, the program has awarded more than $7 million in grants to participating HBCUs, impacting the lives of over 100,000 students across 22 states. The participating HBCUs share in grants from Honda of up to $328,000 each year.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, NEWS

Commercial Real Estate Conference Kicks off at TSU Avon Williams Campus Thursday, April 17

Brian Bailey
Brian Bailey

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Brian Bailey, senior financial policy analyst at the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, will be the keynote speaker at a one-day conference on “Commercial Real Estate Opportunities and Obstacles.”  The conference will take place Thursday, April 17 on the Avon Williams Campus at Tennessee State University.

Hosted by the Department of Economics and Finance in the College of Business, the conference will also include two panels of experts. One panel will comprise industry experts who are actively involved in various types of commercial real estate, such as office, warehouse, multi-family housing, and residential construction.

Another panel comprising bankers from Middle Tennessee will discuss lending to the commercial real estate industry.

According to conference organizers, Bailey, a lead reviewer in the “annual stress tests” conducted on the nation’s largest financial institutions, will focus his presentation on commercial real estate trends in the Southeast market.

Some of the real estate and banking institutions participating in the conference are CBRE Multi-family Group, Chas. Hawkins Co., Inc., Boyle Investments, Regent Homes, the Bank of Nashville, Regions Bank, Capstar Bank, US Bank and Pinnacle Financial Partners.

The conference will start promptly at 8 a.m. with registration in the Atrium. Cost to attend the conference is $50 per person, or $275 for a table to seat six persons.

For ticket or other information contact Dr. Jerry W. Crigger at (615) 717-7393 or jcrigger@tnstate.edu.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

NEWS

The HOPE Dream: TSU Alum Pitch Man for State Education Lottery Program

Evan Brown
Evan Brown

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Evan Roosevelt Brown has HOPE. It has taken in him to places he never dreamt of.

So, he is lending his face and voice to help more than 100,000 Tennessee students each year get that same sweet taste of HOPE.

Brown, a native of Nashville, is a TV spokesperson for the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation, which funds the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. The corporation is celebrating its 10th year. During that time the Lottery has raised nearly $3 billion.

And Brown, who is the contract compliance coordinator at the Lottery, has all the right tools to get the corporation’s message across. He is savvy, has nice looks with great intellect, but more than that, he has the message that it pays to get an excellent education with hard work, and the HOPE Scholarship is the way.

After all, the 2009 Tennessee State University business administration graduate with a concentration in economics and finance knows what it means to work hard. It took focus like “keeping my nose to the grind” and maintaining decent grades during his college career to get him to where he is.

“Growing up in my home I had no choice but to work hard and move up,” said Brown, whose parents are all college graduates in successful careers. “My brother and sister, who are graduates of TSU, got a full ride in college. But with me not getting that, the HOPE Scholarship made it easy on my parents not to bear that cost.”

So when the opportunity came up to be the spokesperson for the program that helped him through college, Brown jumped on it.

“This is a chance to help other people get what I got,” said Brown. “Being the face of the state’s education lottery program and people seeing me is an encouragement to give back and inspire others.”

Brown knows that his new “gig,” as he calls it, comes with a certain level of notoriety, but he says the part of the “job” that encourages him the most is being able to motivate “young people” to seek excellence.

He has been with the Lottery for seven years, two as an intern, starting when he was a student at TSU. His career growth at the corporation in five years as a full-time staff has been remarkable, something he calls a blessing.

“I have moved from being an intern to being the contract compliance coordinator, which includes project management, procurement services, business development, and records retention,” Brown said in a suave but very humble tone. “I started as an intern in the finance department, to the contract department handling inside sales, then credit analyst before my current position.”

About how he was selected to be the face of the Lottery with commercial spots running on YouTube and TV along with radio stations throughout the state, Brown said it all started with a conversation between him, the president, and the vice president and legal counsel of the corporation when they asked him to appear in the advertisement to mark the 10th anniversary of the Lottery.

