Congratulations to the nearly 700 Tennessee State University undergraduates and graduates! Wishing you continued success as you showcase TSU’s Big Blue excellence to the world. Class of 2020:
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, 24 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service)- A
drive-thru food distribution at Tennessee State University on Saturday offered
relief to hundreds of residents in the Nashville metro area.
About 200 volunteers, wearing masks, gloves and maintaining the required social distance, showed up to help distribute food to about 500 families. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
Second Harvest Food Bank, along with TSU and One Generation
Away, hosted the contact-free, mobile food pantry distribution outside the TSU
indoor practice facility for anyone experiencing hardship during the COVID-19
pandemic, and the aftermath of the March 3 tornado. No registration was
required.
Organizers say TSU offered one of the best locations for the
food distribution, as more than 500 families were served. Cars lined up from
Walter S. Davis Boulevard onto the campus, and up to the Olympic statue.
Drivers were directed to the indoor practice facility parking lot and exited on
Schrader Lane.
“COVID-19 has caused a lot of challenges to various
communities and we want to make sure that when and where TSU can, that we help
the community during this pandemic,” said Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU’s chief of
staff. “Partnering with various entities in the community is one way to help
with some of the challenges that we are facing. They had a need and TSU had a
space that was best configured in a manner to best serve the need.”
TSU alum Sherrie McGuire, left, and her daughter, Makenzie McGuire, were among the volunteers who participated in the food distribution on Saturday. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
Chris Whitney, founder of One Generation Away, a Franklin,
Tennessee-Based food ministry, said the ministry conducts about 40 food
pantries in Tennessee a year at different locations, mainly in church parking
lots.
“We are so grateful to TSU for allowing us to be here
today,” Whitney said. “We were looking at somewhere off Clarksville Pike to
serve the North Nashville community after the tornado but with the pandemic, we
needed a larger parking lot and we thought TSU would be an ideal location.”
About 200 volunteers, wearing masks, gloves and maintaining
the required social distance, showed up to arrange tables, unpack boxes, fill
grocery bags, and load food into the trunks of cars, as each family drove up.
Among the volunteers were Sherrie McGuire, a TSU alum, and her daughter,
Makenzie McGuire.
“Service is one of the core values that TSU instilled in us,
and that’s what we are doing here today,” said Sherrie, a teacher at Donaldson
Christian Academy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in social work at TSU in
1995. Donaldson Christian Academy was damaged during the tornado, which
destroyed several buildings on TSU’s agricultural farm.
“It’s been a double whammy for my family,” added Sherrie.
“We were hit with the tornado on March 3rd, with a lot of
damage then you add COVID-19 to it. A lot of people are hurting. So, I am glad
to be back at my school to help serve.”
Sherrie’s daughter, Mackenzie, a senior at Donaldson
Academy, who has been a volunteer with One Generation Away since she was about
6 years old, agreed.
“Suffering through the tornado and then the pandemic is just
unimaginable,” said Makenzie, who wants to study nursing to become a neonatal
nurse practitioner. “So, it is just good to get out and help in the community.”
Grant Winrow, special assistant to TSU President Glenda
Glover, who helped to coordinate the distribution on the TSU campus, said it is
a wonderful opportunity for the university to partner with “anyone in the
community that’s trying to do something philanthropic” for the citizens of
Nashville.
“We are just a family here at TSU,” he said. “So, I think it
is an opportunity for us to open up our resources to be able to assist anyway
we can.”
Winrow credits former Metro Councilman Lonnell Matthews Jr., a TSU alum, with also helping to coordinate the food distribution at TSU.
TSU also runs a food pantry for students facing temporary hardships. When campus is opened, donations to the Tiger Pantry can be dropped off at the Ralph H. Boston Wellness Center located next to the Gentry Center Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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, 24 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.CHERYL
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (TSU
News Service) – TSU students still living on campus who could use some extra
help with food and snacks, recently got help from the university and Kroger,
the nation’s second largest general retailer.
Melissa Eads, Corporate Affairs Manager for Kroger Nashville (Submitted Photo)
In
a partnership with the Tiger Pantry at TSU, Kroger donated 60
$25-gift cards to the university for students who did not leave campus in the
wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are tremendously excited about how community partners such as
Kroger continue to show support for our students,” said Frank Stevenson,
associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
“This donation will help some of our most vulnerable student population who
have limited options. We will continue to seek out opportunities to help
students navigate this very different learning environment.”
