NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Parents and friends were welcomed to a festive fall commencement ceremony for nearly 800 Tennessee State University graduates Saturday morning.
Speaker Roland Martin urges graduates to “do you.” (TSU Media Relations)
Speaker Roland Martin wouldn’t have it any other way. The award-winning journalist and political analyst had the band director strike up the band before delivering his keynote address.
With the theme of “do you,” Martin encouraged graduates to follow their own path and be proud of having attended TSU.
“The people who are willing to take risks in life are the folks that are often brought back and are celebrated for being distinguished alumni of this university,” said Martin.
Merna Henin, a business administration major, graduates with the highest GPA. (TSU Media Relations)
“You’ll never be happy if you’re unwilling to do you. You can’t let fear drive your decision-making.”
TSU President Glenda Glover presided over the winter graduation that consisted of 513 undergraduates and 260 graduate students. Among them was Merna Henin, a business administration major with the distinction of having the highest GPA. A native of Egypt, the Nashville resident had the honor of introducing Martin to the capacity filled crowd because of her academic achievement.
“I felt like I accomplished something spectacular and now I’m being rewarded for it,” said Henin, who plans to pursue her master’s at TSU and work in supply chain management. “It confirmed to me that hard work pays off.”
Approximately 773 graduates participated in the TSU 2019 Fall Commencement Ceremony. (TSU Media Relations)
Kalid Truitt, an interdisciplinary major with a concentration in
health science and healthcare administration, said Martin’s message resonated
with him as he prepares to leave TSU and Nashville.
“What he said hit home for me,” said Truitt. “It was my last time
to soak up the feeling that I’m at TSU. His energy and his words were exactly
what I needed to see and hear, especially the parts about his own life
experiences.”
Truitt is off to Atlanta in a few days to pursue an acting career, but said he has a backup plan, something his professors and advisors stressed throughout his college experience. The Memphis native believes he got the perfect send off from TSU.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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) – Kevin W. Williams, a
Tennessee State University alum and member of the TSU Foundation Board of
Trustees, is the new president and CEO of Detroit-based GAA Manufacturing and
Supply Chain Management. Williams is a former senior executive of General
Motors.
In announcing Williams’ appointment, GAA Chairman Sylvester L. Hester described him as a “game changer” for the company.
“Kevin Williams’ proven leadership
capabilities at GM, including a strong track record of growing revenues,
managing global operations and delivering quality-driven processes and products,
will be key as we continue to diversify and expand our global network of
resources to meet the demands of our supply chain customers,” Hester said.
GAA Founder and Executive Chairman
William F. Pickard said adding Williams to “our team” demonstrates the company’s
commitment to its customers and its seriousness about market growth.
“Kevin is one of America’s most
talented executives and we are absolutely delighted that he chose to join us,”
Pickard said. “His arrival is simply momentous.”
A native of Lexington Park,
Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from TSU
in 1983 and a master’s in business administration from Central Michigan
University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM Senior Executive
Development Program.
Over the course of his 31-year
career at GM, Williams accumulated extensive experience where he held numerous
global roles. Most recently, he served as board chairman, president and
managing director of GM of Canada Ltd, with revenues of $38.7 billion. Prior to
that, Williams served as GM vice president and general manager, service and
parts operations, where he oversaw all GM global aftersales businesses with annual
revenues of $24.5 billion. He also served as president and managing director of
GM de Mexico, and GM Central American and the Cayman Islands.
A native of Lexington Park,
Maryland, Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from
Tennessee State University in 1983 and a master’s degree in business administration
from Central Michigan University in 1989. In 2002, Williams completed the GM
Senior Executive Development Program.
In addition to the TSU Foundation Board of Trustees, Williams is vice chair of
the board of directors of the United Negro College Fund, a member of the board
of trustees of the American Medical Association, and a former trustee of
Genesys Health System of Michigan.
