All posts by Lucas Johnson

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Uncategorized

TSU First to Host NSF Day in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Science, engineering and education researchers will have a unique opportunity to gain insight about how to secure research funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) at a workshop on February 22 at Tennessee State University.

The daylong workshop, dubbed NSF Day, will include discussions about how to submit fundable proposals, as well as discipline-specific breakout sessions featuring NSF representatives. This is the first time NSF Day is being hosted in Nashville.

“We are excited to bring an NSF Day to Tennessee State University,” said Holly Brown, NSF Lead for the TSU NSF Day. “Not only do these events provide a phenomenal opportunity for us to share vital information on our proposal and merit review processes, we are able to engage with some of the brightest minds in science and engineering.”

Robert Turner, senior mechanical engineering major

One student who has benefited from TSU’s partnership with NSF is Robert Turner, a senior mechanical engineering major from Nashville, Tennessee. Turner said working on an NSF funded research project has enhanced his experience at TSU in many ways.

“It has given me a perspective on what I would like to do for graduate school,” he said. “It is also exposing me to different technologies that I wouldn’t necessarily get exposed to throughout my undergraduate curriculum.”

After graduation, Turner plans to pursue a graduate degree in material science. He said working with Dr. Frances Williams, associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the College of Engineering, has helped him expand his breadth of knowledge and given him the opportunity to network within the field of engineering.

“Dean (Williams) has always been helpful to me by setting me up with the right opportunities and helping me whenever I needed it,” he said. “The other researcher assigned to the project, Dr. Yury Barnakov, has also been helpful, as well as the graduate student that I am working with.”

John Barfield, TSU director of engagement and visibility in the Division of Research and Institutional Advancement, said students are the primary beneficiaries when universities receive research funding.

“Research projects train students to use innovative and new techniques,” he said. “They aid them in becoming accepted to internships, and graduate and medical schools. Research becomes paid jobs and scholarships for students, both of which increase student retention and matriculation rates.”

The NSF is the federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense,” according to the foundation’s website. NSF supports fundamental research in science, engineering and education across all disciplines.

Dr. Marie Hammond, TSU professor of psychology and principal investigator for two NSF grants currently funded at the university, said her research is geared toward constructing a framework for a theory of African American STEM career development.

Dr. Marie Hammond, TSU associate professor of psychology in the College of Education

Hammond said that she, along with a team of other researches at TSU, are attempting to increase the ability of African Americans to commit to and manage their STEM careers to ensure that they have the greatest likelihood of persisting to graduation and into the next phase of their STEM careers.

“The reason this research is so important is because the STEM workforce is primarily made up of Caucasian males.,” Hammond said.  “Think about what we are missing with only 5% of African Americans spread out across all the STEM fields.  What are we missing that African American men and women would pick up on to help improve healthcare, safety and our living environments.”

Hammond has secured close to $2.5 million in funding from NSF during her career at TSU, which has allowed her to hire a total of almost 50 graduate assistants. Currently, she has nine graduate assistants who aid with research, as well as four undergraduate students who collect data.

Nicholas Kovach, research specialist in the TSU Division of Research and Institutional Advancement, said the university secured more than $2 million from NSF in the last fiscal year. He said NSF representatives will be on hand all day to answer questions and personally engage in discussions with attendees.

“This is a rare opportunity,” he said. “The National Science Foundation holds only a few of these workshops each year, at different institutions across the country, and they are coming here to our campus.”

NSF Day provides background on the foundation, its mission, and priorities. Program managers and staff give overviews on proposal writing, programs that fall within and across NSF’s seven scientific and engineering directorates, and NSF’s merit review process.

Presale admission tickets are available on the TSU Research and Sponsored Programs website:  http://www.tnstate.edu/research/. Admission includes parking on the main campus with a shuttle service downtown, breakfast, lunch, and light snacks throughout the day.

For additional information about the NSF Day program, visit www.nsf.gov/nsfdays

 

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.

EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Honda Campus All-Star Team Hopes To Compete for National Title

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Tennessee State University Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team participated in the National Qualifying Tournament at Spelman College in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 3.

TSU defeated Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State Universities, but lost two close games to Morehouse College and Florida A&M University.

After an impressive performance, the team’s goal now is to become one of 48 squads from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) around the nation to advance to the National Championship Tournament in Torrance, California, scheduled for April 7-11.

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.

“The Honda Campus All-Star Challenge 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, etc.,” he said. “It is also important for individual students because of personal and professional networking opportunities with Honda as well students, faculty and staff from other HBCUs.”