“I think because I had been there a long time and because of the level of relationship I had with them and my advancement in the corporation prompted them to consider me,” Brown added.

His spot is one of three commercials running on stations around the state to highlight the success of the Lottery’s education program.

Brown, who earned an MBA in 2012 from Trevecca Nazarene University, touts his undergraduate preparation at TSU as the foundation to his success. He minces no word to talk about “my TSU” whenever the opportunity comes up.

“Go Big Blue, I am a Tennessee HOPE scholar and a proud graduate of Tennessee State University,” Brown says in his commercial as he pitches the Lottery.

For him, it is all about HOPE.

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, NEWS

TSU, MADD Host Power Conference Wednesday, April 16

Area Colleges and Universities Collaborate to Tackle Underage Drinking Problem

 

MADD-Power-Conference-Flier-1NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – In May of 1996, the car Phaedra Marriott-Olsen was driving was hit nearly head on when a driver crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic. The driver had a .08 blood alcohol content level but was never charged with a DUI since the legal limit at the time was .10 in Missouri.

She spent the next five and a half weeks on life support after the crash that left her paralyzed. But as she picked up the pieces of her life, she was determined to turn a tragedy into a positive message. From her hospital bed she worked to put an end to drunk driving by allowing students to visit her hospital room to see first-hand the effects of drinking and driving.

Marriott-Olsen, now a program specialist for Mothers Against Drunk Driving Tennessee, will bring her message of hope and inspiration to Tennessee State University as colleges and universities across Middle Tennessee join forces with MADD to tackle underage drinking.

The Power Conference will take place at the University Wednesday, April 16 from 10:15 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the Cox-Lewis Theater in the Performing Arts Center. Marriott-Olsen and Kathy Kilgore-Beeler, the mother of a 19-year old drunk-driving victim, will share their powerful stories of turning tragedy into destiny and the power of influence.

During the conference, participants will learn how to leverage the Power of You(th) to make a difference, and how to be a part of a campaign to stop underage drinking during the upcoming prom and graduation season. Power of You(th) materials and messaging will be available to help encourage students to take a stand with peers against underage drinking.

The conference is also an opportunity to get the word out about the upcoming PowerTalk 21® day on April 21. The day has been set aside to encourage parents everywhere to talk to their kids about alcohol, using a free online workbook available through MADD.

Students and administrators from all area colleges and universities are invited to attend. For more information on the Power Conference, contact Michelle Rozell, coordinator of volunteer resources with MADD Tennessee, at 615.360.8055 or michelle.rozell@madd.org

 

 

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21® is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents® to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every 8.6 minutes through local MADD victim advocates.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, FACULTY, NEWS, RESEARCH

CAHNS Closes Out Ag Week with Recognition of Top Teacher, Young Researcher, Students of the Year

Unknown-1
Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, left, and Dr. Patricia Crook, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, right, present Dr. Sujata Guha with her award as Outstanding Teacher, during a ceremony in the Ferrell-Westbrook Auditorium. Photo by John Cross (TSU Media Relations) See more photos on Flickr http://ow.ly/vHtsp

 

NASHVILLE (TSU News Service) – From teacher of the year to the top young researcher and most outstanding student, the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences Friday recognized its top performers of 2014.

The ceremony culminated the celebration of CAHN Week, including activities dedicated to each major science program in the College, a Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences Day; and the launching of a Professional Science Master’s in Applied Geospatial Sciences.

Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of CAHNS, assisted by Dr. Patricia Crook, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, presented certificates and cash awards to the honorees during a ceremony in the Ferrell-Westbrook Research Complex Auditorium on the main campus.

Staff, faculty and students of CAHNS, as well as other senior TSU administration officials and representatives of the various colleges, as well as stakeholders from other institutions and agencies attended the ceremony.

