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 [email protected]. For information about TSU’s Collegiate Discussion Meet, contact Dr. Hall at (615) 963-5139 or [email protected].
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.
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.
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)
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.
Members of the TSU Forensics team recently captured third place in the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association’s State Championship. Members include (Left to right, top to bottom) Delvakio Brown, Janet Jordan, Barbra Dudley, Tyler Kinloch, and Michael Thomas.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Forensics team at Tennessee State University made the short trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to claim the latest in the growing list of top-three finishes when they captured 3rd place recently in the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association’s State Championship.
Held March 31 on the Middle Tennessee State University campus, the five-member team was not only able to take third overall, but also eight individual awards at the state championship.
“We were only able to bring five members of our team to this tournament,” said Shaunté Caraballo, director of Forensics, “and all five members won awards. This shows tremendous growth for our team this year. Every member contributed to our third-place ranking.”
The team captured the following awards:
Michael Thomas, senior Accounting major, won 2rd place in Programmed Oral Interpretation as well as Top Novice in the same event. Thomas also won 3rd place in Persuasive Speaking.
Tyler Kinloch, junior Aeronautical & Industrial Technology major, won 4th place in Prose Interpretation and 4th place in Programmed Oral Interpretation.
Delvakio Brown, sophomore Mass Communications major, won 7th place in Prose Interpretation.
Janet Jordan, freshman Accounting major, won 4th place in Poetry.
Barbra Dudley, freshman, Economics major, won 7th place in Programmed Oral Interpretation.
Currently, some of the members of the TSU Forensics team are in Tempe, Ariz., at the American Forensics Association’s National Individual Events tournament. The event, taking place at Arizona State University, is an intercollegiate, individual event that has significantly more stringent qualification procedures and a smaller, but more exclusive field of competition.
Approximately 1,000 students and coaches will participate in the event. Competition areas include Impromptu speaking, Informative speaking, Prose interpretation, Dramatic Duo, Extemporaneous speaking, Persuasive speaking, Programoral interpretation, After Dinner speaking, Communication analysis, Drama interpretation, and Poetry interpretation.
Senior Michael Thomas will compete in the Persuasive Speaking category, along with sophomore Delvakio Brown, who will compete in the Impromptu Speaking category. Caraballo will also attend as the coach and director of the program.
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Bill Haslam, the 49th Governor of the State of Tennessee, will deliver the keynote address during Tennessee State University’s spring commencement exercise on Saturday, May 10.
The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. in Hale Stadium, with the Gentry Center serving as an alternate location in case of inclement weather. This is the second year the ceremony has taken place at the newly renovated stadium with more than 1,000 candidates expected to receive diplomas.
According to TSU President Glenda Glover, Gov. Haslam has been a steadfast supporter and welcome friend of the University, as well as higher education.
“Our graduating students will be very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear him speak about his experience and can benefit from his advice,” said Dr. Glover. “His successes in both the private sector and the political arena will be invaluable to the Class of 2014 as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives. We are honored to welcome the governor to our campus.”
Born and raised in Knoxville, Tenn., Haslam began serving his current term as governor on Jan. 15, 2011. A graduate of Emory University, he began his career in business, joining his father managing a small chain of gas stations. He later rose to the rank of President of Pilot Corporation, one of the fastest growing independent energy logistics companies in North America, now employing more than 24,000 people at over 650 retail locations.
In 2003, he entered into a career of politics at the urging of friends, and successfully ran for Mayor of Knoxville. Haslam served two terms from 2003 until 2011. In January 2009 he declared his candidacy for Governor. He was elected November 2, 2010, with 65 percent of the vote – winning 90 of 95 counties and securing the largest victory of any non-incumbent gubernatorial candidate in the state’s history.
Having celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in 2013, Haslam and his wife, Crissy, have three children, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law and a new grandson.
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – With the announcement that final candidates have now been selected, students at Tennessee State University will be preparing all week to elect a new core of officers who will lead them next year in the Student Government Association.
Labeled “The TSU 500,” this year’s grueling Student Election Commission Week, which begins Monday, April 7 and runs through Friday, April 11, will be marked by several activities including the Nomination Convention, debate, student rally, the Mr. & Miss T.S.U. Pageant, the beginning of online voting, and the announcement of the 2014 core of officers.
