Category Archives: RESEARCH

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Two-day TSU/GSA training shows HBCUs how to gain access to federal contracting opportunities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The U.S. General Services Administration recently held a two-day training session at Tennessee State University to educate historically black colleges and universities on seeking contracting opportunities with the federal government. Called “Growth ’22 Series,” the event was part of a GSA regional outreach training initiative geared toward advancing equity for HBCUs in the federal market place. It was part of the White Initiative on HBCUs aimed to ensure that these institutions have equal access to GSA contracting programs to purchase products and services.

Dr. Quincy Quick, third from left, TSU’s interim Assistant VP for Research and Sponsored Programs, welcomes GSA officials. From left are: Dale Terry, Special Assistant to the Commissioner; Thomas Meiron, Federal Acquisition Service Regional Commissioner; Dr. Quick; Cheryl Thornton-Cameron, Executive Director; Trina Bilal, Program Manager; and Lanelle Chisolm, National Account Manager. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

Representatives from several HBCUs including Clark Atlanta University, Alabama A&M University, and Jarvis Christian University joined TSU at the workshop, that also included presenters from the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Energy.

Cheryl Thornton-Cameron, executive director of the GSA Office of Acquisition Operations, said the agency is “100 percent” committed to spending time with the HBCU community to make them aware of all federal funding and grant opportunities, as well as employment opportunities for HBCU graduates.

“Today we want to bring more awareness to our HBCUs organizations through our Growth ‘22 Series,“ Thornton-Cameron said. “The Biden/ Harris administration is committed to making sure that these institutions are given more opportunities to get federal government business and funding, and also look at hiring more HBCUs students. What we do know is that some of the brightest employees actually come from HBCUs.”

Among HBCUs represented at two-day training were Clark Atlanta University, Alabama A&M University, Jarvis Christian University, and TSU. (Photo by Reginald Cannon)

According to Thornton-Cameron, TSU was the first stop of the Growth ’22 training tour. The next workshop will be at Jackson State University.

“We want to thank President (Glenda) Glover for opening the doors and allowing us to come and set up to where we can have a conversation with other HBCU brothers and sisters, because lots of HBCUs don’t even know that they can play in the federal government market place. HBCUs can tap into billions, whether it is federal procurement, grants or hiring HBCU students.”

Dr. Quincy Quick, professor and interim assistant vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU, said the GSA training allows the university to enhance its systems, and helps staff to be more efficient in seeking contract opportunities.

“The forum provided an opportunity for HBCUs to partner with GSA, and gave us the ability to acquire contracts from the federal government,” Quick said. “The forum also gave us another way for us to be able to identify research opportunities that will be more contract base.”

The event at TSU followed a Feb. 16 roundtable discussion GSA held in Atlanta aimed at increasing the number of HBCUs with “Multiple Award Schedule” (MAS) contracts and provide training and education to help the institutions achieve success in the federal marketplace. The MAS, also known as the “Federal Supply Schedule,” is a procurement option often overlooked by public institutions of higher learning.

Kenny Sessions, a doctoral student and a representative of the Small Business Administration at TSU, said he went to the workshop to see how the GSA can expand its services to the university in ways that help business owners.

“We found today in working with the GSA that there is a lot of initiatives coming in from the White House in which HBCUs can expand their reach, as well as participate in projects that can bring them revenues for services that they can provide government agencies,” Sessions said. “There is a large reach and as most of the GSA representatives presented, they need to get familiar with us and we need to get familiar with them.”

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Tennessee State University seeks ‘R1’ status, the nation’s highest research designation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University, Nashville’s only public university, aims to become only the second HBCU to reach the nation’s top research echelon with an “R1” designation under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. The designation would mean more doctoral programs, research initiatives and funding for students and the university. Currently, TSU is one of only 11 HBCUs with an R2 designation under the category of “high research activity.”

Dr. Quincy Quick is leading the university’s effort to achieve the ‘R1’ designation.

