Tag Archives: Dr. Tyrone Miller

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, NEWS, RANKINGS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Student, Student Profile, Uncategorized

TSU honors students win national HBCU research competition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University Honors students are champions once again, securing the first and second places in scholarly research at the National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP) Conference for the second consecutive year.

The 32nd annual NAAAHP conference took place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during the fall semester, where TSU honors college students competed against students from 10 other HBCUs nationwide in various categories. Hosted by Southern University, the competition featured TSU honors students excelling in the research poster category, the quiz bowl category, and Honors Got Talent.

Meaghan Lewis, a senior honors biology major, claimed the first-place victory for her cancer research presentation.

Meaghan Lewis claimed first-place victory for her cancer research presentation at the NAAAHP conference. (Photo submitted)

“I was shocked,” Lewis said reflecting on her achievement. “I worked very hard, and I was very happy. I felt achieved that all my hard work paid off.” The previous year, Lewis secured second place in the same research category and expressed pride in reentering the competition and clinching the first-place victory.

Her research, titled “The Role of Toll-Like Receptors 3, 4, and 8 in Tributyltin Stimulation of Tumor Necrosis Factor a Production by Human Immune Cells,” won accolades for content, in depth research, presentation, and quality.

Currently working in the laboratory of Dr. Margaret Whalen in the department of chemistry, Lewis initiated her cancer research during her freshman year at TSU.

“It shows TSU students that if you put in the work and get into these research opportunities presented around campus, you will gain the knowledge and show that you can be one of the best.”

Eseoghene Ogaga, a senior studying honors biology, won second place in her poster presentation titled “The Role of IL-17R Signaling in the Stomach Epithelium During H. pylori infection.” Ogaga is TSU representative collaborating with Vanderbilt University and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Quiz Bowl team of five won the trophy for second place. The team consists of Tyler Vazquez, Morgan Gill, Kaitlin Skates, Kara Simmons, and Jada Womack. Skates earned third place in the Honors Got Talent category. All participating students received monetary awards.

Dr. Coreen Jackson, the dean of the Honors College, said she is proud of the achievements of TSU honors students, highlighting their academic and scholarly excellence. Dr. Jackson, a past president of the NAAAHP, said, “TSU is known to produce outstanding researchers among our peer institutions. We returned to defend our research title and won the coveted first and second place winners. These students are products of our world-class faculty.”

Dr. John Miglietta, a professor of political science and the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) coach, prepared the TSU Honors students for the quiz bowl competition. Last spring, the team earned a spot in the top eight teams at the National Tournament held in Torrance, California.

Dr. Tyrone Miller, Associate Director of the Honors College, served as the Honorary coach at the conference.

The three categories were part of NAAAHP’s annual national conference, where HBCU students engage in a Model African Union, debate, research presentations, and quiz bowl competitions. This marked TSU’s second-ever championship in the NAAAHP quiz bowl tournament.

The National Association of African American Honors Programs, founded in 1990, is a national consortium of HBCU honors programs promoting scholarship, professional development, community service, and an appreciation of African-American culture. For more information, visit www.naaahp.org.

Alumni, College of Health Sciences, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, Featured, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Student Profile

TSU quiz bowl team wins national honors program championship title, takes top place in research presentation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students are champions! A four-person quiz bowl team from the university beat out nine other college teams to win the top place in the National Association of African American Honors Programs Quiz Bowl in Baltimore. TSU students, who are all members of the Honor’s College, also won the championship in Oral Research Presentation at the Annual 31st Conference of the NAAAHP.

The four-member TSU quiz bowl team, along with officials of the Honor College, receive their championship award. From left, are: Dr. Coreen Jackson, Dean of the Honors College; Dr. Tyrone Miller, Associate Dean of the College; and team members Journey Brinson, Tyler Vazquez, Kara Simmons and Jada Womack. (Submitted photo)

The two events are part of NAAAHP’s annual national conference, where HBCU students participate in a Model African Union, debate, research presentations, and quiz bowl competitions. This was TSU’s first-ever championship in the NAAAHP quiz bowl tournament on Nov.9.

Quiz bowl team members were Tyler Vazquez, of Raymore, Missouri; Kara Simmons, of South Holland, Illinois; Journey Brinson, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jada Womack, an accounting major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who was the alternate.  With the exception of Womack, all of the other student are freshman biology majors, who are part of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Institute, an accelerated pathway program between TSU and Mehary Medical College for students on the medical track.  

Tyler Vazquez

“It was really a very good experience being able to compete against so many talented young people from all over the country, especially HBCUs,” said Vazquez. “I am so thankful to my teammates, and TSU for allowing us to represent the university.”

“It was very exciting,” added Brinson. “I really like being able to represent the black excellence at TSU. I hope that we can win again next year.”