Miglietta said the team will find out the week of Feb. 12 if they advance to the national competition. Until then, he said, they will continue to practice three times a week.

Devon Jefferson, a member of the TSU Honors College who serves

Members of the TSU Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Team

as the team’s captain, said understanding the strengths of each team member plays a big role in their collective success.

“I think we have a pretty good team this year,” he said. “It’s not like the strength that each individual on the team has is the only thing they know about. Each individual on this team has widespread interests which relate to the basic knowledge we need when it comes to the competition.”

Jefferson, a junior marketing major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 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,” he said. “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.”

Other Members of the HCASC team who participated in the National Qualifying Tournament are Alexandria Ross, freshmen, economics and Finance major from Memphis, Tennessee; Breanna Williams, senior, music major from Marietta,Georgia; and Terrence George Young, junior computer science major from Knoxville, Tennessee.

Also on the TSU team 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.

“We’ve got a great coach, and we’ve got a great team,” Jefferson added. “Hopefully, we did well enough at the National Qualifying Tournament to make nationals. And if we make nationals, hopefully we can bring the trophy back to TSU.”

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. For more info about HCASC, visit www.hcasc.com.

 

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, Uncategorized

Unflagging commitment: Tennessee State University student pursues dreams through Aristocrat of Bands

Courtesy: The Tennessean

During her first two years in the Tennessee State University band, Deprea Crane lived off campus — on the other side of Nashville — a two-hour city bus ride away.

She couldn’t afford otherwise.

Deprea Crane (Tennessean Photo)

So on the mornings of flag corp pre-drills, she would get up at 3 a.m. to catch a pair of buses from beyond the airport to school.

And after late-night practice, she would again endure the long bus ride that would put her home around 1 a.m.

But she never missed a rehearsal. And she never fretted the sleeplessness.

Band, to her, is one of the best things in life.

“I just love doing it,” Crane gushes, her caramel-colored eyes brightening. “I love performing.”

On Saturday, Jan. 27, Crane and TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands performed in one of the most prestigious events of the year as part of the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta.

‘Exciting and humbling’

The annual live showcase was created to celebrate and support the excellence of college marching bands at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

On Jan. 27 Crane took part in the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational. (Tennessean Photo)

“The Honda Battle of the Bands is basically a showcase to allow people to see the top eight black college bands in the country,” says Dr. Reginald McDonald, TSU’s band director. “There’s no placement in regards to first, second or third. By being selected you’ve won.”

Each year, eight bands are selected from across the country to perform. The high-stepping, drum-thundering theatrics and music become a show-stopping event for thousands of spectators.

At one point during its performance, the Aristocrat of Bands spelled out “OPRAH” — who received a degree in Mass Communication from TSU and has provided scholarships for students at her alma mater.

“Everyone in the building, please give it up for Tennessee State University alum Miss Oprah Winfrey,” the announcer said over the band. “O, are you running for president in 2020?”

Being chosen for the Honda Battle of the Bands means rigorous practice schedules that must be juggled with class and homework demands.

But the reward, for many of the marching Aristocrats, goes beyond the field on which they play.

Every school participating in the Honda Battle of the Bands receives a $20,000 grant. At TSU, which will mark its eighth appearance at the event, that money goes to further support its music education program.

“Several kids in the band are currently here at TSU because of that commitment,” says McDonald. “It’s refreshing and exciting and humbling to me as a band director.”

For Crane, it’s personal.

Making music a visual experience 

Crane is paying her own way through college.

A Nashville native, the business information systems major is a member of the Honors College. She holds a 3.6 grade point average and has made the dean’s list each semester.

She will graduate this spring, a year early.

And every bit of her schooling has been funded through state and school scholarships.

That includes support from the Battle of the Bands grant. In fact, this year she is able to live on campus because of that aid.

But her schedule is still grueling.

Last semester she had three night classes. This semester she has more. That means taking a shuttle to TSU’s downtown campus and then hopping back on that same bus to the main campus — and then sprinting to band practice.

When she rushes in just after 7 p.m., her book bag slung over her shoulder, she’s already missed an hour. She quickly has to catch up on changes in choreography, learning new moves and new positioning.

But as she swings the silver pole of her big blue flag, artfully weaving it behind her back and tossing it in circles above her head, she doesn’t stress. She smiles.

This is her happy place.

And the whips and ripples from the blue cloth she flings are her favorite type of band accompaniment.