For its drive to “R1” status or “very high research activity,” the university is mobilizing its research enterprise – teaching faculty, researchers, graduate school, staff, students – to support its vision for the coveted designation. Howard University, an “R2” institution, achieved the “R1” designation in 2000 but lost it in a reclassification.

 On Friday, Oct. 14, under the theme, “R2 to R1,” the university’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs held an open forum to acquaint the research community with what is needed to help move the university to an R1 status.

“One of the goals of the forum was to find out the needs of researchers as they commit themselves to the execution of the many grant-awarded research projects going on throughout the campus,” said Dr. Quincy Quick, interim assistant vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs.

TSU’s move to achieve an R1 designation comes just three years after receiving the R2 status. (File photo)

“Our goal was to provide an accurate understanding of exactly what is R1 and what going from R2 to R1 requires. We wanted to make sure everyone understood that research is important but it really comes down to programs and the number of Ph.D. completers that you have.”

The R1 designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning is based on characteristics such as number of doctoral degrees conferred and money spent on research. In Tennessee, if TSU’s effort is successful, it will join the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee Knoxville as the only institutions with the R1 designation.

 Branndon Jones, a Ph.D. candidate in engineering and computational sciences, said he’s very optimistic about TSU’s effort.

“The research enterprise here at TSU is led by professors and advisors who have immense passion and dedication to their work and field of study,” said Jones, of Franklin, Tennessee, who is in his second year of his doctoral studies. 

“The research areas are also unique since many are in the area of security and defense which forces researchers to think outside the box to develop novel approaches to solve today’s problems and problems that may arise 10 years in the future.”

A cross section of the university’s research community – faculty, staff, administrators – participated in the discussion to make the case for TSU’s quest for the top research designation. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

TSU has a thriving research enterprise. Over the last two years, the University has been awarded more than $70 and $67 million in sponsored research and external funding, the highest in school history.

The university’s move to achieve an R1 designation comes just three years after receiving the R2 status, joining three of Tennessee’s four-year public institutions with that designation. Climbing to the top tier of R1 will be quite a fete. With nearly 4,000 colleges and universities classified by the Carnegie system, only 3 percent are R1s, considered the best research institutions in the world.

“The fact that there is no HBCU in that R1 classification, we are trying to set the standard,” said Dr. Robbie Melton, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

“We need to let everyone know that HBCUs have the same quality, rigor, and support for an R1 classification.”

To be considered for an R1 classification, an institution must award at least 20 research and or scholarship doctoral degrees during the update year, which takes place every three years, as well as spend at least $5 million in total research expenditures according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research & Development Survey. The institution must also score high on the Research Activity Index calculation, which is an aggregate level of overall and per capita research activity.

Quick, who is leading the university’s efforts and oversees the research enterprise, said achieving the R1 designation wouldn’t be easy, but TSU is up to the task.

 “We are in a much better shape than most people realize,” he said. “TSU is very strong in the STEM disciplines. We are producing a good number of Ph.D.s in those areas, as well as in education and agriculture. We are also doing well in the number of non-faculty Ph.D. researchers, which now stands at 18.”

Quick added that research expenditures, which stood at $15.4 million in TSU’s most recent ranking, is another area of improvement. The greatest challenge, he said, is in the humanities, which does not currently have doctoral programs. 

“Where we are going to meet the challenge is with the humanities, and there is a consensus across the board at the highest leadership, with President (Glenda) Glover, Academic Affairs, Research and Sponsored Program, and Institutional Research on what it is going to take to meet this challenge,” adds Quick.

Dr. Samantha Morgan Curtis, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the college is looking at a number of programs that could be elevated to the doctoral level.

“One of the first one we are looking at is criminal justice. There is also great interest in music, another incredibly strong program,” Morgan Curtis said. “We have a master’s program in music that will be rolling out shortly. The natural growth there is to look at the doctorate.”

