Category Archives: Research and Sponsored Programs

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RANKINGS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Highly Sought-after Freshman Says Coming to Tennessee State University Changed His World

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Emmanuel Wallace had several colleges on his radar. But the top high school graduate from Memphis says a summer program he participated in at Tennessee State University changed his world, and he had no choice but to become a Big Blue Tiger.

“What brought me to TSU was my experience in a five-week Summer Apprenticeship Program that really opened my eyes to a lot of opportunities in agriculture,” says Wallace, a graduate of East High School, where he was a “distinguished honor roll” student and a student ambassador. With an expressed interest in studying civil engineering, Wallace received full scholarship offers from Vanderbilt University and the University of Memphis, just a few of the schools courting him.

Emmanuel Wallace

“First, I was considering majoring in civil engineering, because in high school I did a lot of engineering programs,” says Wallace, now a freshman at TSU. “But after talking with the leaders of the program, I concluded that agriculture would be a good fit for me.”

Over the summer, Wallace was one of 21 graduating high school seniors from across the nation who participated in the very competitive five-week Summer Apprenticeship Program. From studies in understanding hypersensitive response of tobacco plants to comparing DNAs in chickens and Guinea fowls, participants in the program were exposed to real-world scientific work and cutting-edge research. He developed a special interest in goat research after spending time with renowned TSU goat researcher, Dr. Richard Browning.

Wallace’s professors and mentors in the program say he showed remarkable ability and enthusiasm to learn.

“Right away we noticed how bright and energetic he was and really wanted to learn,” says Dr. DeEtra Young, assistant professor of agricultural and environmental sciences. “So through our mentorship, I think he fell in love with the new opportunities that agriculture provides.”

Wallace, a first-generation college student and the youngest of three children, came to TSU with a near 4.0 grade point average. He was the salutatorian of his graduating class, president of the National Honor Society, the senior class, and manager for the varsity boys’ soccer team at East High. He is currently majoring in agricultural sciences with a concentration in agribusiness. He hopes to go to graduate school and either work for the U.S. Department Agriculture or develop a business career in agribusiness.

Wallace was recruited as a High Achiever Academic Scholarship recipient. He is a Dean Scholar in the College of Agriculture, and a member of the Honors College. He also has memberships in the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Science.

Recently, Wallace was one of 10 TSU students selected to participate in a three-day Agriculture Future of America four-track program in Kansas City, Missouri, designed to offer college men and women four different personal and professional development opportunities matched to their year in college.

According to Young, who accompanied the students, Wallace participated in Track I, which is the leadership track for freshmen.

“The program bridges the gap between academic, leadership and work experiences while helping students understand the impact of their decisions,” says Young.

At TSU, Wallace says his goal is to combine academic and leadership for student success.

“I plan on holding multiple leadership positions, inspire and motivate members of my class, and become a student ambassador for Tennessee State University,” he says.

For more information on opportunities in the TSU College of Agriculture, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/seminar_schedule.aspx.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

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

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, RANKINGS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU’s Glover Receives Thurgood Marshall College Fund Education Leadership Award, HBCU President of the Year

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover has received the prestigious Thurgood Marshall College Fund Education Leadership Award as the HBCU President of the Year.

The award was presented to Glover at the TMCF’s 31st Anniversary Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 29.

It recognizes Dr. Glover’s commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and  her bold leadership and achievements in higher education.

“I’m extremely humbled and thankful to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund for selecting me as the 2018 Education Leadership Award recipient,” Glover said.

“This award is an honor that represents the bright and talented students enrolled at TSU, our leaders of tomorrow, as well as the dedicated faculty and staff committed to nurturing and inspiring them.”

Glover was among three distinguished individuals who were honored at this year’s TMCF awards gala.

Emmanuel Wallace, a freshman, agricultural sciences major from Memphis, Tennessee, is a recipient of the TMCF scholarship. He is grateful for the support and for the recognition being bestowed on Dr. Glover.

