NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – This month marks a fresh start for thousands at TSU, embarking on an exciting chapter as college students. Not only for first-year students but also as the university welcomes new departments this semester. This year’s move-in incorporated a collaborative effort between the newly formed unit in Academic Affairs, Academic Career Pathways and Partnerships (ACPP), Residence Life, and several Employer Partners.
TSU and Fifth Third Bank representatives during Fall move in.
With these efforts, the collaboration welcomed nearly 1,000 first-year students over the course of three days, fed 300 community volunteers during move-in, and received a $10K donation from Enterprise Holdings.
Antoinette Duke, Director of Academic Career Pathways and Partnerships, said this collaboration showcased the commitment of multiple departments and employer partners to TSU’s motto: Think. Work. Serve. “Our units exemplify a shared vision to prepare TSU students for success in the professional world,” Duke said. She noted that the Enterprise Holdings donation would be divided equally between ACPP and the Career Development Center (CDC).
“ACPP and the CDC are set to collaborate closely, leveraging their combined expertise to help incoming freshman students identify their interests, skills, and work values,” Duke said.
Kroger representatives passed out waters and snacks to volunteers during fall move in.
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Robbie Melton, who spearheaded the new unit under academic affairs, said the ACPP would provide comprehensive support and guidance to college students and their career journeys. “The office facilitates the seamless transition between academic programs and career pathways, ensuring students make informed decisions and acquire the necessary skills and experiences for their chosen professions,” Melton said.
The donated check was presented amid move-in with hundreds of volunteers from TSU Faculty and Staff, Student Activities, Student Affairs, and employer partners. The volunteers were all provided with lunch and refreshments every day of move-in.
Employer partners include Enterprise, Bank of America, Fifth Third, Dollar General, Altria, Cintas, Oracle, Kroger, RICH, and the university’s R.O.T.C. unit, all played a pivotal role in demonstrating their dedication to the university’s essence, according to Duke.
The ACPP looks forward to the career and professional development and exploration of the students as the university aims to ensure a journey tailored to their passion and aspirations.
In the new unit, Duke is working under the leadership of the assistant vice president of academic affairs, Dr. Johnnie Smith. Representatives from the CDC and residence life during the move-in event also included the newly appointed Director of the Career Development Center, Jeffrey Brown, the new Executive Director of Residence Life, Yolanda Parr, and the Associate Director of housing, Julius Proctor.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) Tennessee State University has the distinction of having the state’s first-ever FBI Collegiate Academy. The academy gives students a behind-the-scenes look at careers with the federal agency and how it operates. Twenty-one students participated in the program, following a rigorous registration process.
Dr. Robbie Melton, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, center, and Dr. Rodney Stanley, left, Interim Dean of the College of Public Service, welcome Douglas M. Korneski, Special Agent In Charge of the FBI Memphis Field Office. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
On November 7, the select group attended the academy’s first training session conducted by Douglas M. Korneski, Special Agent In Charge of the FBI Memphis Field Office. Students, who ranged from sophomores to seniors in various disciplines, received an overview of the FBI, and participated in drills on crime scene investigation, intelligence program presentation, and crisis negotiation and management. The training concluded with resume and interviewing tips from the experts.
Lia Barnett, a criminal justice major, and David Allen III, a political science major with a minor in computer science, were among those who participated in the academy. Barnett’s career goal is to join the FBI, while Allen is open to employment in federal law enforcement. They said the academy was “eye opening.”
Twenty-one students ranging from sophomores to seniors in various disciplines, participated in the daylong FBI Collegiate Academy. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
Today, I have learned the steps I need to take to get to the FBI, which has been a longtime goal of mine,” said Barnett, of Cincinnati. “I have learned the background and certain facts that not everybody would know. The academy was educational, and I am extremely happy to be a part of it and to know that my university was selected for this first academy.”
For David, of Memphis, he said the workshop cleared out many myths he had heard about the FBI.
FBI special agents Stephen Fogarty, left, and Lowanda F. Hill conduct a crime scene investigation with TSU students. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
“We hear a lot about crime scene but today was eye opening. It was amazing to see how footprint and fingerprints can be detected with stuff like paper,” he said “I actually grasped that concept. The hands-on activities were very helpful.”
Agent Korneski said the goal of the academy was to bring about more awareness to the FBI’s operation, and to recruit top candidate from all sectors.
