Global medical products company will fund $200,000 in scholarships for TSU nursing program
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students aspiring to become nurses one day could be one step closer to achieving that goal thanks to a $200,000 gift from Baxter International Inc. The global medical products company will award four TSU nursing majors academic scholarships for fall 2023.
Baxter’s ongoing financial support is a part of its partnership with the university to inspire and assist African Americans to become healthcare professionals in a field where minorities are underrepresented. The funds will be split into 4-years for each student.
Last year Baxter International Inc., awarded four TSU students $200,000 in scholarship funds to help fulfill their dreams of becoming nurses. Meah Frazier, a freshman nursing major who received the Baxter scholarship last semester, said she was grateful for the opportunity and is pleased to know the company is continuing its commitment to TSU.
“Having a scholarship from Baxter has helped me reduce any financial burdens and has allowed me to pursue my long-term aspiration of becoming a nurse practitioner,” Frazier said. “From a long-term perspective, this will also assist me serving patients in need and giving back to my community.”
She noted that the TSU, Baxter partnership will encourage fellow students to pursue careers in the healthcare industry.
“I believe African American representation in health care is vital as it can assist in eliminating disparities in the medical field such as cultural ignorance and common misconceptions about ‘Black patients’ health.”
Baxter’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, Angela Lee, said she is honored to be a part of this commitment.
“Through Baxter’s Activating Change Today (ACT) initiative, we are proud to continue our relationship with TSU in support of important programming that increases the pipeline of Black students in health and sciences fields,” Lee says.
Dr. Ronald Barredo, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, said the Baxter scholarships will change the personal and professional trajectories of its recipients.
“For one, the burden of financial support throughout their matriculation is lifted as recipients matriculate through the nursing program,” Barredo says.
“Additionally, these recipients are able to focus on their education and training, allowing them to become nurses who, in turn, affect the health trajectories of the patients they touch.”
Baxter International Inc., began their partnership with the university in 2021, in support of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Medical, Dental and Accelerated Pathway Program, a shared initiative between TSU and Meharry Medical College. TSU was one of three HBCUs that received part of $1.2 million to support Black students pursuing health and science degrees.
The program is named after one of TSU’s most distinguished graduates, Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., an internationally renowned cardiac surgeon who holds an honorary degree from Meharry. The accelerated pipeline program prepares qualified TSU students for early acceptance to Meharry, where students spend three years in pre-medical courses of study at TSU before being admitted to and enrolling at Meharry to study medicine or dentistry.
The university look forward to a continuous partnership with Baxter International Inc., to develop and invest in future Black doctors, nurses and dentist from Tennessee State University.
There are currently 41 students enrolled in the university’s BSN undergraduate nursing program. As of Fall 2022, there were over 800 nursing major students. For more information about the nursing program, visit www.tnstate.edu/nursing/. To learn more about the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Institute at TSU, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/watkins/.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Christine Khalil is an American success story. A child of Egyptian immigrants, who escaped persecution as Christians from their homeland when she was just 1½ years old, Khalil has achieved the American dream with her third degree – all from Tennessee State University – including a doctorate.
Dr. Christine Khalil receives her third degree at Tennessee State University. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
On Friday, May 6, Khalil’s parents, along with two younger sisters born in the United States, were among hundreds of relatives and friends cheering on as Khalil and nearly 250 others received advance degrees at TSU’s graduate commencement. Khalil received a doctorate degree in physical therapy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health science, and a master’s degree in business.
“I give all the credit to my parents,” says Khalil, s first-generation college student. “The gratitude is to my parents for giving me and my sisters the opportunity to live a life of freedom – the freedom to go to church, freedom to speak as a woman, freedom to learn and be anything we want to be.”
The Khalil family celebrates Christine after receiving her doctorate at TSU. From left are: Marlene (sister), Magdy (father), Christine, Kamelia (mother), and Nardeen (sister). (Submitted photo)
With U.S. visas won in a lottery, Khalil and her parents fled Egypt and its repressive lifestyle in 1996, first landing in New Jersey before moving to Tennessee six months later.