For more information on research at TSU, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/research-1/

Featured Photo by Reginald Cannon
Dr. Quincy Quick (at the podium), head of TSU’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the University’s chief research officer, spearheads the discussion as he and other officials present the institution’s case for an “R1” research designation. Sitting from left are: Dr. Robbie Melton, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. William Johnson, Executive Research Director for R2 to R1 for New Academic Programs; and Dr. John Robinson, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies.

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TSU, US Dept. of Labor Deputy Secretary host summit to increase career and partnership opportunities for students    

In support of the 2021 White House initiative to advance equity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, TSU hosted the HBCU Summer Summit hiring event presented by the US Department of Labor (DOL.)

More than 150 students and faculty members interacted with DOL representatives and career services professionals to gather input for new training, mentorship, internship programs and opportunities to promote career development and long-term employment opportunities for the federal government.

TSU President Glenda Glover and the Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su spoke about the importance of DOL initiatives and efforts in promoting opportunity for HBCU students. (Photo: Aaron Grayson)

DOL representatives were on-hand to answer questions about specific career opportunities in the southeastern United States, as students learned about federal careers, how to navigate the federal government job site – USAjobs, and how to write a federal resume.

President Glenda Glover said it was an honor for the university to be a part of the three-part tour including Jackson State University and Tuskegee University. Glover also noted how grateful the university is to have the Deputy Secretary of Labor, Julie Su, discuss federal government partnership and employment opportunities hands on with the students.

“We want our students to know that we have corporations to come and take such an interest in us. It shows the inclusiveness of what the administration is trying to do,” Glover said. “To focus on minorities. To focus on HBCUs … we are pleased to be a part of that conversation.”

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development mobile American Job Centers vehicle on campus to provide a mobile computer lab with internet access to create a venue for resume workshops. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

The event was open to students and faculty from TSU and all surrounding HBCUs, along with invites for Vanderbilt University and Middle Tennessee State University students.

Jalen Hall, a TSU freshmen majoring in civil engineering noted how informative the event was for his future opportunities.

“As a freshman, I didn’t know much about the Deparmtent of Labor, but after this session I’ve learned valuable information,” Hall said. “Things I can take with me as I expand and matriculate through college … it will be helpful when I start looking into job opportunities.”

Su, the Deputy Secretary of Labor, said the summit event was the beginning of building a longer-term relationship to create a pathway into the federal government for HBCU students.

Jalen Hall

“We know in order to serve the most vulnerable community and individuals and gain trust; we want to look like the people we seek to serve,” Su said. “The outreach to HBCUs was a very natural part of making sure we’re reaching the full talent.”

During the event, Su gave the students some words of advice when applying for federal government jobs, “tell us who you really are,” she said. “Speak up about the things you care about. To really bring all the pieces of yourself in the application and make sure we can see that.”

She mentioned how the country has not only gone through a public health crisis, but a racial reckoning in recent years, with hopes of finding driven students who are looking for ways to turn their vision of the world into something they can do within their lives and their job.

Lauren Caver

Lauren Caver, a sophomore majoring in elementary education, couldn’t agree more. Caver told the university that she has hopes of becoming the US Secretary of Education one day, and it was great to see majority of the DOL representatives at the event look just like majority of TSUs population.

“Seeing another woman, another woman of color on stage talking about her position was really inspiring to me,” Carver said.

“It was good to hear about their (DOL) interviewing and application process, and what actually goes into working for the federal government.”

Although several students in attendance were underclassmen, Su assured the students about internship opportunities as well.

“We want them to bring all the things that make them so excellence and passionate,” she said. “We are here because we care about the students as we are also trying to build the best department that we can.”

During the HBCU Summit event, a mobile American Job Centers van was on campus to provide students with a mobile computer lab and internet access for a resume assistance work shop.

For more information about how to apply for federal government jobs, visit www.usajobs.gov.

 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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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TSU spotlighted on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner successful six-day space mission

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Items representing Tennessee State University’s legacy of excellence were part of the cargo onboard a Boeing spacecraft that recently returned to earth after a successful six-day mission to the International Space Station.  