“For a number of reasons, the FBI has been making a lot of push from a recruitment standpoint, to attract more females and minority candidates to have our organization better reflect the communities we serve,” Korneski said. “Also, we want to take away some of the mystique or stigma or preconceived notion people may have about the FBI. So, we are trying to educate and recruit top quality candidates. “
Lia Barnett.
Dr. Robbie Melton, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said it was exciting and fortunate that TSU was selected for the first FBI Collegiate Academy.
“You couldn’t have selected a batter place for the inaugural academy. This is a great opportunity for our students to have first-hand communication, first-hand glimpse into the FBI,” Melton said. “It gives them the opportunity to ask questions, and to serve as ambassadors for others. So, coming here to TSU is not only a win-win, it is an opportunity for us to help move our students forward.”
According to Korneski, the FBI recruits from all backgrounds and academic disciplines. “Lots of people who study criminal justice may gravitate toward federal law enforcement, which is great, but we are also looking to attract history, political science, computer science and people in other areas.”
David Allen III.
Dr. Rodney Stanley, interim dean of the College of Public Service, whose office coordinated the academy, said the academy is an extension of years of effort in criminal justice to open career opportunities for students.
“We see this as a good partnership between the FBI and students. We hope this is a continuance program that students participate in every year that can help them land potential jobs with the FBI,” Stanley said.
Dr. Kimberly Triplett, associate professor and coordinator of the public service program, worked directly with the FBI as part of her “JobTalk” initiative that brings different agencies on campus to help students find career opportunities.
“The FBI was one of the agencies we partnered with, for students to meet in a more informal setting for career readiness and job opportunities with the bureau,” Triplett added.
The FBI is actively looking for qualified candidates and has a host of jobs listed on its site.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 13, 2022) – Tennessee State University officially welcomed its largest class ever of first-year students during the Fall 2022 Freshman Convocation held on Sept. 16. More than 3,500 new students poured into the Gentry Center complex in all-white attire and were formally introduced by TSU faculty and staff as official TSU tigers.
The annual assembly for freshmen marks the beginning of their academic journey at the University and their transformation as college students.
TSU President Glenda Glover welcomes class of 2026 at the university’s largest class ever of first-year students during the Fall 2022 Freshman Convocation. (Photo by: Aaron Grayson)
TSU President Glenda Glover welcomed the students to the university with words of encouragement.
“As young college students, you are heading in the right direction,” Glover said. “Keep on being excellent. Keep shinning and be strong … strong enough to know your purpose of why you are here.”
A very talented freshman, Autumn Parker, blew everyone away with her rendition of Hero by Mariah Carey. The political science major from Michigan says the experience was one to remember because she had never performed in front of such a large crowd. Parker adds she has been singing her entire life but sharing her vocals to thousands was a first.
“I was very excited to be able to share my God-given gift with my class,” Parker said. “It also brought me a sense of comfort to be surrounded by people who look like me. I was able to see Black excellence personified, which was incredible.”
More than 3,500 new students poured into the Gentry Center complex in all-white attire and were formally introduced by TSU faculty and staff as official TSU tigers. (Phot by: Aaron Grayson)
During the convocation the students pledged to commit themselves “to serious intellectual and cultural efforts,” and to conduct themselves “with honor and dignity to become better prepared to live a full and useful life in society.”
TSU freshman Tyler Cole, a mass communications major whose parents are TSU alumni, said during the event he reflected on his parents undergraduate journey at TSU, which made his experience at the convocation even more special.
“It made me think about what my parents went through here and how successful they turned out,” Cole said. “And seeing all my classmates together gave me hope … it felt natural to be there.”
TSU freshman Autumn Parker blew everyone away with her rendition of Hero by Mariah Carey during the Fall 2022 Freshman Convocation. (Photo by: Aaron Grayson)
Terrence Izzard, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success said the convocation is an annual opening assembly that marks the beginning of the academic journey of the record-breaking, first-time freshmen. It is the official start of the transformation and growth that will transpire within the lives of our newest TSU Tigers.
“The University is pleased to welcome over 3,500 new first-year students,” Izzard said. “It remains committed to providing holistic care and support to ensure that each student has access to resources and services that will help them succeed both academically and personally.”