Khalil’s parents’ decision to flee Egypt, wasn’t easy. The two had just married with a host of relatives to leave behind, and dreams yet unfulfilled, including her mother’s own desire of becoming a doctor. And, in Egypt, a woman’s idea of success is to get married, have a family and children. Going to college, if you were fortunate to complete high school, was out of the question. With that in mind, Khalil’s parents decided that to give their young child any chance of success in life, they had to leave.
Christine as a young child with her parents just before they left Egypt for the United States. (submitted photo)
“This was a hard decision because my parents were very young and leaving all of their folks behind,” says Khalil. “My mom was not very sure about leaving. But they knew that as Christians in Egypt, we would be safer in the states with many opportunities, and I would be able to go to school. In Egypt, it is very risky to go to church and you never know what will happen when you step out of your home. It is not safe as Christians in Egypt. So, whenever you get an opportunity like this (to go to the US) you take it.”
While Khalil says fulfilling her American dream hinges on her parents’ foresight, hard work and her own desire to be the best, TSU has a lot do with how it all came together. The nurturing, the personal care and family atmosphere, she says, made all the difference.
Christine, her younger sister and parents pay a visit to Egypt. (submitted Photo)
“Getting all my three degrees from TSU shows how much I care for this institution. There is something different about TSU,” says Khalil, who first came to TSU as a transfer student.
“TSU makes me feel like family. I went to other schools in undergrad, but I ended up getting my undergraduate degree from TSU. Other schools are more about your money. At TSU, I never had a professor who didn’t ask me, ‘How do you feel? How is your family? Do you need help? Can I help you in any way?’”
Khalil’s professors and advisors are equally thrilled about their protégé – her seriousness about learning and trying to be the best at everything she undertakes.
“The physical therapy program is fortunate to have a student like Christine,” says Dr. Ronald Barredo, professor and dean of the College of Health Sciences. “She has a strong work ethic, which is evident both academically and clinically. Christine would be a great ambassador for our program and institution. Patients would be most fortunate to have her as their physical therapist.”
Khalil isn’t the only sibling thriving at TSU. Her younger sister is in the graduate program in occupational therapy at the university, while the youngest is in the undergraduate nursing program at Belmont University. Although Khalil says America is her home, she feels great empathy for family members in Egypt and the plight of women and Christians in her native land.
Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor Randall L. Woodfin gave the commencement address at Khalil’s graduation.
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University reached a major milestone recently when it dedicated its new four-story 102,000 square-foot ultramodern Health Sciences Building, the first state-funded building on the campus in more than 25 years.
President Glenda Glover greets officials and guests minutes before cutting the ribbon to the new building. (Photo by Andre Bean)
With the latest technology, the $38.8 million facility features simulation labs with mannequins that react like people, as well as motion science labs that can serve as rehab clinics. Disciplines in physical/occupational therapy, health information management, nursing, and cardiorespiratory care are all housed in the new building.
“We are so excited. This is a new day in the history of TSU, and a major milestone for our university,” said President Glenda Glover, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new building on June 17. Several state and local officials, as well as senior TSU administrators, faculty, staff and students attended the ceremony. Officials included some members of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Board of Regents, The TSU Board of Trustees, and the Tennessee General Assembly.
Several state and local officials, as well as senior TSU administrators, faculty, staff and students attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photo by Andre Bean)
“This state-of-the-art facility will enhance student learning in health sciences as TSU continues to fill the gap for healthcare professionals,” Glover said. “It will help fill the demand by training students in innovation and engagement. We thank each of you for coming out today. We thank representative of THEC, the TBR, TSU Board of Trustees, and Rep. (Harold) Love, who fought hard to get us the funding for this building.”
Sara Henderson, a senior cardiorespiratory care major, said “everything in this building is hospital-grade.”
The new Health Sciences Building is the first state-funded building on campus in more than 25 years. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“This new building is very innovative, I am really enjoying it,” said Henderson, of Memphis, Tennessee, who is among the first students already taking classes in the new facility. “In here we have the right resources to sharpen our skills and be prepared to go into the hospitals upon graduation. We have areas here where we can actually carry out functions like those in hospitals.”