On March 16, TSU
transitioned to online classes as a precaution to contracting COVID-19, and
subsequently asked all students to go home. However, about 70 students who
could not go home for various reasons, asked to stay on campus. These students continue to
receive living resources from the university, including meals if they have a
meal plan for the semester.
One
of them is Sparrow Haynes, a senior, who is also a resident assistant. He said
“it has been a struggle” to work and transition to online courses and deal with
the pandemic at the same time.
“I would like to thank Kroger and TSU for this gift card
during this time,” said Haynes, a health science major from Nashville. “This
gift card will really help me to get some snacks and food so I can eat good
while preparing to finish strong this semester.”
Melissa Eads, corporate affairs manager for Kroger Nashville, said
her company is happy to partner with TSU to help students during this difficult
time.
“Through our ‘Zero Hunger Zero Waste’ plan, we are focused on
supporting efforts that provide food to those who may be struggling to make
ends meet,” Eads said. “We appreciate TSU and their work to meet
the needs of their students.”
Iris Ramey, TSU’s associate vice president for corporate partnership and
strategic initiative, said the university is grateful to Kroger for the gift
cards during “this unprecedented time.”
“Kroger
has always been a dedicated benefactor to Tennessee State University, and for
this, we are very thankful,” Ramey said.
For more information on corporate partnerships and strategic initiatives, and how to secure philanthropic support to TSU, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/partnerships/
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, 24 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.CHERYL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU
News Service) – When it came time for Robert Spicer to select a university
after high school, he had only one place
in mind, The Land of Golden Sunshine. Former students had already flooded the
young Chicagoan’s mind with words of how wonderful it is to be a Tiger.
Robert Spicer
“To get me ready, I spoke to several people who were alums of TSU; all spoke so highly of their experiences,” says Spicer, a sophomore mass communication major at TSU. “I would hear statements like, ‘There is no other university like TSU’ and ‘TSU will change your life.’”
True to what he
heard, Spicer says his life has really changed in the less than two years he
has been at TSU. He says the university offers a sense of “community and
family,” with everyone trying to “lend a hand and help you.”
“This is a
wonderful place. From the professors to the administrators and students, this
place is family. I am very much at home here, and I have no regrets for coming
here,” he says.
A film and television
enthusiast, Spicer has received many opportunities at TSU to connect with top
artists and individuals in the film industry. In October, filmmaker Deon Taylor
– known for movies like “Black and Blue,” “The Intruder,” “Meet the Blacks,”
and “Traffik” – came to TSU and taught a master class to students as part of
the International Black Film Festival.
In high school,
Spicer was an academic standout at Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School, where he
performed in many theater productions. He believes his fast-learning ability
and commitment to be the best will help him succeed at TSU. And, he’s already
on his way.
With a near 3.7
grade point average, Spicer has remained on the Dean’s List since arriving at
TSU. He is a member of the Honors College, and the National Society of Leadership and Success, the nation’s
largest leadership honor society.
Professors and
advisors say Spicer demonstrates outstanding leadership, and takes on every task he is given with
a great work ethic and a desire to learn.
“Robert is an
amazing young man that I have had the pleasure of knowing since he arrived on
campus,” says Karen Russell, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts
and advisor to Spicer.
“In just his short time here, he has
proven to be not only a leader in the classroom but a leader among his
peers. There are many great things in store for this young man,” adds
Russell.
As he completes his
sophomore year, Spicer says he plans to delve more into his major, with the
hope of securing internships with major production companies. His goal is to
make it big in acting and film production. The first in his family to attend a
historically black university, Spicer says the experience gives him an edge in
his future career.
“Although many from my family have obtained college
degrees, I would be the first to attend and complete an education at an HBCU,” says
Spicer. “I am truly grateful for my time and experiences at TSU. It has and will continue to shape who I am as
a person.”
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is temporarily waiving the ACT and SAT scores as requirements for incoming freshmen for Fall 2020. The modified admission requirement is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, students will still be required to have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, completed application, and official high school transcript submitted for admission, which should indicate strong academic achievement in core coursework.
“TSU’s decision was made in light of the testing companies’
decision and the circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr.
Alisa Mosely, interim vice president for Academic Affairs.