TSU’s history making class of first-year college students outnumbers the total African-American population at some institutions. The freshmen class average GPA is 3.38. While the largest population of incoming students are from Tennessee, and neighboring states like Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky and Ohio, there is huge a surge of students from as far as California, Texas, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
STEAM majors in agricultural sciences, engineering and health sciences, along with business, and education continue to be the most popular among the new freshman class.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – For more than a decade, Tennessee State University history professor Learotha Williams has worked to highlight those unsung heroes of the civil rights movement in North Nashville. Now, with the help of Apple, Inc. and TSU’s National Center for SMART Technology Innovations, Dr. Williams is creating an app to do just that, and more.
Dr. Learotha Williams
When completed, the app will guide people on a walking tour of key landmarks in the movement, including the cafeteria (now called Elliott Hall) where TSU students were recruited for activism. Along the way, people will be able to hear interviews Williams conducted with civil rights luminaries through his North Nashville Heritage Project, which collects historical information about that part of the city.
“I want to highlight some voices I feel have been marginalized,” says Williams, who is often sought nationally for his historical perspective. “I feel that we don’t get the credit we deserve in terms of the Nashville movement. I will be sharing things that may have been overlooked, or people just didn’t talk about.”
Jasmine Sears, a junior history major from Atlanta with a concentration in teaching, is assisting Williams with historical research for the app. She says she’s excited about the reach the device will provide.
“I think it will serve as a good educational tool for people who can’t sit in the classroom and learn about Nashville and its impact in the civil rights movement,” says Sears. “More people will have access to this information.”
Johnathan Glover, another history major from Atlanta, is also helping Williams with research for the app.
Jasmine Sears
“An app like this is important because not many people know the history of this community around TSU,” says Glover, who is minoring in geography. “And, point blank, people should know their history.”
John Lewis, James Lawson, Bernard Lafayette, and Diane Nash are well known names in the civil rights movement in Nashville. But there are others, like TSU alums Gloria McKissack, Elizabeth McClain, Ernest “Rip” Patton, and Kwame Lillard, who don’t receive the attention they deserve.
“If you can imagine being in a church that’s full of people fired up for the civil rights movement, I want to talk to the people on the back pew,” adds Williams. “The people whose presence was necessary, but oftentimes overlooked.”
Dr. Robin Blackman is senior program executive director for the HBCU C2 Initiative, which is part of the National Center for SMART Technology Innovations. She says the idea of the app stemmed from a conversation she had with Williams about his North Nashville Heritage Project.
“As we talked, I realized it was a great idea for the creation of an app by the Tennessee State University Inaugural HBCU C2 App Development Team,” says Blackman.
The team is a component of the HBCU C2 Grant Initiative, which is a partnership between TSU and Apple. TSU serves as the HBCU C2 national hub for training educators and preparing students by providing multiple pathways and opportunities to acquire essential digital literacies and technological skills of coding and creativity.
Johnathan Glover
“The selection of the app was easy, given the mutual interest in history surrounding Tennessee State University and the focus of the research to highlight the impact of African American students, people, businesses, and the North Nashville Community on the struggle for civil rights,” says Blackman. “The app will provide a contemporary virtual, historical portrait of the significance and roles of the actors that influenced the life we currently live.”
Marc Aupont, an iOS Engineer with HBCU C2, is leading development of the app, and says he’s looking forward to “celebrating the rich history of North Nashville.”
“If we do our job correctly, we will inform, as well as celebrate, those folks that people may have not known before,” says Aupont. “And give North Nashville their due props.”
Dr. Robbie Melton, vice president of the SMART Technology Center and principal investigator for HBCU C2, says she plans to welcome 12 new historically black colleges and universities to the initiative in general.
“Our goal is to expand HBCU C2 to all our 106 HBCU Institutions,” says Melton. “This initiative is not just about coding, but empowering our HBCUs with the knowledge of digital literacy and technological skills required for today’s digital workplace and for tomorrow’s future technology innovations.”
The app is expected to be completed by May of this year.
Note: Featured graphic created by Donn Jobe in TSU’s Creative Services
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 announced Wednesday a dual enrollment partnership that gives students in west and southern Africa access to digital resources to develop their technology skills.
The partnership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church will allow high school students to take a coding course at TSU to introduce or expand digital literacy on the continent. Eligible high school sophomores, juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to earn both university and high school graduation credits that will start them on the pathway to degrees in STEM.