President Glenda Glover

TSU was one of 14 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) asked to send flags, small pennants and other items representing their institutions, to be flown onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The unmanned spacecraft for Orbit Flight Test-2 or OFT-2, launched May 19. It returned to earth May 25, making a safe landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. The successful mission capped a major milestone for the aerospace giant, having failed in its previous attempt about a year earlier. 

“Tennessee State University is proud to be among the 14 historically black colleges and universities that Boeing recognized on the space flight of its CST-100 Starliner with flags, pennants, and other items,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “We are proud of our partnership with Boeing, which has led to internships and other opportunities that have propelled many of our students to successful careers. This recognition shows Boeing’s commitment to equity and inclusion, and highlights, once again, the importance of HBCUs.”  

TSU and Boeing have a longstanding relationship that has included grants and funding for various research, training and engineering projects, as well as providing employment and internship opportunities for TSU students. 

Ed Gerding, Boeing’s vice president and chief engineer and a long supporter of TSU, said the OFT-2 mission had very special meaning to him because pennants representing TSU were among those on board as the space craft journeyed to the International Space Station and safely landed back on Earth. 

TSU flag, jersey, backpack and other small pennants were among items flown to space onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. (TSU Media Relations)

“When I receive the pennants back, I plan to visit TSU with these as a recognition of the strong partnership we’ve built between the university and the Boeing Company,” said Gerding, who is responsible for training, digital and international engineering and global services at Boeing.  

Kenneth Rolle II, president of the Student Government Association, said he’s thankful for the partnership between TSU and Boeing and for the spotlight on HBCUs. 

“As far as the mission to space and having those paraphernalia from HBCUs and Tennessee State University that’s major, because HBCUs are rarely heard of in conversation about going to space,” Role said. “So, this just shows how global HBCUs really are.”  

The higher education mementos from the 14 institutions were part of the approximately 760 pounds of cargo that flew inside the Starliner’s crew module when it launched to the International Space Station for OFT-2. The end-to-end test was a critical developmental milestone on the company’s path toward flying crew missions for NASA. 

Dr. Lin Li, interim dean of the College of Engineering, said TSU is fortunate to have Boeing’s continued investment. 

“Congratulation for the successful launch of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station,” Lin said. “Boeing continues to invest in the students and academic programs in the College of Engineering. The company’s Recruitment and Retention Initiative for Students in Engineering (RISE) program at TSU identifies high achieving students to receive scholarships as recognized Boeing Scholars.  In addition, Boeing’s funding helps support students’ professional development in preparing for the workforce.” 

Besides TSU, the represented universities with which Boeing also has a recruiting relationship are Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T; Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana; South Carolina State University, and Tuskegee University. 

For more information on the College of Engineering, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/engineering/moreaboutus.aspx

Featured Photo by TSU Media Relations
TSU flag, jersey, backpack and other small pennants were among items flown to space onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. (TSU Media Relations)

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TSU College of Ag awarded nearly $2 million in grant from National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment this week of nearly $4 million – $1.9 million of which will be award to TSU’s College of Agriculture.

The NIFA is awarding the college $1,920,000 for a new 1890 Center of Excellence grant, an investment that helps increase rural prosperity and economic sustainability of food systems in underserved farming communities, according to Dr. Dionne Toombs NIFA Acting Director.

Dean and Director of Research/Administrator of Extension Chandra Reddy

TSU is one of two institutions to receive the grant this year, along with Delaware State University.

Dean and Director of Research/Administrator of Extension Chandra Reddy said the funding is a recognition of TSU’s capacity in Environmental Sciences and capabilities in finding solutions to the Climate Change, which is threatening the sustainability of human life on earth. 

“Together with our 1890 partners, we will not only generate smart ways to manage climate change problems but also train minority workforce in this all-important field,” Dr. Reddy said. “This Center of Excellence will strengthen our graduate programs and improve our research and extension capabilities in climate change field.”

