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Job Market Shows Promise for Tennessee State University 2016 Graduates

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A number of Tennessee State University students graduating on Dec. 10 have gotten early Christmas presents: jobs.

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Graduates prepare to receive their degrees during the Fall 2015 Commencement ceremony in the Gentry Complex. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

More than 600 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees in various disciplines when the university holds its fall commencement in the Howard C. Gentry Complex.

The recent Job Outlook 2016 Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employees says employers expect to employ 11 percent more new graduates from the Class of 2016 than they did in 2015.

That’s good news for TSU students like Danielle Haik, a computer science major who is among those walking from the graduation stage into the workforce. Haik is taking an Information Technology Specialist position at Caterpillar Financial Services in Nashville.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal listed Tennessee State among its top 10 historically black colleges and universities. In ranking TSU 10th, the WSJ/THE College Rankings took into account the salaries graduates earn.

“I am very excited about becoming an employee of Caterpillar,” said Haik, who attributes her success to the training and mentoring she received at TSU. “I had some great faculty and mentors who gave me the right exposure and connected me with professional people and organizations that put me in the right direction.”

Justus Jarvis, a member of the fall 2016 graduating class, also has a job offer. He has accepted a position with Boeing.

“Tennessee State University preparation gives you the full package,” Jarvis said. “They prepare you to be able to stand out among your peers and in front of employers, and that may be my best asset going into the workforce.”

Like all TSU students, Haik and Jarvis have the capabilities that companies are looking for, particularly in the areas of leadership and teamwork.

According to NACE, employers are looking for candidates with evidence of leadership skills, strong work ethic, and who are team players.

“We instill our students with skills for success in the real world,” said Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering. “Our curriculum requirements make our students more marketable, as well as reinforces classroom learning to prepare them for industry, government, or entrepreneurship.”

Tina Reed, associated director of the TSU Career Development Center, said in addition to workshops and professional development conferences, TSU students receive one-on-one career advising to help them make career choices.

“The Career Development Center assists our students with developing and enhancing  21st Century job-readiness skills that are needed in the workforce,” Reed said. “From developing a top-notch resume to attending professional development conferences, our students are constantly encouraged to take advantage of career enrichment opportunities.”

Dr. Gloria Johnson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, agrees.

“In the College of Liberal Arts, we continue to encourage our students to seek relevant internships and practical experience,” she said. “I am personally encouraging more students to seek more help from the Career Development Center for resume development and possible placement.”

Prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is expected to inspire students even more when he gives the keynote address at TSU’s Dec. 10 commencement.

Crump is the noted Florida lawyer who represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Terence Crutcher in police shooting cases that made headlines around the world. Crump was also an advocate in the Robbie Tolan police brutality U.S. Supreme Court case, as well as the Martin Lee Anderson boot camp death case.

In October, Crump was the keynote speaker at the 25th anniversary gala for the National Association of African American Honors Programs held 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 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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More than 20 TSU students graduate from Collegiate Citizens Police Academy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Twenty-two Tennessee State University students recently graduated from what’s believed to be the nation’s first Collegiate Citizens Police Academy.

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Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson speaks to students at academy graduation. (photo by Lucas Johnson, TSU Media Relations)

A ceremony was held Nov. 29 at TSU for students who participated in the second session of the program that exposed them to various aspects of police work, including domestic violence investigation, making split second decisions in a firearms training simulator, traffic stop training, and how the Metro Nashville Police Department uses special resources such as SWAT, horses and canine units.

“They get a chance to see what real police work looks like,” said TSU Dean of Students Frank Stevenson, the brainchild of the academy. “And they’re getting it from one of the top police departments in the country.”

Stevenson said the idea came to him amid the cases of police brutality that have permeated the nation. He joined forces with the Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, to bring the idea to Nashville Police Chief Steven Anderson, who immediately embraced it. In a few weeks, the academy was underway.

Anderson said citizens groups across the nation have formed partnerships with police departments to address issues in their communities. But he said the partnership with TSU is the first of its kind between a major U.S. city police department and a cohort of college students.

“The Collegiate Citizen Police Academy is a unique and valuable outreach program that Nashville appears to have pioneered,” Anderson said. “I am grateful that these students devoted six nights during their fall semester to meet with members of our police department and learn more about us.”

