Ju ly 2 01 4 V ol . 1 9 N o. 1 MTSU Magazine m i d d l e t e n n e s s e e s t a t e u n i v e r s i t y Th e P ow er of St at e hi st or ia n Ca rro ll Va n W es t g ui de s on e of M TS U’ s m os t re sp ec te d Ce nt er s of E xc el le nc e to w ar d a se lf- su ffi ci en t f ut ur e Stone PRIDE Symbols of courage and character guard the Martin Honors Building Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, spent two summers studying at Princeton University, where he was im- pressed by the statues of tigers spread throughout the campus. “It was almost as though they were breeding,” Vile says. “One could practically direct a visitor through the campus by directing them from one such statue to another.” So imagine Vile’s delight when he was at a favorite consignment shop in Nashville a few years ago and saw two gray granite lions. They had been brought from China (with which MTSU has many connections), and both were stately symbols that to Vile seemed to embody the strength of mind, will, and character that the Honors Col- lege seeks to imbue. Vile placed the lions outside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors College Building. The statues resemble Fu dogs. In feng shui, the Chinese art of placement, Fu dogs guard and bring energy and blessings to the places they “protect.” Vile found four other lions later at the same Nashville shop. They have joined the original pair. The lions dotting the perimeter of the Honors Building have become an unusual artistic signature on campus. Hear them roar!  MTSU | 2 | MTSU Magazine Features 23 The Power of Preservation Carroll Van West guides one of MTSU’s most respected Centers of Excellence toward a self- sufficient future 28 Gifts that Keep on Giving Generous alums demonstrate the power of True Blue 31 Top 10 Myths about Today’s MTSU And why you should send your child or grandchild to your alma mater 42 Forward March Rickey Smith works to build tomorrow’s Army 46 Degrees of Recognition Honorary degrees go to two extraordinary individuals with MTSU ties Table of Contents Departments 4 Editor’s Letter 7 Five Minutes with the President 8 Teamwork 11 MidPoints 18 Ask An Expert 36 Discoveries 40 I Am True Blue 47 Raiders of Industry 47 Class Notes TABLE OF CONTENTS 23368 photo: J. Intintoli cover photo: J. Intintoli July 2014 | 3 | The recent opening of MTSU’s $16 million Student Services and Admissions Center is the latest example of the University’s emphasis on student success and its focus on keeping students enrolled and on track toward graduation. The 58,000-square-foot facility is connected by a walking bridge to the Student Union Building and houses all functions related to admissions, records and enrollment, financial aid, scheduling, and the Bursar’s Office. Having one location for all these services is a new experience for students, who previously had to go to several different offices spread around campus to handle some of their most pressing concerns. The MT One Stop, a comprehensive student assistance center, meets and exceeds all enrollment management needs. The combination of a new building and the revamping of the University’s service model for enrollment management has significantly decreased frustration and allowed students to sharpen their focus on academic achievement. Gone are the days when students had to seek help from a variety of far-flung departments and offices and then figure out for themselves how to move forward. Now, MTSU staff members are often able to translate routine enrollment ques- tions and concerns into opportunities to actively engage students in broader issues related to academic success and graduation. It’s a whole new way of looking at a very common set of problems that may have previously led to missed oppor- tunities to help students who are unsure, confused, looking for help, or facing big decisions. Debra Sells, vice president for Student Affairs and vice provost for Enrollment and Academic Services, says the overall program is designed to make being enrolled at MTSU easier, more convenient, and barrier-free. “Every interaction we have with the student around issues related to financial aid or enroll- ment can be an opportunity to retain the student and support his or her broader academic success,” Sells says. “From the student’s point of view, the functions of these offices need to coordinate seamlessly to prevent barriers to ongoing registration, enrollment, and payment.” The design of the building and the concept behind MT One Stop are aligned with the Complete College Tennessee Act, which requires state appropriations to be based on retention and graduation rates, not enrollment. This bold new approach to providing personal, comprehensive, and coordinated enroll- ment services to students is in step with Gov. Bill Haslam’s “Drive to 55” initiative, aimed at raising the percentage of Tennesseans with college degrees or certifications to 55 percent by 2025. MTSU is determined to offer students every opportunity to succeed and to make those opportunities easy to find in one central location: MT One Stop. True Blue! by Drew Ruble solut ion EDITOR’S LETTER | 4 | MTSU Magazine Middle Tennessee State University July 2014 / vol. 19, no. 1 University Editor Drew Ruble Art Director Kara Hooper Contributing Editors Michael Burgin, Bill Fisher Contributing Writers Lynn Adams, Darby Campbell, Gina E. Fann, Allison Gorman, Jimmy Hart, Bill Lewis, Gina K. Logue, Katie Porterfield, Randy Weiler Design Assistance Darrell Callis Burks, Brian Evans, Lauren Finney, Sherry Wiser George, Kelsey Greer, Micah Loyed University Photographers J. Intintoli, Andy Heidt, Darby Campbell Special thanks to Joe Bales, Sara Brookfield, Lucie Burchfield, Cynthia Duke, Saeed Foroudastan, Ginger Freeman and the Alumni Relations staff, Tara Hollins, the ITD staff, Rob Janson, ‘Lil Shop of Records, Lisa Marchesoni and the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center, the MT Athletics staff, Old Fort Golf Club, Nick Perlick and the Office of Development staff, Chrisila Pettey, Bea Perdue, Marsha Powers, Jack Ross, Lana Seivers, Cindy Speer, John Vile, Patsy Weiler, Terry Whiteside, Doug Williams University President Sidney A. McPhee Vice President for University Advancement Joe Bales Vice President for Marketing and Communications Andrew Oppmann Address changes should be sent to Advancement Services, MTSU Box 109, Murfreesboro, TN 37132; alumni@mtsu.edu. Other correspon- dence should be sent to MTSU Magazine, Drew Ruble, 1301 E. Main St., Box 49, Murfreesboro, TN 37132. For exclusive online content, visit www.mtsumagazine.com. MTSU is a Tennessee Board of Regents Institution. 110,000 copies printed at Lithographics, Nashville, Tenn. Designed by MTSU Creative and Visual Services. 0414-0855 / MTSU is an AA/EEO employer. When junior Hannah Morris found out about MTSU’s study-abroad program, she jumped at the chance. “My experience in Scotland has been absolutely incredible. When I found out that MTSU had a program that would allow me to study here for a semester, I jumped at the opportunity,” she said. “It has been absolutely life-changing to live in another country.” “I now know that . . . there is a great big world out there full of fascinating people and things to be explored,” she said. “I’m very thankful to have been able to come to Scotland for a semester.” It’s never too early to begin planning for an international component to your MTSU degree program. MTSU offers over 400 study-abroad program options in 65 countries. Visit Peck Hall, room 207, during walk-in hours; call (615) 898-5179; or research the study-abroad website. We look forward to meeting you! mtsu.studioabroad.com Hannah Morris at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland Abroad MTSUonline offers degree programs…anytime and anywhere Take an MTSU online class wherever you are Undergraduate and graduate degree programs available Standard and accelerated formats available MTSU is an AA/EEO employer. Wherever you live, you can finish your college degree or begin a new one at MTSUonline. www.MTSUonline.com (615) 494-7714 The buzz phrase around MTSU these days is “student success.” I know that means a lot of things to you. Could you spotlight, though, one specific program or initiative that you think speaks to what MTSU means by ensuring student success? Many MTSU students are first-gener- ation college students who are juggling academic and work demands in pursuit of a degree. For many, a relatively small financial barrier—say, an emergency room visit or unex- pected car repair—can cause a delay in their studies and progress toward a college degree. Students who find themselves in a financial pinch can now apply for one-time emergency microgrants aimed at keeping them in school and on track to earning a degree. Through a wave of local support and the existing Lewis Hazelwood Student Emergency Fund, MTSU can help students with emergency needs. The microgrants are designed to help with verified needs associated with the student’s education such as tuition, fees, books, housing, and transportation. Grants up to $250 are available to qualified undergraduate, graduate, and international students. Interested students should contact their college advisors or their dean’s office. The grants do not have to be repaid; however, students may receive such grants only once during their time at MTSU. To be eligible, students must be in academic good standing with a minimum 2.0 GPA at the time of the request. I applaud the community’s support for students, many of whom remain in the midstate area following their graduation and invest back into the campus and the surrounding community. Creation of the funding source followed an effort spearheaded by my wife, Elizabeth, who called on area churches and local citizens to consider financial support for needy students. She pointed to the assistance that she and I received years ago as graduate students that helped us continue our own educations. I believe this effort serves as a perfect example of our collective focus on the success of our students, which is the top priority of this University. These funds are a concrete expression of local commitment to helping us fulfill that mission. We are truly grateful for the support. Let me also mention two other helpful student assistance programs: the MTSU Food Pantry and Raiders Closet. The pantry, stocked entirely by donations, has distributed more than 3,700 pounds of food in the last two years to students in need. Raiders Closet, an outreach of Jones College of Business, helps students acquire donated professional attire for internships and job interviews. Thank you, Mr. President. Five Minutes with President Sidney A. McPhee  MTSU FIVE MINUTES Senior education major Jordan Raines-Ownby and her husband have four children. Jordan’s niece and nephew live with the couple as well. Last semester, Jordan strongly considered dropping out of school and delaying her graduation in order to get a full-time job to help with the costs of raising six children. The staff of the College of Education helped Jordan acquire a microgrant that kept her on track to becoming a school teacher. “It got me through the semester,” Jordan states. “It really did help. And they also put me in touch with a number of other local programs that help students.” True Blue! Anyone wishing to contribute to the microgrant fund can do so at www.mtsu.edu/StudentFund or mail donations to the Office of Development, MTSU Box 109, Murfreesboro, TN 37132. Make checks payable to the MTSU Foundation, and designate the gift to the MTSU Student Assistance Fund on the memo line. Other information about microgrants can be found at mtsu.edu/studentsuccess/crisis-aid.php. Dr. McPhee with Mass Comunication students and faculy who worked at Bonaroo this summer Case in Point ph ot o: A nd re w O pp m an n July 2014 | 7 |  MTSU photo: J. Intintoli | 8 | MTSU Magazine On the eight-degree morning Coach Whit Turnbow tweeted an offer to find a winter coat for anyone in need of one, he was shocked by the need he discovered. What didn’t surprise him was the generosity of the