The College of Agriculture will collaborate with four other HBCUs – Alabama A&M University, Southern University, Florida A&M University and Langston University, to host the 1890 Center of Excellence for “Natural Resources, Renewable Energy, and the Environment (COE-NREE): A Climate Smart Approach.”

Dr. Reddy will be the Centers director, while Dr. De’Etra Young, Associate Dean for Academics and Land-Grant Programs, and Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Dr. William Sutton, will be the co-directors.

“These grants continue to support projects that address critical needs for developing global food security and defense, enhance academic and career activities for students pursuing careers in food and agricultural sciences, and address vital needs in nutrition and health to improve the quality of life of underserved populations,” Dr. Reedy said.

Dr. Sutton said the 1890 Center of Excellence will begin this month and the term will last 3-5 years following initial approval.

“It feels great to receive approval to move forward with this effort,” Dr. Sutton said, noting how talented the faculty and students are.

“We put in a large amount of work with this effort, and to get the announcement that we received the funding is a huge validation on what we are doing in our Department and the College of Agriculture.

Drs. Reddy, Young, and I are excited to lead this effort.”

This will provide collaborative opportunities among 1890 Institutions to develop management practices that will promote natural resources, explore renewable energy sources, and develop climate smart agricultural production practices to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and improve environmental quality and sustainability, according to NIFA.

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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TSU leads collaborative awarded $4 million to address health disparities, advance health equity

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is leading a project that has been awarded $4 million from the National Institutes of Health to address health disparities and advance health equity.

Dr. Rebecca Selove, director of TSU’s Center for Prevention, and Dr. Jemal Gishe, also at TSU, are heading up the Engaging Partners in Caring Communities (EPICC) project. It is designed to support delivery of evidence-based health promotion programs in churches serving African American communities, and engage participants in collectively identifying and addressing social determinants of health.

Drs. Selove and Gishe are joined by investigators at Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University, and Rev. Omaràn Lee, director of the Congregational Health and Education Network (CHEN), which includes about 100 churches in Middle Tennessee.  

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the academic team and Rev. Lee in learning how to expand the capacity of African American churches to offer research-tested health promotion programs in their congregations,” said Selove.

Added Gishe, “I’m excited to work on EPICC that addresses health disparities using transformative research with strong community engagement and to be able to collaborate with diverse academic team members and community leaders.”    

Dr. Rebecca Selove

Dr. Leah R. Alexander is an associate professor in Meharry Medical College’s Division of Public Health Practice. She said she’s honored to be part of the research team.

“COVID has had such a devastating impact on the black community in ways we could have never imagined, even in the ways we worship,” said Alexander. “I am from Nashville and so excited to be working with churches across the city that may be deciding how to ‘do church’ these days.” 

Dr. Sharon C. Jones, assistant professor in the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, and Dr. David G. Schlundt, associate professor of Psychology in Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science, said addressing health inequities is a team effort.

“Educating people to improve their health literacy and be involved in their own health plan is a core piece of what nurses do every day,” said Jones, DNP, RN. “I’m excited that we’re launching this major community-based research project incorporating Nashville General’s CHEN, as well as community advocates, key personnel and consultants. It is vital that we as a community and a society find solutions that mitigate health inequities and overcome health challenges.”

Dr. Jemal Gishe

“EPICC has brought together all the right community partners to help Nashville church congregations enhance the health and well-being of their members,” said Schlundt. “Embracing Vanderbilt’s strongcommitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary research and community outreach, we have created a multidisciplinary team that forms an equal partnership with community stakeholders to address health disparities.”

Rev. Lee said the NIH award is a blessing.

“This award will benefit the congregations greatly by providing fiscal resources, needed information to influence healthy lifestyles, and understanding the social determinants of health,” said Lee.

The grant is the latest in a record year of research funding for TSU. During the 2020-21 fiscal year, faculty at TSU received more than $70 million in sponsored research and external funding.

