Monthly Archives: March 2018

EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, Uncategorized

TSU Honda Campus All-Star Team Advances To National Competition In Los Angeles

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Tennessee State University Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team will compete against 47 other Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the National Championship Tournament in Los Angeles, April 7-11.

The team recently participated in the National Qualifying Tournament at Spelman College in Atlanta where they defeated Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State Universities.

Devon Jefferson, a member of the TSU Honors College who serves as the team’s captain, said he hopes the team will bring the championship trophy back to TSU. He said being part of the TSU Honda Campus All-Star Team adds to the members’ academic experiences because of the knowledge they gain while studying and preparing for competition.

“I definitely believe that HCASC has made me better at certain things like taking certain classes and understanding them,” said Jefferson, a junior marketing major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “I might have heard something in passing at practice and then I hear the actual application in class, so it makes more sense to me when I do the work.”

Dr. John Miglietta, professor of political science, who has served as the team’s coach since 2004, said participating in this event on the national level is important because it showcases the academic talent at the nation’s HBCUs.

“This event is a great showcase of the academic talent at HBCUs. TSU is proud to be able to participate,” he said. “Our team will be interacting with players and coaches from other HBCUs around the country as well as the volunteers, college bowl representatives, and associates from American Honda.”

Miglietta said HCASC is a great program because it measures students’ knowledge on a variety of subjects such as history, literature, sports, pop culture, science, as well as black history, culture, and literature.”

Members of the TSU Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team are: Breanna Williams, senior; Devon Jefferson, junior (captain); Dr. John Miglietta (coach); Alekzander Garcia, senior; Terrence George Young, junior; and Alexandria Ross, freshman (not pictured).

Members of the HCASC team who will be participating in the competition along with Jefferson are Breanna Williams, senior, music major from Marietta, Georgia; Alekzander Garcia, senior, chemistry major from Nyssa, Oregon; and Terrence George Young, junior computer science major from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Alexandria Ross, a freshmen, economics and Finance major from Memphis, Tennessee, will also be attending as the university’s institutional representative.

Some other members of the TSU HCASC Club are Aliyah Muhammad, of Nashville, a sophomore biology major; Donovan Varnell, sophomore political science major, from Nashville; and Micah Williams, sophomore, combined mass communications and military science major from Seoul, South Korea.

TSU has participated in 21 national championship tournaments earning a total of $170,500 in grant money since the inception of the program in 1989. Miglietta would like members of the Tennessee State Univeristy Community to encourage the team by liking the Honda Campus All Star Challenge facebook page and leave comments to encourage the team at https://bit.ly/2J6XtQd.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU President Glenda Glover remembers Linda Brown, key plaintiff in the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover shares the sentiment of African American leaders and educators across the country as they mourn the death of Linda Brown, a key plaintiff in the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case.

TSU President Glenda Glover

“Linda Brown will always be a reminder to young people everywhere that there’s no age limit on creating change,” said Glover. “Thrusted into the national spotlight as a little girl, Brown was at the center of the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended segregation in American schools. More than 60 years later, Tennessee State University, and other educational institutions across the country, continue to benefit from the sacrifice made by Brown and her family. She is an iconic figure in the Civil Rights Movement and should be celebrated as such, and recognized for her bravery. We have lost an essential part of our nation’s history, but it will never be forgotten.”

Historians say Brown, who died March 25 at the age of 76, and other plaintiffs in the historic U.S. Supreme Court case helped lay some of the groundwork for cases like the one involving Rita Sanders Geier in 1968.

It was the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s announcement of its plans for a Nashville campus that prompted Geier, then just 23 years old, to challenge the action in U.S. District Court. She claimed a full-fledged UT campus would divert state resources from Tennessee State University in Nashville.

The court eventually ordered a settlement that imposed racial goals for all Tennessee colleges. Both sides agreed to replace it with a stipulation agreement–the Geier Consent Decree.

“Rita (Geier) Sanders and the students involved in the struggle were heirs of the courage manifested by Linda Brown … and other countless children who were actors in the effort to break down racial barriers in America’s educational system,” said Dr. Leoratha Williams, an assistant history professor at Tennessee State.

In a recent interview, Geier said the ruling in Brown v Board of Education “changed the landscape completely in terms of educational opportunity,” and she joined Glover and Williams in lauding the bravery of Brown and other young people who endured the psychological trauma of trying to learn in a hostile environment.