“It makes me feel important that our president is receiving this outstanding award from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund,” Wallace said, upon hearing that Glover had been selected for the award. “It shows that we are a school that is all about education and excellence.”

Sophomore Jailen Leavell, who was recently named a White House Initiative 2018 HBCU Competitiveness Scholar for academics and leadership, echoed the same sentiments. He touted Dr. Glover’s continued hard work to make sure students are successful.

“After hearing the announcement from the leader of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund that President Glover won the highest award from the organization, it filled me with pride to know that she is my university president,” Leavell said.

“Beyond pride, it inspired me to continue putting my best foot forward in academics and extracurricular activities, to be the greatest student just like she was while attending our university.”

The TMCF has had a long relationship with Tennessee State University and President Glover, through scholarships and programs geared toward student success.

On Oct. 22, the head of TMCF, Dr. Harry Williams, visited TSU to meet with Glover, senior administration officials, and to see firsthand the impact the organization is having with students participating in its program.

Williams noted that TSU was the 27th HBCU he has visited in the last nine months. TMCF represents 47 HBCUs and raised over $300 million for them. He said 97 percent of students who receive scholarships graduate, which is attractive to employers.

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.

 

For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org.

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

TSU Inaugural Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Lecture Features Accomplished Microbiologist George Hill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University recently held its inaugural Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Homecoming Lecture on its main campus in the Robert N. Murrell Forum.

Dr. George C. Hill, who formerly served as head of the Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D. Professor in Medical Education Chair at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, provided the talk on Oct. 18, encouraging students to persevere in spite of skeptics.

The lecture series, a component of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Institute, was established to honor Watkins, a 1966 alumnus of TSU and the first African-American to be accepted into and graduate from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine. It features prominent speakers who address areas in health care and STEM to prepare students for the medical field. The late Watkins is known worldwide for being the first surgeon to successfully implant an automatic heart defibrillator in a human patient.

“You too can be exactly like Dr. Watkins. If he were here today he

Dr. George C. Hill

would show you that it is just an example of what Tennessee State University produces,” said Hill, an accomplished molecular biochemist. “Less than 10 years after Dr. Watkins graduated from Vanderbilt, in February 1980, he assisted in putting the defibrillator in a patient.”

Hill, distinguished professor emeritus and past vice chancellor at Vanderbilt University, shared old photographs of Watkins as well as insights about the life of a man who transformed the educational landscape for African-American students pursuing careers in the medical field.

TSU President Glenda Glover greeted the crowd and explained the purpose of the Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., Institute.

“We established this institute to assist students who aspire to attend medical school. We established this institute for students to join the pre-med society. We established this institute to provide leaders from around the world,” she said. “We established this institute to provide scholarships for students for their education here at TSU. “

TSU President Glenda Glover gives greetings at the inaugural Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Lecture.

Glover thanked the Watkin’s family for donating $500,000 to fund the institute.

“We thank Dr. Annie Marie Garraway for your contribution to carry out the vision of the genius himself, Dr. Levi Watkins Jr.,“ she said.

Dr. Garraway is Watkin’s sister. She and her husband, Ira Deep, along with Watkin’s cousin, Beverly Sheftall, attended the lecture.

Dr. Lonnie Sharpe, director of the Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., Institute, said the university was honored to have Hill as the event’s featured lecturer.

“Dr. Hill is well renown in his field,” Sharpe said. “The students got to see someone of color who has done very well in terms of looking at diseases and trying to find cures for them. He has done a great job in terms of trying to get students to go into the medical field.”

The event also featured the induction of 19 students into the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Society, an organization comprised of students who aspire to attend medical school.

Students recently inducted into the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Society with members of the Watkin’s family and organizers of the Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., Institute.