The Bed Laboratory in the School of Nursing is one of the many cutting-edge learning tools for students in the new building. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Curtis Johnson, TSU’s chief of staff and associate vice president for administration, oversaw the new building project from design to construction. He said to ensure that the project had the best possible outcome to meet students’ learning needs, there was a lot of collaboration and discussion with stakeholders.
Roslyn Pope, a nursing faculty, simulates a basic assessment of a patient in critical care. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“We allowed faculty input and went to other facilities around the state and saw what they had,” Johnson said. “We consulted with experts and this is what we came up with that best prepares our students to lead. This is one of the most high-tech facilities that we have on campus, and this dedication is an opportunity for the university to showcase just one of the many things they are doing in the production of graduates who are going to contribute to health and wellness.”
With the first historically black institution to have a student-run PT/OT therapy clinic, TSU’s health sciences program also includes disciplines in speech pathology and audiology, as well as a dental hygiene clinic that offers low-cost to no-cost services to the community and staff. The Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Dental Hygiene programs are housed in different buildings on campus.
The Tiger Clinic is tied to the orthopedic class for rotating students in physical therapy. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
Tennessee State Rep. Harold Love, Jr., a staunch TSU supporter, who earned bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from the institution, was among those who fought tirelessly in the General Assembly for money to fund the new building before it was approved in state budget under former Gov. Bill Haslam. Love said alumni and former students returning to the campus will be proud to see the new edifice.
“Having walked on this campus many times as a student and former student to see this new building on TSU’s campus is very exciting,” he said. “We are talking about preparing students to be able to go out and transform our society and make it a better place, but also to be able to prepare students with the skills and technical know-how to be able to compete in the global market place.”
The Health Information Management Lab is one of many facilities with cutting-edge technology available to students in the new building. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
Dr. Ronald Barredo, dean of the College of Health Sciences, described the new building as a “vehicle” to do collaborative practices, community service, and interdisciplinary teaching.
“These are all parts of our vision that I think will be best realized when we have a facility such as this that helps provide the environment for the university’s ‘think, work, serve’ mission to be accomplished,” Barredo said. “As healthcare providers, service is integral and we owe it to the community to provide them the very best.”
Dr. Malia R. Jackson, an assistant professor, teaches occupational therapy. She said the innovation and real-world setup in the new building are very helpful for students.
“I think this is an amazing environment, especially for our students with regards to the different technologies that are in the classrooms,” Jackson said. “The way the classrooms are set up, it is very similar to what they will experience in the real world as they transition from the classroom to field work.”
Also speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was Dr. Deborah A. Cole, TSU alum and the newly elected chair of the TSU Board of Trustees; and Dr. Michael Harris, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
TSU officials say the new Health Sciences Building is just one of many ongoing and upcoming construction projects that are aimed to enhance students’ living and learning. A 700-bed residence hall estimated at $75.2 million, now under construction, is expected to be completed in early 2022.
FEATURED PHOTO From left: Dr. Ronald Barredo, Dean of the College of Health Sciences; Douglas Allen, Vice President of Business and Finance; Van Pinnock, Member, TSU Board of Trustees; President Glover; Dr. Deborah A. Cole, Member, TSU Board of Trustees; and Dr. Michael Harris, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (Photo by Andre Bean)
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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University professor, Dr. Courtney Nyange, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award to Tanzania. Nyange is professor of nursing in the College of Health Sciences.
In Tanzania, she will lecture at the University of Dodoma School of Nursing, as part of a project to build capacity through faculty development, curricular revisions, and teaching. She previously taught at UDOM as a volunteer nurse educator, as part of the Global Health Service Partnership between the US Peace Corps and Seed Global Health.
“I’m honored to be selected as a 2020-2021 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Tanzania,” Nyange said. “My work as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar will have a lasting impact on students and faculty at UDOM and will also open the door for more collaborative programs between TSU and UDOM.”
