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Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU to change lives of young adults with intellectual disabilities, receives $284,000 in grant award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has received $284,000 from the TN Department of Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (DIDD), becoming the first public institution in Middle Tennessee and HBCU in the nation to offer the program.

A check presentation took place Tuesday morning as DIDD commissioner Brad Turner and his team joined TSU President Glenda Glover, Dr. Anita McGaha, TSU director of disability services, Rep. Harold Love Jr., Senator Brenda Gilmore and staff for the historic event.

Dr. Anita McGaha, TSU director of disability services, says the TigerEDGE Program will help students succeed. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

TSU’s grant will be spread over two years to create TigerEDGE (Educate, Develop, and Grow for Employability) a non-degree certificate program for students ages 18-26.

“We are fulfilling our mission to provide a college education and experience to a population that is often overlooked and underserved,” said President Glover. “We are indeed proud. We will work to change the lives of the program participants and their families.”

Commissioner Turner, who stated that he is a parent of a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), said it is an honor to present the grant to TSU. “It speaks value about the importance you see in students with disabilities and creating a brighter future for them,” he said.

“Once again Tennessee State is leading the charge … inclusive education is the key for all,” said Rep. Harold Love Jr. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

Turner said being able to tell students that there is a public institution suitable for their education is the beginning of something great. “There are schools that you can go to that believe you have every right to have a 4-year college degree if that is what you want to do. And TSU is once again, leading that in higher education.”

Dr. McGaha said the program is currently targeting enrollment of eight students for the Fall semester. The unique program will provide the students with a residential and academic ambassador on campus, and mentors to assist the selected students.

“We all want to see our students, our children to succeed in life and we believe that this program is a tool to provide that,” Dr. McGaha said.

President Glenda Glover speaking with Andy Kidd, Deputy Commissioner of Fiscal and Administrative Services. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)

TSU is among four higher education institutions to receive the Tennessee Believes grant from DIDD, which is a program that provides funding to colleges to create or expand post-secondary opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For more information about the TigerEDGE Program or how to apply, contact Dr. McGaha at [email protected].

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU’s Gloria Johnson to Receive Award for Community Involvement

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Dr. Gloria Johnson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will be among those receiving awards Sunday, Dec. 6, when the Jefferson Street United Merchant Partnership honors six community leaders during the group’s 16th Annual Christmas Extravaganza.

GloriaJohnson
Dr. Gloria Johnson

Johnson will receive “The Candlelight” award given to individuals who have shown leadership in the African-American community. According to a JUMP release, Johnson was chosen for active community involvement and service for more than 40 years in Nashville.

“The Candlelight award is an attempt to show appreciation to those individuals who have shown leadership in the African-American community,” said Sharon Hurt, president/CEO of JUMP and at-large member of the Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County Council.  “It is a small award in comparison to the value of the service that Dr. Gloria C. Johnson has provided to the Nashville community for so many years.”

Johnson, a Nashville native and 1970 graduate of Tennessee State University, has been a faculty and administrator at TSU for more than 44 years. Before becoming dean she served in various capacities including professor, associate dean, department chair, student adviser, and coordinator of pre-college programs such as Upward Bound, INROADS Nashville, and the Delta Academy. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

jump_christmas_for_web“I am extremely honored to be recognized by JUMP,” Johnson said.  “As a person who grew up near the university, I have seen many changes on Jefferson Street and in the entire North Nashville community.  I am very pleased that JUMP exists and emphasizes the need to support businesses in the community.”

JUMP is a local Nashville community partnership created to advocate for community, economic and workforce development of the Jefferson Street Corridor. The annual Christmas Extravaganza will be held at 15th Avenue Baptist Church, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS

TSU Professor Tamika Winston Receives 2015 Women in Higher Education Award

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Dr. Tamika Winston received 3 other awards earlier this year including the College of Liberal Arts Professor of the Year for the 2015-2016 academic year. (Submitted Photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The accolades keep piling up for Dr. Tameka Winston. A Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 winner for 2015, she has received yet another award with statewide recognition.

Dr. Winston, a professor in the Department of Communications at Tennessee State University, recently received the 2015 Woman of Achievement Award in Higher Education in Tennessee. The award was presented at the 35th Annual Women in Higher Education in Tennessee conference in Murfreesboro.

Past award recipients include Dr. Shirley Raines who is the first female president of the University of Memphis. Dr. Raines won the award in 2012.

The Woman of Achievement Award is presented to a dedicated leader who has earned admiration and respect, has vision and leads by example, faces challenges with grace and courage, and lives with dignity, integrity and honor.

“It was an honor to be recognized by the Women in Higher Education,” said Winston. “WHET is a wonderful organization and many of the longtime members have served as great role models for me over the years.”

Since 1980, WHET has sought to meet the needs of women in the academy, according to Winton. The organization holds professional development seminars, partners with the statewide Women’s Leadership Conference for college and university students, offers annual scholarships, and supports members’ participation in national leadership conferences.

Winston also received 3 other awards earlier this year including the College of Liberal Arts Professor of the Year for the 2015-2016 academic year.