Sophomore Javonte Jefferson said he wanted to be a police officer before participating in the program, but wants to even more after completing it.

“It’s just a real good opportunity to get to know the people who patrol here; to see firsthand how it really is,” said Jefferson, a criminal justice major. “This is what I want to do.”

Mikeria Rebb, a sophomore who is also majoring in criminal justice, said she is now considering police work after completing the academy.

“This inspired me,” she said.

Nashville Police Sgt. Mitch Kornberg, one of the academy’s instructors, said he enjoyed working with the students.

“I want them to understand we are here for them,” he said. “They are a part of our community. They’re important to us, and they shouldn’t feel otherwise.”

Stevenson said the academy’s graduates are eligible to apply for the university’s new Tiger Patrol Program, which allows students to work with TSU police in various areas to help strengthen campus safety.

For more information about TSU’s Collegiate Citizens Police Academy, visit: https://www.nashville.gov/Police-Department/Get-Involved/Collegiate-Police-Academy.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 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Tennessee State University Students Build Wheelchairs for Disabled Canines

By Emmanuel S. Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Pugsly the Pug has a new wheelchair.

Born with a spinal deformity that makes it difficult to stay on its feet, the 15-year-old Dutch mastiff has a new lease on life, thanks to a team of occupational and physical therapy students at Tennessee State University.

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The Dog Wheelchair Competition winning team members and their professors are, from left standing, Jake Armstrong, Blaine Martin, Dr. Rita Troxtel and Dr. Karen Coker. Squatting with Pugsly are, left, Reagan Worth and Erica LaFollette. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The students, along with some of their peers from the Art Department, designed a special wheelchair that allows Pugsly to take long strides without wobbling or falling.

Dr. Rita Troxtel, assistant professor of occupational therapy and Pugsly’s owner, organized a wheelchair competition that challenged the students to develop wheelchairs for disabled dogs that are low cost, lightweight and easy to maneuver.

The competition was held Nov. 29 in the university’s Floyd-Payne Student Center. About 80 students and their advisers participated.

They came up with 17 different concepts and designs that were tested on Pugsly before a panel of judges. The winning wheelchair went to Pugsly. Troxtel said the other wheelchairs in the competition will be donated to organizations that specialize in adopting or providing sanctuary for animals with disabilities.

A team of two occupational therapy and two physical therapy students came up with the winning design made of PVC pipes, with two big back wheels and two smaller front wheels for turning; a push handle, and stretch fabric with four round openings for the feet.

“Pugsly is grateful for his new wheels,” Troxtel said.

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Another team of competitors fit Bugsly in their invention, a two-wheeler. (photo by Courtney Buggs, TSU Media Relations)

Dr. Karen Coker, assistant professor of physical therapy and one of the judges, said the winning design “offered ease of getting in with just one person.”

“The fabric is flexible and soft; it won’t poke anywhere, and the wheelchair has a push handle so that the owner won’t have to bend over,” Coker said. “It is the perfect mix.”

Blain Martin, a graduate physical therapy major, was on the winning team. He said the goal was to develop a wheelchair that was easy to use.

“We all collaborated and we had a group message going in,” Martin said. “We met up several times to make sure we were on the same page with our project. It was great teamwork.”

Other winning team members were Reagan Worth, occupational therapy; Jake Armstrong, physical therapy; and Erica LaFollette, occupational therapy.

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The other wheelchairs in the competition will be donated to organizations that specialize in adopting or providing sanctuary for animals with disabilities. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Second-year graduate occupational major Amber Alexander’s team did not win, but she was impressed with the exercise.

“Participating in this competition gave use some real-world exposure to our various disciplines,” she said.

Mike Carter, a Ph.D. physical therapy student, said he enjoyed the teamwork.

“Collaboration was great in our group,” Carter said. “In fact, one of the guys in the group was skilled in making things. He actually has a shop where he builds all kinds of stuff. So this was right up his alley.”

Dr. Hamid Hamidzadeh, head of TSU’s Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department, lauded organizers for having the competition.