Students participate in program at TSU’s national coding center. (TSU Media Relations)
“Tennessee State University is proud to be a part of this initiative that seeks to reach across international borders and give students an opportunity to expand their knowledge, and gain important career development skills,” said President Glenda Glover. “Coding and app design are a large part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, everywhere, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive, and successful. These are largely high school students that have the potential to become a part of the TSU student body.”
Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr., of the 14th and 19th Episcopal Districts of the AME Church, presides over the partnering institutions in Africa: African Methodist Episcopal University and Monrovia College, both in Monrovia, Liberia, and Wilberforce Community College in Evaton, South Africa.
Bishop McCloud said the partnership brings hope to students and their families that see education as a better way of life, and most importantly for those with the greatest need.
“Years ago, the late President of the Republic of South Africa (The Honorable Nelson Mandela) said in his autobiography, ‘for Africans it is not a lack of ability, rather a lack of opportunity,’ when addressing the needs of African students,” said McCloud. “Tennessee State University has answered our clarion call to help provide more opportunities globally. This learning extension provides hope. It awakens the eyes of those often left out and left behind.”
President Glover and Bishop McCloud’s message of hope and the importance of access to digital literacy immediately resonated with families. In a collective statement, the partners described the reaction of one of the parents during the recruiting process.
“She walked in our office, with tear-filled eyes, telling us of how her son has always wanted to learn the computer and that his dream is to become a computer specialist, but she had never thought it would be possible because she is just a petite trader selling in one of our local markets. But she now sees it will be a dream come true. This is just one of the many dreams this program will make a reality. This is just one of the many lives this partnership has impacted.”
Participating students must be at least a sophomore in high school or in college. The online coding course is scheduled to start in the fall. Other related courses will be available provided students’ desire to continue with their educational studies through TSU.
“This partnership acknowledges TSU as a global education leader in empowering underserved populations around the world with education opportunities, the knowledge of digital literacies, the basic technical concepts and skills of coding, and the inspiration to innovate in order to be international competitors in the digital workplace,” said Dr. Robbie Melton, Vice President of the Smart Technology Innovation Center at TSU.
Dr. Johnnie C. Smith is executive director of Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Partnerships at TSU and head of the Africa project. She said students will be provided with learning equipment and resources to ensure success.
“This is a great opportunity for international students to study at Tennessee State University,” said Smith. “I am pleased that President Glover and Bishop McCloud agreed to make this happen, and I am looking forward to expanding the TSU Dual Enrollment experience in other countries as well.”
The TSU-Africa partnership is part of the Smart Technology Innovation Center’s growing dual enrollment coding program that offers high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits while enrolled in high school.
Tennessee school districts currently participating in the program include: Clarksville-Montgomery County, Cheatham County, Hamilton County, Haywood County, Jackson-Madison County, Lauderdale County, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), and Shelby County. Students also come from the states of Georgia, Maryland, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
The coding class is available to anyone interested in this field of study or as a one-time course. All high school students are welcome to be a part of the TSU Dual Enrollment program with course offerings from the Language Arts, STEM, and Liberal Arts. Please visit (https://bit.ly/3vnMFoO) for more information and to sign up for a class during the 2021 fall semester.
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 President Glenda Glover had a vision of bringing coding and creativity experiences to all the nation’s historically black colleges and universities and their communities. About two years ago, she, along with a team of community and administrative leaders, traveled to California to discuss the idea with Apple. The tech giant liked it.
TSU President Glenda Glover
“We shared our vision and our mission of empowering all the HBCUs with the digital literacy skills of coding,” says Dr. Glover. “We saw where the world was changing, which meant the workplace was changing, and a need for us to change the way we prepare HBCU students so they can be more competitive in the workforce.”
In July 2019, TSU launched the inaugural HBCU C2 Presidential Academy through its newly established Global SMART Technology Innovation Center. More than a dozen HBCUs were involved, and Apple provided equipment, professional development and training.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the initiative: “Anything is possible when people come together with a shared vision. Thank you to @TSUedu for your leadership and enthusiasm in bringing coding to your community and HBCUs nationwide!”
That vision has continued to grow. Under TSU’s Global SMART Technology Innovation Center, there are now eight regional hubs, and community coding centers at 26 HBCUs. At least 20 HBCUs are on a waiting list.