“We are trying to enhance the education of our students by getting more of them to go into medical fields,” said Sharpe, who serves as interim dean of the College of Life and Physical Sciences. “Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., did a great job in terms of being an example for our students, so we are looking forward to many more of our students attending graduate school and following in his footsteps.”

TSU alum Brandon Van Leer showcases his portrait of Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. which was unveiled during the program.

Barbara Murrell, a 1960 alumna of TSU, was the director of Student Activities in 1965 when Watkins served as president of the student government association president.

“Levi started his preparation for his journey here at Tenneseee State Univeristy in the ‘Land of Golden Sunshine by the Cumberland fertile shore,’” she said.“To us he was Levi. To the world he became a a renowned cardiac surgeon, a game-changer, an unrelenting advocate for the disenfranchised, a drum major for justice and a history maker.”

In addition to the lecture series, the institute also consists of a pre-med society and an endowed scholarship.

Students inducted into the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Society include Malcolm Finlay, president, a senior, biology/psychology major; Hitesh Vaishnav, vice-president, a senior, chemistry major; Christian Bond,secretary,  a junior, biology/pre-health major; and Anthony Moreland, treasurer, a senior, biology major.

Other students inducted into the society include Farah Ismail, a junior, chemistry major; Danielle Borlay, a senior, biology major; Joshua Borlay, a freshman, biology major; Autumn Brunson, a sophomore, biology major; Tyona Caldwell, a senior, chemistry major; Ashli Earl, a sophomore, biology major; Sahra Gabure, a sophomore, chemistry major; Jayvonna Gambrell, a sophomore, biology major, Cameron Holifield, a senior, chemistry major; Sara Jamal, a senior, chemistry major; Kimberley Laporte, a sophomore, biology major; Rodney McCracken, a freshman, biology major; Larry McNary II, a sophomore, biology major; Aliyah Muhammad, a junior, biology/pre-med major; and Habiba Mwechiwa, a sophomore, biology major.

 

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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU celebrates history-making Homecoming with new constructions, record fundraising and parade attendance

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – This year’s Homecoming at Tennessee State University involved a bit of history-making, in addition to the excitement.

The Tigers’ trouncing of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (41-14) in the football game at Nissan Stadium on Saturday was just the icing on the cake. Add that to the much-anticipated parade along Jefferson Street that brought out thousands, and groundbreaking ceremonies for four new buildings, as well as a scholarship gala the night before that raised a record amount to keep students in school.

President Glenda Glover waves to the crowd along the 2018 Homecoming parade route. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The Scholarship Gala is the university’s single largest fundraising event. Organizers said when all the tabulation is completed, they expect this year’s proceeds to top last year’s $1.3 million intake.

No doubt, TSU President Glenda Glover called this year’s Homecoming one of the most exciting in school history.

“We are on record pace here,” Glover said to a packed room of cheering fans at the President’s Homecoming Reception at Nissan Stadium, just before the football game.

“We broke ground for four new buildings this week, including two new residence halls that will

The world-renowned TSU Aristocrat of Bands participates in the Homecoming parade. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

help us to recruit more quality students. We are just very excited.”

The new structures include two new residence halls, a Health Sciences Building and an Alumni Welcome Center. The new dorms will be the first to be built at the university in 23 years, and the Health Sciences Building will be the first state-funded building to be constructed on the campus in 15 years.

Glover also touted the record number of participants in the 2018 Homecoming parade.

“We had 140 entrants in this year’s parade, that’s the largest ever. It is really good to see the Nashville community come out in such numbers to support TSU,” she said.

Mr. TSU and Miss TSU and their Court wave to the cheering crowd from atop their Homecoming float in the 2018 parade along Jefferson Street. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

At the reception, Glover recognized and congratulated several individuals, including Special Presidential Honoree James Shaw, Jr., the “Waffle House Hero”; the parade grand marshals, and the Homecoming honorees. She also recognized and thanked TSU alums Amos and Brenda Otis for their “generous contribution” of $1million toward the construction of the new Alumni Welcome Center.

