Tag Archives: Rita Fleming

TSU’s SNAP-Ed program empowers community for healthy living

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Ramona Crawford of Nashville, is a 1978 TSU graduate who told the University that she recently started making her own organic juices at home to live a healthier, nutritious lifestyle. Now, along with her juices, Crawford will be creating new and easy recipes after receiving free produce and observing food demonstrations during TSU’s SNAP-Ed program F.R.E.S.H. Fair community event.

TSU alumnus Reggie Marshall hands TSU senior, Zahria Austin a mint beverage with ingredients picked from his local farm.

“A lot of people, when they get older, they need to eat healthy nutrients to have a long life style,” Crawford said. “I came because I wanted to sample the vegetables and the pinto bean salad. I liked it, and I will try to make it at home myself.”

Crawford was one of more than 60 community attendees for the first ever F.R.E.S.H. Fair to cultivate a healthier, more connected community.

On July 15, program hosts, vendors and volunteers arrived early to set up their abundance of produce, resources and cooking demonstrations. Tennessee State University dedicated the morning to continuing its commitment to fill the gap in its North Nashville community categorized as a grocery store desert.

Free produce was given out to community goers who attended the F.R.E.S.H event hosted by the SNAP-Ed program.

Hosted by the SNAP-Ed program, the event took place at Friendship Missionary Baptist church.

The event also brought awareness to the University’s efforts in fighting food insecurity and free available resources. Something that TSU senior, Zahria Austin, said she was grateful to be a part of. Austin, who is a family consumer science major, volunteered for the event. “I assisted making food demonstrations and teaching everyone the importance of nutritional snacks they can make,” Austin said. “It was a great turn out and a lot of people tried different samples.”

In addition to the recent event, Austin had been teaching nutritional classes to lower income residents and local homeless shelter residents.

“I wanted to spread the love and help out the community.”

SNAP-Ed program agent demonstrates how to make a quick and easy, affordable vegetable recipe.

One of the many demonstrations began with the art of making homemade hummus. A member of the SNAP-Ed program whipped together chickpeas, lemon juice, and an array of ingredients in a blender to show the crowd the simplicity of the process. 

They learned quick and easy, healthy recipes that could be made without cooking and were then given a bag full of ingredients to make the recipes at home. From hummus, to black bean dip to hearty vegetable salad, participants said they enjoyed the samples and demonstrations.

TSU alumnus Reggie Marshall, a farmer from West Tennessee, supported the event as one of the five vendors.

He provided bell peppers, 15 varieties of herbs, freshly made lemon zucchini bread and mint tea. All the ingredients were picked right from his own farm, Reggie Veggie Farm in Antioch. 

SNAP-Ed program agents demonstrate how to make homemade hummus during the community event.

“I’ve been given so much in life and this is a small token of appreciation and gratitude,” Marshall said about attending his alma maters event. He noted that he wanted to educate the community on different herbs to elevate meals rather than just using salt and sugar. “Try something new,” he told the participants.

“We become creatures of habit. Nothing taste as good as healthy feels.”

Through the ongoing efforts, program host continued to inspire individuals of all ages, proving that healthy eating was not only possible but also a joyful and enriching experience.

TSU SNAP-Ed Agent Angela Settles said the goal was to create and develop incentives for the community during the event with impact on parents, first-time parents, and children.

Director of community outreach Rita Fleming, left and SNAP-Ed Agent Angela Settles shows ingredients to the community during a food demonstrations at the F.R.E.S.H fair.

TSU Director of community outreach, Rita Fleming, said the event did just that.

“Today was an opportunity to meet people where they are and give them an idea of what we do for nutrition education,” Fleming said. “We made great connections today.”

ABOUT TSU F.R.E.S.H. Fair

The fair was presented through a collaborative effort by the University’s SNAP-Education and the Family Consumer Science Programs. 