Those honored were:

Dr. Sujata Guha, Outstanding Teacher– Described as a “committed and engaging teacher,” Dr. Guha, associate professor of Chemistry, reaches out to students of varied educational backgrounds to effectively communicate important concepts. She has worked with academically challenged students and students with learning disabilities to build their self-confidence and organizational skills. As Graduate Program Coordinator, Dr. Guha developed and implemented student learning outcomes, mentored and counseled students, and helped them with making career choices. An 11-year member of the TSU faculty, Dr. Guha has published a textbook, Fundamentals of General Chemistry: Part I.

Dr. Karla Addesso, Outstanding Young Researcher – In 2012 Dr. Addesso joined the TSU Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as an assistant professor. In less than two years, Dr. Addesso has authored or coauthored several research articles in two referee journals and Extension publications. She holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Florida, and a B.S. in Biology from the College of New Jersey.

Ikenna Okekeogbu, Outstanding (Doctoral) Graduate Student – A Ph.D. student in the Department of Biological Science, Okekeogbu’s research is focused on the identification and analysis of aluminum-regulated protein and genes in tomato plant. He is a member of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Crop Society of America, and the American Society of Agronomy. He is interested in utilization of molecular research to address the issue of global food security.

Also recognized were: Justine Stefanski, Outstanding Extension Agent; Tamla Thompson, Outstanding Administrative Support; Sarabjti Bhatti, Outstanding Technical Support; Zinia Jaman, Outstanding (Master’s) Graduate Student; Derek Jerome Platt, Outstanding Undergraduate Student – College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences; Kourtney Daniels, Outstanding Undergraduate Student – Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; and Johnathan A. Fitzgerald, Outstanding Undergraduate Student – Department of Biological Sciences

For their cash awards, Drs. Guha and Addesso, and Stefanski received $1,000 each; Bhatti, Thompson, Okekeogbu and Jaman $500 each; Platt, Daniels and Fitzgerald $350 each.

Special awards were also presented to:

Hubert Hamer, Outstanding Alumnus – Hubert, a 1980 graduate of TSU with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science, is the director of the USDA Division of National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Dr. Herb Byrd III, Outstanding Partner – Dr. is the director of Extension Evaluation and Staff Development of the University of Tennessee and human resource officer for the Institute of Agriculture.

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

FACULTY, NEWS

TSU History Professor Receives Scholar Excellence Award For Work in African Studies

Dr. Adebayo Oyebade
Dr. Adebayo Oyebade

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Dr. Adebayo Oyebade, professor of History at Tennessee State University, was the recipient of the Senior Scholar Excellence Award for Research and Teaching during the annual Africa Conference held recently at the University of Texas, Austin. Presented April 5, the award recognizes deserving scholars who have made a mark in the field of African studies.

Oyebade received the award due to his “intellectual interests in the nexus of African security and international relations, including Africa’s placement in the United States’ foreign policy,” and for “advancing scholarship on African historiography and the African Diaspora” according to the award citation. He was also recognized as a superior educator in a broad range of Africa-oriented topics such as pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial Africa.

“It was an honor to be recognized by a group of my peers for my contribution to the academic study of Africa and its Diaspora,” said Oyebade.

This is the 10th year the award has been presented by the conference, which has been held annually for the past 14 years at the University of Texas, Austin. The conference is one of the largest academic gatherings of scholars of Africa and African Diaspora, and draws students and scholars from all over the world. This year, more than 150 scholars attended representing universities from Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.

Oyebade joined the faculty at TSU in 2002 as an associate professor of History and was promoted to full professorship in 2007. His work has been recognized through several grants and fellowships including the Franklin D. Roosevelt Institute, a Ford Foundation fellowship, and funding from the Harry Truman Library Institute.

He received a similar accolade, “Research and Creativity Excellence Award,” in November 2013 from the University of North Carolina during a conference on African Historiography.

A noted author, Oyebade has written more than eighty scholarly articles, chapters and reviews. In addition, he has published eight books including his latest, The United States’ Foreign Policy in Africa in the 21st Century.

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

GRANTS, NEWS

Nashville Recording Academy Helps TSU Students Pursue Music Education

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Two music majors at Tennessee State University have received scholarship awards from The Recording Academy, helping them get one step closer to finishing their degrees.