“This award further demonstrates the dedication and success of TSU faculty and staff in pursuing and obtaining new awards to provide valuable services to the community,” said Dr. Frances Williams, associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU.  

The EPICC project is funded by the NIH Common Fund’s Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity Initiative [Grant Number:1U01OD033244-019], which supports projects that aim to prevent, reduce, or eliminate health disparities and advance health equity. 

To learn more about NIH’s initiative, visit https://bit.ly/30ERDTp.

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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TSU, UCOR partnership to spur engineering students’ interest in environmental management

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has entered a partnership with UCOR, a leading cleanup contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Reservation, to spur student interest in environmental management opportunities. The goal is to help build a pipeline of qualified candidates for ongoing environmental management work at Oak Ridge and DOE facilities elsewhere.  

President Glenda Glover receives a check for $25,000 from officials of UCOR to help fund education and training for engineers. In the photo are, from left, Ken Rueter, UCOR President and CEO; Dr. Glover; Sonya Johnson, UCOR Communications, Community, Diversity, and Workforce Development Programs Manager; and Joe Aylor, UCOR Chief of Staff. (Photo by DeShun Smith)

On Nov. 10, UCOR presented TSU with a $25,000 donation to help fund education and training for engineers.  Earlier in the week, representatives from UCOR spoke to students in TSU’s College of Engineering and gave them an overview on Oak Ridge’s environmental management program and career opportunities at UCOR.  

“Tennessee State University is grateful to UCOR for this new partnership, and for their generous donation to our College of Engineering,” TSU President Glenda Glover said.  “Our students will have access to Oak Ridge environmental management experts and opportunities for internships and career growth in this exciting field.”  

Dr. Glover added that through the partnership, UCOR will be connected with TSU’s diverse population of talented students who are involved in cutting-edge research and are taught to be problem solvers and critical thinkers.  

Norel McAdoo, a senior civil engineering major, attended the UCOR presentation at TSU. (Submitted photo)

Ken Rueter, UCOR president and CEO, said, “These partnership agreements continue to enhance our outreach efforts and expanding employment opportunities in environmental cleanup at nuclear facilities like the Y-12 National Nuclear Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. HBCUs are a rich resource for qualified professionals in engineering, environmental science and other disciplines we depend on for mission success.”

Under a Memorandum of Understanding between UCOR and TSU, the partners will work together to identify research, training, and education opportunities and to promote internships and mentoring that enrich the educational experiences of participating students.   

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the TSU College of Engineering, called the partnership “a great investment” in the university’s environmental engineering program.  

“This partnership will help support students with experience, engage our faculty through research, and facilitate career pathways for our graduates to Oak Ridge and DOE operations,” Hargrove said.  

Norel McAdoo, a senior civil engineering major, is one of the students who attended the UCOR presentation at TSU. 

“I think this a great opportunity for our engineering program,” said McAdoo, of Little Rock, Arkansas. “During their (UCOR) workshop they gave us ideas for potential projects that we can do at the College of Engineering. I also feel they will be a great resource to help students solidify what they want to do after they graduate.”  

For more information on TSU’s College of Engineering, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/engineering/moreaboutus.aspx 

FEATURED PHOTO
TSU President Glenda Glover, right, along with university representatives, holds discussion with UCOR officials in her office. Pictured are Ken Rueter, UCOR President and CEO, left; Dr. Glover; Joe Aylor, UCOR Chief of Staff; Iris Ramey, TSU’s Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations; and John Barfield, Director of Engagement and Visibility for Research and Sponsored Programs. (Photo by DeShun Smith)

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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Waste Management makes $300,000 Commitment to Tennessee State University

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Waste Management, a leading provider of environmental services in Middle Tennessee, recently made a three-year, $300,000 commitment to Tennessee State University. The pledge, first unveiled by Dr. Glenda Glover, President of TSU, and Don Gentilcore, Area Director of Disposal Operations for WM, during halftime of TSU’s homecoming football game on Oct. 30 will focus on environmental sustainability research, and providing scholarships and internships for students attending TSU.