The week is expected to be an “exciting one” if the increased number of applicants is any indication, said Dr. Jame’l Hodges, assistant dean of Student Life and Engagement.
“We have more students vying for positions this year, and the general student population seems more elated over the core of candidates,” Hodges said.
The candidates, who have been variously described as smart, intelligent and about business, represent diverse majors, interests and career goals.
The hotly contested Miss T.S.U. crown pits Nashville’s Samantha Thomas, a Dental Hygiene major, against Amethyst Stephens, of Kankakee, Ill., a Health Science major. They are both rising seniors.The Mr. T.S.U. election, no less contentious, has John Hill, a History major from Chicago, going against Darren Bragg, a Chattanooga, Tenn., native who is majoring in Business Administration with a Supply Chain concentration. They are also rising seniors.
For the position of SGA president, Stone Mountain, Ga.’s Markeil Lewis looks like a shoe-in to be the official student spokesperson in 2014. He is the lone candidate for president.
On the other hand, the SGA vice presidential post appears the most contentious, with three rising seniors as candidates. They are: Alonzo Furtick, from Charlotte, N.C., an Art Major; Andre Reaves, an Agricultural Sciences major from Atlanta; and Memphis’ Lauren Thomas, a communications major.
The line-up of activities, dates and times for the 2014 Election Commission Week are:
Nomination Convention – Sunday, April 6, 4-6 p.m., Forum
Debate – Monday, April 7, 6-8 p.m., Poag Auditorium
Rally – Tuesday, April 8, 4-6 p.m., Gentry
Mr. & Miss T.S.U. Pageant – Wednesday, April 9, 6-10 p.m. – Poag Auditorium
Online Voting – Thursday, April 10, Opens at 6 a.m.
Voting Ends 3 p.m., Friday, April 11
Announcement of 2014 Administration – Friday, April 11, 4:30 p.m., Amphitheater
Hodges said all preparations are in place for a smooth election week.
“Students have worked diligently on preparing for their campaigns for election week. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with,” he added.
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences (CAHNS) at Tennessee State University will host the sixth annual CAHNS Week celebration from April 7-11 with activities that highlight the importance of agriculture in Middle Tennessee and the importance of the programs offered at the college.
CAHNS Week provides each department in the College with a forum to highlight student and faculty success stories, and draw attention to important issues in their respective fields. Additionally, one day is dedicated specifically to students with a career fair and a cookout. The week culminates with an awards luncheon recognizing the outstanding contributions of students, faculty and staff.
The week will kick off Monday, April 7 when the College formally announces a new Professional Science Master’s program in Applied Geospatial Information Sciences at 1 p.m. in the Farrell-Westbrook auditorium.
Family and Consumer Sciences Day takes place on Tuesday, April 8, and features an “Encouraging Outdoor Play” fashion show, and a “Fruit and Friends” puppet show at 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively in the Farrell-Westbrook auditorium, and a “Healthy Environment/Healthy Citizens” panel discussion at 11:20 a.m. in the Agricultural Information and Technology Center.
Biological Sciences Day, also takes place on April 8, and features a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. in McCord Hall. Departmental research posters will be on display from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Dr. Hugh Fentress, assistant professor of biological sciences, will provide the keynote lecture at 1:15 p.m. in Holland Hall, room 110.
Student Day takes place Wednesday, April 9 with a career fair taking place in the Farrell-Westbrook auditorium from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Employers participating include All About Care, Farm Service Agency, State of Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Farmers Co-op, National Agricultural Statistics Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. A student cookout will be held on the Farrell-Westbrook plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) will host a professional development workshop in the Agricultural Information and Technology Center beginning at 4 p.m. The workshop will host a panel discussion titled “The Unspoken Truths about Professionalism.”
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Day takes place Thursday, April 10, and features keynote speaker Hubert Hamer, Director of the USDA NASS Statistics Division and TSU alumnus, at 1:30 p.m. with a reception to follow.
The College Recognition Day and the CAHNS Awards Luncheon takes place Friday, April 11 in the Farrell-Westbrook auditorium. RSVP is required to attend.