GAA Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, one of the country’s largest African-American-owned businesses, provides contract logistics, procurement, quality containment, warehousing, freight forwarding and contract assembly services.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 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 researchers in the College of Agriculture have some pertinent food
safety information for consumers amid recent recalls and the bustling holiday
season.
Last month, there was a recall of romaine lettuce after a
multistate outbreak of E. coli infections were linked to the lettuce, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There was a similar ground
beef recall in June.
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge
Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge is an associate research professor
in the College of Ag’s Department of Human Sciences at TSU. She says whenever
there’s a recall, consumers should take them seriously.
“It is important for consumers to listen to the news and be
aware of food recalls,” says Kilonzo-Nthenge. “Some of the recalled products
may be in our homes.”
In the last year, TSU’s College of Agriculture has received
more than a million dollars for food safety research.
Kilonzo-Nthenge is the principal investigator for a $450,000
grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pursue an integrated approach
to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in cattle and poultry, and help establish
stewardship programs for small and medium-sized ranchers.
“Consumers are educated on safe handling practices at home
and our farmers are trained on good agricultural practices that prevent or
reduce meats and fresh produce contamination with pathogenic bacteria that
might be resistant to antibiotics,” says Kilonzo-Nthenge.
Dr. Ankit Patras, a research assistant professor of
agricultural science, also recently received two grants totaling more than
$650,000 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Trojan
Technologies of Canada, and California-based Aquafine Corporation. The grants
are funding research to make food safer by eliminating harmful viruses and
bacterial endospores in juices and other beverages.
Dr. Ankit Patras
“An important aspect of the study is to create science-based
knowledge and bridge existing knowledge gaps by assessing the sensitivity of
target foodborne viruses and spores to this treatment,” says Patras, the principal
investigator. “We want to identify markers of oxidative stress, which can be
correlated to microbial inactivation.”
This holiday season, TSU researchers say there are some
simple ways to avoid foodborne illnesses. They include:
Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw meats.
Keep raw meat and poultry apart from freh
produce and foods.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, then
lower temperature to 350 F when putting turkey into the oven. Cook for at least
2 hours and 30 minutes. Turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165 F in
the thickest part of the thigh.
Hot or cold food should not be left out for more
than two hours. Bacteria grow rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 F
and 140 F, doubling in as little as 20 minutes.
Hot foods should be kept at a temperature of at
least 140 F.
Cold foods, such as chicken salad or potato
salad, should be kept cold, at or below 40 F.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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) – In January, Tennessee State University will begin construction on the first new residence halls on the campus in 23 years.
The State Building Commission recently gave the green light for the six-story, 700-bed facility estimated at $75.3 million. It will be located between Eppse Hall and the Performing Arts Center on the main campus. The new project is part of a number of planned and ongoing constructions, including a new Health Sciences Building, that are changing the landscape at TSU.
TSU President Glenda Glover believes the new
residence halls and academic building will play a major role in recruitment
efforts.
“The university is undergoing a
renaissance of sorts; it began with our new, higher admission standards, and
continues with the new construction of the residence halls and Health Sciences
Building for prospective students to enjoy and reap the benefits,” Glover said.
“We are proud of our legacy and
the current buildings on campus are a part of that legacy. The facilities are
the first state-funded construction projects on our campus in 23 years. These
are exciting times for the university and our partners.”
Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National
Alumni Association, agreed that “building the residence halls with the best of
technology will help us recruit” new students.
“I am extremely pleased to hear that the
university will be able to move forward with the construction of two new
residence halls,” McReynolds said.
At
last year’s Homecoming, TSU broke grounds for the new residence halls, a new
Health Sciences Building, and an Alumni Welcome Center. The Health Sciences
Building, currently under construction on the main campus, is expected to be
completed in early 2020.
Dr.
Curtis Johnson, chief of staff and associate vice president for administration,
said construction of the residence halls will last for 18-20 months beginning
in January 2020. Prior to that, he said the university will soon begin making
modifications in parking that will include groundbreaking activity.