She paid special tribute to the family of injured TSU football player Christion Abercrombie for their courage. The family, including Abercrombie’s aunt, Shawn Neason, and uncle Kevin Richardson – sporting the player’s No. 6 jersey – later joined President Glover for the coin toss at the start of the game. Also present at the reception was Abercrombie’s other uncle, Obie Mitchell, and Chris Wyckoff, a family friend.

TSU President Glenda Glover, along with senior administration and Foundation Board members, receive a check for $1 million from TSU alums Amos and Brenda Otis toward the construction of an Alumni Welcome Center on campus. Picture from left are: President Glover, Amos Otis, Brenda Otis, Dwaye Tucker, Foundation Board chair; Dr. Lesia Crunpton-Young, VP for Research and Institutional Advancement; Joni McReynolds, President of the TSU National Alumni Association; Cassandra Griggs, Alumni Affairs director; and Dr. Curtis Johnson, Chief of Staff. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Like Glover said, excitement about homecoming was widespread and rekindled a lot of memories.  Nathan Andrews was all smiles as he stood in front of what is now Humphries Hall and pointed to the parking lot on the other side – soon to be the home of the Alumni Welcome Center.

“That was a baseball field, where we passed the time in the evening,” said Andrews, of Nashville, who came to TSU in 1959. “And where I am standing was a little beer joint. We couldn’t go to many places so some of us would sneak around here.”

Injured TSU football player Christion Abercrombie’s family member accompany President Glover for the coin toss at the start of the Homecoming game at Nissan Stadium. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Andrews said although he is not active as he should be, he watches the parade every year if his health allows, and sits at his favorite spot – “across from the baseball field.”

Colette Combs, of Miami, Florida, a 1976 TSU graduate, looks forward to always coming back to where she called her beginning.

“Homecoming is filled with exciting moments of rekindling and renewing old friendships,” said Combs, who this year celebrated her 45th anniversary as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “This is a time when we celebrate and reminisce on precious memories formulated here at Tennessee State University.”

A group of TSU alums, attending the Homecoming parade, celebrated their 45th anniversary as members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Several members of the class are not in the picture. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

From Oct. 14-20, Homecoming events included the Robert N. Murrell Oratorical Contest, a gospel concert, the Mr. TSU and Miss TSU coronation, the Homecoming Concert, the Alumni Whiteout Party, the Charles Campbell Fish Fry, the President’s Legacy Society Luncheon, and the Breakfast of Champions, among others.

Also this year, the university launched the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Symposium in honor of the late TSU alum and pioneering heart surgeon. The Watkins family, who attended the inaugural symposium, received rousing applause from the audience and President Glover for contributing $500,000 to establish the Levi Watkins, Jr. Endowed Scholarship at TSU.

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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Mr. And Miss Tennessee State University Coronation Continues Homecoming Tradition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University continued a Homecoming tradition with the crowning of a new Mr. and Miss TSU.

Hundreds of people — including parents, relatives, friends and fellow students — packed a jubilant Kean Hall on Oct. 17 to witness the coronation of Darian McGhee and Kayla Sampson, and their court.

TSU President Glenda Glover congratulated the new king and queen after giving them the oath of office. Dr. Tracey Ford, vice president for Student Affairs, followed the president. She charged the two students to take their roles seriously.

TSU President Glenda Glover congratulates Darian McGhee and Kayla Sampson after being crowned as the new Mr. and Miss Tennessee State University. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“Taking on the responsibility of Mr. TSU and Miss TSU is steeped in tradition, as many are looking up to you,” Ford said. “Be reminded that this is serious.”

McGhee, a senior electrical engineering major from Memphis, Tennessee, is the outgoing Mr. Junior. He said in an interview before the coronation that his goal is to help more male students succeed in college. Compared to females, McGhee said, male students are disproportionately not successful in college because many lack the zeal and desire to persevere “when things get tough.”