“We show visually what the music is saying,” she says. “In a band, you have to be very attuned with what you hear, but for us, we are able to show it.”

The White House, Atlanta and more

These students get a lot to show for it.

In 2016, the band performed on the White House lawn at a reception honoring the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were there that day, as were music icon Quincy Jones, former basketball star Kobe Bryant and actor Samuel L. Jackson, to name a few.

“Being a part of this band has opened up so many avenues for me,” Crane says. “And has opened up my eyes to so many things.

“We went to the White House. That’s not something you can just say that you did because you went to college. That’s an experience because you were a part of a prestigious unit, a band.

“We all do this together, we all work hard together, that way we can all benefit together.”

It’s all about unity

And every appearance at the Honda Battle of the Bands means performing with the top programs among HBCU bands in America.

“Any time you have something of that caliber it brings out your best,” McDonald says.

For Crane, the showcase — which is more like a talent show than a competition — is about unity.

“You get to connect with other people that enjoy something as much as you do,” she says. “To come to college and choose to do band, you have to have a lot of dedication and really love something like this to be a part of it.

“To find people who are like-minded, that is absolutely wonderful.”

And worth every bus ride.

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

USDA awards more than $2 million in grants to seven Tennessee State University Ag professors

By Joan Kite

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $2 million in teaching, research and extension capacity building grants to seven Tennessee State University professors in the College of Agriculture.

The funds will be dedicated to developing research and extension activities designed to increase and strengthen food and agricultural sciences through integration of teaching, research and extension.

The seven professors, who competed in a competitive grant writing process, are Suping Zhou, Ankit Patras, Aliyar Fouladkhah, Jason de Koff, Aditya Khanal, Matthew Blair, and Hongwei Si.

“I am proud of our faculty who garnered seven awards worth more than $2 million from this highly competitive grants program,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the college. “This is pretty much the maximum amount any institution can be awarded in one year from this particular grants program.  These research projects not only advance scientific knowledge but also train undergraduate and graduate students and prepare them for the job market.”

Zhou, a research professor in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DAES), was awarded $499,999 to determine aluminum’s effects in the soil used to grow tomato plants and how growth can be improved. The project includes the creation of a Tomato Cyber Lab that will allow scientists to manage and share omics data in compliance with Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable (FAIR) principles and enable participants in different geographic locations to access instruments in real-time. This project is a collaborative effort between TSU and Delaware State University.

Patras, an assistant professor in DAES, was awarded $499,764 to further his research in food safety. Patras is specifically seeking to develop a continuous flow-through ultraviolet light-based system for the non-thermal pasteurization of liquid foods such as cranberry juice. The industrial implementation of this technology will help food companies comply with the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act, which aims to strengthen the safety of our food system. Formal education programs for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as non-formal education programs for community stakeholders, will be developed.

Aliyar Fouladkhah, an assistant professor in DAES, is working on a collaborative effort to create a cadre of extension agents and faculty who will educate small and under-served farm communities in FSMA compliance ensuring their agricultural businesses can remain profitable. In addition, the $349,788 grant will help fund a FSMA needs assessment of producers and processors and create outreach materials for emerging entrepreneurs.

Jason de Koff, an Extension associate professor, was awarded $249,147 to help create a novel educational program that will train farmers, Extension agents, and students in drone technology and its applications in agriculture. An educational curriculum will be created to be shared with other agencies and institutions.

Aditya Khanal, an assistant professor in DAES, received $230,313 for his three-year project researching agritourism and its benefits to Tennessee. Khanal will examine and determine best business practices and the affects of demographic and socio-economic factors in this emerging industry. The project seeks to estimate the economic impacts of agritourism to the Tennessee economy.

Matthew Blair, a research associate professor in DAES, was awarded $100,000 to train with a USDA mentor at the Soil, Plant and Animal Nutrition Laboratory in Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Blair seeks to increase his knowledge in legume genetics research, an area in which he specializes.

Hongwei Si, an associate professor in the Department of Human Sciences, received $100,000 to help fund his participation in the ongoing NIFA/USDA project, “APOA2 Gene, Diet, Inflammation and Gut Health,” at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. Si’s long-term research goal is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of healthy foods on the prevention of chronic diseases in cells, animals and humans.

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, Uncategorized

TSU takes on state opioid epidemic, will use nasal spray to prevent deaths

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has joined the fight to address the state’s opioid epidemic. The university recently implemented a new overdose prevention program to stop deaths associated with misuse and addiction.