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, 22 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, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH

Tennessee State University Alum and NASA Engineer Receives Director’s Commendation Award for Outstanding Contribution

NASA Johnson Space Center Director, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, right; and Deputy Director Kirk Shireman, left, congratulate Ron Cobbs after presenting him with the NASA-JSC Director’s Commendation Award, during a ceremony recently in the Teague Auditorium at the center.
NASA Johnson Space Center Director, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, right; and Deputy Director Kirk Shireman, left, congratulate Ron Cobbs after presenting him with the NASA-JSC Director’s Commendation Award, during a ceremony recently in the Teague Auditorium at the center. (Courtesy photo)


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A Tennessee State University alumnus and NASA engineer has been recognized for outstanding contribution to the agency.

Ron Cobbs, a 1989 TSU graduate with a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and avionics chief engineer assigned to the International Space Station operations, recently received the NASA Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation Award.

The award, the highest honor given by the NASA-JSC administrator, recognizes the center’s civil servants with “significant” contribution toward the mission and operations of the JSC.

Last year, Cobbs’ input was helpful in identifying the cause of a space suit malfunction during a spacewalk in July. Although Cobbs was not part of the official Extravehicular Mobility Unit (space suit) investigating team, he was asked to “look into” the situation because the problem “appeared to be electrical.”

Ron Cobbs, International Space Station Avionics Chief Engineer and TSU graduate, helped NASA engineers identify the cause of a serial interface issue with a spacesuit that malfunctioned during a spacewalk on July 16. (courtesy photo)
Ron Cobbs, International Space Station Avionics Chief Engineer and TSU graduate, helped NASA engineers identify the cause of a serial interface issue with a spacesuit that malfunctioned during a spacewalk on July 16, 2013. (courtesy photo)

“I discovered that the problem was a systems problem relative to operational use of the serial port on the laptop side of the suit,” said Cobbs, after investigating the problem. As a result of his findings and recommendation, the procedures for the astronauts were rewritten and retested, subsequently leading to identifying the problem.

Saying that he is “deeply honored” to receive the Administrator’s Award from NASA-JSC, Cobbs, who has been with NASA for nearly 30 years, credits his parents and his TSU preparation for his career success.

“My parents always taught me to work hard and always do the right thing,” said Cobbs, who also holds a master’s degree in Space Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. “They taught me to believe in myself, have faith and shoot for the moon.”

Shooting for the moon is what Cobbs has been doing since. As avionics chief engineer, his role is to ensure that engineers in the NASA Directorate adhere to the “right processes.” He also supports project managers during the design, development, test and evaluation of projects that require electronics and/or software for operational use.

“I also support Failure Investigation Teams whenever their failures or anomalies on the Space Station need to be resolved. I also sit on several Space Station program boards to provide concurrence representing engineering on all proposed forward plans and action that will be implemented,” Cobbs noted.

“Ronald Cobbs is a true example of an electrical engineering graduate with passion for life-long learning and professional growth,” Dr. Satinderpaul Singh Devgan, professor and head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said of his former student, when information came out about Cobbs’ spacesuit malfunction intervention.

Cobbs joined NASA at the Johnson Space Center immediately after graduating TSU. He has moved through the ranks from design engineer, systems engineer to now ISS avionics chief engineer.

“I think Ron Cobbs’ achievement at NASA is a great story,” added Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of 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 42 undergraduate, 24 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.

FACULTY, NEWS, Uncategorized

TSU Communications Chair Wins National Broadcast Education Award

Likes 2010
Dr. Terry Likes is the recipient of 43 awards during his career including other honors from the National Broadcasting Society and the National Press Club.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The national awards among faculty competing in the Broadcast Education Association have been released and the Chair of the Department of Communications at Tennessee State University, Dr. Terry Likes, has won the “Best of Competition” award in the Faculty Audio Competition category.

Likes won for his report, “It Was 50 Years Ago…The Beatles:  Legacy,” which documents how it has been 50 years since the Beatles first arrived in the United States.

The report, aired on the Tennessee Radio Network in October, looks back at the music of the Beatles, the impact, their significance here in Music City, and their legacy.  The report may be found online at http://youtu.be/bjBVGSKBFeY.

“Creative activity aids what we do in the classroom,” said Likes.   “When students can see professors remain active in the industry and achieve at a high level, professors can, in turn, encourage students to seek excellence in their own student competitions.”

The BEA Festival of Media Arts is an international exhibition of award-winning faculty and student works.  This year’s winners will receive recognition and exhibition of their works during the BEA’s annual convention in Las Vegas in April.

This is the 10th BEA award for Likes.  He won the Award of Excellence in 2012 and 2013, the Best of Competition in 2005 and 2010, and the Best of Festival in 2003 and 2008, which followed his second place winning in 2007 for the same award. In 2005, Likes won his first Best of Competition award, as well as two BEA First Place awards in 1999. He has also won six regional Edward R.  Murrow awards and 17 KY/TN Associated Press awards.  He is the recipient of 43 awards during his career including other honors from the National Broadcasting Society and the National Press Club.

Since joining TSU in 2008, Likes has won 29 awards or honors while his students have won 36 awards from the TN Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Southeast Journalism Conference and National Broadcasting Society.

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 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, 22 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.