“It’s a good opportunity for them to get hands on experience,” said Hamidzadeh, who was also a judge. “The students will really get the opportunity to go beyond the limit of the classroom.“

Troxtel said the skills the students learned from creating the dog wheelchairs will transfer to developing technology for humans.

“The TSU OT department is considering purchasing a 3D printer to build prosthetic limbs,” she said. “I also plan to hold a competition again next year, but it will focus on building assistive technology for human use.”

For more information on TSU’s various therapy programs in the College of Health Sciences, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/health_sciences/.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Prominent Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump to Speak at TSU’s Fall 2016 Commencement

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Prominent civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump will be the keynote speaker at Tennessee State University’s Fall 2016 Commencement on Dec. 10.

Crump is the noted Florida lawyer who represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Terence Crutcher in police shooting cases that made headlines around the world. Crump was also an advocate in the Robbie Tolan police brutality U.S. Supreme Court case, as well as the Martin Lee Anderson boot camp death case.

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Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump speaks at 25th anniversary gala for the National Association of African American Honors Programs held at TSU on Oct. 31. (photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Last month, Crump was the keynote speaker at the 25th anniversary gala for the National Association of African American Honors Programs held at TSU on Oct. 31.

During his speech, he said that those who see injustice and do nothing help to promote abuse. He told students, in particular, that as future leaders and educators they have a “moral” obligation to help stem out injustices in their communities.

“You’re the ones who are going to have the good jobs, you are going to have the education, you have the talent, and if you don’t speak up for our community, if you don’t stand up for our community, if you don’t fight for our community, then who will,” he said.

Crump is the 73rd President of the National Bar Association, the largest organization of lawyers of color in the world, representing over 60,000 black lawyers, judges, and legal professionals. He has received numerous awards, including the SCLC Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award, and the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award. Ebony Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 trial lawyers.

“Attorney Crump believes in fighting to preserve the justice that minorities have achieved throughout the civil rights era,” according to Crump’s website.

The commencement is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the Howard C. Gentry Complex on the university’s main campus. More than 600 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees in various disciplines during the ceremony at the Howard C. Gentry Complex on the university’s main campus.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Agriculture students excel at Tennessee Academy of Science meeting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Eleven Tennessee State University College of Agriculture students won awards at the 126th annual meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science.

More than 300 students and faculty from 10 universities converged on Austin Peay State University in Clarksville for the meeting on Nov. 19.

TSU was well represented with 32 student presentations in various topics, including agriculture, botany, cell and molecular biology, ecology and environmental science, geosciences, and microbiology.

Of the 11 awards TSU students received, four were 1st place; three 2nd place; three 3rd place; and one honorable mention.

Master’s student Jeronimo da Silva was honored for serving as the chair of the Ecology and Environmental Science section, the first time a student served as chair of a section.

The Tennessee Academy of Science seeks to promote scientific research and education in Tennessee. Its 800 members are primarily from academia, with additional members from government and industry.

For more information about TAS, visit http://www.tennacadofsci.org.

To learn more about TSU’s College of Agriculture, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Wall Street Journal lists Tennessee State University among Top 10 HBCUs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Wall Street Journal has listed Tennessee State University among its top 10 historically black colleges and universities.

The WSJ/THE College Rankings, which ranked TSU 10th, was released Nov. 21 and uses categories such as academic resources and graduate outcomes to determine rankings.

The resources and outcomes categories are weighed most in the overall ranking, according to WSJ. Resources measures things such as student-to-faculty ratio and schools’ instructional spending, while outcomes track metrics, including the salaries graduates earn and the debt they take on.

TSU Student Government Association President Aarian Forman said recognition by the WSJ validates the “excellent” work the university is doing, and will hopefully get the attention of prospective high school graduates seeking a higher education.

“It’s great to see our excellence is evident to the rest of the world,” he said.

Last month, TSU President Glenda Glover outlined new initiatives she says will continue a “legacy of excellence” at the 104-year-old institution.

They include raising admission standards and enhancing student success initiatives to increase retention and graduation rates. Beginning the fall of 2017, all students must have a 2.5 GPA and a 19 on the ACT for admission to TSU. The previous admission scores were 2.25 or a 19 on the ACT for in-state students, and a 2.5 or 19 ACT for out-of-state students.