MTSU family. “It’s a reminder what kind of country we live in,” says the Blue Raider men’s golf coach. Students, alumni, and local sports fans rallied to support his effort, donating hundreds of coats and the cash to purchase more. The coat drive grew so dramatically that it earned a name—the True Blue Turnbow Project—and may become an annual event. The whole thing began quite simply. Turnbow remembers being chilly in his car as he drove to campus at 6:45 a.m. for a team meeting. He could only imagine how cold it was for a man he saw on the street walking without a jacket. “It was one of those days when the high was 14,” he says. Turnbow picked up his phone and tweeted, “Thinking about the kids who don’t have a warm place to wait on the bus or a winter jacket . . . If you know someone like this, DM me, and I will personally see to it that they get a new coat.” “I just thought I’d run down to Walmart and buy a few coats,” said Turnbow. He had no idea just how many coats were needed, or that just a few miles away, two first graders were suffering from frostbite after walking to school in their shirtsleeves. His tweets went viral among teachers in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County schools and in Bedford County, where Turnbow’s brother is a coach. “Suddenly there were 30, 50, then 70 requests,” he says. He called Murfreesboro businessman Matthew Neal, who offered to drop everything and meet the coach at Walmart. They walked out with $600 worth of jackets. The Murfreesboro school system alone received 100 coats, along with mittens, gloves, and scarves, says central office employee Lisa Trail. “It was truly a blessing,” she says. “Children grow so quickly in elementary school, it can be a tremendous strain on families.” She wasn’t surprised when she heard about Turnbow’s tweets or when he called her to see if the schools needed help getting the coats to children who needed them. “The MTSU community, especially athletics, reaches out to [our] students on a regular basis,” Trail says. “MTSU is a strong community supporter and has a tremendous outreach to our students.” When Director of Athletics Chris Massaro suggested collecting coats at a men’s basketball game, fans donated hundreds of winter jackets. The Student-Athlete Advisory Council and members of the men’s and women’s golf teams collected them at the doors of Murphy Center. At a later women’s game, fans made donations of $20 to $200 “right out of their pocket,” Turnbow says. For a time, it was impossible to buy a winter coat in Murfreesboro. They had all been snapped up by members of the MTSU community. “People who brought coats said, ‘I had to drive to Smyrna or even Nashville to get this,’” Turnbow says. “We cleaned out Walmart, Kmart, and Old Navy.” The weather in Murfreesboro is warm now, but Turnbow is already planning for next winter. “We’ll replenish the supply at the schools,” he says, “Our job will be to make sure they have coats to keep them warm.” Turnbow was awarded the Make a Difference Award for his True Blue Turnbow Project at the third annual Raiders Choice Awards in April. The awards highlight accomplishments in the Blue Raider athletic family. MTSU golf coach Whit Turnbow proves that one good deed leads to many others by Bill Lewis Par for the Course  MTSU TEAMWORK photo: J. Intintoli July 2014 | 9 | MTSU golf alum Jason Millard attracted the at- tention of major sports outlets nationwide in June when he self-reported a penalty for grounding his club in a bunker on the 18th hole of a qualifying tournament that resulted in his disqualification from playing in the 2014 U.S. Open. PGA.com described Millard’s action as “a prime example of the honor code in professional golf.” Reaction around the golf world, it added, was first one of shock, then respect and admiration. Millard admitted he wasn’t 100 percent sure he actually grounded the club but that deep down he thought he did. His decision to report the possible infraction to officials deferred his dream of playing in one of golf’s annual major tournaments. That isn’t to say Millard hasn’t had a breakthrough year in professional golf. A few weeks before the incident, he became the first Blue Raider since Mike Harmon in 1982 to play in a PGA event. Millard qualified and played in the Honda Classic in Florida. Golf coach Whit Turnbow flew to Palm Beach Gardens to caddy for Millard during a practice round. Though Millard didn’t walk away with the winner’s share of the $6 million purse that weekend, he did gain something invaluable. “He took away the confidence that he can compete at the highest level,” Turnbow says. “He’s chasing that dream.” The U.S. Open experience no doubt confirms that. Another former Blue Raider golfer, Hunter Green, later qualified for and played in the PGA Wells Fargo Championship in May in Charlotte, N.C. Not to be outdone by the men, MTSU freshman Samantha Gotcher qualified earlier this year for the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, becoming only the second Blue Raider in history (Taryn Dur- ham in 2007 was first) to qualify for the prestigious tournament. photo: J. Intintoli Chasing the Green Teeing Off For the sixth time in the last seven years, Middle Tennessee’s men’s golf program earned a bid to the NCAA tournament. Only the nation’s top 81 teams were invited to compete in the 2014 tournament. MTSU’s regional took place at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Missouri, May 15–17. The low five teams from a total of six regionals advanced to the NCAA National Championships. Other universities competing in MTSU’s regional included No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Virginia, No. 14 LSU, No. 24 Arkansas, and 26th-ranked Arizona State. MTSU was led this year by juniors Brett Patterson and Payne Denman. The MTSU golf team excelled academically in 2014 as well, earning a Public Recognition Award from the NCAA for scoring in the top 10 percent on its most recent multiyear Academic Progress Rates. The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester or quarter by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. It marks the fourth straight year the men’s golf program has been recognized. The women’s golf team, led by coach Chris Adams, also received the award, a first for the women’s team.  MTSU  MTSU Jason Millard during his MTSU days Jason Millard Hunter Green Samantha Gotcher | 10 | MTSU Magazine MidPoints A look at recent awards, events, and accomplishments at MTSU compiled by Gina E. Fann, Jimmy Hart, Gina K. Logue, Paula Morton, Drew Ruble, and Randy Weiler Success Starts Here Timecia Terry, a recent graduate who interned this spring with state senator Jim Tracy, (R-Shelbyville), was among 13 MTSU students who worked as legislative interns during the most recent session of the Tennessee General As- sembly. Mark Byrnes, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the internships provide students hands-on experience in legislative matters from bill analysis to constituent concerns, research, and general office work. The University funds internships for students serving the Rutherford County legislative delegation. Students can also compete for spots assist- ing other lawmakers and committees through the broader state legislative internship program. “The vast majority say it’s the best thing they ever did in college,” Byrnes said. Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) was so impressed with intern Sara Mejia-Gomez that he asked her to help in the research for his proposal to study the feasibility of a monorail from Murfreesboro to Nash- ville. “The quality of the students that I get in my office is simply amazing,” said Ketron, who later hired Mejia- Gomez to work in his private business in Murfreesboro after graduation. Posterizing the Legislature Ten student researchers were among 61 undergraduates from across Tennessee to present research at the ninth annual Posters at the Capitol event held at the Ten- nessee State Capitol in Nashville this spring. Participants included Emmy Rice (Luray), Brett Bornhoff (Nashville), Martin Moran (Clarksville), Daniel Murphy (Murfrees- boro), Shiloh Siegle (Murfreesboro), Christie Sanborn (Nashville), Victoria Harrison (Greeneville), Shannon Allen (Murfreesboro), Lenzie Howell (Chapel Hill), and Rance Solomon (Manchester). Solomon’s research on sickled red blood cells was chosen to be presented later in the spring in Washington, D.C., at the national version of the event. Timecia Terry Capitol Praise President Sidney A. McPhee was honored in April by the Tennessee State Senate for his efforts to expand and strengthen the University’s international partnerships and educational outreach. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey welcomed McPhee and his wife, Elizabeth, to the Senate chambers for the reading of a resolution by state senator and alum- nus Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), pictured here. Under McPhee’s leadership, Ketron said, MTSU “has strengthened its international undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, expanded its study-abroad and cultural opportunities, and developed research collaborations with international partners.” Senior Shiloh Siegle (left) shares findings from her undergraduate research. Standing (L-R) legislative interns Michael Joak, Logan Elliott, Timecia Terry, Jared Adams, Jim Carpenter, Sara Mejia-Gomez, Wade Barnett, Nuraldeen Brifkani, Laura Ann Moore, Mark Naifeh and Jake King. July 2014 | 11 | Fifty Years of Good Display The Baldwin Photographic Gallery’s new home is on the second floor of Bragg Mass Communication Building. Professor Harold Baldwin started the photography program at MTSU in 1959 and established the gallery five years later to expose students and the local community to the work of leading photographers from around the world. He built a permanent collection from gallery exhibits of work by artists such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Minor White. Now professor emeritus, Baldwin donated $100,000 in 2012 to find and renovate a new gallery location. The former student newspaper office in the Bragg Building was turned into a 1,300-square-foot photographic gallery featuring 200 feet of wall display space and museum-quality lighting to showcase the Baldwin Collection, traveling exhibits, and student work. Shure Thing A team of students from the Recording Industry Department won the grand prize in May in the annual Fantastic Scholastic Recording Competition sponsored by Shure Inc. (An MTSU team also took top honors in 2012.) The 2014 group of Jimmy Mansfield, Sam Hill- man, Charlie Garcia, and Frank Gerdts defeated teams from across the country by producing an original composition that had to be tracked and mixed using special equipment provided by Shure. As the winners, the Recording Industry Department got to keep the “micro- phone locker” of Shure equipment, valued at more than $11,000. Grammy U Three former MTSU students were nominated for Grammys this year, and one was a Grammy winner. Michael Knox produced Jason Aldean’s Night Train, which was in the running for Best Country Album. Jessi Alexander cowrote two Best Country Song nomi- nations: Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck” and Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You.” Luke Laird coproduced the Kacey Musgraves album Same Trailer, Different Park, which won Best Country Album. (Laird also cowrote many of the tracks.) More than a dozen MTSU alumni/former students and faculty have been nominated for Grammy Awards in the last three years, and seven have been winners. The College of Mass Communication hosted an event at the legendary Troubadour nightclub in Hollywood before this year’s Grammy ceremonies. Dean Ken Paulson, President Sidney A. McPhee, and department chair Bev- erly Keel met with alumni and friends at the event in an effort to increase the visibility of the department, long regarded as one of the best in the nation. MIDPOINTSTHE COLLEGE OF MASS COMMUNICATION Harold Baldwin MTSU recording industry seniors and professors join Ryan Smith, center, regional