As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Nyange will share knowledge and foster meaningful connections across communities in the United States and Tanzania. She will engage in cutting-edge research and expand her professional networks, by laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between TSU and UDOM.
“The College of Health Sciences is heartened to hear of Dr. Nyange’s accomplishment,” said Dr. Ronald Barredo, dean and professor of the College of Health Sciences. “She is a true embodiment of our commitment to the university’s mission, ‘Think, Work, Serve.’”
A flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, the Fulbright Program is designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals. Its alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 60 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 86 who have received Pulitzer Prizes, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government.
TSU has been actively engaged in the Fulbright program in the past. Last year, the University received the designation as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader, one of only 19 historically black colleges and universities to receive the recognition for demonstrating noteworthy support for Fulbright exchange participants during the 2018-2019 academic year. In the same year, Prof. Janice M. Williams, also from the College of Health Professions, received the Fulbright Scholar Award in dental sciences to lecture at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
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 seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has long-term plans to continue outreach to Nashville families, especially underserved communities hit hardest from the novel coronavirus with the newly established COVID-19 Academy.
President Glenda Glover
“TSU has established the COVID-19 Academy to continue efforts to help the Nashville community as it recovers from the pandemic,” says TSU President Glenda Glover. “The academy will work to bridge the health care disparity for people of color that experts say will have a lasting impact for generations to come. This is being done through a holistic approach combining access to care, human services and education.”
Glover says the academy will connect residents with health services, such as telehealth and telemedicine providers, food banks and pantries, as well as employment and educational resources. For its online and certificate learning component, the COVID-19 Academy will conduct webinars on outreach, community gardening and preparedness, workforce development, entrepreneurship and small business development, and continuing education for healthcare individuals.
The Academy will also maintain a strong link with Nashville Nurtures, a food resources partnership between TSU and Mount Zion Baptist Church, under the auspices of the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, to serve the needs of the community.
Dr. Ronald Barredo
TSU alumna Oprah Winfrey recently awarded a $2 million grant to NashvilleNurtures through her charitable foundation to provide immediate relief to families needing food.
Ms. Winfrey said she was compelled to help because of how African-American communities are being disproportionally affected by the virus. She voiced her concern about the lack of access to healthcare, leading to a larger number of deaths and the economic toll on communities of color.
“The reason I’m talking about it is because there is going to be a need for people of means to step up, and you got those people right here in Nashville,” said Ms. Winfrey. “I mean, this thing is not going away. Even when the virus is gone.”
Agreeing with Winfrey, Glover said it was important that TSU continue to help families as they face uncertain futures due to the devastating impact of the virus and that’s being done with the newly created COVID-19 Academy at the university.
Dr. Ronald Barredo, dean of the College of Health Sciences and a member of the university’s task force on COVID-19, says the academy, which was launched recently, serves as an institutional response to the current pandemic.
“Among its various components, the Academy provides up-to-date information about the coronavirus and links not only to the metropolitan and Tennessee state governments, but also to pandemic-related information from recognized authorities and national agencies,” says Barredo.
Dr. Veronica Oates
Through the Department of Human Sciences in the College of Agriculture, the Academy provides links to resources in nutrition education and food safety, child development and parenting, emergency preparedness, youth development, community gardening and faith-based initiatives.
According to Dr. Veronica Oates, interim chair of the Department of Human Sciences and a member of the task force, in addition to child development and family care, food handling and management is another key area of emphasis for the Academy.
“The idea is for restaurants and people who are in food service to actually be able to implement some of the new post-COVID-19 requirements and suggestions,” says Oates. “We could provide the type of expertise or consultation to help them with how they can actually run their businesses and make sure that they are safeguarding their employees and the public.”
Rita Fleming, assistant professor and extension specialist, adds that at a time when many Americans are worried about their ability to afford food or groceries due to the pandemic, the academy, through the TSU extension services, can help people stretch their food budget.
“Tennessee State Cooperative Extension has always been dedicated to serving current and future needs of Tennesseans by providing educational information and programs that safeguard health, increase livelihood, and enhance the well-being of community needs, “ says Fleming, a task force member.