Dr. Wendelyn Inman

Under the initiative, certified TSU police officers will be able to administer NARCAN Nasal Spray, a prescription medicine used for the treatment of an opioid emergency, such as an overdose. The initiative is in conjunction with Nashville Prevention, a division of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

“Our goal at the TSU Police Department is to minimize the likelihood that someone on our campus dies from an overdose of opiates,” said Aerin Washington, TSUPD’s crime prevention officer. “We want to be on the cutting edge of this movement as we strive to serve the community in every aspect that we can.”

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin, as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others.

Of the 20.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance use disorder in 2015, two million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 591,000 had a disorder involving heroin, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

TSU health experts say the university’s overdose prevention program falls in line with other preventive measures being used nationally to address the opioid crisis.

“This is one of the safe and effective methods of overdose prevention that is saving lives and supporting addiction recovery,” said Dr. Wendelyn Inman, associate professor of public health, healthcare administration and health services at TSU.

Dr. Charles Brown

“As first responders on TSU’s campus, trained officers can be the difference between a fatal outcome and a survivor.”

Earlier this week, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement. Called TN Together, the plan includes providing every Tennessee state trooper with naloxone (NARCAN) for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.

Dr. Charles Brown, also an assistant professor in public health at TSU, said the opioid epidemic is impacting people from all walks of life.

“It’s a drug that’s just not impacting the poor, but it’s also impacting the middle class and the healthy class as well,” he said. “It’s very important to understand the abuse from that standpoint. It can happen to anyone.”

In Tennessee, roughly 300,000 people are misusing drugs and about 82,000 of them are addicted, according to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  The opioid problem claimed 1,186 lives in Tennessee through overdoses in 2016, which amounts to 17.8 people per 100,000, the state Department of Health says.

For more information about TN Together, including help for those suffering from addiction and other available resources, visit https://www.tn.gov/opioids.

 

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 joins in celebration of life, legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University joined the Interdenominational Ministers’ Fellowship and the Nashville community in celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK march participants. (photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

Hundreds of people assembled in front of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church on Monday, Jan. 15, to march to TSU’s Gentry Complex for its annual Convocation honoring King.

Before the march, TSU President Glenda Glover thanked the youth, in particular, for coming out on a chilly day.

“I want to particularly give a shout out to the youth,” said Glover, “because you could have been doing something else today.”

She then went on to emphasize the importance of the occasion.

TSU President Glenda Glover. (photo by Courtney Buggs, TSU Media Relations)

“I lived in Memphis and I was there when the assassination (of Dr. King) took place,” Glover said. “We need to make sure we keep this dream alive each and every year, each and every day.”

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry also lauded the youth for their attendance, and reminded them of the jobs and internships that are available to them in the community.

“I want all the youth who are in this gathering today to hear that we’ve got over 10,000 opportunities on our portal, and I need you guys to go there to find something that you want to do,” Barry said.

“We all know that the way to get people moving toward their future, is they’ve got to graduate from high school, and they’ve got to get that first job. And we’re committed to making sure that our youth can do just that.”

Miss TSU Kayla Smith said the march and Convocation are “great opportunities for the community to come together and keep the dream going that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had.”

“This is a great event, and it touches my heart to be able to participate in it,” she said.

Taylor Williams, a freshman who is majoring in aeronautical industrial technology at TSU, echoed Smith’s sentiment. Williams added that even though there has been positive change since King’s death, there’s still much work to be done in the case of equality.

“History can repeat itself, so it’s very important for me to be a part of this,” said Williams, of Memphis.

Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge Sheila D.J. Calloway. (photo by Courtney Buggs, TSU Media Relations)

Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge Sheila D.J. Calloway, the Convocation’s keynote speaker, continued the message of “investing in our youth.”

“When I think about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. … it starts with our youth,” Calloway said before the Convocation. “And so I’ll be focusing today on how we can, as a community, support our youth through all of the difficulties that they’re having.”

During her speech, Calloway said early engagement in the lives of youth can deter them from trouble.

“Don’t wait till they are in my courtroom before trying to help them,” she said. “By then, it is way too late. Help them before they get to that point.”

Other Convocation participants included Dr. Glover, Mayor Barry, U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper, State Rep. Harold Love, Jr. and Dr. Shawn Joseph, director of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

During the Convocation, the Interdenominational Ministers’ Fellowship renewed $1,000 scholarships for students at TSU, Fisk University, Meharry Medical College and American Baptist College.