Barbara Murrell, director of the Dr. Levi Watkins Institute, congratulated the students, adding that they represent the kind of students the institute was intended to attract.

Journey Brinson

“We want to congratulate and commend the students for an outstanding performance by winning the championship in the quiz bowl,” Murrell said. “We are glad that the Levi Watkins Institute team has recruited such outstanding young people who can immediately participate in the university’s honors program and bring credit to the institute and the university.”

For this year’s NAAAHP annual conference, TSU fielded 14 students, representing the university’s Honors College, including the three from the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Institute. Dr. Tyrone Miller, associate director of the Honors College, served as coach of the quiz bowl team, in place of longtime coach Dr. John Miglietta.

“We are extremely proud of our TSU Honors and Levi Watkins team,” said Dr. Coreen Jackson, dean of the Honors College. “Although these students were new to the game, they embraced the challenge, took the game by storm, and swept the competition.  In addition, our research students won the research championship, and they too did a phenomenal job.”

Clayton Oglesby, first-place winner in the research category, presents his study. (Submitted photo)

In the research competition, TSU students had a clean sweep. In addition to the first-place win, they walked away with all of the awards by winning second and third places. Individual winners were Clayton Oglesby, senior communications major from Nashville, first place; Sarena Noel, a junior biology major from Miami, Florida, second place; and Sandra Noel, a junior biology major from Miami, Florida, who won third place.

Another event in which TSU students participated was the “Honors Got Talent” competition. It featured Maya Cole, a junior biology major; Kaitlin Skates, a Levi Watkins/Honors student; and Anyah Sanders, a sophomore biology major. The students showcased their talents through vocals and spoken word.

In addition to TSU, other schools in attendance included Southern University, Fisk University, Spellman College, Livingstone College, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, Prairie View A&M University, Coppin, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The National Association of African American Honors Programs is a national consortium of HBCU honors programs that, since its founding in 1990, has promoted scholarship, professional development, community service and an appreciation of African-American culture. For more information, visit www.naaahp.org.

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

Future Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Beats the Odds, Grateful to TSU for Opportunities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – From the 5th grade, Christian Bond always had an interest in biology and how the human body works

“I remember being in a human anatomy class in the 10th grade and just being fascinated with how the various mechanisms are put in naturally,” says Bond, a top rising senior majoring in biology. “That has always been interesting to me. So, I wanted to further my education in science to understand the biology of the body.”

Christian Bond

And Bond is well on her way.  Her goal is to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine, which focuses on health promotion and disease prevention.

“First, I wanted to be a neurosurgeon or a pediatric doctor, but I know for sure now I want to do osteopathic medicine,” says Bond, a transfer student from Alabama State University. “That is just a more holistic approach on medicine versus prescribing pills and things like that. I want to be able to figure out what other factors play into an illness and other ways to heal.”

At TSU, Bond is a member of the Honors College, with a 4.0 grade point average. She is also a member of the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Pre-Med Society, the Golden Key International Honor Society, and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.

The second of three children from Chris and Traci Bond, of Nashville, Christian Bond has had a few bumps in the road that would have derailed some students’ career. But not this Nashville native, a high achieving student all her college years.

The mother of a 6-month-old boy, Bond got pregnant while in her sophomore year at ASU. She came back home for family support and never allowed her pregnancy to hold her back. She enrolled at TSU a few weeks later, and never missed a day of class work.

“It was during my sophomore year while home on spring break when I found out that I was pregnant. I stayed home for three weeks past spring break,” says Bond. “I went back to Alabama State, but right away decided it would be best if I came home for support that would help me further my education because I was halfway there as a sophomore.”

Professors and fellow students are amazed at Christian’s work ethic, sense of ambition and perseverance.

Dr. Tyrone Miller, associate director of the Honors Colleges, teaches an honors leadership class during Maymester, an accelerated summer program that Christian attends. He describes her as a highly responsible and dependable person who stays on top of her work and an example to her fellow students.

“Christian is definitely a thinker, she is thoughtful, and definitely a person who wants and strives to be better,” says Miller. “I think she is setting a great example to the rest of our students and her baby.”

Christian says her family has a long tradition with TSU.

“All of my family from both sides graduated from TSU,” she says. “I have come in contact with professors who really care about my success and really devoted to helping me move to that next level.  Most of my professors let you know about opportunities or societies or organizations on campus to help you stay active. I want to leave a mark here.”

Christian says she looks forward to graduating next May, then on to medical school.

“I have taken full advantage of opportunities here at Tennessee State University and I cannot wait to see where they will take me and my baby,” says the future doctor of osteopathic medicine.

For enrollment and other student success programs at TSU, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/emss/

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 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.