The fair had five vendors present:

  1. Dr. Arvazena Clardy (Associate Professor of Horticulture and Extension Specialist/ TSU Community Garden)
  2. Mary B. Wakefield (TSU FCS Agent)
  3. The University of Tennessee College of Nursing
  4. Reggie Marshall(Reggie Veggie Farm)
  5. Health Hero Tennessee

TSU makes taking student portrait easy with first self-serve, innovative professional photo booth

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Do you need a professional-quality headshot for graduate school or a job application but don’t know where to go? Look no more, the Tennessee State University Career Development Center has you covered!

Brionika Johnson, a graduating senior, edits a headshot in the Iris Booth for her senior portfolio. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

On Oct. 6, the center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Iris Booth, an innovative, self-serve professional photo booth that allows students, faculty, and staff to take headshots. TSU is the first historically black higher education institution to use the Iris Booth, and one of only six universities in the nation with this high-tech equipment. It is used by corporations and hospitals in North America, Europe, and Asia. 

“This is amazing, and it is groundbreaking as our students now have the opportunity to experience professional photography brought by the Career Development Center,” said Frank Stevenson, associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students. “We are excited about what this will mean for our students moving forward. It gives them a head start going into the marketplace. It prepares them and allows them to have their best foot forward as they prepare for potential employment opportunities.” 

Antoinette Hargrove Duke, Director of the Career Development Center, welcomes officials, students and staff to the opening of the Iris Booth. From right, are: Frank Stevenson, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs; Prof. Rita Fleming, Faculty Senate representative; and Miss TSU Mallory Moore. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

Brionika Johnson, a senior business administration major, was one of the first students to sit for her headshot in the booth, following the ribbon cutting. She was impressed by the clarity of her photo and how easy it was to use the system. 

“One thing that students complain a lot about is that they can’t get professional headshots when going to interviews, or going to companies,” said Johnson, who is from Atlanta. “This is another good example of the Career Development Center helping students prepare for the workforce.” 

Officials say the Iris Booth demonstrates the university’s commitment to engage and support students as they begin or continue their career journeys. The easy-to-use unit – located in the CDC – uses high quality lighting and allows users to approve or retake photos. It also allows users to crop photos, touch up blemishes, whiten teeth, or apply filters, and instantly delivers digital photos via email. 

Frank Stevenson, who is also Dean of Students, enters his profile information for a professional headshot. He calls the Iris Booth innovation ‘groundbreaking.’ (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

“With the Iris Booth, we no longer have to find somebody for you to get a professional picture. We no longer have to hire anyone,” Antoinette Hargrove Duke, director of the Career Development Center, told students, as she thanked the leadership of the Student Affairs office for supporting the idea for the booth. 

“Our students deserve this cutting-edge technology,” Duke added. “They no longer have an excuse for looking their very best when going to look for internships or going for job interviews.” 

Duke also thanked her staff and the student leadership for their support, as well as the staff of the TSU Facilities Department for transforming the previous office space to install the photo booth. 

The Iris Booth is open to faculty, staff and students. Many attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Career Development Center. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

Derrick Sanders, president of the Student Government Association, expressed appreciation to the CDC for its support, and urged his fellow students to take advantage of not only the new booth, but the center. 

“I just want to say to all the students to make sure you come here, not only to get your headshot, but take advantage of the resources in this office,” said Sanders. “The headshot is definitely a key piece to the industrial field and life after TSU. But I also encourage all of you to be engaged in this office.” 

Also participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Prof. Rita Fleming, who represented Dr. Kimberly Triplett, chair of the Faculty Senate; Mister TSU Mark T. Davis, Jr.; Miss TSU Mallory Moore; and Tanya McNeal, student ambassador. 

For more information on the TSU Career Development Center, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/careers/.

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.

TSU Launches Nation’s first COVID-19 Academy to continue support and recovery for Nashville families

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.”

For more information on the COVID-19 Academy at Tennessee State University, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/covid19academy/educationalresources.aspx

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 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.