“When I go to bed each night and wake up the next morning, I want to feel I am a better person than I was the day before; that comes from my drive to be better,” said McGhee, of Memphis Tennessee. “You have to have a drive and that’s what I want to pass on to my fellow students.”

Sampson, who becomes the 89th Miss TSU, is from Jackson, Mississippi. She is a senior agriculture science major with a concentration in biotechnology. Her goal is to use her “unique position” to implement a platform built around community service, especially reaching out to young kids, and helping incoming freshmen get adjusted to college life.

“The TSU motto of Think, Work, Serve is built around service and I want to make sure we carry out that mission in our community by participating in activities in elementary schools,” Sampson said. “My goal is to inspire more little kids through mentoring or helping in their schools. They respond more to young people. If they see us looking well and setting good examples, they will want to be like us”

The new Mr. and Miss TSU Court include: Christian Shack, Mr. Freshman; Tyahna Arnold, Miss Freshman; Donovan Stewart, Mr. Sophomore; Joycelyn Barney, Miss Sophomore; Damyr Moore, Mr. Junior; Deirdre Johnson, Miss Junior; Devinn Pauley, Mr. Senior; Arnella Williams-Foster, Miss Senior; Nadia Butterfield, Miss 1912; and Wimberly Robinson, Miss Blue & White.

 

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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Tennessee State University Remembers Founders During 2018 Homecoming

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – This is Homecoming week and today is Founders’ Day at Tennessee State University.

TSU President Glenda Glover, accompanied by keynote speaker Council Woman-At-Large Sharon Hurt, led a procession of faculty, student leaders and administrators in Kean Hall to mark the university’s 106th birthday.

President Glenda Glover presents 2018 Founders’ Day speaker Sharon Hurt with a plaque at the ceremony in Kean Hall. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The University Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. Reginald McDonald, offered selections to a cheering audience, following presentation of colors by the Air Force ROTC Color Guard.

“This is a great day for Tennessee State University,” Glover said, as she recounted events in the University’s history from its founding in 1912 to the role it plays today as a major center of education in the nation.

“From 1912 when the then-Agricultural and Industrial Normal School for Negroes, built to provide educational opportunity for blacks, opened its doors to the first 247 students, TSU has maintained a tradition of excellence in education for a diverse population.”

Student leaders and faculty join in singing the Alma Mater at the Founders’ Day program. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

In her keynote address, Rep. Hurt, president and CEO of Jefferson Street United Merchant Partnership, or JUMP, reminded the students, faculty and alumni that as members of the TSU family, they have a “rich legacy” to uphold of people who believe in self-determination.

“As you celebrate Founders’ Day, remember that you have an ancestral calling to serve and support this institution,” said Hurt, a graduate of TSU. Hurt also holds a master’s degree in non-profit leadership from Belmont University.

Miss TSU Kayla Sampson, joined by Mr. TSU Darian McGhee, gives the university history at the Founders’ Day program. (Phto by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“You are the keepers of a legacy of worldwide accomplishments and have the God-given right by virtue of your calling to glorify, magnify and fortify the legacy that you have inherited as a descendant of doctors, teachers, engineers, talk show host, etc.,” she said. “Whatever your profession, TSU gave you a purpose.”

Hurt, a recipient of several awards and recognitions, is a former board member of the Center for Non-Profit Management and past president of the Association of Non-Profit Executives Council, and is a graduate of the 2004 Class of Leadership Nashville. During her tenure as president of JUMP, Hurt has secured more than $4 million in funding from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Grant to acquire and rehabilitate homes in the North Nashville community.

She thanked President Glover, also an alumna, for the invitation and for her own legacy of excellence in earning multiple degrees. She called on students to be more focused, and congratulated the university on the celebration of the 2018 Homecoming.

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.