Chemistry Day, due to a scheduling conflict, will be held in the Boswell Science Complex on Thursday, April 17, and features a career fair from 9 a.m. until noon, tours of the Chemistry Dept. from 9:15 a.m. until10 a.m., demonstrations from 10 – 11 a.m. in room 122, a “Chemistry Challenge” game from 11 a.m. until noon in room 112, and a guest lecture from Dr. Ned A. Porter of Vanderbilt University at 2:30 p.m. in the Boswell auditorium. Student research posters will also be displayed throughout the Boswell Complex.
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – In an effort to make international travel easier for its students, Tennessee State University will hold a Passport Fair, Thursday, April 10. The event is open to the community and will take place from 9 a.m. until noon, and from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. in the Research and Sponsored Programs building, room 163.
“Acquiring a passport has been one of the largest barriers to the study abroad program,” said Mark Brinkley, director of International Education. “We want to make sure that all our TSU students and community partners have the opportunity to travel outside of the country, and the Office of Diversity and International Affairs is here to help make that process more accessible.”
According to the Institute of International Education, more students are traveling abroad for international experiences, and reports that more than 283,000 U.S. students studied abroad for credit during the 2011/2012, an increase of more than 3 percent over the previous year. Most students choose to spend six-to-eight weeks outside the country, with most electing to study in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
“Whether you’re studying in Switzerland, having spring break in Cancun, or backpacking in Europe, someone is going to ask to see your passport,” added Brinkley. “During the passport fair last year, more than 100 people applied for a passport and we were able to help with the process.”
Along with students, the Passport Fair will be open to the public. University officials have stated they already expect to help not only students from TSU, but also Vanderbilt, Belmont, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee and Austin Peay State Universities, as well as the general public.
“We know students are not the only ones who travel outside of the U.S.,” Brinkley commented. “We want to help all global travelers, whether they be students or our neighbors.”
To apply for a passport, travelers will need:
Completed Form DS-11 if you are applying for the first time, or under the age 16. Fill out Form DS-82 if you can submit a previous U.S. passport issued to you in the past 15 years, when you were age 16 or older.
Certified copy of your U.S. citizenship evidence. NOTE: photocopies, notarized copies and hospital birth certificates are NOT acceptable.
Valid photo ID. Examples include driver’s license, state-issued ID (student IDs alone are not acceptable)
A photocopy, front and back, of your valid photo ID
One color passport photo, size 2”x2” with a white or off-white background
Passport Fees: NOTE only checks and money orders will be accepted. NO CASH will be accepted.
Adult passport (first-time applicant) fee $135 per passport book; $55 per passport card; or $165 for both
Adult (renewal) fee $110 per passport book; $30 per passport card; or $140 for both
Checks and money orders need to be payable to the “U.S. Department of State”
For more information, contact Mark Brinkley at 615.963.7660 or email [email protected].
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.
Students to test knowledge of academic recall during Honda Campus All-Star Challenge
A team of students from Tennessee State University will compete 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 include: (left to right) Brandon Bartee, Maurice Henderson II, Adriann Wilson, Joseph Patrick, Dr. John Miglietta, and Aurora Garvin. (photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A team from Tennessee State University will join 47 other teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country when they vie for the top spot in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship Tournament. The final round of this unique academic tournament will take place April 12-16 in Torrance, Calif., on the campus of American Honda Motor Co. Inc.
The Honda Campus All‐Star Challenge is a “knowledge game of quick recall” that engages the best and brightest students at HBCUs in an annual academic quiz championship. Students compete in answering questions related to pop culture, sports, history, science, current events, and literature, as well as African-American history, and general knowledge categories.
Representing TSU this year are: Adriann N. Wilson, a junior Mechanical Engineering major from Albany, Ga.; Brandon Cantrel 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. Maurice Henderson II, a freshman Computer Science major from Jacksonville, Fla., will travel with the team as an Institutional Representative.
The four-member team from the University began their journey for academic gold in the fall of 2013 through countless hours of study, drills and practice to prepare them for the regional qualifying tournaments. This year, TSU travelled to Alabama State University in Montgomery, Ala., for the qualifying tournament Feb. 15, and was selected to participate in the “HBCU Battle of the Brains.”