Brian Allen
Brian Allen

Seniors Brian Allen and Mike Williams, both from Nashville, received scholarships from the Nashville Chapter of The Recording Academy in the amount of $850 each. They are two of eight students in the Nashville area who received the cash awards. Others receiving the awards included two each from Middle Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Belmont universities.

Mike Williams
Mike Williams

“The competition is always rigorous for these awards,” said Laura Travis Crawford, chapter assistant. “Brian and Mike were two of our top finalists and we were proud to be able to provide them with a financial award to help them with their education.”

Every year, Dr. Mark Crawford, coordinator of the Commercial Music program at the University, nominates students, who he believes, demonstrate a genuine benefit by receiving a scholarship, and have also been able to share their musical talents and goals.

“I only nominate juniors or seniors who may have a financial need, but who also have proven themselves to be above average musicians, academically successful, and otherwise responsible students,” said Crawford.  “For the last several years, The Academy has very graciously included our students for scholarship consideration. Our students are competing with other music students for the same money. This brings the total to 10 students who have been helped financially by the academy.”

The Recording Academy, known variously as The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences or NARAS, is an organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers. The Academy has 12 chapters, including the one in Nashville, and focuses on all levels and aspects of music education.

 

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, FACULTY, NEWS, RESEARCH

Ag Majors Receive Cash Prizes for Winning Top Spots at First TSU Farm Bureau Collegiate Meet

From left (front row) Agricultural Science majors Rachel Gregory, Rickey Jackson, Leah Symonnette won top prizes at the first Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet organized by TSU. Standing, from left, are Dan Strasser, of the Tennessee Farm Bureau; Dr. John Hall, coordinator of the TSU event; and Randy Abrams, also of the Farm Bureau. (courtesy photo)
From left (front row) Agricultural Science majors Rachel Gregory, Rickey Jackson, Leah Symonnette won top prizes at the first Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet organized by TSU. Standing, from left, are Dan Strasser, of the Tennessee Farm Bureau; Dr. John Hall, coordinator of the TSU event; and Randy Abrams, also of the Farm Bureau. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Three undergraduate students from the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences at Tennessee State University took home cash prizes for their “exceptional” performance at the inaugural TSU Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet held on campus April 3.

Freshman Leah Symonette, of Mt. Juliet, took first prize and received $700; junior Rachel Gregory, of Gallatin, placed second and received $400; and Rickey Jackson, a senior from Rossville, placed third and received $200. The three Tennessee natives are all Agricultural Science majors.

Symonette and Gregory, as first and second place winners, will go on to compete in the state contest to be held at the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Columbia, Tenn., in July.

According to Dr. John Hall, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Leadership and coordinator of the event at TSU, Collegiate Discussion Meets are designed to simulate committee meetings with “active and thoughtful participation” from contestants.

The discussion at the inaugural TSU collegiate meet centered on: “U.S. agriculture is one of the major industries for the American economy; what can farmers do to stimulate more economic growth?”

The Tennessee Farm Bureau organized the TSU contest, while the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation sponsored the cash prizes for top participants. Dan Strasser, director of Special Programs for the Tennessee Farm Bureau; and Randy Abrams, of the 2nd Ave. Farm Bureau Agency in Nashville, were on hand to represent the Bureau.

For more information about Tenn. Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program, contact Strasser at (931) 388-7872 ext. 2214 or dstrasser@tfbf.com. For information about TSU’s Collegiate Discussion Meet, contact Dr. Hall at (615) 963-5139 or jhall33@tnstate.edu.

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, FACULTY, NEWS

TSU Athletic Director Named to Tennessean’s Legendary Ladies Elite Eight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – As Nashville prepared for the NCAA Women’s Final Four Basketball championship series last week, The Tennessean took a look back at eight women, all with ties to Middle Tennessee, who have helped put women’s basketball on the map in the United States.

One of those legendary figures is none other than Tennessee State University’s Athletic Director, Teresa Phillips. She joins other iconic figures such as Lin Dun, Marynell Meadors, Carolyn Peck, Alline Banks Sprouse, Pat Summitt, Nera White and Betty Wiseman.