“It was a cornerstone ruling that racial segregation in public education was illegal,” said Geier. “It significantly opened the door for higher education because the theories on which we based our higher education suit were founded in the cases that followed Brown in elementary and secondary education.”

Note: featured photo of Linda Brown courtesy of The New York Times

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Uncategorized

TSU to participate in MLK Joint Day of Service on April 7

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –As events take place commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, Tennessee State University will join in keeping his legacy alive.

On April 7, TSU will participate in a Joint Day of Service in remembrance of King, who was killed April 4, 1968.

The event with other area higher education institutions was originally scheduled for Jan. 13, but was postponed because of inclement weather.

However, organizers say it’s only fitting that an event keeping his legacy of service alive should take place amid commemoration of his death.

“What better way to commemorate him than by serving others,” said Shirley Nix-Davis, director of outreach for TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement. “One of his quotes is, ‘everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.’”

In addition to performing service projects across Metro Nashville, TSU students will provide more than 10,000 meals for families in need. That project will take place in TSU’s Gentry Complex at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 7.

Participants in MLK Day of Service 2017. (photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Last year, more than 300 TSU students participated in various MLK Day of Service projects around Nashville that included working with kids, assisting elderly residents, packing food and painting.

Linda Tynan, a resident at an independent living apartment complex in La Vergne, Tennessee, said she was grateful for the assistance students provided last year.

“I think it’s terrific to see these students lend a hand to people they don’t even know,” Tynan said. “I appreciated every minute of it.”

For more information about TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Uncategorized

Financial Literacy Conference provides valuable advice

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development held its 4th Annual Financial Literacy Conference on March 23.

Dr. Bishop Joseph Walker, III (photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

The one-day conference at the Avon Williams Campus brought together banking and economic development experts, tax planners, and the mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Empowerment.

They discussed alternative financing, understanding credit, budgeting, student loan management, steps to buying a home, and causes of bankruptcy, among other topics.

Organizers said the conference will benefit people from all walks of life, including students, people looking for business ideas, retirees and those approaching retirement.

Dr. Ruthie Reynolds, director of CEED, said, “We are suffering because we don’t know how to use money,” adding that financial literacy must be priority “in our educational system.”

Dr. Bishop Joseph Walker, III, senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, was the keynote speaker.

He cited several key areas to financial planning that include: Having the right mindset by focusing on things that appreciate in value; living within your means; understanding delayed gratification; and educating yourself about money.

“Too often people put emphasis on depreciating assets because they make us look good, but add no value in terms of our future,” said Walker, who is also chairman of TSU’s Board of Trustees. “The kind of car you drive, the clothes you wear, the jewelry you wear – those things have depreciating value. They lose value the moment you buy them.”

Sponsors of the conference include Fifth Third Bank (which brought its eBus), Capstar, Regions Bank, United Way, Suntrust, NAFI, Pinnacle, Renasant Bank, Financial Empowerment Center, and the Nashville mayor’s office.

For more information about the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/ceed/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. National President to Speak at Women of Legend And Merit Event To Raise Scholarship and Program Dollars for Students

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Beverly Smith, national president and chief executive officer of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, will serve as the keynote speaker for this year’s Women of Legend and Merit Award Dinner at Tennessee State University on April 10 in Kean Hall.

Smith, who also serves as the assistant commissioner and Georgia State director for Adult Education and GED Testing through the Technical College System of Georgia, said she is excited about addressing the young ladies at TSU because of the many issues facing women today.

Beverly E. Smith

“We are at a time today when the power of women really matters,” she said. “The power of our voice is clearly something of significance these days whether or not we are comfortable enough with ourselves to use or understand it.”

TSU President Glenda Glover echoed the same sentiments.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Beverly Smith to our campus for our Women of Legend and Merit Awards Dinner, and look forward to hearing her inspiring and powerful words,” she said. “Women of Legend and Merit is in its 11th year and couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time in our nation’s history. Women should feel empowered and celebrated. Our dinner allows us to do this and raise scholarship and program dollars for students, all while partnering with the community.”

Seanne Wilson, chairperson of the event, which raises money for student scholarships, said Smith’s visit will give the young ladies at TSU an opportunity to witness a “woman of excellence” who is the head of a large body of women of excellence.

“This is an opportunity for them to meet women from varying organizations and diverse positions in life, and to hear their stories and their struggles and how they made it,” said Wilson, who serves as coordinator of the TSU Women’s Center.

According to Wilson, the Women’s Center is a “safe zone” for women at TSU who experience issues such as fear, anxiety and depression, as well as domestic violence, homelessness and the lack of food.