The president also announced capital improvement and infrastructure enhancements. They include construction of a new Health Sciences building, as well as plans for new residence halls, an on-campus stadium, and a project that will encompass more than 80 acres along the Cumberland River.

Statistics show TSU contributes more than $610 million to the Nashville economy.

“We’re very proud of the economic value that Tennessee State University brings to the city and to the state,” said state Rep. Brenda Gilmore, whose district includes 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 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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

TSU engineering students are making sure Nashville bridges are safe

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – How safe are the bridges in Metro Nashville that you drive across everyday?

The answer may be in the work Tennessee State University engineering students are doing around the city.

A team of six graduate and undergraduate students, along with their professors from the Departments of Civil and Architectural Engineering, recently conducted a study on five bridges around the Nashville Fairgrounds to assess their structural integrity.

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Kevin Nguyen, a graduate civil engineering major, left, and Abram Musinguzi, a Ph.D. student in systems engineering, are two of six TSU students and their professors assessing bridges around the Nashville Fairgrounds to ensure their structural integrity. (Courtesy photo)

As part of the fairgrounds improvement project, the students’ findings were submitted to the city’s structural engineers and will be used to determine future use of the bridges.

The dean of the College of Engineering said the involvement of the students in the project is part of Mayor Megan Barry’s “innovative” vision and strategy to get more high school and college students working on real-world projects that enhance their skills and employability.

“TSU and the College of Engineering are playing an integral part of this strategy by providing our students with practical experience that complements their classroom learning,” Hargrove said.

Abram Musinguzi, a Ph.D. student in systems engineering, is the student coordinator on the project.  He said part of the inspections involve measuring the bridges’ dimensions to identify any structural damage, or distress, and compile a report.

“The purpose of the project is to assess if there is any need for renovation or repair of the bridges,” Musinguzi said.

Dr. Farouk Mishu, professor and interim chair of the civil and architectural engineering department, is one of two faculty members who worked with the students.

“These bridges have been here for a very long time,” Mishu said. “We are assessing them to see what kind of remediation we need to do to make them safe. This gives the students real-world experience before they graduate.”

Overseeing the students and their professors’ work was a field engineer from the fairgrounds project management team, who said he is impressed with the student’s skill level and attention to detail.

“What they are doing is pivotal to deciding what kind of money will be spent on either the repairing, the removing or replacing of these bridges,” said Jonathon Schneider of the project management team. “Their performance is remarkable.”

The students’ work is not TSU’s first involvement with the fairgrounds improvement project.

Last year, Hargrove served as a member of the review team appointed by Mayor Barry to make recommendations for the $12 million renovation of the fairgrounds.

Other students on the bridge project were: Kevin Nguyen, a graduate student majoring in civil engineering; and undergraduates SiVon Jiles, civil engineering; Matthew Miller, architectural engineering; Dwight Pullen, architectural engineering; and Darren Evans, civil engineering.

Dr. Catherine Armwood, assistant professor of civil and architectural engineering, was the other faculty member on the project.

For more information about TSU’s College of Engineering, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/engineering/.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Course helps TSU employees prepare for emergencies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is making sure its faculty and staff are prepared to handle emergencies.

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TSU employees participate in emergency preparedness course. (submitted photo)

More than 20 people attended a two-day course – Campus Emergencies Prevention, Response and Recovery – on the university’s campus Nov. 15-16.

The purpose of the course was to provide campus leaders with an understanding and ability to navigate difficult aspects of dealing with campus emergencies – both natural and human-caused events, including acts of violence.

“The expectations are for individuals who participated in this training to better enable university employees to aid the university in the event of an emergency,” said Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU’s associate vice president for administration. “It’s also important that these persons spread the word about what they received here, and encourage others to get this training.”

The course consisted of small, problem-based, integrated group activities that required a coordinated, integrated approach to solve. Through tabletop scenarios, course participants observed a developing incident and responded in a manner consistent with currently established campus and jurisdictional emergency operations procedures.

TSU Police Captain Tony Blakely said the course was enlightening.