manager for Shure In- corporated, behind $11,000-plus in Shure equipment From left, Jed Hilly, Rodney Crowell, Sidney A. McPhee, Bonnie Raitt, Ken Paulson, and Joe Henry Sidney A. McPhee with members of Maybe April and MTSU stu- dents Kristen Castro, front center, and Katy Bishop, center right | 12 | MTSU Magazine A Legend’s Legacy Nancy Jones, the widow of country music icon George Jones, announced in April that the George Jones Schol- arship Fund she recently established at MTSU had already raised more than $171,000. “George received help from people as he strove to have a country music career,” Nancy said in a press release. “I know he would have loved this.” Donations can be made online at www.MTSU.edu/georgejones, or by calling (615) 898-5595. A Match Made in Manchester The College of Mass Communication and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival formed a partnership allowing students to work behind the scenes at the June 12–15 event in Manchester. A select team of students provided multimedia coverage of the world-famous music event for The Tennessean and other media plat- forms. The partnership includes a symposium that MTSU will host this fall on the anatomy of a music festival and the future of such events. Expert Commentary Internationally recognized First Amendment scholar Ken Paulson, dean of the College of Mass Communication, appeared on a recent edition of ESPN’s award-winning Outside the Lines investiga- tive news program hosted by veteran sports broadcaster Bob Ley. Called “The Art of Noise,” the program tackled the topic of rude, crude chants and language by student fans and whether public univer- sities can limit student speech in an arena or stadium. Paulson, president and CEO of the First Amendment Center and former editor of USA Today, pointed out that while the remarks are often distasteful and deplorable, the First Amend- ment provides that government bodies—including public universities—can’t set rules on what Americans can or can’t say. “We can disagree with that from a policy perspective, but it’s the law,” Paulson said, adding that universities should be creative in their approach to dealing with the issue, including limiting the location and size of signs but not their content. Mass Appeal The College of Mass Communication was ranked among the top 20 journalism programs in the nation in a survey by the popular news industry trade publication NewsPro Magazine in its December 2013 issue. The survey was distributed to mem- bers of the Radio Television Digital News Association, with 1,321 respondents participating. MTSU was the only Tennessee university to be ranked. MIDPOINTSMIDPOINTS George and Nancy Jones Ken Paulson Kimi Thompson Students working in MTSU’s acclaimed Center for Innovation in Media July 2014 | 13 | Double Dip MTSU’s Wind Ensemble continues to stand alone among Tennessee university bands with the recent release of its second CD, Earthrise, a collaboration with three international com- posers on Naxos, one of the world’s most prestigious classical labels. Reed Thomas, di- rector of bands and a professor of music and conducting in the School of Music, says MTSU is the only school in Tennes- see that has even one CD with Naxos, “let alone two.” Thomas conducted the Wind Ensemble for Earthrise as well as its 2011 release, Angels in the Architecture. The 12-song collection is part of the Naxos Classical/Wind Band Classics Series. In the Scrum The MTSU men’s Rugby Football Club qualified for the Sweet 16 national playoff tournament this spring. The team lost to Missouri in the quarterfinal round in Bowling Green, Ohio. Other schools in the Sweet 16 included LSU, Georgia, Arizona, Oregon, Stanford, Brown, and Princeton. While men’s rugby is not an NCAA- sanctioned sport, it is a fast-growing club sport at colleges nationwide. The MTSU team has a strong alumni association that helps provide scholarships for promising players. The men’s and women’s rugby teams are overseen by Campus Recreation. Take Your Place School of Music professor Cedric Dent and his longtime colleagues in the award-winning group Take 6 have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. A renowned a capella sextet, Take 6 laid the foundation for what has become the norm for professional and collegiate vocal jazz ensembles today (and, arguably, the popularity of televised vocal competitions such as The Sing-Off and singing-driven comedies and dramas like Glee and Smash.) Dent, who joined the faculty in 2005 and teaches music theory, the his- tory of black gospel music, vocal jazz, and music industry, maintained an active touring schedule with Take 6 until 2011. Hail to the Chief MTSU graduate and current master’s student Joshua Crutchfield traveled to Washington, D.C., in February to introduce President Barack Obama at a gathering of grassroots organizations. The nonprofit Organizing for Action invited him to introduce Obama at the National Organiz- ing Summit on Feb. 25 after reading a letter to the editor from Crutchfield published in the Daily News Journal, in which he ex- plained how easy it was for him to sign up for healthcare coverage through the Insurance Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act. True Blue Team Green Team Music City, composed of students and faculty in MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt, and partners from Habitat Nashville, was selected to compete in Solar Decathlon 2015, a U.S. Department of Energy event that challenges students to design and build a functioning, energy-efficient, solar-powered house. Twenty teams from col- leges and universities across the world have started the nearly two-year process of building their houses. Students in Construction Management, Interior Design, and Engineering Technology will be involved in work leading to the building of a house on the Vanderbilt campus that is less than 1,000 square feet. The Solar Decathlon comprises 10 contests designed to gauge how well the houses are built and how livable and affordable they are. Renowned a capella sextet Take 6. Cedric Dent is second from right. Joshua Crutchfield | 14 | MTSU Magazine MIDPOINTS Ancient Perspectives Dr. Tanya Peres launched the MTSU/ Rutherford County Archaeology Research Project to learn more about prehistoric peoples that called the area home. Mag- nolia Valley, near Eagleville, has evidence of Native American occupation start- ing around 12,000 years ago. Dr. Peres and Dr. Shannon Hodge, another MTSU archaeologist, and some of their sociology/ anthropology students, are also trying to preserve, protect, and study occupations of Black Cat Cave in Murfreesboro. The cave is well known among locals as the reputed site of a speakeasy during Prohibition. Since 1971, the cave has been part of a public park, but the entrances have been closed for some time due to vandalism and concern about liability for injuries. Recent discoveries have shown that the cave is an important prehistoric Native American site. In other news, archaeologist and anthropology professor Kevin Smith helped uncover ancient history at the Sulphur Dell construction site where the city of Nashville is build- ing a new minor league baseball stadium. Fire pits and broken pieces of ceramic pans that could date back as far as 1150 C.E. were uncovered, suggesting the site was a place where mineral water was boiled to collect salt for trade. The ballpark will be built over the archeological site, but not in a way that will damage any artifacts. The Man Behind the Mask Senior Scott Sulfridge’s favorite sport gave his budding art career a boost when fans of the Nashville Preda- tors picked his work as the winner of this season’s contest to design the helmet and mask worn by Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne. Sulfridge fashioned representations of a guitar neck and strings across the top of the helmet and piano keys around the bottom edge to symbolize Nashville’s music industry and the city skyline. The guitar pick on the mask includes the three stars from the Tennessee state flag. Sulfridge’s design was for- warded to NHL headquarters for approval and then to Dave Gunnarsson, a Swedish artist who has been painting goalie masks for more than 20 years. On pace to graduate with a degree in fine arts, Sulfridge and his partner, James Mangrum, create different types of masks through their fledgling business, Uncanny Valley Productions. “We specialize in vintage and retro-style monsters like vampires, mummies . . . things like that,” Sulfridge said. There’s an App for That The first moments at a crime scene can be critical to saving lives and ensuring justice. Thanks to an MTSU-led effort, a key to preserving crime scenes can now be held in an officer’s hand.  MTSU’s Forensic Institute for Research and Education (FIRE), led by internationally recognized investigator Hugh Berryman, worked with other seasoned investigators across the country to develop a system to guide first-responding law enforcement officers through what can be chaotic and confusing situa- tions. Instead of trying to juggle notepads, cameras, and video re- corders, officers can now capture text, photographs, video, audio, GPS information, dates, and times with their smartphones. Using a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, FIRE partnered with WillowTree Apps of Charlottesville, Va., to create CASE (Checklist App for Scene Examination). LifeWings Partners of Collierville, Tenn., a healthcare safety and accountability consulting company, provided guidance in developing the application. MIDPOINTS Marching On Director of Bands Emeritus Joseph T. Smith, who founded what we all know today as the Band of Blue, died in May 2014. Smith was also founding director of the Contest of Champions, one of the longest-running high school marching band contests in the nation, hosted annually by the Band of Blue. Joseph Smith July 2014 | 15 | A Public-Service Standout Honors student Tandra Martin was selected as a recipient of the 2014 Harold Love Outstanding Community Involvement Award. She is one of only five students and five faculty or staff members in the entire Tennessee Higher Education system selected to receive a $1,000 award in recogni- tion of significant public service. Tandra’s father is Terry Martin, who works for MTSU in Printing Services. A Buchanan Scholar majoring in International Relations, Tandra recently studied abroad in Costa Rica and Israel. Martin is currently preparing to spend a year in Morocco after winning a David L. Boren Scholarship sponsored by the National Security Education Program. Podium Power Many acclaimed speakers have visited MTSU in the past few months. George Gruhn, an expert on vintage guitars and owner of Nashville’s Gruhn Guitars, a mecca for musicians and collectors worldwide, kicked off a series called “The American Guitar.” Award-winning broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien was the keynote for MTSU’s National Women’s History Month celebration. A former CNN anchor/reporter who joined Al-Jazeera America last year as a special correspondent, she delivered an address on diversity. Major Gen. Terry M. “Max” Haston (an MTSU alum) spoke at Senior Day. Haston is adjutant general of the Tennessee National Guard. He had a special reason for attending: his son Travis graduated with a degree in Mass Communica- tion in May. Tre Hargett, Tennessee secretary of state, spoke during Omicron Delta Kappa True Blue Leadership Day on Friday, April 4, in Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. The event also featured business leaders H. Lee Martin and David McGowan. Former Blue Raider placekicker Alan Gendreau, who was in high school when he told his parents he is gay and was a college freshman when he told Coach Rick Stockstill, spoke at the first LGBT+ College Conference hosted by MT Lambda and the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences. Willie Wilson, former major league outfielder with the Kansas City Royals, was the keynote speaker at the annual Baseball in Literature Conference produced by the College of Liberal Arts. The Windham Lecture