“I can document that right now we have impacted 14,000-plus HBCU students and 5,000-plus community people (including faculty, staff, students and the community),” says Dr. Robbie Melton, associate vice president of TSU’s Center.
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove
Dr. S. Keith Hargrove is dean of the College of Engineering at TSU and a coding trainer.
“We are well on our way to impacting and expanding our HBCU reach to more institutions and communities, to promote the value of coding and using creativity tools for software development,” says Hargrove. “And we can’t wait to see the amazing things they will do with these new skills.”
Statistics show 67 percent of tech companies are made up of less than 5 percent of black employees. In Tennessee, information technology employment grew by nearly 3,800 net new jobs in 2019.
At TSU, the university is giving its alumni and others affected by the coronavirus pandemic an opportunity to retool. In a continued partnership with Apple, it’s helping those individuals learn how to code and design apps through an “Everyone Can Code and Create” course offered online.
Michael Davis, Jr., a science teacher with Metro Nashville Public Schools, says he and his wife took the course and it was very beneficial. In addition to improving his own skill set, Davis says he wants to pass what he learns on to his students.
“This is so beneficial for me as an educator because I can share this with my students,” says Davis. “It’s so important that they learn this.”
Dr. Robbie Melton
Melton says the pandemic has helped reveal the importance of having digital skills.
“The pandemic has helped us realize the world is now digital and connected,” says Melton. “In order to function, regardless of your career discipline, you have to have digital literacy and skills to be competitive.”
Last month, TSU announced its partnership with Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered in Atlanta that will support innovative learning and development for the 100-plus HBCUs.
Apple and Atlanta-based Southern Company are investing $25 million to build the Propel Center, which will be based at the Atlanta University Center, the nation’s largest consortium of HBCUs including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. Nearly 8,000 students are enrolled across the complex.
Students from participating schools will access Propel Center’s online digital learning platform from anywhere, and will also have access to the 50,000 square-foot center, equipped with state-of-the-art lecture halls, learning labs, and on-site living for a scholars-in-residence program.
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’s national coding hub is welcoming 23 new HBCUs to be community centers as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative. The announcement comes during Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 7-13.
The tech giant has been working with TSU for the past two years to launch and expand the school’s HBCU C2 initiative, which brings coding and creativity experiences to all 100-plus historically black colleges and universities and their communities.
Students discuss ideas at TSU’s national coding hub. (TSU Media Relations)
To date, there are eight C2 hubs across the nation, and now a total of 25 HBCU C2 centers. Stakeholders say the promotion of digital literacy, computational thinking, coding and creativity will help bring workforce development opportunities to students, faculty, and the broader HBCU communities.
“This partnership with Apple will empower our HBCUs with the knowledge and skill sets now required for the technological workforce,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “Coding and app development are a growing part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, especially our students, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive, and successful.”
Dr. Robbie Melton, associate vice president of the TSU SMART Innovation Global Center that oversees the initiative, said faculty leaders from the HBCUs will participate in Apple’s ongoing Community Education Initiative Learning Series to learn about coding and app design and development.
“As part of that ongoing professional development, educators will explore innovative ways to engage with learners using Apple’s comprehensive curriculum, which utilizes its easy-to-learn Swift programming language,” said Melton.
As part of its Community Education Initiative and this partnership, Apple is supporting HBCUs with equipment, resources, and professional development to help the new centers become the pre-eminent HBCU C2 Centers in bringing coding and creativity to their communities.
In June, Apple launched a new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative focused on challenging systemic barriers to opportunity for communities of color by advancing education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform efforts.
”Apple is committed to working alongside communities of color to advance educational equity,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We see this expansion of our Community Education Initiative and partnership with HBCUs as another step toward helping Black students realize their dreams and solve the problems of tomorrow.”
Earlier this year, TSU held a virtual HBCU C2 summit, bringing together nearly 300 educators from across the HBCU community. The goal of the program was to share best practices and hear from colleagues about workforce development, connecting with their communities, and to bring coding to students of all ages.
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) –
Treveon Hayes is not letting anything stop him from completing his course work
and ultimately getting his college degree – not even the coronavirus.
Treveon Hayes. (Submitted photo)
The Tennessee State University freshman is among countless students at higher education institutions across the country who have transitioned to online learning as a precaution to contracting COVID-19.