Phillips became head of the TSU athletics department in April of 2002. She has the distinction of being the first woman ever to coach an NCAA Division I men’s basketball team en route to being named one of the “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports” by Sports Illustrated in 2003.

The Tennessean also named her as the Second Most Influential Woman in Sports in Tennessee.  In addition, Phillips was named USA Today’s National Coach of the Year in 1990 and was a three-time OVC Coach of the Year selection.

Mike Organ, sports writer for The Tennessean, had a chance to speak with one of the most influential leaders and pioneers in college sports in Middle Tennessee.

 

 

Legendary Ladies: Middle Tennessee’s Elite Eight

 

Mike Organ
Courtesy of The Tennessean

While some bemoan the time it took for women’s basketball to catch up to men in terms of equality, Teresa Phillips has no complaints.

Phillips played a big role in the evolution of the women’s game in the Midstate not only as a player and coach, but also as an administrator.

And considering how far it had to go in order to reach the men’s level she’s been quite pleased.

“I think it was rather quick, actually,” Phillips said. “You couldn’t just shoot ahead at warp speed because individuals weren’t prepared for that and there wasn’t the infrastructure to handle that. But once some of the major schools decided to buy into women’s basketball they did it at the reasonable, quick pace at which it needed to be done.”

Phillips fondly and vividly recalls those early years playing at Vanderbilt because they weren’t that long ago. She was a member of the Commodores first three teams (1977-80). In fact, Phillips played on a club team at Vanderbilt her freshman year (1976-77) before the school recognized basketball as a varsity sport.

She remembers the days when teams made do on shoestring budgets, traveled in borrowed vans to play away games, and had only a handful of fans show up.

“It’s so fun now to think back on it and those were some great days,” she said. “Riding in the van doesn’t sound very exciting, but to see how far you’ve come from doing that or having to drive your individual cars to knowing that today they fly anywhere they want. They do pretty much anything they want. Their locker room and everything else for the most part is equitable to the men and that is satisfying.”

Tennessee State University Athletic Director Teresa Phillips talks with Jeremy Jackson during the men's team practice on Feb. 12, 2003. (Photo: Ricky Rogers, The Tennessean)
Tennessee State University Athletic Director Teresa Phillips talks with Jeremy Jackson during the men’s team practice on Feb. 12, 2003.
(Photo: Ricky Rogers, The Tennessean)

Phillips made national news when she became the first woman to coach in a men’s Division I college game in 2003.

Phillips didn’t take her seat on the men’s bench at TSU to make history. She simply felt she was left with no other option.

She had fired Tigers coach Nolan Richardson III earlier in the season and then suspended interim coach Hosea Lewis.

She had 19 years coaching experience at the time, had coached the TSU women three years earlier, and felt that her only option was to coach the team herself in its next game against Austin Peay. The eyes of the nation watched as the Tigers lost their 17th consecutive game falling to the Governors 71-56.

While Phillips was praised for taking such a bold move, it was a step she regrets having had to make.

“That would probably still go down as my lowest time in my career at Tennessee State,” Phillips said. “That was a decision that I didn’t think very much of; I didn’t think a big deal would be made of it and all of a sudden it was a big deal. It was not intended to make history.”

Sports Illustrated made sure Phillips made history by naming her one of its “101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports” that year.

The Tennessean named her the “Second Most Influential Woman in Sports” in the state.

Phillips may be 0-1 in her career coaching men’s basketball, but she was very successful coaching women.

After serving as an assistant at Vanderbilt (1981-1984) she became the coach at Fisk where she was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1988. Her career record at Fisk was 68-34, which helped her to move on to TSU in 1989.

By 1990 she was named National Coach of the Year by USA TODAY.

Phillips went on to be named the OVC Coach of the Year three times including the 1993-94 season when the Lady Tigers claimed the league’s regular season and conference titles and sent them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

She guided TSU back to the NCAA Tournament the following year when the Lady Tigers posted a 22-7 overall record.