 

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, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Alum Emerges as Smooth Jazz Phenom

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Deborah Ghent says when she and her husband Carl went on their first date, they hit it off so well that they discussed naming their first child Jazmin to honor their mutual love for jazz music.

The couple had no idea they would have twins, but their decision to name their daughter Jazmin seems almost prophetic considering the recent success and recognition she has garnered as a smooth jazz artist.

Jazmin Ghent, who was recently voted Best New Artist of 2017 by the Smooth Jazz Network, outshined Gerald Albright’s daughter Selina Albright, Billboard-charting jazz guitarist Adam Hawley and a host of other smooth jazz notables for the coveted title.

Ghent earned a master’s degree in music from Tennessee State University in 2014. She said music has always been a part of her life.

“If I didn’t have music, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. “Music distracted me from getting off track and being something I’m not.  It really allowed me to express myself and find my way in life.”

TSU Alum Jazmin Ghent was recently voted Best New Artist of 2017 by the Smooth Jazz Network.

Nicknamed “Jazzy Jaz” by her grandfather Fletcher Gaines, who also played saxophone, Ghent grew up listening to jazz standards from his music collection, as well as the music of Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum and Brian Culbertson.

Currently an elementary school music teacher on weekdays and a traveling smooth jazz phenom on weekends, Jazmin credits TSU for playing a major role in her success.

She said Dr. Robert Elliot, head of the Department of Music at TSU, her residence life coworkers Gregory Williams and Brent Dukhie, and various members of the TSU family, provided direction and support during her time at the university.

“I found out about the program at TSU through the Bobby Jones Show,” she said.  “I performed on his ‘Show Your Talent Show,’ and went to do an interview with Dr. Elliot. He didn’t have to give me a chance and an opportunity, but I am beyond thankful that he did.”

Elliot, who served as chair of Ghent’s thesis committee, said that as a musician, Jazmin brings the “total package.”

“She is very much a modern saxophonist, but she is well-grounded in the music of those greats who came before her, and she has built upon that legacy,” he said.  “Jazmin is a very knowledgeable musician and a very creative person.  She has good character, a pleasing personality, and the great ability as an educator to teach people about what it is she does.”

Elliot said for her master’s degree project, Ghent developed a summer camp in music for children to teach them jazz. She held the camp and then documented the curriculum and the delivery of the curriculum.

A great deal of Jazmin’s love for education comes from her mother Deborah, who worked as a special education teacher for 38 years.  Deborah Ghent, who currently serves as her daughter’s manager, said Jazmin and her twin sister, Jenai, started taking piano lessons at the age of six and playing saxophone in middle school.

According to her mother, Jazmin honed a lot of her leadership skills and musicianship in church.

“She was always a little different because she would read the music, but she would always like to add things to the music,” her mother said.  “At the age of 8 she started playing in church, and she and her twin sister alternated weeks and they became the church Sunday school pianists.  When she was older and the church pianist was out, she would take over.  When the pianist was there, Jazmin would find a little spot over in the corner and she would play the saxophone along with whatever hymns or whatever songs were being played in church.”

Jazmin’s dedication and commitment to music paid off in high school when she was named drum major of her 200-member high school band in Huntsville, Alabama. She held the position for three years until she graduated and attended Florida State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education with a minor in jazz studies.

As she continues to find success as a professional musician, Jazmin also relishes in the opportunity to continue working as a music educator.

“Education is such a big part of my life and what I do,” she said.  “I think it’s always going to be there in some capacity. If the opportunity does present itself, I will definitely be a full-time professional musician, but I will always like to keep some aspect of education.  My goal is to get my doctorate and teach on the collegiate level, so I’m going to try to juggle them both for as long as I can.”

Currently, Jazmin is working on her third project, “The Story of Jaz,” which she said highlights her various musical influences and life experiences.

“I’m one of those people who likes to go outside the box and try different things,” she said.

Jazz lovers from around the world can experience Jazmin’s unique musical gift at her scheduled performances which include bookings at the Perfect Note in Hoover, Alabama, and the Mallorca Smooth Jazz Festival in Mallorca, Spain.

For more information about booking Jazmin or to purchase her previous projects, “Boss” and “Chocolate Sunshine,” visit www.jazminghent.net.

 

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.

 

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

TSU alumna Oprah Winfrey draws questions about possible run for president after moving Golden Globes speech

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – TSU alumna and media mogul Oprah Winfrey was the talk of the 2018 Golden Globes after her acceptance speech Sunday for the coveted Cecil B. DeMille Award.