“The
facility will require some parking shift,” Johnson said. “The intent is not to
lose any parking spaces, but to just relocate those parking spaces to another
lot to allow the construction area laydown for the new facility.”
The
building will also have a high-tech security infrastructure that gives
exclusive access to occupants, he said. Outsiders coming in to use dining
facilities on the first floor will not be able to enter living areas.
“Security
design in this facility will include elevator lobbies, meaning that occupants
will have access through their IDs to be able to access the floor you live on.
There will be cameras and monitoring equipment throughout the facility,”
Johnson said.
Katelyn
Thompson, president of the Student Government Association, called construction
of the new residence halls “a historic endeavor that will make a big and
exciting difference” in student living.
“I am
so happy about this news,” Thompson said. “To have them starting the
construction this early means the world because I love my university, and to
watch it grow with new things is amazing, as new Tigers continue to enroll and
leave their mark at TSU.”
TSU’s
Dean of Student and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Frank
Stevenson, said the new residence will greatly help relieve the university of
the growing demand for student campus housing.
‘This
will be a state-of-the-art facility that creates a more dynamic student
experience,” Stevenson said. “We are tremendously excited about the progress.”
The new residence facility will include an assortment of room types, four dining concepts, a fitness facility, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, spa concept in some bathrooms, and laundry rooms. It will have three towers, and 4,5 and 6-story living areas. Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2020.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 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 recently partnered with Apple, Inc. to teach middle and high school girls how to code, as well as consider careers in STEM.
Youth from ages 6 to 19 from various schools, including McKissack Middle School and HIllsboro High School, had the opportunity to experience coding at a free camp on Nov. 2, 9 and 16 in TSU’s Farrell Westbrook Complex (The Barn) on the main campus.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the camp: “We’re proud to team up with @TSUedu and @nc100bwinc to show girls in Nashville how coding can help them realize their dreams. Can’t wait to see where your imaginations take you! “
Dr. Robbie Melton, TSU’s dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, serves as the program director for the coding initiative.
“We were able to introduce these girls to coding in a very fun, active and stimulating way,” she said. “The students were only supposed to pick one Saturday, but some of the girls came back every Saturday.”
During the camp, participants moved around to different
stations where they learned basic coding principles, and “actually coded drones
and robots to move and function.”
Melton said because of the success of the camp, her office has received requests from local high schools, as well as schools in Memphis, Clarksville and Shelbyville that hope to explore coding.
“The students went back to their schools and talked to their teachers, and because of that we are now having special sessions for schools,” Melton said. “We got a call from Hillsboro High School’s parent community where we went on Monday to do ‘Everyone Can Code. Everyone Can Create.’ Antioch is also on board. These are schools that have reached out because of their students to say, ‘Hey, can we have more? Can we bring students to you, or can you all come to us?”
Students from various schools in Nashville gather for photo following a free coding camp held in TSU’s Farrell Westbrook Complex. (Submitted Photo)
In July, TSU launched HBCU C2 “Everyone Can Code and Create,” a national initiative supported by Apple, which seeks to bring coding experiences to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and underserved communities. The initiative is part of TSU’s newly established National Center for Smart Technology Innovations, created through the HBCU C2 Presidential Academy. The girls coding camp is an extension of the initiative.
Dr. Veronica Johnson is president of the Metro Nashville
Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., which partnered
with TSU and Apple. She said black women and girls are “vastly
underrepresented” in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well
as performing arts.
“By exposing STEM projects at an early age, it could help
increase their chances of exploring these fields, as they pursue academic
degrees and seek future career opportunities,” Johnson said. “Having access to
develop needed skill sets to survive in the 21st digital landscape will be
critical to the economic impact of the future of black communities.”
Eleven-year-old Genesis Wells, who attends Cresswell Middle Prep School of the Arts, said she found out about the camp from her mother, Ariel Wells, who works at TSU.