“One of the most important things as a captain over patrol that I got out of this training was a refresher,” Blakely said. “Time to time, we as professionals do need a refresher. The training was excellent, and I hope we have more of it.”

The course was led by representatives from the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training at Louisiana State University. The agency provides training to emergency responders throughout the United States and its territories.

For more information about NCBRT, visit https://www.ncbrt.lsu.edu.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Panel takes on global diversity and inclusion at TSU event

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Students attending a recent event sponsored by Tennessee State University’s Office of International Affairs were encouraged to be “curious of cultures other than your own.”

The event, “Where I Come From,” was held Nov. 5 and wrapped up the university’s International Education Week. A mix of students, faculty and staff were in attendance to hear a panel discussion on how to engage international and domestic students on the campus.

The panelists included James R. Threalkill, regional director for diversity and inclusion for construction management firm, Skanska USA; Marcela Gomez, president and founder of Marcella Gomez & Associates and the Hispanic Marketing Group; and Kasar Abdulla, a social justice educator, advocate and TSU alumna.

Even though the panel discussion took place a few days before the Nov. 8 presidential election, its topic of inclusion was quite timely, considering the increased division across the country following the election.

“Certainly the decisions made in the White House will affect your house,” said panelist Abdulla, a Kurdistan native who fled her home at the age of 6 due to the Iraq invasion. “The world is connected, and to seek to understand you have to seek knowledge and wisdom and apply that to a global perspective. TSU’s Office of International Affairs is making that knowledge available to you.”

Gomez, a native of Colombia, South America, has lived in Nashville for 22 years. She said it is important for students to take advantage of every opportunity to learn from diverse people.

“I was always a C-student and would sit and write notes to friends instead of paying attention,” she said. “I realized I missed many opportunities to do something greater in my life. African-Americans, Latinos, and Kurdish communities have unique struggles. We need you (students) to be leaders, make change and reach out to a global community.”

James Threalkill, an Emmy Award-winning artist and long-time diversity champion, said we must rekindle a thirst and curiosity for knowledge and education.

“It is important to be culturally and intellectually curious of cultures other than your own,” Threalkill said. “There’s a struggle for inclusion in this country right now.”

Abdulla said people shouldn’t be afraid to embrace their cultures, even if they’re criticized for their beliefs.

“I am visibly Muslim,” Abdulla said. “Some choose not to, but I refuse to fall into that fear. After 9/11 many of my friends wanted me to take it off (head covering) because they thought someone might try to hurt me, but I refuse to play into the fear and negative vibes of the uneducated. You can’t tell black people to stop being black just because there’s racism in this country.”

International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. It is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education designed to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and to attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

“The world is bigger than the United States,” Gomez said. “The world is bigger than where we are.”

To learn more about the Office of International Affairs, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/diversity/.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

 

 

 

 

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Professional Development Group Presents Discussion on National Leadership Crisis


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A vision, collective destiny and the ability to motivate people to work together to accomplish extraordinary things are what distinguish a great leader, a public policy expert told a TSU gathering Nov. 16.

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Dr. Michael Harris, Dean of the College of Public Service, says a good leader is not arbitrary and capricious, as he addresses a forum on leadership. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Dr. Michael Harris, dean of the College of Public Service and a nationally syndicated columnist, told participants at a forum organized by the TSU Staff Senate that the only way to transform is by having a clear vision of “where you want to take the people you lead.”

“A good leader makes decisions, not arrive at conclusions, and must not be arbitrary and capricious,” Harris said. “They must be grounded in values and integrity that lead the vision and the collective destiny.”

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Nearly 30 staff participated in the forum organized by the Staff Senate in the Student Success Center. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Organizers said the one-hour presentation aimed to examine the current global and national leadership crisis facing the nation. It included a scientific analysis of leadership and its elements based on years of experience and research.

Called “Leadership 101,” the presentation answered questions such as “What is leadership?” “Who is a leader?” “Why should I care?” and “Can leadership be improved?”

“The goal was to provide and support staff participation in any educational and training opportunities which enhance job performance and wellness,” said Jamal Coleman, chair of the Staff Senate Professional Development and Education Committee. “Dr. Harris’ presentation was excellent.”

Nearly 30 staff members attended the forum in the Student Success Center.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.