Wilson said the purpose of this event is to empower and uplift the female students at TSU.

Smith said the influence of her father, a civil rights activist, as well as powerful women in her family and early mentors such as legends Dorothy Heights and Althea Gibson helped propel her to success.

“You can’t be what you can’t see, and I think that certainly holds true especially for us in our communities. A lot of times it is very difficult to be what you can’t see,” she said. “If we celebrate who we are and who we have been, it gives us an opportunity for greater heights.”

This year’s honorees are Vivian Wilhoite, Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County property accessor; Dr. Tameka Winston, TSU interim chair of Department of Communications; Many Bears Grinder, commission of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs; and Tina Tuggle, Tennessee Titans director of community relations.

Awards will also be presented to retired educator Gwendolyn Vincent, and TSU freshman Natalie Cooper.

To purchase tickets for the April 10 awards dinner or learn more about the Women’s Center, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/legendandmerit/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, Athletics, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Mass Communications Career Showcase Attracts 13 Major Media, Marketing and Entertainment Companies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – TSU’s Career Development Center Tuesday held a student career showcase for mass communications and music majors in the Performing Arts Center.

Representatives from 13 media, marketing and entertainment companies set up booths, received resumes, conducted on-the-spot interviews and answered students’ questions about internships and employment opportunities.

Steve Burbank, local Comcast Spotlight sales manager, talks TSU graduating senior Alexis Thorton at the student career showcase. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, Career Development Center)

Alexis Thorton, a graduating senior, who came ready with a resume and application, said she was “really glad” to attend a fair on campus just for mass communications majors.

“Usually when we have a career fair on campus not many students come out from our department because it doesn’t feel like it is designed for us,” said Thorton, of Memphis. “This makes us feel like they care because as a graduating senior, this improves my chances for a job.”

Thorton, who interviewed with at least two companies, may just be one of the lucky ones among nearly 80 students at Tuesday’s career showcase to land a job as a result of the program.

Steve Burbank, local sales manager for Comcast Spotlight, came ready to hire a graduating senior.

TSU mass communications major Stefanie Avilla, right, talks to local TV Channel 4 representative Don Downs about employment opportunities. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, Career Development Center)

“We are looking for the right candidate to hire as an associate sales account executive,” Burbank said. “We are looking for someone to join our world-class media sales organization with a growth mindset who has an eye toward enhancing their sales acumen.”

He said the successful candidate will receive 12-months hands-on training, mentoring, learning assessment and product knowledge, as well as an eight-week corporate on-board training in Philadelphia, Denver and Atlanta.

Tina Reed, associate director of TSU’s Career Development Center, said unlike job fairs, the mass communications career showcase was designed to showcase students to potential employers.

“This was also intended to let them (students) know what type of opportunities they have in terms of entertainment, media and music,” said Reed. “We have some very good students here and some great companies. We just want to match them up and get them connected.”

Dr. Tameka Winston is the interim chair of the Department of Communications. She likes the idea of a career showcase dedicated specifically to mass communications, music and other liberal arts majors.

“Our students are among the best; they work very hard and they are always looking for internships and things of that nature,” Winston said. “We hope that this will be very beneficial to them especially going into the summer month.”

Among some of the other major companies and institutions at the career showcase were the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, local TV Channels 2 and 4, and Sony Music.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, Athletics, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU names Brian ‘Penny’ Collins new men’s basketball coach

Courtesy: TSU Athletics

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Dr. Glenda Glover and Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips announced on Monday the hiring of Brian “Penny” Collins as the head coach of the TSU men’s basketball program.

New TSU men’s basketball coach Brian ‘Penny’ Collins with (l-r) TSU Athletics Director Teresa Phillips, wife Lakeya Collins, and TSU President Glenda Glover. (photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

A proven winner as a coach and player, Collins is the 18th head coach in the program’s history. The Nashville native returns to his hometown for his first Division I head coaching position at the age of 34.

“It means the world to me to be the head coach at TSU,” said Collins. “Once I decided to get into the business, my eyes were always set on this job. To have the opportunity to not only unite an institution, but also a city where I grew up in, is priceless. This is truly a dream come true that I will not take for granted.”

A former member of TSU’s coaching staff, Collins spent the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach at Illinois State under Dan Muller. In his lone season in Normal, Ill., Collins helped propel the Redbirds to an 18-15 record and a berth in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game. Collins’ teams have played in their conference’s championship game in each of the past five seasons.