Workforce development, another key part of the COVID-19 Academy’s certificate learning component, will use available resources at the university, such as the Career Development Center, and in the community to help meet the skills and employment needs of the people.
“The Career Development Center recognizes the unique employment needs of all individuals,” says Antoinette Hargrove Duke, associate director of the center. “We will serve as a gateway to offer career service resources to help assist in exploring different career options during these challenging and uncertain times.”
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 seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Health Sciences has thriving programs that prepare students for six of the top 25 best healthcare jobs listed in a recent article published by U.S. News & World Report.
The jobs included as part of the magazine’s 2020 Best Health
Care Jobs list, are: nurse practitioner, speech language pathologist,
registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist and respiratory
therapist.
Dr. Ronald Barredo, Dean of the College of Health
Sciences, says there will always be a great need for these healthcare
jobs.
“The good thing about healthcare is as long as there is
sickness in the world, we will always have a job,” says Barredo.
Tierney Curtis (Photo Submitted)
Tierney Curtis, a graduate student in the occupational therapy program, says attending TSU gives her a great advantage as a future healthcare professional.
“Nashville is already a booming healthcare city so most of
your clinical work and opportunities include going out into the Nashville
community, and meeting people and making connections,” says Curtis, who received
an undergraduate degree in health sciences from TSU in 2018. “I think the
health sciences program at TSU is one of the best here in Nashville because
they offer so many programs. We have professors that are here to help you that
have been across different spans of healthcare.”
A West Memphis, Arkansas native, Curtis says she hopes to
stay in Nashville after she graduates from TSU and work at a hospital in acute
care, or work in pediatrics with outpatients, or in the school system.
Future Physical Therapist Zachary Prudoff says although he
enjoys working with amputees, he is unsure what area of physical therapy he
wants to explore as a profressional.
Zachary Prudoff, a doctoral candidate in the TSU Department of Physical Therapy,checks a patient’s blood pressure before administering a mobility test. (Photo Submitted)
“I think as I go through more classes, I get to understand the profession as a whole a little bit more, and it starts to help clue me in on what type of patients I might like to work with in the field, says Prudoff, who is a doctoral candidate in the department of Physical Therapy.
He says developing relationships with faculty is extremely
important.
“In grad school, especially in physical therapy, our teachers are sometimes our greatest resources and it’s very important to foster a relationship of communication and mutual respect. They have been out in the field and practicing. They know things that you don’t know for sure, and they are there to help you.”
Barredo says all six of the programs that made U.S. News
& World Report’s 2020 Best Healthcare Jobs list are accredited at TSU. He
says the programs in the TSU College of Health Sciences are in high demand.
“We’ve always had a lot more applicants than there are slots
in the program, some more than others,” says Barredo, who is a recipient of the
Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association, the
association’s highest award. “For example, in physical therapy last year we had
about 200 applicants for only 36 slots, and that’s true for most every
program.”
Dr. Ronald Barredo (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
This fall each of the six health sciences programs noted in
the study, with the exception of the speech language pathology program which
already has a clinic at the TSU Avon Williams Campus, will relocate into a new
$38 million facility.
Barredo says the shared space will provide opportunities for
students to get a more comprehensive view of
the collaborative roles of health science professionals.
“Right now we are all separated in different buildings. So now
there will be a lot more interpersonal collaboration in terms of patient care,
research and service activities,” he says. “Instead of us doing things
separately, we will be more consolidated and able to demonstrate that there is
a lot more to healthcare than physical therapy, for example.”
Antoinette Duke,
associate director of the TSU Career Development Center, says students
such as those in the College of Health Sciences can visit the university’s career
center to utilize a wide array of resources to prepare for life beyond TSU.
Antoinette Duke, associate director of TSU’s Career Development Center, advises student during 2020 Spring Internship Fair. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
“We are doing
everything in our power to partner with student organizations, the faculty, the
staff and the professors to help them encourage our students to utilize this
service that is there for them,” says Duke. “We have several resources to help prepare them. For instance, if the student is not prepared
for interviewing, one of the resources we have is Interview Stream. It allows
our students to tap into that service to practice before they meet with a
potential company or employer.”