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

TSU Scholarship Gala Features Legendary Jazz Musician Roy Ayers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Scholarship Gala will take place on Friday, Oct. 19, at the Music City Center.

The event, which begins at 7 p.m., will be preceded by a 6 p.m. reception featuring the TSU Jazz Collegians and the TSU String Orchestra. Nationally renowned actor and comedian Jonathan Slocumb will host the annual fundraising event, which will conclude with a concert featuring legendary jazz artist Roy Ayers.

“The Homecoming Scholarship Gala serves as Tennessee State University’s signature fundraising event,” Gala chairs Cassandra Griggs and Iris Ramey said in a statement. “It provides an opportunity for the university to partner with alumni, friends, employees, corporations and organizations to raise annual and endowed scholarship dollars for the outstanding students at TSU.”

The gala provides critical funds necessary to meet the significant need for student scholarships and ensures access to the relevant academic programs required to successfully educate and prepare students for the global marketplace.

This year, the gala will recognize a “stellar group” of honorees and grand marshals, including ‘Waffle House Hero’ James Shaw, Jr., who received national acclaim after he disarmed a Waffle House shooter in April. Shaw will receive a Special Presidential Recognition.

Other honorees are: Dr. Calvin Atchison, retired vice president of Development/Foundation; Dorothy Lockridge, retired vice president of Student Affairs; and Coach James Bass, retired health professor and swimming coach.

The grand marshals are: Robert Covington, NBA player with the Philadelphia 76ers; Dr. Richard Lewis, member of TSU Board of Trustees and owner of Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors; and Delorse Lewis, former executive director of TSU Development/Foundation.

For more information about the gala and how to donate, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/gala/.

To find out more about TSU’s overall Homecoming this year, https://bit.ly/2wYtjJG.

 

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.

 

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RANKINGS, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Hundreds Attend Fall Preview Day at TSU, several admitted on the spot

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tywan Corbitt, Jr., and Martez Cuff II have been friends since kindergarten. The two Dayton, Ohio natives have kept their close bond and encouraged each other through middle school and are now graduating seniors at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School.

They also have plans for college, the same college.

“We are coming to Tennessee State University,” Corbitt and Cuff said in unison, as their patents listened with apparent excitement.

Tywan Corbitt, Jr., and Martez Cuff II, have been admitted to TSU for the 2019-2020 academic year. They attended Fall Preview Day with their parents. From left are: Angie Christian, Martez Cuff’s mother; Martez; Tywan, and his father, Tywan Corbitt, Sr. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The two young men were among nearly 700 high school juniors and seniors who on Saturday attended Fall Preview Day, commonly called Big Blue Explosion at TSU. Organizers said participants came from more than 15 states, including California, Michigan, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin to learn about the university’s offerings and admission processes.

Like Corbitt and Cuff, who will major in electrical engineering and physical therapy, respectively, organizers said several students were admitted on the spot for the 2019-2020 academic year. One of them was Alani Maiden of Little Rock, Arkansas, who proudly displayed her certificate of admission as she toured the campus.

“I chose TSU because it is a highly accredited HBCU, where I know I will feel more at home,” said Maiden, a senior at Little Rock Central High School, who wants to major in nursing. “I chose TSU because it is in Nashville, an up-and-coming city. And I can see myself not only going to school in Nashville, but also living in Nashville.”

Organizers say nearly 700 high school juniors and seniors and their parents attended Fall Preview Day. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Admissions and university officials said they were very excited about the turnout at this year’s Big Blue Explosion.

“We had an awesome and exciting Fall Preview Day,” said Dr. John Cade, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “We admitted on the spot about 30 students. So we are excited about the fact that we have already started our trajectory with respect to building enrollment for the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year.”

Also excited was Anwar Turner, a TSU 2010 graduate and former drum major with the Aristocrat of Bands, whose son, Jordan, was among those admitted.