He served as an assistant coach at East Tennessee State during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons in a span when the Buccaneers went 51-20. During his time in Johnson City, Tenn., Collins got his first taste of the NCAA Tournament from a coaching perspective when the Bucs won the Southern Conference Tournament Championship in 2017 – earning a 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

A former standout during his playing career at Belmont, Collins got his start in the coaching industry as a graduate assistant at TSU under then-head coach Cy Alexander during the 2007-08 season. He became TSU’s director of basketball operations in 2008-09.

Collins moved on to work as the assistant coach at Cumberland University (NAIA) in Lebanon, Tenn. for three seasons.

Men’s basketball head coach Brian ‘Penny’ Collins talks to media after being officially introduced. (photo by Lucas Johnson, TSU Media Relations)

In his first head coaching experience, Collins led Columbia State, a community college in Columbia, Tenn., from 2012-15. His tenure at Columbia State was highlighted by back-to-back NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including runs to the Elite Eight in 2014 and the Sweet 16 in 2015. Collins was named 2014 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Coach of the Year and 2015 NJCAA District 7 Coach of the Year after winning the Region 7 Championship.

Collins, who played his high school basketball at nearby Whites Creek, starred at Belmont for Rick Byrd. Then a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference, Collins served as a co-captain for the Bruins in their first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance during his senior year in 2006. Collins, who was a four-year starter, scored 1,199 career points and graduated as Belmont’s all-time leader for assists and steals in the Division I era.

He played professionally for the Kouvot Bears in Finland and the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League.

“We welcome Coach Brian Collins to take the helm, and take us to the next level,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.

“Coach Collins returns to make his mark on the program, bringing experience and hometown knowledge, all of which will help with recruiting local talent and getting TSU to post season play. This is a great day for TSU Athletics and the TSU family, and our fans deserve it.”

Collins graduated from Belmont in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He went on to earn his master’s degree in sports administration from TSU in 2009.

“I am extremely pleased to have one of our own as our new head men’s basketball coach,” said Phillips. “Coach Collins will bring fresh enthusiasm to our program as well as an energy to the Gentry Center that is much needed. He is a thinker, leader, motivator and competitor – all attributes that lend well to success in this business. He is here to build champions and win championships.”

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Toasts Its ‘Points of Pride’ During Ceremony in Downtown Nashville, Launches Website to Engage Alumni

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Calling them its ‘Points of Pride,’ Tennessee State University Thursday night recognized local alumni achievers during a ‘Toast To TSU’ at First Tennessee Park in downtown Nashville.

President Glover toasts fellow Points of Pride at the Toast of TSU. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations.)

Points of Pride are TSU graduates or former students who are prominent and emerging leaders with universally recognized success in their fields, and who have made a positive impact on the TSU brand and community.

The inaugural group of TSU Points of Pride, among them Shannon Sanders, Grammy Award Winning Producer, Songwriter and Music, Retired 4-star General LLoyd “Fig” Newton, and President Glenda Glover, include individuals with achievements in arts and entertainment, athletics, business, education, engineering and science, government healthcare, law and the military.

TSU Foundation Board Chairman Dwayne Tucker gives remarks at the Toast of TSU. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

“This is certainly a remarkable event and a memorable way to recognize the outstanding contributions of our alumni to not just TSU, but also to the world and their communities,” said Glover. “I am glad to be a Point of Pride for our great university. I say thank you on behalf of all of us.”

Event organizers say this new category of recognition was created to honor and extend the university’s alumni legacy of achievement.

“Among these individuals are unsung alumni that you don’t hear about who are doing marvelous things in their fields, industries and in their communities,” said Cassandra Griggs, director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

Eight of the newly recognized TSU Points of Pride, who were present, were each presented with a poster-size photograph of themselves, and a toast from the audience.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that someone cares about the fact that you care enough to do your best everyday,” said Kevin Williams, former president and managing director of General Motors Canada, and member of the TSU Foundation Board. “A recognition like a point of pride from the university is something that will go with me for my lifetime, something that certainly gives me a lot of pleasure in knowing that my small efforts are making a difference.”

TSUNAA President Joni McReynolds with her Points of Pride poster at the reception. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Other Points of Pride toasted were Dwayne Tucker, human resource executive and chairman of the TSU Foundation Board; Dwight Beard, owner of Beard Property Management and president of the TSUNAA Nashville Chapter; Dr. Harold Love, Jr., member of the Tennessee House of Representative and pastor of Lee A.M.E Church; and Uchendi Nwani, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, lecturer and author.