Series in April welcomed Senator Lamar Alexander, public affairs consultant and former journalist Keel Hunt (’71), former U.S. Attorney Hal Hardin (also an MTSU alumnus), and The Tennessean editor emeritus John Seigen- thaler to an in-depth discussion of the 1979 political scandal involving then-Gov. Ray Blanton and his unprecedented bipartisan ouster. Daily Double Jimmy Staten was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by defending Super Bowl cham- pion Seattle Seahawks. Staten found out during his graduation ceremony in May. He was given special acknowledgement by President Sidney A. McPhee and a rousing ovation from the crowd. Other Blue Raiders invited to NFL camps this summer included Sammy Seamster and Kenneth Gilstrap (Ravens), Logan Kilgore (Saints), and Josh Walker (Colts). Jimmy Staten George Gruhn Gen. Max Haston Tre Hargett Soledad O’Brien Alan GendreauTandra Martin | 16 | MTSU Magazine MIDPOINTS Military Honors Military Times magazine named Jen- nings A. Jones College of Business among its Best for Vets Business Schools 2014. Jones College is one of just 64 schools in the country to make the list. Academic quality, outcomes and policies, school culture, student support, and cost were factors in the judging. MTSU’s student- led veterans group, the Blue Raider American Veteran Organization (BRAVO) was recognized in March 2014 by the Student Veterans of America national organization as its chapter of the month. BRAVO grew from five to 300 members in 2013 alone. Malcolm Stallard, BRAVO president, said hosting events for nearly 1,000 student veterans and their dependents has stimulated growth and awareness across campus and helped lead to the recognition. “Veterans helping veterans is helping with our retention,” he said. BRAVO member Sean Martin, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, is the only student representa- tive on the 10-mem- ber Tennessee Veteran Education Task Force created by Gov. Haslam last year to help combat veterans returning to the classroom. The group met at MTSU this spring. The Great Debate The Blue Raider Debate team hosted the International Public Debate Association’s National Championship Tournament and Convention for colleges and universities in April. Almost 300 teams from 33 colleges and universities in 13 states showcased their debating skills. Participating schools included Boise State, Southern Illinois, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It was the largest tournament IPDA has ever hosted and the first time the national contest was held at MTSU. Up, Up, and Away MTSU signed a memorandum of agree- ment with the Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, resulting in an aerospace educa- tion partnership to benefit area youth. Civil Air Patrol has a cadet program for youths age 12 to 21 that can benefit from access to MTSU’s aerospace facilities, which include a $3.2 million, 360-degree air traffic control tower simulator. MTSU Scorecard The scorecard rates MTSU in comparison to 14 peer institutions nationally and to eight Tennessee public, four-year universities on student performance and financial data. In each category, MTSU is ranked in the top, middle or bottom third according to the color code in the key at right. Source, unless otherwise noted: National Center for Education Statistics Institutional Characteristics   Enrollment: 26,442   Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1   Tenure-track faculty: 655 Student Performance   Bachelor’s degrees granted: 3,868   Graduation rate: 51.6%* Cost Per Undergraduate   Undergraduates receiving grant/scholarship aid: 66%   Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants: 41%   Full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving grant/scholarship aid: 95%   Full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving Pell Grants: 48%   Average net price: $9,148*   Indebtedness upon graduation: $14,500†   State appropriations per FTE (an efficiency rating): $4,387 Endowment   University endowment: $64,494,524   Endowment per FTE: $2,802 *Source: Tennessee Higher Education Commission November 2012 Report †Source: College Affordability and Transparency Center College Scorecard National Ranking Top Middle B ott om N /A Tennessee Ranking Top Middle B ott om N/ A MIDPOINTS continued on page 35 Sean Martin Infographic: Amanda Hooten July 2014 | 17 | | 18 | MTSU Magazine Vinyl is back. According to Nielson SoundScan retail figures, album sales leapt 33 percent in 2013. While the total number of units sold (six million) isn’t going to save the recorded music industry, it’s not insignifi- cant, either—particularly for middle Tennessee, where the economy is in part dependent on strong sales. So what exactly is fueling the vinyl revival? In the world of Recording Industry professor Paul “Doc Rock” Fischer, vinyl has never fallen out of style. A vinyl collector since age twelve, Fischer started working in record stores as a teenager in the 1970s for $2.10 an hour. Like all music lovers since then, Fischer adapted to format changes through the years, from records to tapes to CDs to digital downloads; but unlike most, Fischer never chucked his vinyl while buying everything all over again on CDs. About 15 years ago, Fischer began accumulating vinyl again in earnest, mainly by going to estate sales in and around Nashville. The fact that his hobby evolved into his becoming a second- hand vinyl dealer, frequently traveling to record shows in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Louisville, Huntsville, Indianapolis, and Dayton, is evidence that the world has caught up with his obsession. But so, too, has the industry. “All of the major record labels are doing it now,” Fischer says, citing the proliferation of vinyl recordings by modern day acts like Nashville-based pop star Jack White. “It is one of the few categories of physical media . . . growing in sales of new music.” Fischer, who has been cited in publications nationwide regarding the uptick in vinyl sales, points to several reasons for the trend. First and foremost is the important distinction that purchasing vinyl nowadays is smartly paired with a modern method of consuming music. “If you buy new vinyl—the record companies are very smart— you also get the download code for all of the songs,” Fischer says. “So at no additional cost, you can get the digital version of it for your iPod or other mobile digital music player and you can listen to that wherever you go, but you can listen to the vinyl when you get home.” Next, he says, is the younger generation’s growing appreciation for packaging and album art—an integral part of the music- buying experience that older generations were accustomed to (and now wax nostalgic about) but one that younger music fans never experienced. “I know that when I was a kid, that was part of the thrill— digging into the liner notes and the additional art,” Fischer says. “Whole generations of kids who grew up with digital downloads and access to all of the music that they want, either free or streamed or downloaded, didn’t even know what that experience was like until now. An LP with a big picture and maybe a gatefold and a booklet in the center—that adds a lot to the sitting and listening experience at home.” Also key to the vinyl revival among younger listeners, according to Fischer, is that most of their parents tossed out their old record collections. “So this is also a cultural, generational kind of thing,” he explains. “Most moms and dads did not hang on to their vinyl. So it can be cool all over again. For the younger generation, it’s like they discovered it for themselves. It is of their generation.” continued on page 20 Paul “Doc Rock” Fischer at his home in Nashville ASK AN EXPERT photo: Andy Heidt July 2014 | 19 | because there is a security in having some sort of a noise floor to hold on to.” Are nostalgia-less younger listeners perhaps better judges of what does or does not sound good when it comes to recorded music? Fisher argues they are not. “They are running around with earbuds or listening to a system that has digital artifacts introduced through MP3 coding,” he says. “They don’t know what sounds good. I’m not demeaning them. They simply haven’t been exposed.” In addition, most of the new vinyl being pressed by younger musicians (which is accounting for most or all of the increase in vinyl sales) is actually cut from digital masters. “So it’s like taking a CD and putting it on plastic, which is going to have a relatively high noise floor with distortion,” Fisher says. “A music collector would say, ‘What’s the big deal?’” Martin Fisher in his lab on campus Fischer also believes the tactile nature of retrieving music from a vinyl record and a turntable with a needle is key to the medium’s revival, especially in a time where a few taps on a smartphone can play music. “When you push the button to start your CD player, you are not manipulating the laser. You are telling the machine to go to work,” Fischer says. “However, when you have that tone arm in your hand and you poise it over the entrance groove to the record and you let it drop, that’s a different kind of relationship with what you are listening to.” When explaining vinyl’s revival, many experts are quick to cite the opinion of many that music played on vinyl with a needle— despite the hisses and pops that accompany it—sounds better, or “warmer” than today’s compressed digital files. Martin Fisher, curator of recorded media collections for the internationally recognized Center for Popular Music at MTSU, believes nostalgia, not sound quality, has more to do with the opinion that vinyl offers a superior listening experience. “I don’t think the sound is better. In fact, in many instances it’s a lot worse,” he says. “Some people might call it warmth; I call it noise, which is basically what it is . . . but it gives some people something to plant their ears on. With CDs, by comparison, there is no room noise there so the bottom falls out, and from a listener’s perspective you are kind of left hanging there in dead space.” In essence, according to Fisher, it’s not the sound the vinyl is making but rather what listeners are hearing. “Does it sound better? Not really. It’s all subjective,” he says. “I think a lot of it is nostalgia, while the sonic explanation of it is probably photo: Andy Heidt | 20 | MTSU Magazine The creation of new vinyl product from digitally compressed files etched in plastic would seem to offer proof that the medi- um’s revival is more tied to packaging or cultural resurgence, not sound quality. Jennings A. Jones College of Business professor Melodie Phillips, who specializes in entertainment marketing, says business and social factors are indeed part of the revival. Not unlike sweeping support for local farmers, local mom-and- pop shops, and local artisans, people today—especially 15- to 30-year-olds—are turning to local sources for music. That’s helped the revival of record shops, where older generations were accustomed to shopping for music. From a retail perspective, according to Phillips, society is collectively reprogramming its patterns and priorities. “We think locally as opposed to supporting big corporations. We’re thinking local groceries and organic foods. We support local farmers and farmers’ markets and businesses and entre- preneurs,” she says. “And the push to local businesses, local artists, and local farmers that has in large part grown out of social marketing has also really been the genesis for some of the success experienced in efforts like Record Store Day, where people are encouraging and promoting and reconnecting at college age with the idea of getting their music from an actual local record store as opposed to a Best Buy or Target or virtu- ally through iTunes.” (Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1,000 independently owned record stores in the United States.) Phillips points to the success of the grassroots push “Local Saturday” as an answer to “Black Friday,” which has successfully persuaded Americans to intentionally shop locally one Saturday each year. “The idea