Alani Maiden, a senior from Little Rock Central High School, was one of those admitted on the spot at Fall Preview Day. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“I am absolutely excited. He has grown up in this environment like I have,” said Anwar. “I was in the band. I would bring him to football games. My family is from here. So my family and I are very excited that he’s coming here.”

Jordan, whose goal is to go into film production, wants to major in mass communications.

“I am very excited. This is where I want to go to college. I can’t wait to start,” said Jordan. “My parents have been here. My grandparents have been here. I have just been around this campus my whole life. I have been to the games; I have seen the band play. I got TSU blood in me.”

Anwar Turner, a 2010 TSU graduate and former drum major, says he is excited his son, Jordan, has been admitted to his alma mater. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Corbitt and Cuff plan to maintain their bond, and believe leaving home will not change or take them away from their goal of a quality college education.

“TSU is a great school. I have family down here. My father went to an HBCU, so it makes it all the more interesting,” said Corbitt.

“I am sure we will make it. We will encourage each other and keep each other focused,” Cuff added.

Organizers said activities for the visitors also included meetings with academic departments, TSU student organizations, campus tours, and other forms of educational entertainment.

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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RANKINGS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

2018 Fall Career Fair Opens Doors to Internships, Employment for TSU Students; Record Number Attend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students looking for internships, full-time employment and co-op opportunities got a major break on Wednesday. More than 130 companies and potential employers converged on the main campus for the 2018 Fall Career Fair.

Representatives from government agencies, aerospace, engineering, healthcare and the entertainment industries set up tents, tables and displays in the Gentry Center Complex to network with students about career and potential employment opportunities.

Organizers said nearly 400 students attended the all-day fair.

Anthony Wadsworth, a senior electrical engineering major, right, talks to Boeing representatives about internship opportunity. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

India Brown, a junior sociology major with public health concentration, and Anthony Wadsworth, a senior electrical engineering major, were among the first students at the fair. They were both looking for internships.

“I am looking for something that’s in the health field, dealing with social work,” said Brown, a Memphis native, as she filled in an application form with Tennessee Family Solutions, Inc., a direct support group dedicated to people with special needs.

For Wadsworth, who was networking at the Boeing table, he was following up on a previous meeting with Boeing representatives in Washington, D.C, last summer. He is seeking his first internship.

Within minutes of arriving at the career fair, India Brown, seeking internship opportunity in the healthcare industry, was already filling out an application. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“I spoke with them at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards ceremony in Washington last summer. They directed me to the right place and I am just here to follow up,” said Wadsworth, who is from Nashville.

He may just be in luck. Boeing representatives said they were “quite” impressed with the quality and preparedness of the TSU students at the fair.

“We see a great potential here among these students,” said Edward H. Gerding, vice president and senior chief engineer for structure and mechanical systems at Boeing. “We are actually looking across the board. We are growing in all aspects of our business between engineering, supply chain and business. We are looking for engineers and people in varieties of specialties, and now is the perfect time for students that are searching for internships.”

Like Boeing, representatives from the CIA, FedEx, NASA, Regions Bank and several other corporations and employers said TSU students – dressed in dark business suits and black shoes – were very impressive in appearance, approach and presentation.

Corey L. Harrell, left, a 2001 TSU graduate now working for NASA, returns to his alma mater as a recruiter for NASA. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“We do a lot of work in terms of preparation,” said Charles Jennings, director of the TSU Career Development Center, which organized the fair. “Last week and up to yesterday, we spent time getting them ready for interviews. I see that it shows, because a lot of the employers are talking about the great turnout and how ready our students are.”

Jennings also attributed the success of the fair and the preparedness of students to the mentorship provided by alumni of the career center, many of whom returned not only as recruiters for their various companies, but also to help their younger protégés prepare for the real world.

“It is just nice to see them giving back to their institution,” Jennings said.