Genesis Laniah Wells, a student at Cressell Middle Prep School of the Arts, attended the girls’ coding camp with her mom Ariel Wells, who works at TSU. (Submitted Photo)
“I enjoyed playing in Swift Playgrounds the most and GarageBand,” she said. “I enjoyed Swift Playgrounds because you get to control a character named Bright and make him collect coins, and it makes your brain think a little bit. I enjoyed GarageBand because I got to make beats and I love music, so that’s just a dream for me.”
Wells, who aspires to be a singer, actor and dancer, said
she is also considering a career as a pediatrician.
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of TSU’s College of Engineering,
said the camp was also beneficial to the participants’ parents, or guardians.
“The program also informs parents and adults about the digital world of information technology, and how as individuals you can take control of your learning and knowledge based on your own needs and career goals,” said Hargrove. “The ability to manage information and make data-driven decisions will continue to be a major skill for today and tomorrow’s workforce”
TSU has been charged with strengthening the collaboration by
offering the company’s coding curriculum to new audiences. That expansion also
includes providing TSU alums the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of app
design and app development for free.
To date, TSU has impacted 32 HBCUs with the HBCU C2 Initiative, including visiting every HBCU in Arkansas and meeting with a representative from each HBCU located in Louisiana. Melton said in April 2020 Apple will establish an HBCU Appstore, where HBCUs can share the various apps they have created.
“If you can dream it, we can design it and we can code it.
Everyone is not going to be a coder, but everyone can think and create.,” she
said. “We leave every academy with apps that they have designed to address a
community, an education or a workforce need.”
Also in July, TSU launched the first community “Everyone Can
Code and Create” initiative for youth on its Avon Williams Campus. The
initiative is also part of the National Center for Smart Technology
Innovations.
For more information about the girls coding camp, contact [email protected], or call 615-963-7269.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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 making the most of a $50,000 Home Depot Retool Your School grant it received last spring.
TSU students help install electrical fixtures in the amphitheater, as Home Depot production crew members look on. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
On Nov. 15, a
large production crew from Home Depot spent the day on the TSU main campus
recording student volunteers as they mulched, power washed and installed
electrical fixtures in the university amphitheater, the McWherter Circle, and
the exterior of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center. The film crew also interviewed
TSU President Glenda Glover, and several current and former students, as well
as staff and administrators about the benefit of the Retool Your School
campaign.
Student volunteers carry out various cleanup activities around campus. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Retool Your
School means so much to us and we are very much appreciative to Home Depot,”
Glover said. “The need to just fix the school up is a high priority, but
funding is not readily available, as we are busy trying to get money for
academic programs and to ensure that buildings are right for the students.
Retool your school has allowed our campus to fix some of the broken and
neglected areas. The students are really excited. They volunteered to
work. They want to make their campus look beautiful.”
Tennessee State
University received “Campaign of the Year” honors in Home Depot’s Retool
Your School HBCU Campus Improvement competition in the spring. This was the
first year for the award, which was created to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of the Retool Your School program. TSU beat out 60 other
institutions for the award.
Desire Wynn, a freshman dental hygiene major, helps pressure wash the amphitheater as part of the Home Depot Retool Your School campaign. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman)
“We are extremely
proud to have won this top honor for Campaign of the Year, and are just as
proud of our students, staff and alumni that mobilized efforts for TSU to have
such a strong showing to get the entire university family involved,” Glover
added.
Dwight Oliver, a
senior political science major from Memphis, and Desire Wynn, a freshman
majoring in dental hygiene, were two of the many student volunteers who mulched
plants in the McWherter Circle and helped to pressure wash the amphitheater.
They were thankful to Home Depot for the funding and for helping to give their
campus a facelift.