is the same,” she says. “Don’t just run to Best Buy for price; instead, come to your local community shops and support them, because these are the people who live and work in your community. Plus, you can find unique items there, not the mass-produced, generic big corporation items.” Phillips also emphasizes that the return of the desire for a personalized point of sale for recorded music—not an electronic transaction—is partly driving vinyl’s resurgence. “It’s like the old days,” Phillips says. “There’s a person there to talk with who knows music, perhaps alerts you to an upcoming concert, even lets you try an album out first before you buy it.” A recent Tennessean business article offered more hard proof of vinyl’s revival. The newspaper reported in May that Nashville- based United Record Pressing, one of the nation’s leading vinyl record makers, announced plans to open a second loca- tion to try to meet demand. According to the report, United recently paid $5.5 million for a warehouse where it plans to add 16 presses and storage space. The article added that several existing independent record stores around the city are expanding and that new retail stores are opening. Got an old turntable gathering dust in the attic? It might be time to dig it out. Though still modest, the trend in recorded music in America today appears clear: what’s old is new again. [Editor’s Note: Most of the business reporting on vinyl sales focuses exclusively on new vinyl being sold by record companies for the first time. But there’s an untracked secondary market of vinyl sales taking place at flea markets, record shows in hotel conference rooms, and second-hand music stores that never went away. Argu- ably, such sales are not important to the industry. They don’t make a dime on it. These are the places where people like “Doc Rock” Fischer, who are passionate about vinyl and looking for collector’s items, can be found. Though invisible on most business reports, that scene is a large part of the vinyl resurgence.] Melodie Phillips in Lil’ Shop of Records in Murfressboro “DON’T JUST RUN TO BEST BUY FOR PRICE; INSTEAD, COME TO YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY SHOPS AND SUPPORT THEM . . .” ASK AN EXPERT ph ot o: J . I nt in to li Infographic: Brian Evans July 2014 | 21 | Th e P ow er of When Carroll Van West first visited a Selma, Ala., home that served as a safe haven for Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders during the Civil Rights movement, he was just a stranger to the homeowner, Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson. West, an MTSU history professor and director of the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), had been invited to the home to help Jackson nominate it for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. As Jackson pointed to the chair where King sat the day he learned of the assassination of NAACP leader Medgar Evers, she said, “I don’t let anyone sit in that chair.”By the end of the visit, however, Jackson had changed her tune, telling West not only that he was welcome to sit in the chair (an offer he respectfully declined) but also that on his next visit he should come to the back door— Carroll Van West guides one of MTSU’s most respected Centers of Excellence toward a self-sufficient future by Katie Porterfield COVER STORY photo: J. Intintoli July 2014 | 23 | the one used by two Nobel Peace Prize winners, King and Ralph Bunche. “That’s how friends enter the house,” Jackson said. Well known in a field that’s as much about gaining trust as it is about preserving structures, West excels at forging close relationships with those who have interesting stories. Since becoming CHP director in 1985, he’s established a reputation that’s helped make the center and MTSU historic preservation students familiar in places well beyond Tennes- see’s borders. And he’s far from finished. As he leads the center into its 30th year, he hopes to get funding to formalize the Historic Preservation major program’s hands-on approach and expand the CHP’s reach nationally and internationally. “What does that do?” West asks. “It ends up creating more opportunities for students, and what are we about but that?” Focusing on students has been part of the CHP’s foundation since it was established in 1984 by the Tennessee General Assembly as MTSU’s first Center of Excellence and one of nine original centers at Tennessee Board of Regents universities. The CHP became a full-time research and public service entity in 1991. Its mission is two-fold: to help Tennessee communities identify and use their heritage assets (historical sites, artifacts, and narratives that tell stories of the past) and to support and direct student research and experiential learning opportunities. Through the years, the CHP has helped communities develop historic preservation plans, historic structure reports, heritage tourism plans, National Register nominations, and more. Along the way, M.A. and Ph.D. students in Public History have worked alongside West and his staff, putting “boots on the ground,” as West calls it, and getting real-world historic preservation experience. “There is no better way to learn history and develop a passion for it than to go put your hands on it,” West says. “It’s a great competitive advantage because when our students go on interviews they talk about their projects, and employers know from the get-go that they have real experience.” In July 2013, Carroll Van West, CHP director, was appointed state historian by Gov. Bill Haslam. “Gov. Haslam and his staff made it clear that one reason they asked me is that I am active in all 95 counties, and they want to be able to rely on that experience whenever necessary,” said West. While he’s thrilled and he acknowledges that there is no greater honor for someone in his field than to serve as state historian, he also sees the appointment as a way to create more opportunities for MTSU Historic Preservation majors. “People are always asking me, ‘Do you have someone who can do this, do you have someone who can do that?’” West says. “Sometimes there isn’t a match, but there often is, and a student gets an internship or an entry-level job. In today’s job market, just being able to open doors can matter.” AN H ON OR A ND A N OP PO RT UN ITY photo illustration: Micah Loyed | 24 | MTSU Magazine MTSU has produced a True Blue army of preservationists whose effect on communities large and small is unmistakable. One of MTSU’s most celebrated historic preservation graduates is David J. Brown, chief preservation officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Brown is one of the key figures working to protect America’s national treasures. The program is equally proud of graduates like Jessica White, who recently took a position with the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission in Alabama. Since then, she’s worked as fieldwork preservationist for the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, among other activities.UN LE AS HI NG TH E P OW ER TO PR ES ER VE Today, the mission of the CHP is still the same, but West and his staff have expanded its reach to include the Midsouth, which West defines as the area within about a six-hour radius from Murfreesboro. “It makes for long days, but it really broadens the student experience,” he says. “Our students get to say they worked on something in Appalachia or in the Mississippi Delta. You can’t go other places to get that, so again, it gives them a competitive advantage.” West and his staff began to aggressively venture into other states in 2002, when they accepted an invitation to document Civil Rights churches in Birmingham. (The invitation came after they had successfully obtained a National Register nomination in the late 1990s for the Glenview neighborhood in Memphis, one of the first parts of the city to integrate in the 1950s.) The Birmingham project led to several others in Alabama, including a recent effort to assist in marking Civil Rights sites in Selma. Shortly after crossing into Alabama, the CHP started working with the Mississippi Blues Commission on the Mississippi Blues Trail, and the rest, as they say, is history. “I saw how much the students benefited,” says West. “I thought, ‘Well, if they don’t mind the travel, I don’t.’” Today, in addition to the Selma undertaking, the CHP is working in Kentucky, North Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma, and, of course, Tennessee. “That’s still our core mission,” West says. “But to entice students and to get good students, you’ve got to do more than that.” And they have done more. In the early days, the CHP tackled about four projects a year. Today, West, his staff, and students engage “�It ends up creating more opportunities for students, and WHATare we about THAT?”but COVER STORY July 2014 | 25 | In 1985, the Center for Historic Preservation began administering the Tennessee Century Farms program to identify, document, and recognize farms that have been in the same family continuously for at least 100 years. There are Century Farms in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties, and the program has certified more than 1,500 farms. Of that number, 157 are at least 200 years old and 634 are at least 150 years old. In addition to honoring these farms and families, the program allows the CHP to collect information necessary to interpret the agrarian history and culture of the state and provides learning opportunities for MTSU student research assistants.A CE NT UR Y MA RK Nu m be r o f F ar m s Tennessee Century Farms Recognized as being in the same family continuously 100 years 150 years 200 years 1,500 634 157 (’77) at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Blythe Semmer (’98) at the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and Jeff Durbin (’89) at the National Park Service. “While none of us walked into our current positions straight out of graduate school in Murfreesboro,” says Durbin, “I do believe that our education and hands- on training at MTSU gave us a foot in the door, which undoubtedly led to where we are now.” Durbin not only speaks highly of Dr. West and his experience at MTSU but also lauds the historic preservation program’s reputation. “MTSU’s historic preservation program (and especially the public service work of the Center for Historic Preservation) has a strong reputation for producing well-prepared and well-rounded graduates who have a lot of practical experience as well as the intellect necessary to work in this profession,” Durbin says. in fifteen to twenty projects annually, and the CHP typically provides funding for at least sixteen graduate assistants. This year, the center is supporting ten Ph.D. candidates and six master’s students.As have many distinguished graduates before them, those students are likely go on to careers in historic preservation. They’ll find jobs in a variety of public and private settings including state historic preservation offices, military bases, national parks, federal agencies, historic sites and museums, preservation or cultural resources management consulting firms, and departments of transportation.Several MTSU Historic Preservation alums hold high-profile positions in Washington, D.C., including David Brown (Editor’s Note: Nothing written about the Tennessee Century Farms initiative would be complete without the name Caneta Hankins, who was indispensable to the program’s success since it was transferred from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the CHP in 1984. She was director of the program for 12 years before her retirement in 2013.) photo: J. Intintoli | 26 | MTSU Magazine The sesquicentennial of the Civil War has been widely commemorated in recent years. Dr. Carroll Van West, director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, cochaired the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, which was created to highlight the state’s Civil War history and to encourage tourism. Because each of Tennessee’s 95 counties was touched by the war, the heritage area directed by West is the nation’s only one to