For more information about the TSU College of Health
Sciences, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/health_sciences/
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
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 seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University will soon become the first historically black institution to have a student-run physical therapy/occupational therapy clinic.
The clinic, which is part of the College of
Health Sciences, opens Aug. 30 and will be located in the basement of Clement
Hall on the main campus. It will mainly handle cases like knee injuries,
shoulder pain, and lower back pain. The more serious cases will be referred out
to local clinics.
Doctoral student Janae Swift next to rendering of new Health Sciences Building. (TSU Media Relations)
With the original goal of servicing the
community, TSU students, faculty and staff will be the initial patients. The
clinic will serve as a referral source for physical and occupational therapy
clinics in the area.
Dr. Rick Clark, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at TSU, will oversee the program, which joins 37 other student-run physical therapy clinics nationwide. Clark said the fact that the clinic is student-run is what he likes most about it.
“It’s a teaching opportunity for them,” said
Clark, who was in the military for 25 years and ran multiple clinics. “I want
them to not only be great therapists, but if they want to go out and start
their own clinic, they now have a better understanding of what is involved in
doing that.”
Clark added that the clinic’s “primary emphasis is on outpatient orthopedic and sports injuries with the ability to treat neurological conditions on a case-by-case basis.”
Janae Swift of Memphis is in her second year of TSU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She is a POTUS (Preparing our Tomorrows Uniquely in STEM) and heads the12-member board of students who will operate the clinic. Swift said she plans to operate her own facility one day.
“This is an amazing experience,” she said. “I
love the opportunity to serve, to give back, especially to the faculty and
students, and the TSU community as a whole.”
Dr. Ronald Barredo, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, said he’s looking forward to the impact of the new clinic.
Dr. Rick Clark works with physical therapy equipment. (TSU Media Relations)
“I think it will help tremendously with regard to the local community, our campus community,” Barredo said. “The clinic would not have been possible without the support of TSU’s POTUS Fellows program, which aims to provide POTUS Fellows with opportunities that will empower them to excel in their academic programs. The plans are, once this gets into full gear, we want to extend this outward to the community; to provide care for the underserved, uninsured and underinsured.”
Clark gave a special thanks to Dr. Andrea Tyler, Director of Graduate STEM Research.
“Without her support through grant funding, the program would not be possible,” he said.
TSU is currently constructing a new state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building that’s expected to be complete next year, and the physical therapy/occupational therapy clinic will be part of it.
“This project will not only bring together a number of excellent programs under one roof – Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Cardiorespiratory Care, and Health Information Management – but will also be a hub for collaborative practice, community service, and clinical research,” Barredo said.
The new clinic will join the Department of Dental Hygiene and the Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology as a community outreach health care clinic. The dental clinic currently provides service to nearly 600 patients a year, including faculty and students, as well as the Nashville community.
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Dr. Ronald Barredo,
interim dean of Tennessee State University’s College of Health Sciences, is the
recipient of the highest award given by the American Physical Therapy
Association.
In June, Barredo will attend an award ceremony in Chicago,
where he will receive the Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical
Therapy Association. The award is the highest recognition that the association
can give to physical therapists, and is given to individuals “who have
demonstrated unwavering efforts to advance the physical therapy profession for
more than 15 years,” according to the Association’s website.
Dr. Ronald Barredo
There are more than 100,000 members of the APTA. Of that
number, only 214 have received the Catherine Worthingham Fellow. In Tennessee,
only five have been given the honor.
““We are so proud of
Dr. Ronald Barredo,” said Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover.
“Here at TSU, excellence is our habit, and Dr. Barredo is continuing that
tradition with this prestigious award. We applaud him, and thank him for his service
to our university.”
Dr. Barredo, who is also professor and chair of the Department
of Physical Therapy, is being recognized for his work in professional and
post-professional education, particularly in the area of competency assessment.