“We appreciate the support from Waste Management and the opportunities this partnership will create for the University and our students,” said Dr. Glover. “Scholarships, internships and research will be the main focus of our collaboration as we work for the continued success of TSU students.” 

WM owns and operates Southern Services Construction and Demolition (C&D) Landfill & Eco Park (Southern Services), a 183-acre, more than 30-year-old site located off of Briley Parkway in Nashville. Southern Services is home to both the only C&D landfill and C&D recycling facility in Davidson County. The volume of C&D waste, which includes materials like concrete, brick, metal, and asphalt, has nearly doubled in the last decade as Nashville’s growth and development has accelerated, while the recycling rate has fallen to less than one percent.

To help explore alternative solutions and strategies to address this growing problem, $150,000 of WM’s $300,000 commitment will be directed towards research conducted by students and faculty from TSU’s College of Agriculture in conjunction with the company’s Middle Tennessee staff focused on diversion and recovery of C&D materials to reduce landfill waste. For example, projects may examine the ability of source separation, incorporation of recovered materials for use in new builds and methods and procedures for handling debris generated during catastrophic events in Middle Tennessee.

“We are proud to partner with TSU to undertake innovate research and explore new approaches to sustainability,” said Gentilcore. “WM works with Metro Nashville on multiple solid waste management initiatives, and we are committed to supporting the region’s sustainability goals. But those goals are ambitious. TSU, with its outstanding track record in the environmental sciences, is an ideal partner as we seek to identify long-term solutions to sustainably manage the region’s C&D waste stream.”

The remaining $150,000 from WM will be directed towards primarily need-based scholarships for up to 10 students each year attending TSU from the Nashville area. Beginning in fall 2022, TSU will select eligible students to receive the scholarships and administer the program. Additionally, WM will provide up to four paid summer internship opportunities for TSU students per year across the company’s service functions in the southeast.

To learn more about WM’s sustainability efforts, visit sustainability.wm.com/

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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

TSU administrator, professor named to state post-secondary education reform group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) -The State Collaborative on Reforming Education has selected two Tennessee State University officials to be part of its Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute for 2021-22.

Dr. Verontae Deams

Dr. Verontae Deams, university registrar; and Dr. Alexis Gatson Heaston, assistant professor in the College of Health Sciences, will join 30 other higher education, K-12, government, business, and nonprofit organization leaders selected by SCORE as the next cohort of the institute.

In partnership with The Hunt Institute, a leader in the movement to transform public education, SCORE will provide learning opportunities for participants in CTLI, whose goal is to eliminate barriers to post-secondary education and completion in Tennessee.

“I am honored to be selected as a participant in the 2021-2022 Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute,” Deams said. “This opportunity will allow collaboration with other thought leaders to ensure academic success in higher education throughout the state of Tennessee.”

Dr. Alexis Gatson Heaston

Heaston, who teaches public health, health administration and health sciences, said she is “humbled and excited” to be a part of the CTLI cohort.

“I look forward to working alongside a group of outstanding professionals whose aim is to ensure Tennessee attracts, recruits, and retains students on a post-secondary level,” she said.

According to the latest figures from the Lumina Foundation, Tennessee’s college attainment rate is just shy of 47 percent. Since 2019, SCORE has partnered with The Hunt Institute to provide national perspective for CTLI participants and help lead them in translating what they learn into action in their communities.

“Community college enrollment rates in Tennessee dropped significantly in the fall of 2020, most notably for Black and Hispanic students,” SCORE President and CEO David Mansouri said. “Given the compounding effect the pandemic is having on college enrollment, persistence, and completion, it is more urgent than ever that we partner with the leaders in this cohort to ensure that every Tennessee student has the opportunity and support needed to attend and complete postsecondary education.”