TSU alumna Oprah Winfrey. (photo from shutterstock.com)

While receiving the lifetime achievement designation was groundbreaking for Winfrey as the first African American female, it was her remarks that had a lasting impact.

Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover had these comments on Winfrey’s trailblazing achievement.

“On the behalf of the Tennessee State University family, we congratulate Ms. Winfrey, a fellow alumna of our university, on receiving this prestigious award from the film and television industry,” said TSU President Glover.

“Ms. Winfrey is the epitome of grace, brilliance and strength, and delivered passionate remarks for a monumental occasion. She continues to inspire people of all ages by speaking to the very conscious of our nation. There is no question that her words resonated with Americans and those around the world.”

The star-filled audience seemed to hang on Winfrey’s every word as she addressed racism, sexism and the need for solidarity that should transcend Hollywood into mainstream America. Many in attendance and viewers alike immediately took to social media saying that she should make a run for the presidency in 2020.

All believed that Winfrey’s hopeful message – “A new day is on the horizon” – was her campaign-rallying cry.

Winfrey has not commented on the presidential speculation after her speech, but when her best friend Gayle King brought up the idea recently on “CBS This Morning,” Winfrey shot it down: “There will be no running for office of any kind for me.”

Winfrey received a degree in Mass Communication from TSU and has provided scholarships for students at her alma mater.

Currently, Winfrey serves as the CEO of the cable channel OWN, a network she created, a “special correspondent” for the CBS newsmagazine “60 Minutes” and an investor in companies like Weight Watchers.

Winfrey will appear in Ava DuVernay’s movie “A Wrinkle in Time” scheduled to be released in March.

 

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

Getahn Ward Remembered For Excellence, Community Service and Dedication To Students

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Nashville’s most prominent journalists, as well as residents from Middle Tennessee, around the nation and the world, gathered in north Nashville Friday night to celebrate the life of journalist, professor and community leader Getahn Moses Ward.

Ward, who taught journalism as an adjunct professor at Tennessee State University, died Dec. 16 after a brief illness. He was 45 years old.

Varying emotions filled the high-spirited event as family members, coworkers and friends shared heartfelt testimonies in the crowded sanctuary of Born Again Church where Ward served as a deacon.

“He was a man of peace,” said Born Again Church Elder Jerome Brown.  “He was always busy, but he always did it from a place of peace.”

Described by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry as “the hardest-working reporter in Nashville,” Ward migrated from his native Liberia to Nashville in the early 90s, enrolling at TSU where he quickly rose to become editor-in-chief of the university’s student newspaper, The Meter.  He worked as a reporter with the Nashville Banner before it closed in 1997, and then served as a business reporter with The Tennessean beginning in 1998 until his death.

NewsChannel 5 weatherman and “Talk of the Town” co-host Lelan Statom said Ward’s passing is a reminder that “we need to celebrate life.”  Statom, who serves as the treasurer of the Nashville Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, worked for years alongside Ward, who served as the organization’s longtime parliamentarian.

“Just last month we asked him if he had an interest in being interim president,” said Statom.  “He politely declined on that because he knew where his passion was.  His passion wasn’t necessarily to be at the top of the chart for the organization.  It was to help students, which is something he did by serving as the chair of the scholarship committee for us.”

Since Ward’s death, TSU, The Tennessean, the Gannett Foundation and NABJ have partnered to create a scholarship in Ward’s name that will benefit aspiring journalists. The new scholarship is the first endowed scholarship in the history of the TSU Department of Communications. Organizers have already raised more than $30,000 with the goal of raising $50,000.

“It is a great way to honor the life of someone who gave back so much to the Nashville Community,” Statom said.

Individuals who would like to give to the scholarship fund should write a check to Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37209-1561. Online donations can be made at bit.ly/getahnward.

 

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 students to participate in MLK Joint Day of Service

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –Tennessee State University will participate in several activities in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s holiday.

The university kicks off the weekend on Saturday, Jan. 13, by joining other area higher education institutions in a Day of Service.

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 Kean Hall at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“TSU is excited to join faculty and student volunteers … as we celebrate continuing the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Shirley Nix-Davis, director of outreach for TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement. “One of his greatest quotes is, ‘everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.’”

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.”

On Monday, Jan. 15, a symbolic march from Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church will highlight TSU’s MLK event, culminating with a program sponsored by the university, Interdenominational Ministries Fellowship and Hospital Corporation of America, or HCA. Among the hundreds of marchers will be TSU President Glenda Glover, State Rep. Harold Love, Jr., TSU students, and others from across the city.

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.