He has been actively involved with the Federation of State
Boards of Physical Therapy, with its focus on the assessment of entry-level
competence through the National Physical Therapy Examination; the American
Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, with its focus on the assessment of
continuing competence through specialist certification; the Foreign
Credentialing Commission in Physical Therapy, with its focus on assessment of
educational equivalence of foreign educated physical therapists; and the APTA
Credentialed Clinical Instructor Program, with its focus on education and
credentialing of clinical instructors.
“I am humbled and honored to be recognized as a Catherine
Worthingham Fellow,” Barredo said. “My appreciation goes out to the faculty,
staff and students at Tennessee State University, who make my life interesting,
challenging, and fun every day.”
TSU is currently constructing a new state-of-the-art Health
Sciences Building.
“This
project will not only bring together a number of excellent programs under one
roof – Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Cardiorespiratory Care,
and Health Information Management – but will also be a hub for collaborative
practice, community service, and clinical research,” Barredo said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has unveiled major construction projects that will change the institution’s footprint forever.
The new construction includes two new residence halls at an estimated cost of $75.3 million and a $38.8 million Health Sciences Building.
Tennessee State broke ground for all three as a part of Homecoming activities last week. TSU President Glenda Glover believes the new residence halls and academic building will play a major role in recruitment efforts.
“The university is undergoing a renaissance of sorts; it began with our new, higher admission standards, and continues with the new construction of the residence halls and Health Sciences Building for prospective students to enjoy and reap the benefits,” said President Glover.
“We are proud of our legacy and the current buildings on campus are a part of that legacy, but the construction projects are the first on our campus in 23 years. These are exciting times for the university and our partners.”
TSU broke ground on Oct. 18 for the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building and an Alumni Welcome Center.
Rendering of new Health Sciences Building.
The day before, there was a groundbreaking for the two new residence halls, the first ones to be built on the campus in 23 years. The new Health Sciences Building will be the first state-funded building built on the campus in 15 years.
Later that Thursday was the groundbreaking for the Alumni Welcome Center, which is the first privately funded building gifted to the University, as well as the first building to be funded by alumni. Earlier this year, alums Amos and Brenda Otis made a commitment to build the center.
“It is a privilege and a pleasure to be able to do something for the university that pulled me out of the streets of Detroit and gave me an education and an opportunity to be a productive citizen,” said Amos Otis.
Faculty and staff, as well as state and local officials, have turned out for the groundbreakings. Thursday’s event for the Health Sciences Building drew media from just about all the local outlets.
All the construction projects are expected to be completed by 2020.
“Today is a wonderful day,“ Glover said at the Health Sciences’ event. “We break this ground for student success. We break this ground in support of our mission to educate students at the highest level who attend Tennessee State University.”
Currently, TSU’s College of Health Sciences has eight departments and more than 12 programs spread across five buildings on campus.
“With this new building, a number of these programs will come together at this location, to continue the excellent work they’re currently doing in teaching, research and service,” said Dr. Ronald Barredo, interim dean for the College of Health Sciences.
Groundbreaking for new residence halls on Wednesday. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)
State Rep. Brenda Gilmore, a TSU alumna, shared similar sentiment about the $38.8 million facility.
“This future building will one day host some of the best and brightest minds in the world,” Gilmore said. “In so many ways, this event does not only mark a new adventure, but reaffirms the longstanding commitment that Tennessee State has to excellence and innovation in higher education.”
TSU sophomore Jailen Leavell said the new Health Sciences Building is great news, as well as the other planned construction on the campus.
“For the students, this is big,” Leavell said. “We’re developing tomorrow’s leaders.”
At the groundbreaking for the new dorms, State Rep. Harold Love, Jr., lauded Dr. Glover and “all those involved in the intricacies of getting this done.”
“Residence halls represent a university’s commitment to student success just as much as other educational buildings,” said Love, also a TSU alum. “Tennessee State continues to invest in facilities to increase the opportunities for students to find a home away from home.”
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
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About Tennessee State University
With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