“The University continues to undertake temporary measures to
address and manage the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This temporary
admission adjustment applies for the Fall 2020 term only.”
In March, the College Board and ACT, Inc., announced that they were suspending the availability of
SAT and ACT testing due to logistical and safety issues associated with administering
the tests during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACT is an entrance exam most
universities and colleges use to make admissions decisions.
TSU is currently opened for fall registration, and is accepting applications for housing. (Photo by TSU Media Relations
Dr. Carjamin Scott, TSU’s director of admissions and recruitment,
says the
university is committed to removing all enrollment barriers that were caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic, and helping talented students achieve their dream of
becoming college graduates.
“The waiver will ensure that qualified students who are interested
in TSU will have an opportunity to be evaluated for
admission this fall. Whether on campus or online, first–year students will
receive a quality education, and we have staff readily available to assist them
with completing their application for enrollment,” says Scott.
University officials say this will only apply to the upcoming fall
semester. TSU joins a number of schools across the country to waive the ACT, as
well as the SAT scores in response to the pandemic.
TSU will offer summer school classes online, and is currently opened for fall registration and accepting housing applications. Students interested in enrolling for the Fall 2020 should visit www.tnstate.edu/apply.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (TSU
News Service) – When Jelani Nash of Fort Worth, Texas, received his
certificate of admission to Tennessee State University, the usually quiet and
shy Nash was emotional. The screen on his laptop revealed the certificate
welcoming him to TSU.
TSU President Glenda Glover zooms in to welcome prospective students and parents to the university’s first virtual Spring Preview Day. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“It
just felt good and I was very excited,” said the high school graduating senior,
as he and his family gathered in their living room in Fort Wort to participate
in TSU’s first live virtual Spring Preview Day on April 9.
Like many prospective TSU students
observing travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nash was among
hundreds of other incoming first-year freshmen who had to make their college
commitment or receive acceptance letters without having visited the TSU campus.
In all, organizers said more than
300 users, mainly students and parents, connected to the event with questions
to admissions recruiters. Many TSU administrators, student leaders, faculty,
staff and alumni joined the conversation.
“Welcome to Tennessee State University and our very first virtual Spring
Preview Day,” said President Glenda Glover, as she kicked off the live
broadcast zoomed from the TV studio in TSU’s Performing Arts Center.
“Good afternoon to our students
and to our parents! We are using this virtual format of programming to announce
this wonderful spring preview day because of where we are in America today. We
have banded together to fight this coronavirus that has gripped our nation. So,
the health and safety of you as students and parents on our campus is
paramount. As you prepare to start your college careers, we have some exciting
things planned for you this fall. We thank you and we are happy to greet you as
you take your first step to becoming a TSU Tiger.”
Ashley Janae Edgar, left, an incoming freshman, receives her certificate of admission from Associate Vice President for Admission Terrance Izzarance, during a visit on campus. (Submitted photo)
The virtual spring preview, termed “Vision 2020: I see You at TSU,” gave potential students a new and innovative way to learn about the institution, said officials. They included a virtual tour of the campus, student interviews about campus life, meeting academic demands, and what it takes to apply and enroll at TSU. Also, in response to the global pandemic and the closure of various testing sites, viewers learned that TSU is considering waiving the ACT for students applying for the Fall 2020 semester. Officials say the university wants to ensure that all interested and capable students have an opportunity to be evaluated for admission. However, applicants must still have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and an official transcript to be considered for admission.
Vice President for Academic Affairs,
Dr. Alisa Mosley, was among university officials who joined in to tell the
audience about TSU’s many outstanding programs, its diverse faculty, as well as
opportunities for students to engage in internships, study abroad and service
learning programs.
A viewer watches the virtual Spring Preview Day on her cell phone. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“So, there is really something for
everyone here at TSU,” Mosley said. “When you go through those kinds of
opportunities you come out stronger and your passion fortified and you are
prepared to engage on the local, national and international levels.”
Terrence
Izzard, associate vice president for Admissions and Recruitment, described the
virtual preview as “a different platform, but the same brand of TSU
excellence.”
“We
are really trying to expand our reach to those who may not be able to come to
us,” he said. “So, this virtual preview day is an exciting opportunity for us
to reach thousands for the cause of TSU.”