Nearly 30 TSU graduates who got their career start with companies through the Career Development Center, attended the fair as recruiters for their companies and to mentor their younger proteges. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, TSU Career Development Center)

In all, nearly 30 TSU graduates, who got their career start with companies through the Career Development Center, were seen sporting shirts with Alumni on a TSU blue patch affixed to the chest. One of them was Corey L. Harrell, NASA SMA engines branch chief at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

He said coming back to TSU as a “proud alum” means a lot to him. “Anytime I can get a chance to come back I always do it,” said Harrell, who has returned several times to mentor and participate in the career fair. “

For more information on future career fairs or the TSU Career Development Center, to http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

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.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

2018 TSU Homecoming Concert, Gospel Explosion to Feature Big Name Artists

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University welcomes rap icon Gucci Mane for Homecoming 2018.

The Billboard Music Award winner, known for hits like “I Get the Bag,” “Wake Up in the Sky,” and “Kept Back,” will headline this year’s Homecoming concert in the Gentry Center Complex on Thursday, Oct. 18. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 for students, and $35 for the public.

Homecoming week runs from Sunday, Oct. 14 and culminates on Saturday, Oct. 20 with the parade along Jefferson Street, and the football game between TSU and Tennessee Tech at Nissan Stadium.

The concert, one of several entertainment events for the week sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and SUBG, will also feature big name recording artists like rappers NBA Youngboy and Jacquees, and R&B superstar Layton Green.

“We are really excited for the entertainment lineup for Homecoming 2018,” says Mon-Cherie Robinson, assistant director of student activities.  “We have an amazing lineup of entertainers that’s going to blow minds.”

According to Robinson, the week will kick off on Oct. 14 with the Homecoming Gospel Explosion featuring gospel superstars Earnest Pugh, Jonathan McReynolds, and The Walls Group. The Gospel Explosion will also be held in the Kean Hall. Show starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free for the Gospel Explosion.

Organizers say this year’s Homecoming Step Show on Friday, Oct. 19, will be the biggest ever, with all nine Greek organizations participating. They will be competing for a $1,500 grand prize, says Robinson. The step show will be held in the Gentry Center Complex beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets for students are $15, and $25 the day of. General admission is $20 in advance, and $25 the day of.

Tickets for all events can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, or the TSU Box Office in the Gentry Center Complex.

Like last year, and in addition to these student activities, Tennessee State University is gearing up for another spectacular Homecoming with a stellar group of grand marshals and honorees.

This year’s Homecoming begins Oct. 14 with the Robert N. Murrell Oratorical Contest. The football game between the Big Blue Tigers and the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech will take place on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Nissan Stadium at 4:30 p.m.

For just the second time, TSU has a Special Presidential Honoree: James Shaw, Jr. The other honorees are Dr. Calvin Atchison, retired vice president of development/Foundation Office; Mrs. Dorothy Lockridge, retired vice president of student affairs; Coach James Bass, retired health professor and swimming coach. The grand marshals are Mr. Robert Covington, NBA player with Philadelphia 76ers; Dr. Richard Lewis, TSU Board of Trustees member and owner of Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors; and Mrs. Delorse Lewis, former executive director of TSU Development/Foundation Office.

Besides the big game, another highlight of this year’s Homecoming is the Scholarship Gala on Oct. 19. The gala is the biggest single event by the university to raise scholarship money. Contributions swelled from $600,000 in 2016 to more than one million dollars last year.

This year, the gala welcomes back comedian Jonathan Slocumb as the master of ceremony. Legendary jazz artist Roy Ayers will be the celebrity entertainer.

Other Homecoming activities this year include the Coronation of Mr. TSU and Miss TSU on Oct. 17; official groundbreaking of new Health Sciences Building on Oct. 18; the Breakfast of Champions, the Charles Campbell Fish Fry, and the National Pan-Hellenic Step Show on Oct. 19; and the legendary Homecoming Parade on Oct. 20.

For more information on Homecoming 2018, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/alumni/homecoming/

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.