A Heme Depot production crew member talks to TSU alum Kolawole Odumade about his HBCU experience. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“This was an
amazing experience for me to be involved in helping to make my campus look
beautiful,” said Oliver, who also works for Home Depot at the company’s One
Hundred Oaks location. “Just to see that my company cares about the community
that I live in and go to school in was very touching, and makes me want to give
back as an alumnus.”
For Wynn, the
Cincinnati, Ohio, native was glad to see her school as a top winner in the
Retool Your School campaign, and her fellow students’ willingness to “help
clean up our campus.”
“As soon as I
heard what this was all about, I jumped in and was happy to see many students
joining in,” Wynn said. “Retool Your School is a wonderful idea.”
Marquisia Taylor,
project manager of multicultural marketing for Home Depot, was on hand with a
team of company executives and workers to make a special presentation to
President Glover.
“I am so happy to be here and to congratulate Tennessee State University for being a 2019-2020 Retool Your School grant recipient,” she said. “We just want to continue to support HBCUs by providing funds to help them reinvigorate their campuses and to create something new and exciting that the student body, alums, staff and everyone who is a supporter can rally around. We also congratulate President Glover for her leadership.”
Since 2009, the Retool Your School Program has provided over $2.1 million in campus improvement grants that allow HBCUs to make sustainable improvements to their campuses.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 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 President Glenda Glover is among Essence magazine’s
national list of women who are “inspiring communities around the world” and has
been named to its “Woke 100 List.”
Framed as a “salute to women of color challenging
the status quo,” the list, published in Essence’s November issue, features “100
women who exemplify the true meaning of being change agents and power players,”
according to a release.
Dr. Glenda Glover, president of TSU and international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. (Photo courtesy of Essence)
President Glover, who is considered a stalwart in
higher education and a staunch supporter of our nation’s HBCUs, also serves as
international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. As the
head of AKA, Dr. Glover is recognized for donating “$1.6 million on behalf of
the group to 32 HBCUs and gifted $100,000 to Bennett College, which was in
danger of losing its accreditation.” A few months later, the sorority
established a $100,000 endowment at TSU, with an initial contribution of
$25,000.
In September, Dr. Glover and the sorority raised
$1 million in a 24-hour campaign for HBCUs through an initiative called AKA
HBCU Impact Day. The funds are used to provide financial assistance and help
secure fiscal sustainability and success for TSU and all four-year HBCUs.
AKA HBCU Impact Day is part of a four-year $10
million fundraising goal by the sorority to establish an endowment on each
campus. Money raised through the initiative will assist in providing financial support
to these schools over the next three years.
In addition to the field of education and service, those making the list come from diverse professional backgrounds. This includes social justice to politics to entertainment. Others on the list are Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Simone Biles, Gayle King and Ava DuVernay. Visit www.essence.com/news/2019-woke-100/ to view the full list.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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) – More than 100 volunteers are expected to gather at Tennessee State University on Friday to assist with campus renovations funded by the $50,000 Home Depot’s Retool You School Grant the university secured in the spring.
A 20-person camera crew from Home Depot will be on hand to record the volunteers, who will assist with mulching and power washing, as well as light installation in the university amphitheater and the exterior of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center.
Tennessee State University received “Campaign of the Year” honors in Home Depot’s Retool Your School- HBCU Campus Improvement competition in the spring. This was the first year for the award, which was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Retool Your School program. TSU beat out 60 other institutions for the award.
TSU finished second in voting for the large institution category, but walked away with the Campaign of the Year award. Judges cited the overall performance of the campaign that was able to engage students, alumni and the community, as well as digital media strategies to promote voting.
Home Depot gave the final approval of the project, which begins
Friday.
Currently, there are several major construction projects underway on TSU’s campus. They include a new Health Sciences Building, two new residence halls, and an Alumni House and Welcome Center.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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) – Child care providers in Tennessee will have the opportunity to receive additional training thanks to a new $11.4 million federal grant secured by Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences. The university believes better trained daycare providers will mean better daycare services for Tennessee families.
(Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Kimberly Smith, the center’s director, says the grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will allow TSU to continue to serve as the professional development hub for the state as it relates to child development and early childhood training.
“We are expanding our online courses through the Tennessee Child care Online Training System, and we will now be responsible for the state’s workforce registry for all child development professionals who work in the area of childcare across the state,” says Smith.
Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA), a statewide professional development system that provides assistance for employees at licensed childcare facilities, is funded by Tennessee State University through a contract with the Tennessee Department of Human Services and is housed under the Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences.
Some of the additional courses that will soon be available include: Early Literacy Matters; Eat, Play and Rest; Inclusion; and Brain Development.
“One thing that makes TECTA so unique is that we work with early childhood professionals to strengthen the workforce within the state for childcare. We get to work with the family home providers and the centers, and then we provide funding for students,” adds Smith.
Dr. Kimberly Smith (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
Carmen Davis says without help from TSU’s TECTA program, she would not have been able to open her three-star childcare company, Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments.
“I was working full-time and going to school, and I couldn’t afford to do both,” says Davis, who started her business in 2007. “TECTA came in to offset the price, which allowed me the opportunity to go and achieve my CDA (Child Development Associate) through their grant and their funding.”
Davis, whose company is licensed to care for seven clients, says she has taken advantage of many of the courses currently offered by TECTA.
“I went through all of the TECTA orientations which were very beneficial because I work with a multi-age group. I went through the infant–toddler training, the preschool training and the administration training, which benefits me as far as my business part,” she says. “I also went through the TECTA Business Administration credential which helped with putting together a portfolio, the taxes part of it, the business sheets part of it and being professional. It took me to another level of professionalism.”
Tonita Robinson’s children have attended Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments since they were six-weeks old. She says her two-year-old and four-year-old have benefited from Davis’ experiences with TECTA.
Carmen Davis, owner of Ms. Carmen’s Precious Moments. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
“She does a good job identifying my kids’ triggers,” says Robinson. “She makes sure if my son is acting out, she doesn’t say he’s just acting out. She’s able to say why he was acting out, what she thinks might have caused him to act out, and what we can do to work together to fix it.”
Robinson, who works as a financial advisor at Napier Elementary School, believes the new funding is necessary for child care professionals to provide the best services.
“Everything changes everyday. Nothing stays the same,” she says. “The curriculum changes, and if the childcare provider’s job is to help prepare kids for when they get into school, then they need to have the training that regular teachers in the school system have so they will be on one accord.”
Dr. Frances Williams, associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU, credits Smith, TECTA Statewide Program Director Lin Venable and the center’s team approach for TECTA’s success.
“Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, she and her team have grown the center, as well as the funding. In this case, with TECTA receiving a little over $11 million for the year, this is the largest award for TECTA to date,” says Williams.
Shelia Westbrooks, the Middle Tennessee regional advisor for TOPSTAR, says the advisors have found the “most-needed” areas for the new programs and TECTA services in general are rural areas.
“They are not familiar with the program, and if they are, they don’t have internet access,” says Westbrooks, who worked as a licensed childcare provider for more than 20 years. “We try to make sure that we get materials to them to keep them aware of how family child care is changing in the state of Tennessee.” Westbrooks contends that many rural family care providers don’t know that there is funding available to assist them.
“TECTA helped fund my education. With the fund I got I was able to get my degree and now as an advisor, I work with over 239 providers in the Middle Tennessee Region,” she says. ‘It’s all about higher education and we want them to get their CDA credential and their accreditation credential, and TECTA helps to pay for all of that. A provider who works for themselves may not always have that extra funding, and so TECTA is that bridge to get them where they want to be.”
The Tennessee State University Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences was established in 1984, and began administering the TECTA Program in 1993.
For more information about TECTA, visit tecta.info or call 615-277-1697.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 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) – Atlanta high school senior Trinity Holt has made up her mind for college. She is coming to Tennessee State University to study pre-law, and she plans to play a little golf while she is at it.