Ashley
Janae Edgar, of Atlanta, who has committed to coming to TSU in the fall, also
watched preview day with her family. She said the exchange with the recruitment
staff was “amazing.”
“It
was extremely helpful and very informative,” said Edgar, who plans to major in
criminal justice. She received her admission certificate during a visit on
campus in November.
Dr. Carjamin Scott, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, helps to answer students and parents’ questions during the virtual preview day. (Photo by TSU Media relations)
For
Jelani Nash and his parents, they think TSU is the perfect fit for the incoming
freshman.
“We
are definitely comfortable with him going to Tennessee State University,” said
Jelani’s father, Omar Nash, who added that his whole family enjoyed watching
the virtual spring preview.
“Although we wanted him to stay close
to home, we have a nice family connection in Nashville. Also, my wife enjoyed
seeing the president of the university because she is a sorority sister, and my
daughter said the campus was beautiful. This virtual preview is a definite plus
for you guys.”
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, 24 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The COVID-19 pandemic may have suspended in-person recruitment activities for Tennessee State University, but it hasn’t stopped recruiters from seeking out the best and brightest students to join the TSU family. The university is inviting them along with parents and relatives to experience Spring Preview Day 2020 live on Thursday, April 9 beginning at 5p.m., and it can all take place from the comfort of their homes.
“Vision 2020: I See You At TSU” will give these potential students a new and innovative way to learn about the institution, officials say.
Terrence
Izzard, associate vice president for Admissions and Recruitment says the annual
event will be bigger and better than previous ones because of the circumstances
and the live element.
“Vision
2020: I See You At TSU” is more than a theme and staff have worked extremely hard
to plan the ultimate TSU experience for students,” says Izzard.
The
admissions and recruitment team, student ambassadors, faculty and staff will be
on hand for a virtual tour that will include
live student interviews about campus life, meeting academic demands, and most
importantly what it takes to apply and enroll to TSU.
“Live
streaming and virtual meetings are the new normal for institutions across the
country as we navigate COVID-19,” adds Izzard. “However, there is only one
Tennessee State that offers students a path to success that is uniquely ours
based on exceptional academic offerings, cultural awareness and access to a
thriving global market in Nashville.”
Through video clips, participants will also see some of
TSU’s pride points such as the world-renowned Aristocrat of Bands, the
award-winning gospel choir, and our beautiful campus through a virtual tour.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASAHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – With nearly all students away and classes online, Tennessee State University is continuing a complete wipe down to protect the campus from the COVID-19 and other diseases.
In the TSU campus wipe down, workers are using equipment and products that are extremely effective in killing the coronavirus. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
The university is using professional cleaning companies with disinfectants and sanitizing equipment to wipe down its main campus and downtown location. Cleaning crews are using protective equipment including gloves, body suits, and products that are “extremely effective” in killing the virus, company representatives say.
Interim
Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Albert Hill says the goal is
to keep the campuses clean and less susceptible to the spread of infectious
illnesses, such as the coronavirus.
“We
just want to make sure that when our students and employees return, they feel
comfortable going into the classrooms, residence halls, and work places,” says
Hill. “We also want to assure parents that their children are safe.”
On
March 16, TSU was the first public university in Tennessee to transition to all
online classes as a precaution to contracting and spreading coronavirus
(COVID-19). The university also canceled all campus events where large crowds
are expected, and suspended all international travel through the end of April
to minimize exposure to the disease. On Monday, March 23, the university ceased
normal operations, allowing most employees to work remotely.
Lecture halls are also receiving thorough cleaning in the campus-wide wipe down at TSU. (Phopto by TSU Media Relations)
“These
decisions were made in the best interest of the university, as both the federal
government and State of Tennessee have declared a state of emergency,” says TSU
President Glenda Glover.
“In
following directives from the Governor and Mayor, we have adjusted the
traditional manner in which we serve our students and operate the university
and will continue to take every precaution necessary to minimize the spread of
the virus. Most importantly, we
are ensuring that students continue to learn and excel academically by
providing all the resources needed to successfully engage and complete online
courses.”
TSU has one confirmed case of a student testing positive for COVID-19. The
individual, who did not live on campus, has been at home in self-isolation for
a number of days while receiving the necessary care to treat their condition.
Dr.
Joseph Perry, TSU’s director of sustainability, says the cleaning crews are doing
an “excellent job” of making sure chemicals they are using are safe for humans
and the environment.