“It’s been an adjustment, but I
have goals, and I can’t let anything stop me from reaching them,” says Hayes,
an elementary education major from Memphis, Tennessee.
Earlier this month, TSU
President Glenda Glover and other university administrators held a live meeting
via Zoom with over 200 student leaders to assure them that TSU is dedicated to
accommodating them while they finish the semester remotely as a result of the
virus.
“We are going to do everything
humanly possible to accommodate you to ensure that you succeed in spite of this
very daunting challenge,” said Dr. Glover. “It is tough for everyone across the
world as we face the daily uncertainties and dangers that this virus presents.
We’re going to do whatever we can to ensure that you remain whole.”
TSU students say they
appreciate the effort of university faculty and staff, but they acknowledge the
distance learning has been challenging because of the absence of things like
face to face interaction with their instructors.
“We were able to go to their
office, now it’s mainly emails,” says Rekha Berry, a senior from Mobile,
Alabama, majoring in history and political science. “I definitely miss the face
to face with instructors.”
Music education major Jakori Hollinger practicing at home. (Submitted photo)
Nevertheless, they are finding
ways to adjust. For Hayes, who has two to four classes a day, he practices
better time management.
“After class, I give myself
about five minutes to use the restroom, grab a snack, then get right back to
class,” adds Hayes. “I have to time manage myself. The work has to be done. No
excuses.”
Jakori Hollinger, a music
education major from Montgomery, Alabama, says the lack of in-person
instruction has caused him to do more reading and research in order to
understand certain concepts.
“Whereas, if I was sitting in
front of them, they could just show me how to do it,” says Hollinger, “I could
just pick it up and it would be no issue.”
However, despite the
circumstances, he lauded TSU’s faculty and staff for “working with students to
make this transition as easy as possible.”
On March 16, TSU was the first
public university in Tennessee to transition to all online classes as a result
of COVID-19.
Dr. Robbie Melton, interim dean
of Graduate and Professional Studies at TSU, says prior to the coronavirus the
university was exploring several types of online options for students.
“We were already positioned to
transition online when the coronavirus hit, which is why it only took us less
than a week for a full transition,” says Melton. “We had the software and the
tools and the training. And we had faculty training every day, including
weekends, to assist the faculty in this new norm.”
Dr. Cheryl Seay is executive
director of TSU’s Global Online and the lead person in helping TSU’s faculty
transition to online instruction. She says sessions are held seven days a week
via Zoom to address faculty questions or concerns, and she’s pleased with the
participation and adjustment.
Speech pathology grad student Jordan Robinson prepares to use a clinical simulation. (Submitted photo)
“The faculty have really
stepped up to the plate,” says Seay. “They are doing everything they can to
embrace this. I’m just really proud of our faculty.”
Dr. Tina Smith, chair of TSU’s
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, set up the first distance
education program for the state of Tennessee in the area of speech pathology
when she came to TSU in 2005. As a result, Smith says her students have had an
easier time adjusting to remote learning. The biggest change she’s had to make
involves the clinical component.
“I now use clinical simulation,
virtual patients,” says Smith. “Real clients, but online. We’re also using Zoom
to do telehealth with our clients. That’s the new frontier for speech
pathology.”
Dr. Learotha Williams, an
associate professor of history at TSU, says he realizes these are difficult
times for everyone, which is why he checks on the well-being of his students at
the beginning of each online class.
“I ask how each of them are
doing, and what I can do to assist,” says Williams. “I also ask them to write a
journal entry about how the coronavirus is impacting their lives where they
live. It allows them to put their feelings on paper. And as a historian, it’s
given me a wide gaze of what students are going through during this period.”
Like many students, Dr. Robert
Elliott, chair of TSU’s Music Department, says he too misses the face-to-face
interaction. He described the challenge of trying to virtually help a student
who was playing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
on his bass guitar.
“I’ve got my instrument (bass
guitar) in my living room, and he’s got his instrument in his living room,”
says Elliott. “He told me at one point, ‘Doc, I can’t wait until we’re back in
your office.’ I said me too.”
TSU has 23 distance
education undergraduate and graduate programs and will offer most of the
classes online this summer. Summer sessions are scheduled to begin in late May,
early June. To learn more, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/aeao/.
For more on campus operations affected by the coronavirus, and student information, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/covid19.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University 3500 John Merritt Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37209 615.963.5331
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.