The team’s goal now, is to beat Morgan State University, the reigning national champions with two consecutive titles, while Morgan State will be seeking a three-peat. Tennessee State is a past National Champion, having earned the title in 2007.
According to the team’s coach, Dr. John Miglietta, professor of Political Science, the team is taking this competition very serious and practicing three to four times a week.
“We are focusing on topics such as African-American History, current events, and geography, as well as general knowledge,” said Miglietta. “We are also trying to arrange a scrimmage or two with Fisk University to keep us in that tournament mode.”
Miglietta also added that a win would give the team bragging rights as the nation’s top academic HBCU.
“The students and I are very excited to be participating again in the national tournament next month against some of the top minds on college campuses while we battle it out for this season’s championship,” he said. “Our team has been busy preparing for the competition and are looking forward to meeting and competing with the other teams from HBCUs around the country.”
During the four-day tournament, competitors will be split into eight divisions and will compete in a modified round-robin format. The top two teams from each division will advance to the “Sweet 16” and will compete in a single elimination playoff. The final two teams that emerge from the playoffs will compete for the title of National Champions and the grand prize of $50,000. The grand prize, along with the other institutional grants, will support academic activities at the participating HBCUs.
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.
“Honda Campus All-Star Challenge rewards the best and brightest for their academic achievements and prepares our student competitors for life beyond school by reinforcing their strong work ethic and introducing them to a thriving community of alumni,” said Steve Morikawa, assistant vice president, Corporate and Community Relations, American Honda Motor Co. Inc. “We look forward to hosting the 25th anniversary class in California and treating them to a fun, four days of healthy competition.”
For more information on the 2014 HCASC, including a full list of the 48 qualifying teams, visit http://www.hcasc.com. The finals of the 2014 Honda Campus All-Star Challenge will be Live Streamed on Monday, April 14 starting at noon Eastern Time on HCASC.com.
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.
Address officially Kicks off 36th Annual University-Wide Research Symposium
Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland – College Park, Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr., will be the featured keynote speaker officially opening the University-Wide Research Symposium Monday, March 31 beginning at 2 p.m. The keynote address is free and open to the public, and will take place in the E.T. Goins Recital Hall, located in the Performing Arts Center on the main campus.
Every year, the Research Symposium serves as a foundation to provide students with authentic experiences in presenting their research before advancing to regional, national and international research symposia; and prior to professional careers. Now in its 36th year, the symposium will take place at the University March 31-April 4.
Sylvester James Gates Jr. Ph.D. is an American theoretical physicist. He is currently a University System Regents Professor, the John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland – College Park, and the Center for String and Particle Theory Director. He serves on President Barack Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the Maryland State Board of Education.
Gates received the B.S. degree in Physics (1973), the B.S. degree in Mathematics (1973), and Ph.D. in Physics (1977), all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His doctoral thesis was the first thesis at MIT to investigate supersymmetry.
He is nationally and internationally known for his research on supersymmetry, supergravity, and superstring theory. In 1984, working with M.T. Grisaru, M. Rocek, W. Siegel, Gates co-authored Superspace, the first comprehensive book on the topic of supersymmetry. He is a former member of the board of trustees of the Society for Science and the Public.
NOVA PBS has featured Gates extensively on programs on physics, notably “The Elegant Universe” in 2003, and ‘‘The Fabric of the Cosmos’’ in 2011. In 2006, Gates completed a DVD series, titled Superstring Theory: The DNA of Reality for The Teaching Company composed of 24 half-hour lectures to make the complexities of unification theory comprehensible to non-physicists.
In 2012, Gates was named a University System of Maryland Regents Professor, only the sixth person to be so recognized since 1992. He is past president of the National Society of Black Physicists, and is a NSBP Fellow, as well as a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Institute of Physics in the U.K. He also is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
He was recently elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences, the first African American so recognized in their 150-year history. Professor Gates was awarded the Medal of Science presented by President Obama, the highest award given to scientists in the U.S., at a White House ceremony in 2013. In November of 2013, he was awarded the Mendel Medal by Villanova University for “having demonstrated, by his life and his standing before the world as a scientist, that there is no intrinsic conflict between science and religion.”