“We
are going to do this until we get to the point where we feel it is safe for
people to come back into the buildings,” says Perry. “Essential staff and
faculty who occasionally come on campus are safe because they are allowed to go
in only certain areas.”
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands is going to the Tournament of Roses. The band recently received an official invitation to participate in the 2021 Rose Bowl Parade on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California.
The crowd applauds after the announcement that the TSU Aristocrat of Bands will participate in the 2021 Tournament of Roses in Pasedina, California. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
The AOB will be
one of only four university bands selected nationwide to participate in the
parade, with a domestic television audience of more than 38 million.
“Only the best of
the best are invited and the Aristocrat
of Bands is one of them,” said Dr. Robert B. Miller, president and chairman of
the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, who came to TSU to personally present the
band with the official tournament flag and invitation.
“It is a major accomplishment
for the band, and for your university. This is a big deal,” he said. “In 132
years of the tournament, 107th Rose Bowl this year, your band is going to be
there. You are going to do entertainment like no other band in our parade does.
Our parade has got 22 bands, 45 floats, the best floral and entertainment groups
in the nation and TSU’s Aristocrat of Bands is going to be there.”
The Aristocrat of Bands entertains the crowd at the Gentry Center as the band celebrates words of their official invitation to the Rose Bowl Parade next year. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
At the flag
presentation in the Gentry Center, amid thunderous cheers from university
officials, relatives, former band members, and Mr. and Miss TSU and their royal
court, Miller congratulated TSU, the AOB and band director, Dr. Reginald
McDonald, for their hard work in submitting a successful application.
Miller, who was
accompanied by his wife, Barbara, also
pinned TSU officials present with the official lapel pin of the Tournament of Roses,
including Dr. Alisa Mosley, interim vice president for Academic Affairs, who
represented TSU President Glenda Glover. Dr. McDonald was also honored in
recognition of his leadership.
In acknowledgment,
the AOB, known worldwide for
their melodious musical renditions and marching prowess, performed such
favorites as “I am so glad I go to TSU,” and “Best Band.”
Dr. Reginald McDonald, TSU’s Director of Bands, says participating in the Rose Bowl is a longtime dream. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“This is huge and I am just excited beyond measure,” said band member Julien
Dooley, after hearing his first trip ever to California will be to perform in
the Rose Bowl Parade. “The Tournament of Roses is very huge, and I am excited
because I actually have never been to the west coast, and the thought of my
first trip being to perform before such a huge audience has got me very
emotional.”
Dooley, an Atlanta
native and a drum major with the AOB, is a senior commercial music major.
Fellow student Cailyn Sparks, a member of the
AOB Sophisticated Ladies Dance Line, is equally excited. Her parents will be
there to see their daughter perform.
“This is an opportunity
of a life time and I am glad my mom and dad and maybe some other family members
will be there,” said Sparks, a junior elementary education major from Phenix
City, Alabama, who will also be going to California for the first time. “I am
extremely excited about going to the Rose Bowl and excited to be there with my
family.”
McDonald, TSU’s
director of Bands, who could not hide his excitement about the announcement
from the Tournament of Roses president and the reaction of the crowd in the
Gentry Complex, called the invitation and the selection to the Rose Bowl Parade
a “longtime dream.”
“If you know
anything about parades in this country, the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Macy’s
Parade are numbers one and two,” he said. “To have either one of those parades
on your performance as a portfolio, says a lot about your band program.”
Four college bands
are selected each year to participate in the Tournament of Roses –two that
apply and two with football teams that play in the Rose Bowl.
“This year it will be Tennessee State University and Georgia State University. That is huge,” McDonald said. “It says a lot about our university, it says a lot about the things we are trying to teach on a year-to-year basis. We selected to apply to the Tournament of Roses because to be recognized as the best, you have to participate in those things that are challenging and hard and are also part of being the best. “
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Two IBM
executives were on campus recently to talk to TSU students about job-readiness
skills and employment opportunities with the tech giant and its affiliates.
Meredith Stowell, vice president for IBM Z Ecosystem; and Shirley
Meierarend, IBM’s Z series skills leader for North America, spoke to a group of
students, faculty and deans about “very lucrative” job opportunities available
for those with skills and knowledge in Enterprise Computing, which supports
IBM’s mainframe technology.