cover an entire state. Chris Hetzel, an alumnus and historic preservation consultant working on compliance-related projects across the country, agrees with Durbin, saying MTSU’s program has long had a good reputation in the field. “MTSU’s program always has high visibility and presence at national conferences and the like, largely due to Dr. West and his many students who have moved on to jobs and positions throughout the country,” says Hetzel. Graduates not only do work that strengthens MTSU’s reputation but also create more CHP projects and form a network for other graduates seeking jobs. “The students who come out of this real-world environment grow over time, and when they, themselves, are in hiring mode, they want people from that same process,” West says. West would like to safeguard that process for years to come. “We need to make sure that the center’s vision and boots-on- the-ground approach to doing history is institutionalized and sustainable in the future,” he says. His goals include figuring out ways to underwrite fieldwork. “Then we can really work with communities in need and we can make sure this fieldwork-centered approach is here five years from now, ten years from now, twenty years from now,” he says. With money for travel, the CHP could continue to spread its national and international reputation. With no plans to slow down, West is forging ahead (including blogging to stimulate dialogue about the CHP’s work). With the help of staff members who offer fresh perspectives, he’s doing everything he can to ensure that the CHP is ready for the future. “I’m lucky,” he says. “I have great people to work with: my colleagues work hard, the students who come to MTSU are almost invariably motivated, and then communities allow you to work on these projects.” In other words, bring on the next 30 years. NI NE TY -F IVE PI EC ES OF H ER ITA GE A SO UR CE OF PR AIS E In 2013, when the Library of Congress released the first issue of Teaching with Primary Sources Journal, it was all about the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation’s work in Tennessee teaching the Civil War era in a multidisciplinary context. Thousands of teachers across the nation have read the edition and many use the materials in their classrooms.“Teaching about the Civil War with primary sources—original documents and objects that were created at the time under study—provides opportunities for expanding this familiar topic in history into subject areas as varied as geography, language arts, and science,” the Journal said, “giving students unique opportunities to discover how this epic struggle bled into nearly every aspect of American life.”  MTSU COVER STORY July 2014 | 27 | The Centennial Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in MTSU’s history, is having a transformative effect on programs and students across campus. The campaign is focused on four priorities: n Fostering an innovative learning environment by building partnerships, learning spaces, and programs that support the needs of the modern workforce n Maintaining an exceptional student body by bolstering scholarships and student aid n Assuring the highest quality faculty and staff by increasing tools needed to improve recruitment, retention, and graduation n Competing at the highest levels athletically by matching up against top-notch competition, improving facilities, and focusing on academic success Here is a glimpse at a few of the gifts made to the University during the ongoing Centennial Campaign. True Blue! Better by Design MTSU’s new Mechatronics Engineering program promises to elevate the University’s Department of Engineering Technology to the next level. Mechatronics is a design process that includes a combination of mechanical, electrical, robotic, and computer programming as well as control systems. MTSU’s program is based on a three-level international certification system created by Siemens AG, a German engineering company. An example of a mechatronic system is a surgical robot, which performs precision mechanical work under sophisticated electronic and sensory control. Last fall, the new program received its first gift—$15,000 from the southeast chapter of the International Beverage Packaging Association—to go toward endowing student scholarships. Southeast chapter member Jimmy Davis of Murfreesboro describes the new program as a “game-changer.” Davis, an MTSU alumnus and past president of the Engineering Technology Advisory Board, is the owner of Murfreesboro-based the Davis Groupe, which supplies machinery, tools, and parts to Toyota, General Motors, and Nissan, among others. There’s a high demand for skilled workers to maintain and repair mechatronic systems. People trained and certified in mechatronics engineering can expect high-growth opportunities and wages. MTSU alumnus and state senator Bill Ketron, a small-business owner and a member of the Engineering Technology Advisory Board, says the economic impact of the new program will be significant. “Once we start training these young people and the industries and manufacturing concerns realize there’s a good, trained, and educated workforce for their needs, they’ll start locating here,” he says. GIFTS t h a t Ke e p o n G i v i n g | 28 | MTSU Magazine GIFTS t h a t Ke e p o n G i v i n g Without Reservation Sometimes Gordon and Sara Bell’s friends have to choose between electricity for light or propane for heat. They can’t always afford both, but when it’s as cold as 50 below zero outside, and your house is made of tarpaper and a few old boards, the choice is easy. That’s why the Bells make a point of taking candles when they visit the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, as they have every year for 30 years. Gordon (’73) and Sara (’72, ’84) became aware of the daily struggle for life on the reservation when they joined a church mission trip. Sara has since been adopted into the tribe. On each visit, they are confronted with a crisis of health and poverty invisible to most Americans. But they are inspired by the resilience and dignity of their friends in the Lakota Sioux tribe. They hope the student who receives their newly endowed MTSU scholarship will join them on their journey— physically, intellectually, and perhaps spiritually. Each year, a University Honors College junior or senior researching Native American topics will be selected for the scholarship. “After all, 99.9 percent of Americans don’t think about Native Americans. They’re out in the middle of nowhere,” Sara says. “It’s easy to forget, if you ever knew. Maybe that one student will make people aware.” All Systems Go A bequest from Steve and Kathy Anderson will create an endowed chair in computer information systems at MTSU and give students the benefit of a nationally prominent faculty member who understands the important challenges and opportunities in information systems and technology. Steve Anderson (’77) majored in Marketing with a minor in Information Technology. While studying for his M.B.A. in 1978, Anderson worked as a graduate teaching assistant in the Information Technology Department. Upon completion of his M.B.A., he began working with what was then called Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). During his 25 years with Accenture—15 years as a partner—Anderson’s client work focused on large-scale manufacturing, supply chain, and information technology strategy for Fortune 500 industrial and consumer products companies. Several of these efforts were global in scope and included teams working across Europe and the Far East. He led major restructuring efforts for several Fortune 500 companies. He also led lean manufacturing programs in over 20 different facilities across the U.S. and Europe. Anderson’s client work garnered him national press recognition in publications including BusinessWeek and CEO Magazine. Anderson’s vision for the Chair in Computer Information Systems is to hire a chairperson who embodies the qualities possessed by Dr. Richard Callahan, a highly-dedicated and much-loved former professor in the then School of Business. According to Anderson, the chair will (among other objectives) expose students to creative, value-added uses of technology and conduct “innovation fairs,” where student teams will develop their own innovative ideas to be judged by their peers and by business leaders. continued on page 30 Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) meeting featuring guest speaker and alumni Steve Anderson, Accenture Sara Bell stands in front of a gift from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. FEATURE STORY from staff reports July 2014 | 29 | GIFTS t h a t Ke e p o n G i v i n g Serving It Up A new indoor tennis facility is under construction at Old Fort Park that will greatly improve MTSU tennis and give local tennis lovers a new place to play. The $3.7 million building will have eight indoor courts, an electronic scoreboard, a pro shop, locker rooms, a lounge, and a meeting area. It will be open to the public and serve as the home of Blue Raider tennis. The project was funded in part through private donations and is also part of the University’s $80 million Centennial Campaign. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to open this fall. Numerous donors have made the new facility possible. For example, the scoreboard will be named in honor of the LaLance families of Murfreesboro in recognition of a donation from the families of Richard “Dick” and Jan LaLance and the late Robert “Bob” and Martha Lou LaLance. A court will be named in honor of the late Carolyn Reeves, a former high school tennis coach and community leader, in recognition of a donation from Shane and Amanda Reeves and the Reeves-Sain Foundation. Standing Tall John Stanford came to MTSU in the 1950s after serving with the Air Force, where he won acclaim as a baseball pitcher. He made his mark on Blue Raider baseball by becoming an All-OVC player. After graduation, Stanford turned pro, pitching two seasons for the Washington Senators before serving as baseball coach for Shelbyville Central and Motlow Community College. In 1974, he returned to his alma mater to cultivate one of the most respected programs in college baseball. His Blue Raider record of 402–272–4 is second only to that of his successor, Steve Peterson. Blue Raider squads under Stanford made repeated trips to the NCAA Tournament, and Stanford won multiple coach-of-the-year honors. Later, as the University’s athletic director, he worked with donors to improve baseball facilities and scholarships, upgraded the golf program, and advocated the formation of the women’s softball program and field (among other accomplishments). Stanford, who died in July 2013, has now been honored with the placement of a 10-foot bronze statue outside the gates of Reese Smith Jr. Field. A similar statue of the late Reese Smith Jr., a Nashville alumnus for whom the stadium is named and whose two sons played baseball for MTSU, stands next to Stanford’s. One of Smith’s sons, Stephen B. Smith (’11), provided the funds to erect the statues. Chair of the board of Haury & Smith Contractors, a six-decade-old middle Tennessee development and home building company, Smith also served on the board of directors of the Blue Raider Athletic Association, is a member of the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame, chaired the search committee for MTSU’s athletic director, spearheaded the successful effort to raise $5 million to remodel the baseball stadium, and now is an important part of the University’s $80 million Centennial Campaign. He was named an MTSU Distinguished Alumnus last year. continued from page 29  MTSU To donate, visit www.mtsu.edu/supportMT. | 30 | MTSU Magazine Myths about Today’s MTSU MTSU’s campus isn’t that pretty. In addition to beautifully landscaped grounds, several new buildings have significantly elevated the overall look of campus. The $65 million Student Union Building, the soon-to- open $147 million Science Building (see below), the three-year-old College of Education building, and the brand-new Student Services Building are some