Trinity Holt, a graduating senior from Mill Creek High School in Atlanta, will be a freshman at TSU Next fall semester. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“I fell in love with TSU after watching the
school band play in the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta. It was so nice,”
said the Mill Creek High School standout. “I talked to the band members, and
even though I was not playing, I felt like I was part of them.”
A
competitive golf player since her freshman year, Holt wants to bring her game
to TSU. She was among hundreds of high school seniors and juniors from across
the country who attended Spring Preview Day at TSU on Nov. 9 to get information
on the university’s offerings and programs.
The visitors – from about 15 states including, California, Texas, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin – had the opportunity to see the campus, get acquainted with admission processes, and meet with academic departments with displays in Kean Hall. They also interacted with student organization leaders, including Mister TSU and Miss TSU. They toured the campus, as well as took in the Big Blue Tiger Spring Blue & White Football Game in Hale Stadium, with entertainment by the world-renowned Aristocrat of Bands.
From right, high school senior Le’Kieffer DeBerry, her brother Kanaan, mother Kendra, a TSU alum, niece Mc’Kenzie, and father Dale DeBerry attend Spring Preview Day 2019. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“Today
was amazing because students from all across the country got the opportunity to
see exactly what makes TSU special,” said Terrence Izzard, associate vice
president for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “Today was filled with
activities for parents and students. We were also blessed to have members of
our academic departments on hand to give information about programs,
scholarships and internships.”
Earlier
in a ceremony in Kean Hall, Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU chief of staff and
associate vice president for administration, greeted the visitors on behalf of
President Glenda Glover, who was traveling. He directed his comments mainly at
parents.
Terrence Izzard, TSU’s Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, middle, talks to a family during Spring Preview Day in Kean Hall. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
“I
encourage you parents to be excited and to know that those leaders that you
brought here today are going to meet leaders that I want you to talk to,”
Johnson said. “Drill them about what they are doing here and how that will help
your child. We want you to know that TSU is about business and that we are
going to take care of your children.”
Katelyn
Thompson, president of the student government association, also spoke and
introduced the visitors to the various campus organizations.
TSU admissions officials assist visiting students and parents in Kean Hall during Spring Preview Day. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)
Like
Trinity Holt, many students came to Spring Preview ready to make TSU their next
home for their college careers, while several others said they were impressed
with the reception they received, the programs, as well as the campus and the
family atmosphere.
Le’Kieffer
DeBerry, from Holly Springs, Mississippi, came with her mother Kendra, a TSU
alum, father Dale, brother Kanaan, and her niece Mc’Kenzie. With a plan
to major in pre-med, Le’Kieffer said she is trying to make up her mind after looking
at other programs, and she thinks TSU would be a good fit, especially since her
mother attended TSU and her grandmother, Eloise Thompson Jackson, was a
longtime professor in the dental hygiene program.
“I am
not a stranger to TSU. My mother and grandmother always talk a lot at about the
programs and the nurturing students receive,” Le’Kieffer said. “I have been
seriously thinking about coming here.”
“I
definitely think TSU will be a good choice for her,” Kendra DeBerry, who
graduated TSU in 1989, added. “I want her to have that HBCU experience. I love
TSU. I think the school has a lot to offer.”
Kito
Johnson, who also traveled from Rosswell, Georgia, with his son Immanuel, said
Spring Preview Day was very encouraging.
“We have
looked at quite a few colleges,” he said. “This is the first HBCU we have
looked at and am very glad that we came.”
“My
experience here was pretty cool,” added Immanuel, who first heard about TSU at
a college fair. “After the counselor talked about the school, I decided to come
and look at it. I like what I see – a nice campus, nice people and great
programs.”
Immanuel
wants to major in psychology. He is also interested in the Honors College.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only
public university, and is a premier, historically black university and
land-grant institution offering 38 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.