Also toasted was Joni McReynolds, retired generalist with the Central Intelligence Agency and president of TSUNAA.

To view the full list of the 50 Points of Pride, go to https://www.tsupointsofpride.com/

At Thursday night’s Toast to TSU, organizers also launched the official Points of Pride website where alumni can “regularly engage,” nominate future Points of Pride, as well as donate to the university.

TSU alumni and friends toast the new Points of Pride. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

The website is an informative and interactive way to provide feedback on alumni experiences and interests, as well as to register for events and make contributions to support the next generation of the university’s students referred to as “rising stars.”

According to Griggs, the Toast to TSU is a partnership between the TSU Foundation, the National Alumni Association, and the Nashville Chapter to encourage the estimated 24,000 alumni in the Nashville metropolitan area to become informed, involved and invested. Thirteen of the inaugural Points of Pride are from Nashville.

This local effort is being spearheaded by the Nashville Chapter and President Beard.    Foundation Board Chairman Tucker is leading the national effort to education alumni and chapters of the importance of directing funds raised in the name of the University to the TSU Foundation.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU self-defense program fosters safety on campus, in community

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s self-defense program is open to students, faculty and staff, as well as the community, TSU officials say.

TSU Crime Prevention Officer Aerin Washington talks to Channel 2 about university’s self-defense program. (photo by Lucas Johnson, TSU Media Relations)

That was part of the discussion TSU Crime Prevention Officer Aerin Washington had Thursday with a Channel 2 reporter who visited the university to talk about the R.A.D. program.

R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) is a comprehensive program emphasizing awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance. The 12-hour class is taught over the course of three days in four-hour sessions.

TSU’s program, which is open to the university and community free of charge, is the only one in the state that offers a male and female course.

Washington said self-defense programs like R.A.D. are important because “you can’t always depend on law enforcement to be the first line of defense when it comes to your personal safety.”

“You are the first line of defense when it comes to your own personal safety,” she said. “And so having a program like this really empowers our community members, as well as our students, faculty and staff to take that into their own hands. We want to make sure they’re able to defend themselves in any given situation.”

TSU Police Officer Lewis Lawrence, Jr. said opening the program up to individuals outside the TSU family helps foster a sense of safety in the community.

“This is something we can pass on to our community … so they have viable options to protect themselves,” Lawrence said.

To learn more about the R.A.D. program, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/police/radselfdefense.aspx.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

College of Agriculture opens six new labs

By Joan Kite

Nashville, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover and Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National Alumni Association, joined Ag Dean Chandra Reddy at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday to open six new Ag laboratories.

TSU President Glenda Glover (center), Ag Dean Chandra Reddy (right), and Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National Alumni Association, participate in ribbon-cutting ceremony. (submitted photo

The ceremony, which was held on National Ag Day, included the re-opening of five newly remodeled labs, bringing the total number of state-of-the art laboratories at the College to 35.

“In these labs, graduate and undergraduate students along with post-doctoral fellows, visiting scholars, and our principal scientists conduct research in national challenge areas such as food security and safety, environmental sustainability, human health and nutrition, and renewable energy,” said Reddy. “The knowledge generated from these labs is shared with the stakeholders and the public to improve agricultural productivity, human health, and community development.”

Open now for active research are the new labs for Plant Nutrition, Wildlife Ecology, Water Resources, Urban Forestry, Entomology, Organic Agriculture and Modeling and Data Analysis. USDA Capacity Building Grants helped fund the creation of the new labs, which were carved from Dr. Reddy’s former office space in the Farrell-Westbrook building.

Before the official tour of the labs, students Kristen Stigger, Taylor Ribeiro, and Durga Khandekar, dressed in crisp, white lab coats, presented Glover with freshly cut flowers. The flowers were grown in the greenhouses at TSU College of Agriculture’s Research and Education Center.

During the tour, the president and McReynolds talked with many of the students who are actively engaged in research projects. The students’ studies range from determining Tennessee’s salamander population through DNA sampling of local streams to research and discovering the best practices for using integrated pest management and biological control to prevent plant and crop destruction.

“I can move forward with my environmental DNA research much more quickly with access to state-of-the-art machines,” said Nicole Witzel, a research assistant in the Wildlife Ecology Lab. “The new lab is allowing us to conduct quality research efficiently, and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

To learn more about the College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

Department of Media Relations

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About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. 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.