Dr. Javaid Saddiqi, president and CEO of The Hunt Institute, added, “Over the past three years, we’ve been impressed with the way in which CTLI has brought together a diverse group of thought leaders from across Tennessee. Among past cohort members, we’ve seen an immense increase in leadership capacity and knowledge regarding higher education issues.”

Since 2016, CTLI has created a space where leaders from across Tennessee collectively focus on eliminating barriers to postsecondary education and completion. Over the coming year, Deams, Heaston and their colleagues in the CTLI will work to identify the barriers and equity gaps that exist in the state’s post-secondary system and advocate within their own communities to drive systemic change.

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.

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TSU public health expert discusses seriousness of COVID-19 Delta variant

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – With evidence mounting about the dangers of the COVID-19 Delta variant, a TSU public health expert is urging the public to take the warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seriously and get vaccinated. 

Dr. Wendelyn Inman

“This is no time for hesitancy,” said Dr. Wendelyn Inman, an infectious disease expert and professor and director of the public health program in the College of Health Sciences. ”The vaccines work. This Delta variant is nothing to brush off; it is very serious.” 

Reminding the public about the need to take necessary precaution, including wearing masks, and how the CDC arrives at its conclusions, Inman said the agency looks at “all of the data – the bigger picture.” 

“They look at anecdotal information, they look at statistics, they look at the obvious and they look at the things that really are in the background that we really don’t see,” said Inman, who was previously the chief of epidemiology for the State of Tennessee. 

“So, it will take them days to explain things to us. But what they have digested in offering solutions for us as the prime directive is to save lives. A lot of times we don’t understand that and a lot of times we don’t agree with it. But if they have chosen to make a recommendation to wear mask again, even in-doors, even if you have been immunized that means our situation is taking another level of seriousness.” 

In its recent recommendation urging people in COVID-19 hotspots like Tennessee to resume mask-wearing in indoor public spaces, the agency laid out what is known about the delta variant, which now accounts for most of the COVID-19 cases in the United States. 

Dr. Felicia Tinuoye

“The Delta variant is showing every day its willingness to outsmart us and be an opportunist,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “In rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others. This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendations.” 

In Tennessee, the state’s Department of Health rates 85 of the state’s 95 counties with “high” or “substantial” transmission ratings. The remaining 10 have “moderate” ratings. Davidson County, which includes Nashville, is rated “substantial.” 

Inman described the COVID-19 microbe as “an enemy that takes advantage of us touching, breathing, and seeing each other.” 

“So, why we may not understand how microbes are transmitted, you need to know that the variant is more transmissible than its last existence. It has mutated. This happens in the microbial world every day. That’s why we have the Delta variant,” Inman said.

Dr. Tatiana Zabaleta

In June, TSU, in collaboration with the Nashville Metro Public Health Department, started offering vaccines to residents 12 years old and up at the university’s Avon Williams Campus. The next vaccine event will be on Aug. 30 in Kean Hall on the main campus, from 9 a.m. – noon. To register, visit www.signupgenius.com/go/tsu

Dr. Felicia Tinuoye and Dr. Tatiana Zabaleta, international public health professionals, are part of the MPH, or Master’s in Public Health program at TSU. They said in addition to their medical disciplines, they have learned so much in the TSU program to help them better understand the seriousness of the need to get protection against COVID-19 and the Delta variant. 

“The program gives students exposure on how to be proactive,” said Tinuoye, of Nigeria, who completed her MPH degree in April. “TSU is doing what it is supposed to be doing. We need to ensure that the public gets the right message to help people make up their minds about available preventive measures.” 

Zabaleta, from Colombia, who graduates in December, agrees. 

“This program has given me the opportunity to learn more about global health and how to help solve the problem of health disparity in my own country,” she said. “TSU’s MPH program empowers students to really get involved in helping people, especially during this pandemic.” 

To learn more about the university’s COVID-19 protocols, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/covid19/ 

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 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight 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.