Dr. Gates currently continues his research in supersymmetry in systems of particles, fields, and strings. This month, Gates will be honored as the Harvard University 2014 Scientist of the Year.
For more information on the Research Symposium, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/research/or contact Nannette Carter Martin, co-chair at 615.963.5827, or Tamara Rogers, co-chair at 615.963.1520.
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.
Former CNN anchor and now Al Jazeera America special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, addresses the student body and faculty March 26 during the University Honors Convocation in Kean Hall. Earlier in the day, O’Brien was the featured speaker at the Honors Program 50th Anniversary Luncheon honoring Dr. McDonald Williams, the first Director of the Honors Program. (photo by Rick DelaHaya, TSU Media Relations)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Saying that the pursuit of excellence requires the desire to forge ahead in the face of obstacles, a prominent American journalist has told students at Tennessee State University that success comes with “finding out what you are best suited for” and going after it.
“Decide what success would look like for you and pursue it, but always with the thought to say, ‘what can this do for me,’” multiple award winning documentarian, news anchor and producer Soledad O’Brien, said Wednesday at a convocation in Kean Hall marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the TSU Honors Program.
Drawing from her own experience as a reporter earlier in her career, O’Brian, known for such documentaries as Black in America and Latino in America, said becoming a journalist after a Harvard education was not the route her parents expected her to go after paying so much to educate her.
“My first job was at a TV station, where not only was the pay small, but I was assigned to proofing copies and removing staples,” she said. “Eventually I got assignments doing sound, and in the process, I would include myself in the story, something that helped get me extra pay once the story was aired.”
This is where the woman who would become an anchor for NBC and CNN, two of the nation’s leading news organization, found her niche, she said.
“I love being part of the story that would help enhance someone’s life, and knowing that I have influenced something spectacular,” she said.
Telling the students that nothing good comes easy, O’Brien talked about the struggles of her own parents as mixed couple in America when interracial marriage was illegal in many parts of the nation including Baltimore where they lived.
“My father, a white Australian, and my mother, a black woman from Cuba, faced discrimination on all fronts, with my mother at times trying to hide her Hispanic identity because she wanted to blend in. To get married they had to go to the District of Columbia but came back to Baltimore and kept their marriage a secret,” she said. “When my mother had her sixth child in 1967 that’s when the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage. That means that we were all illegal children until 1967.”
Driving home her story of perseverance in the face of opposition, O’Brien told the students that had her parents given up, lots of dreams, including hers, would probably have been lost.
“They did not give up; they understood the importance of moving ahead because they believed in what they wanted, and that’s leadership,” she added.
O’Brien, now a special correspondent for Al Jazeera’s America Tonight, has won multiple Emmy and Tony awards for her reporting on issues in America. She was part of the CNN team that won an Emmy for the 2012 Election Coverage, and another Emmy for her special report Kids on Race.
She urged the students to emulate examples from people who did not give up but showed true leadership to accomplish what they set out for.
“Martin Luther King Jr. was a regular person who stayed when others ran. He decided that he would use his voice to lead …that’s leadership. What are you going to do to leverage what your parents have invested in you,” she added.
O’Brien, who earlier joined TSU President Glenda Glover, alumni, special guests, faculty and students at an Honors Luncheon in the Gentry Center, congratulated the University for celebrating 50 years of recognizing the achievement of the best and brightest of the institution.
“We thank you for coming to join us for this very special celebration in the institution and for inspiring our students and all of us today,” Dr. Glover told O’Brien. “We wish you all the best as you continue your journey of excellence.”
Dr. Coreen Jackson, director of the University Honors Program, who also thanked O’Brien for accepting their invitation to speak at the 50th anniversary celebration, followed the President.
In addition to recognizing the year’s top honor students, the University paid tribute to the former Director of the University Honors Program, Dr. McDonald Williams and his wife, Dr. Jayme Coleman Williams, former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The tribute included the presentation of the Dr. McDonald Williams Scholarship to Laurena Thomas, a junior Mass Communication major from Memphis with a 3.65 GPA.
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.