of the most beautiful on any campus in Tennessee—period! Add in older structures, including the four beautiful 103-year-old original buildings (still in use today), and your eyes will tell you all you need to know about MTSU’s aesthetic appeal! There are many ways to give back to your alma mater. The most obvious is to write a check. The time to do just that has never been better because MTSU is pursuing the largest fundraising campaign in its history. Reaching and even exceeding financial goals will be a big step in the continued advancement of the University, academically and athletically, as one of the finest public institutions of higher education in the Southeast. Another way to support MTSU is to make it possible for your children and grandchildren to attend your alma mater. What’s stopping you? In my time as editor of MTSU Magazine, I’ve heard a few alumni offer an occasional reason for being a little hesitant to send their children and grandchildren to MTSU. Many of those reasons were flat-out wrong. I was all too happy to set the record straight. Here, then, is my personal list of the top 10 myths about today’s MTSU or, put another way, the top 10 reasons to send your child (or grandchild) to college here. True Blue! by Drew Ruble And why you should send your child or grandchild to your alma mater FEATURE STORY Myth: FACT: Myth: FA CT Parking on campus is a nightmare. Last year, MTSU opened two new student parking garages. The four-level structures (valued at $23.5 million) added almost 1,000 net parking spaces near the campus core. More surface lots have also recently been opened. July 2014 | 31 | State tuition increases across Tennessee’s higher education system have made even schools like MTSU unaffordable for families. Perhaps the highly regarded Princeton Review said it best when it named MTSU one of the “Best in the Southeast” on its 2014 list of the nation’s top colleges. Editors of the list, which recognized 138 institutions in the 12-state Southeast region, called MTSU “a growing school on the rise, [where] you get a quality education and you aren’t in crippling debt afterward.” Forbes once even ranked MTSU as the 47th “best buy” among all public colleges and universities in America! FACT: Myth: FACT: FACT: MTSU doesn’t rank academically— regionally or nationally—like other name-brand schools. Nationally recognized programs and courses of study at MTSU include aerospace, recording industry, horse science, foren- sic science, concrete industry, historic preservation, agricul- ture and agribusiness, and accounting, just to name a few. MTSU also boasts what may be the best nursing and teacher- training programs in the state. In addition, it’s home to one of the largest business schools in America. In these areas and more you simply cannot send your child or grandchild to a college better suited to equip them with the knowledge and skills they will need to achieve their personal and professional dreams! Myth: Sports at MTSU can’t be nationally prominent. Last year, MTSU joined Confer- ence USA (C-USA) for intercol- legiate athletics. C-USA teams and players have made nearly 700 NCAA championship ap- pearances since the league’s inception in 1995. Sixty-seven football programs have earned bowl bids; 90 men’s basketball teams have participated in NCAA and NIT postseason play; 47 women’s basketball squads have appeared in the NCAA Tournament; and 53 baseball programs have made NCAA tournament appearances, including 12 College World Series and a national crown for Rice University in 2003. Also, 61 men’s and women’s soccer teams have participated in NCAA tournaments, and Charlotte competed for the men’s College Cup in 2011. We can do this! Myth: FACT: MTSU is not interested in student success; it’s only interested in enrolling as many students as possible. Actually, University efforts are unilaterally geared toward retention and providing continuous support to keep students enrolled and on track to graduation. From the retooling of classes that too many students historically have failed to the recent opening of a $16 million Student Services and Admissions Center and the new MT One Stop, an all-in-one student assistance hub, examples abound of MTSU’s focus on student success. This “quest for student success,” as President Sidney A. McPhee describes it, is not code for grade inflation. It’s simply the right thing to do. And it’s also perfectly aligned with the goals of the state legislature and governor’s office. As McPhee likes to say to faculty and staff, “If students become an interruption in your day, you’re in the wrong business.” M yth: | 32 | MTSU Magazine MTSU is exclusively a commuter college. A college education is more than an accumulation of course credits. Students don’t spend all their time in class. College life is also about expand- ing your worldview through exposure to cultures, perspec- tives, and lives different than your own. With a new $65 million, 211,000-square-foot Student Union Building, highly active service and special- interest clubs, and a wealth of extracurricular activities, students at today’s MTSU enjoy the full college experience and never have to leave campus to keep busy and have a great time—even during nights and weekends! (The prolifera- tion of affordable off-campus housing has also played a big role.) MTSU’s new student involvement program, aimed at connecting students to the University through extracurric- ular activities, attracted more than 2,700 first-time students last year, and more than 1,100 of them attended four or more events during fall 2013. There are few important graduate programs at MTSU, and little significant research is conducted. Many are surprised to learn that one out of five degrees awarded at MTSU is a graduate degree. In fact, the College of Graduate Studies offers more than 100 programs. The reality is that MTSU is aggressively transitioning from a primarily undergraduate institution to a doctoral research university with high research activity. New interdisciplinary doctoral programs ranging from educational assessment (the only such program in the state) to molecular biosciences are driving that shift. For example, in partnership with the Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants in Nanning, China, MTSU has the opportunity to develop new Western medicines based on plant extracts used in the healing art of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Several recent pharmaceutical successes stemming from the use of active chemical ingredients in Chinese herbal medicines to develop conventional Western drugs reveal just how big a deal MTSU’s new partnership may be. The partnership has already yielded about 40 results that show promise in treating cancer, viral infections, and other ailments. MTSU is exclusively a regional school. MTSU was recognized last year by the Chronicle of Higher Education as a top producer of Fulbright award winners. The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the government’s flagship international exchange program. MTSU was the only Tennessee college or univer- sity to earn the Chronicle’s distinction. Today’s students simply must communicate across cultures effectively if they are to participate in the international workplace. At MTSU, internationalization of the student body is a priority. International student enroll- ment has increased from 396 to 789 in five years, and the University has 335 students in its study-abroad programs this summer. It has more than 40 exchange agreements with institutions around the world. Finally, MTSU’s strong con- nections with China in terms of academic partnerships and research/industry collabora- tions rival any university in America. Only average students attend MTSU. The ACT average for the fall 2013 freshman class (22.0) continued to be above the national average (20.9) and above the Tennes- see average (19.5). The aver- age high school GPA for the fall 2013 freshman class was 3.35. Buchanan Fellowship recipi- ents in fall 2014 comprised the strongest entering class since the University’s premier aca- demic scholarship began in 2006. Limited to around 20 students, the fellowship had 166 applica- tions from ten different states, and the average ACT score of the applicants was 30.75. Also, enrollment in doctoral programs at MTSU increased by nearly nine percent last year. So c’mon—send your kids to MTSU! Make it a family affair. It’s a great place to get an education. Plus, how special would it be to share the same alma mater with your children? You can all be True Blue! FA C T: Myth: FACT: M yt h: FACT: Myth: FACT: Myth:  MTSU July 2014 | 33 | Last year, 9,097 alumni, parents, and friends supported MTSU with philanthropic gifts. The impact of these gifts on our stu- dents, faculty, and the communities around us was profound, helping deserving students complete their degrees, advancing cutting-edge research that is solving real-world problems in Tennessee and beyond, and bringing renowned experts, lecturers, and artists to campus. To all our generous supporters, we say thank you. Visit www.mtsu.edu/supportMT or call (615) 898-2502. THANK YOU Drive to Succeed Jared Brentz, a 25-year-old Criminal Justice Administration major and amputee golfer, successfully defended his 2013 Mesquite NV ParaLong Drive National Championship in May 2014, blasting a 409-yard drive in the final round. Brentz was born with club feet and arthro- gryposis, a rare congenital condition that causes stiff joints and muscle weakness. At age 12, after con- sultation with his parents, he decided to have both legs amputated below the knees. Undaunted, Brentz competed on his middle school golf team in the eighth grade, and his team won the district title. He was a four-year letterman in both golf and wrestling in high school and was named to the All-District team as a senior. Hybrid Thinkers MTSU has partnered with Meliksah University and Firat University in Turkey to further develop Dr. Charles Perry’s retrofit wheel-hub motor, which converts a standard gasoline-powered vehicle into a plug-in hybrid with just a minor alteration to the rear wheel hub, cutting a vehicle’s fuel consumption by half or more. “Turkey is like the Detroit of Europe,” said Dr. Andrienne Friedli, director of the Center for Advancement of Research and Scholar- ship. “Many European automobile companies manufacture cars there, and because of the high price of gasoline, people in the region are already spending $1,000 to retrofit their cars to use cheaper fuels.” Looking East President Sidney A. McPhee signed various agree- ments with universities in China this spring. The partnership with Hangzhou Normal University for a Confucius Institute at MTSU was granted a five-year extension. The institute is sponsored by China’s Educa- tion Ministry to promote Chinese language, history, and culture through tours, exchanges, and academic partnerships. MTSU joined Hangzhou Normal to open the institute in 2010. Another pact will allow select juniors from China’s top communication university to complete their bachelor’s degree studies in Murfreesboro and then earn master’s degrees from MTSU in one year. The agreement aligns MTSU’s acclaimed College of Mass Communication with Communication University of China, known as “the cradle of China’s broadcasting and televisions talents.” MTSU gained an international partner with expertise in mechatronics engineering through a pact signed with Shanghai Second Polytechnic University (SSPU) enabling student and faculty exchanges and joint re- search projects. SSPU specializes in energy generation and manufacturing motor vehicles and aircraft. MTSU recently launched a Mechatronics Engineering degree program. An agreement with Xiangnan University in Chenzhou, which specializes in teacher training and medical sci- ences, will also allow student and faculty exchanges. Last, MTSU signed an agreement with Shaanxi Normal University (SNU) in Xi’an, home of some of China’s top cultural sites including the archaeological dig of terra-cotta warriors at the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor. Both universities