Phillips was named interim athletics director while she was still coaching. She stepped down as coach after the 2000 season to take over the athletics director position on a full-time basis.

Her career coaching record at TSU was 212-189, which is not bad considering she graduated from Vanderbilt with an economics degree and went to work as an insurance broker.

She never, however, lost her love for basketball.

“I just couldn’t get it out of my crawl, enjoying sports,” Phillips said. “I wasn’t making much money coaching in those early years and my father thought I was absolutely crazy. But with mother, the one thing that she really urged all of her children to do was to follow your heart. Follow what it is that you love and desire to do. I guess she was too crazy to realize I had all those bills to pay.”

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

FACULTY, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

New Approach to Spatial Thinking: TSU Launches Online Master’s Concentration in Applied GIS Education

Dr. Solomon Haile (left), assistant professor of Forestry and Applied GIS and coordinator of the PSM, briefs University members and board members on the new GIS program, as Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the CAHNS, looks on. The new online terminal degree program will start next fall, and provides broad-based expertise and cutting-edge skills, combining the scientific and technical knowledge of an advance degree in GIS with business knowledge and experience. (photo by Rick DelaHaya, TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Solomon Haile (left), assistant professor of Forestry and Applied GIS and coordinator of the PSM, briefs University members and board members on the new GIS program, as Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the CAHNS, looks on. The new online terminal degree program will start next fall, and provides broad-based expertise and cutting-edge skills, combining the scientific and technical knowledge of an advance degree in GIS with business knowledge and experience. (photo by Rick DelaHaya, TSU Media Relations)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A new online degree concentration intended for professionals and students, who wish to advance their careers but do not plan to seek additional education at the doctoral level, will kick off at Tennessee State University next fall.

The Professional Science Master’s with a concentration in Applied Geospatial Information Sciences, which provides broad-based expertise and cutting-edge skills, combines the scientific and technical knowledge of an advance degree in GIS with business knowledge and experience, according to planners.

Designed for working professionals and full-time students, the program, which also allows participants to maintain a career while earning their degree, was necessitated by the need demonstrated by students in the current graduate certificate program, and the growing demand for well-trained professionals in the rapidly expanding GIS and Remote Sensing field.

The PSM is being coordinated between the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences; the College of Business; and the College of Public Service and Urban Affairs. Already hired professors in the three colleges will teach courses in the program.

At a ceremony Monday to launch the PSM degree program in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, officials cited a U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training and Administration report that shows that an additional 150,000 positions requiring geospatial-based skills will be created by the year 2020.

“This program is a marriage between science, business and technology, which makes it a highly sought-after area for opportunities in many disciplines and areas of industry,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of CAHNS. “People completing this program are highly skilled in modern technology and are equipped to analyze data, answer questions and solve problems in a cutting-edge scientific environment.”

According to Dr. Solomon Haile, assistant professor of Forestry and Applied GIS and coordinator of the PSM, the program is beneficial to many professional areas including natural resources managers, environmental engineers, architects, city planners, public health officials, and urban and regional planners.

“A transition in the availability and acceptance of the use of geospatial technology has created an accelerated demand for experts in this field in both the public and private sectors,” Haile said.

He added that the program, which is further strengthened by an advisory board of actively engaged employers from industry, business, government and non-profits, will “contribute to the University’s mission by producing graduates with advanced training in the cutting-edge interfaces of science and management.” Board members, he said, provide advice to the faculty on curriculum, assist with internships and placement, as well as help to identify projects.

“PSM offers students training in science and the opportunity to develop workplace skills highly valued by employers,” Haile said.

The PSM, a “non-thesis” program, offers courses entirely online, and an internship with real-world experience. It requires the completion of 36 semester credit hours, and at least 300 internship hours under the supervision of an applied GIS practitioner, Haile said. Participants in the program must maintain no less than a 2.75 GPA. Like any graduate program, applicants must have a first degree at the baccalaureate level and a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00-point scale is required for admission. Applications must be processed through the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.