“IBM is here today because we are very interested in building a
talent pipeline for enterprise computing for both our clients or IBM,” Stowell
said in a presentation on Enterprise Computing and Digital Transformation.
John Thompson, right, TSU’s Enterprise Systems Consultant, talks to a cross-section of students, deans and chair during the IBM executives’ visit. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“We do have a number of very large clients here locally, but the
other great thing about TSU is that many of their students are interested in
relocating to other areas. So, that’s why I am here today, to share more with
the students, and to connect students to talent and to the talent pipeline.”
Enterprise-related classes are currently being offered at TSU
through an initiative that was launched in 2014 through the Department of
Computer Science. The initiative was designed to prepare TSU students to be
able to compete for high-paying enterprise internships and permanent job
opportunities with enterprise clients. According to TSU’s Enterprise Systems
Consultant, John Thompson, a former IBM senior manager, between 2015 and
2018, more than 20 students were placed with enterprise companies earning
annual average starting
salaries of more than $82,000, with some receiving
signing bonuses of up to $10,000.
Citing a Wall Street Journal 2020 projection, Thompson said there
will be more than 84,000 enterprise-related jobs available for students across
all disciplines. TSU, being the only school in Tennessee offering courses in
this area, can be a major source to fill the huge demand for enterprise
computing skills that is being created by the retiring baby boomer generation.
During the IBM presentation, TSU President Glenda Glover, who was
on travel, called in to thank Stowell and Meierarend for their visit, and Thompson,
for arranging and coordinating the visit. She stressed the
importance of the TSU partnership with the company.
“This partnership is making a great difference in the lives of our students,”
Glover said. “Student
placement is a very key part of what we are and a major performance indicator
for our state stakeholders and our accrediting body. Training our students to
be adequately ready is so important. That is why we are so appreciative of this
great collaboration.”
In her presentation, Stowell spoke about
specific areas of enterprise computing that students should focus on in
“sharpening your job-skill readiness.” She
and Thompson emphasized the importance of taking classes in
fundamental COBOL business language programming, as well as a basic introduction
to programming, such as C++ and Java.
“Once again, it is really about this openness between industry and
academics, and academic environment opening up to understand what specific
skills that the industry needs and then partnering with those industry partners
to incorporate and infuse those skills within their curriculum. So that, when
the student graduates, there is a job lined up for him already,” Stowell said.
Thompson added: “What makes TSU students so attractive is that they understand the distributing networking environment, but also, when you put them on an enterprise platform, they are right at home, and that’s where we come in. So, I work with the companies to find what they need from the enterprise platform, then I come back and work with Dr. (Ali) Sekmen and the deans, and say, ‘Look, how can we put this in the curriculum for the students to learn that skill?’ Once we do that, then we go and bring these companies in to recruit the students.”
Tamarcus Summers, a senior computer science major from Memphis, and Donovan Varnell, also a senior political science major from Nashville, were among the diverse group of majors at the presentation.
“As a computer science major, I am glad to see the focus on key
areas emphasized here today that my professors talk about in preparing us for
the job market,” Summers
said.
For Varnell, he said he is impressed with IBM’s
integration of technology into all disciplines.
“This really opens my eyes to how it is important to understand
that all these technologies and coding are a need-to-know no matter your
discipline,” said Varnell.
Dr. Sekmen, who is chair of the Department of Computer Science, and a facilitator of the Enterprise Systems Program, said TSU is seeking funding to establish a comprehensive enterprise computing program in the department with a mainframe computer lab.
“We will be the first institution in Tennessee to have such a
computer,” said Sekmen. “We are going to develop an undergraduate concentration
in enterprise computing, as well as training opportunities for TSU faculty,
students and all HBCU faculty.”
Other university officials who spoke at the gathering were Dr.
Jacqueline Mitchell, professor and Enterprise Systems Program manager, as well
as Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering. Frank Stevenson,
associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students; Dr. Coreen
Jackson, dean of the Honors College; and Dr. Ray Richardson, Enterprise Program
liaison, were present. Students from a cross section of disciplines and majors
were also present representing computer science, engineering, criminal justice,
business and social work.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24
master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a
comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie
designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams
Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in
McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee
State University provides students with a quality education in a
nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be
global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online
at tnstate.edu.