began as teacher training schools and remain committed to that mission. SNU was among three hosts for a group of Rutherford County schoolchildren and parents visiting China in July as part of a Confucius Institute cultural exchange. MIDPOINTSMIDPOINTSMidPoints continued from page 17 July 2014 | 35 | Meredith Dye studies an oft-ignored female population by Katie Porterfield | 36 | MTSU Magazine little research attention. In fact, in 2010, she and her colleague Professor Ron Aday (Sociology and Anthropology) visited three Georgia prisons and surveyed 214 of the 300 women serving life sentences in the state. As far as the pair knows, their data represents the largest sample of its kind. In addition to the fact that female lifers are an overlooked prison population, it’s difficult to get permission to work with them. “If it weren’t for Ron, I don’t think I would have been able to get access to prisons to collect data,” Dye says, explaining that Aday, who wrote a book on women aging in prison, has a contact in the Georgia Department of Corrections who paved the way for them. “When I was at Georgia [in graduate school], I was discouraged to hear that it took someone 13 years to establish a relationship that enabled him to gain access.” Teaming up with Aday after joining MTSU is just one of the many experiences that shaped Dye’s interest in prison research. In other words, Scooby-Doo isn’t solely responsible for her “pathway to prison,” as she calls it. As she got older, her concern and compassion for people portrayed as “bad guys” spilled over to her academic career. At Erskine College, where she ma- jored in behavioral science, she helped a Ph.D. student conduct research on deviant behavior in controlled and isolated environ- ments. Between undergraduate and gradu- ate school, she worked as a counselor at a residential treatment center for juvenile sex offenders and found herself asking questions about the environment and its 95% 93% 45% 60-70% never before incarcerated in prison for murder, many for killing an abusive partner thought about suicide before going to prison were child or adult victims of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse 70% have children 35% have grandchildren AGE av er ag e ol de st yo un ge st DISCOVERIES Infographic: Kelsey Greer s a little girl, Assistant Profes- sor Meredith Dye (Sociology and Anthropology) watched a lot of Scooby-Doo. “At the end of each show, when they unmask the bad guy or the ghost, they see that it’s a real person, and it’s usually someone they know,” says the 37-year-old Dye, who mentions her affection for the cartoon to help make sense of what’s per- haps an unlikely calling: prison research. “I have a tendency to see people in prison as people, not for what they’ve done,” she says. It’s this tendency that fuels Dye’s most recent research on women serving life sentences in prison, a small population (5,000 in the United States) that receives continued on page 38 July 2014 | 37 | approach to helping patients. While work- ing toward her master’s in sociology with a concentration in criminology at the Uni- versity of North Carolina–Greensboro, she developed a fascination with those who must live in and adapt to institutions in which their lives are completely controlled. She began to focus mostly on prisons and wrote her thesis and dissertation on fac- tors associated with prison suicides (using secondary data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics). In 2008, after getting her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, she ven- tured to MTSU, where she met Aday just as she was beginning to look at gender differences related to suicide in prison. After working with Aday to gather data, she published “I Just Wanted to Die” in Criminal Justice and Behavior Journal. The article compared suicidal ideation among women before receiving life sentences and then while in prison. Her latest study, “The Rock I Cling To: Religion in the Lives of Life-Sentenced Women,” was cowritten for the Prison Journal. Dye is far from finished. She’s yet to write a general paper on the characteris- tics of women serving life sentences, and because her survey contained closed and open-ended questions, she has a wealth of material that should eventually lead to a book. Her findings so far, she explains, are myth breaking in that they don’t fit most preexisting perceptions of who women serving life sentences really are. “One thing that stands out right away when you meet these women is that they’re like your mom and your grand- mom,” Dye says. “They are aging. They have wheelchairs, walkers, white hair, and health problems associated with aging. Or they are middle-aged women who never saw themselves ending up in prison, much less serving a life sentence.” Unless they are serving life without parole, most women serving life sentences will not be in prison for life. Yet, as Dye explains, they are almost invisible because they comprise such a small population. (Less than one percent of all Georgia inmates are female lifers.) “What I heard from them over and over again was ‘We are overlooked,’” says Dye. “The prison administration and staff are more concerned about people serving shorter sentences and getting them back into society so they don’t come back to prison.” Though Dye readily cites useful and interesting percentages about the women she surveyed (see page 37), she’s quick to point out that her research isn’t just about crunching numbers. It’s also about telling the stories of incarcerated women “nobody seems to care about.” “I’m not saying these women don’t need to be in prison, but who are they, how did they get there, how are they serving their time? Do I think this particular research will lead to a change in policy or their daily lives? Probably not, but I think we always need to ask ourselves what we’re doing.” Meanwhile, she thinks she’s exactly where she needs to be. “A professor who does research on gangs told me one time that he always tells the people he interviews that for just a series of different life cir- cumstances, choices, or opportunities, he could be where they are,” Dye says. “I feel the same way. I feel privileged and fortu- nate. I’ve had a lot of opportunities, and I think this is what I’m supposed to do.” Professor Meredith Dye sits in a typical cell at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.  MTSU ph ot o: J . I nt in to li continued from page 37 | 38 | MTSU Magazine Visit mtalumni.com to access services to aid in your search. Search jobs at your own pace, 24/7; access webinars; and join our LinkedIn group of over 6,000 members! Looking for … your first job? . . . a new career? We can help! Friday, October 17 Golden Raiders Reunion featuring induction of the Class of 1964 Graduates Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony Saturday, October 18 Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party at the Alumni House Baby Raider Ride Contest Homecoming Tailgate Lunch at the Alumni House Pregame Festivities Alumni Homecoming Kings and Queens reunite at the Coronation of the 2014 Homecoming King and Queen Blue Raiders vs. University of Alabama at Birmingham HOMECOMING 2014 October 17–18 Return home to Middle Tennessee HOMECOMING 2014 October 17–18 Return home to Middle Tennessee Check www.mtalumni.com or call 800-533-6878 for more information. Check www.mtalumni.com or call 800-533-6878 for more information. Update your email address by contacting alumni@mtsu.edu. The phrase “I am True Blue” is more than just a marketing phrase. Each time these words are repeated, they express not only the ideals the University wishes to share with its students—that it is working to develop a community devoted to learning, growth, and service—but also the commitment to a student-centered culture that has been an ingrained part of the institution for 103 years. The actions of an MTSU president in the 1930s show that being True Blue is not a newfound notion. So, too, do the recent actions of an area business leader to repay the kindness of that president. The story reaffirms MTSU’s long history as the institution of higher education in middle Tennessee, where people receive education—often as first-generation students—that raises their status to new levels of social and financial good. A Fateful Journey James Lafayette Hitt was born in Savannah, Tenn., on March 13, 1879. Josephine Meredith was born in Wayne County, Tenn., on Dec. 9, 1882, but moved to Savannah at an early age. Both attended A good deed from the past continues to support MTSU’s mission by Drew Ruble James and Josephine’s eight children P. A. Lyon, president of MTSTC | 40 | MTSU Magazine Savannah Institute (the equivalent of high school), where James graduated as valedictorian and Josephine as salutatorian. Hitt had saved money working at his father’s sawmill with the expectation of going to college. An extended bout of typhoid fever, however, erased both his money and his dream of college. He would later jokingly say, “I got married instead.” Jim and Josie Hitt were married June 11, 1903. They had eight children—four boys and four girls. Hitt was determined that his children would attend college and that each one would earn a degree. The Hitts were able to send their first child to college for two years in the 1920s. Then came the Great Depression, and they realized that their only hope of achieving the goal of college for the other seven was to move the family to a college town. Memphis was closer to Savannah, but Murfreesboro had Middle Tennessee State Teachers College (MTSTC) in a smaller, more suitable community. In 1930, James Hitt set out for Murfreesboro to find a new home for his family. It no doubt took a lot of courage and faith for a 51-year-old to uproot his family during the Depression and move to a new town without a job, but that is precisely what he did. While riding the bus between Nashville and Murfreesboro, fate placed Hitt in a seat next to P. A. Lyon, president of MTSTC. The two men talked, and Lyon learned about Hitt’s story and his family’s mission. Lyon was so impressed that he immediately offered help. He told Hitt that he would personally see to it that each child would be given a job on campus, and until then they were to come to his office to have their registration cards signed. Even though the two oldest Hitt children were teachers back home in Hardin County during the school year and could only attend MTSTC during the summer, Lyon’s gesture allowed all eight to pursue B.S. degrees. With that grand offer in hand, the Hitt family moved to Murfreesboro, where James’s first job was at a sawmill making $1 per day. There were many lean, hard years, but conditions improved as, one by one, all eight children enrolled in college and helped others in the family. All eight received degrees from what is today MTSU. Three went on to receive master’s degrees and one earned a Ph.D. Five of the eight children became teachers, and two of those spent more than 35 years in the Tennessee public school system. Another became a high school principal. One became a published author and chair of the English Department at a private prep school in Tennessee. One became chair of the English Department at a public university in Mississippi. Paying It Forward One of those eight children was Virginia Hitt. After graduating with a certificate to teach English, Latin, science, math, and home economics, she started her working career as a home demonstration agent (now called county extension agent) in Carthage, Erin, and finally, Lewisburg, where she met and married James R. Patterson in 1947. She stayed home to raise three sons. When the youngest was in first grade, she began teaching seventh-grade math and continued doing so for most of her 25 years as a Marshall County schoolteacher. She endeared herself to students across three decades with a reputation of being both strict and fair. Her life’s greatest sorrows were the drowning death of her youngest son, Ralph Wallace Patterson, at age 14 in 1967 and her husband’s death in 1976. Her greatest joys in 30 years of retirement were ho