Making APSU headlines
    
         

USDA official presents grant to APSU, Clarksville

     Anne Kennedy, deputy undersecretary for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrated Earth Day at Austin Peay where she awarded a grant of $50,000 to APSU and the city of Clarksville to replant trees lost in the tornado.

     On April 22, Kennedy joined local officials in planting the "Renaissance Dogwood" on the APSU campus. She also presented a $25,000 grant to the city of Jackson, hit by an earlier tornado.

     The grants were obtained through a joint effort between the Tennessee Division of Forestry and the USDA’s Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Marie Anglin, president of the Five River RC&D, originated the grant with Frank Newberry, coordinator.

Stars "rise" to the task

     A host of stars performed at APSU during the spring semester, seemingly drawn by the tornado’s tragedy.

     In Hollywood on the evening of May 12, the wildly popular group, Sawyer Brown, opened the prestigious Country Music Awards show with the hit single from their new CD, "Drive Me Wild." SB debuted the same song during the Feb. 26 benefit concert at APSU. The purpose of their concert was to give tornado victims a night of high-energy fun. Donations collected at the door went to help the local tornado victims.

     Austin Peay’s friend and supporter, Louise Mandrell, presented an award at the CMA show. Mandrell donated her time and talent for two consecutive years to help raise money for Austin Peay athletics. Following in Mandrell’s footsteps, Kenny Chesney — who had a successful summer performing on the nationwide George Strait Summer Tour — presented a concert June 29 at APSU with proceeds going to APSU athletics. At the CMA Show, as well as the APSU concert, Chesney sang "How Forever Feels," his single that was No. 1 on the country charts for six consecutive weeks.

     As part of the APSU/Clarksville Community Concert Artist Series, world-renowned pianist, Misha Dichter, performed April 11 in the concert theatre of the music/mass communication building. Dichter performs solo recitals worldwide and plays regularly with the world’s greatest orchestras.

     On April 16 jazz-singer Nnenna Freelon headlined Austin Peay’s Mid-South Jazz Festival. Concert-goers heard cuts from her latest album, "Maiden Voyage," during her hot performance in the concert theatre, music/mass communication building.

     On the evening of April 23, a super-star concert featuring country/pop diva Deana Carter kicked off Renaissance Week. Carter introduced newcomer Chris Knight, who sang the opening 45-minute set of the concert. Performing the second set was Allison Moorer, who sang her hit single "A Soft Place to Fall" (from the movie, "The Horse Whisperer") at both the Academy Awards Show on March 21 where it was an Oscar contender for Best Original Song and on the CMA show where Moorer was a nominee for Top New Female Vocalist.

     In tight black leather jeans with her blonde hair blowing and her trademark bare feet keeping beat on the Dunn Center stage, Carter rocked the house. She received numerous standing ovations, especially after responding to repeated audience cries for "Strawberry Wine," the single that propelled her career into fast-forward.

     Known for her down-home charm and audience interaction, she introduced friends and family in the audience—including her brother, Ronnie (’88), Nashville. Carter reminisced about visiting Austin Peay when her brother was a student here.

     While the tornado blew down electric lines and cut off energy to the campus for a short time, it also blew in a bevy of bright stars who poured new energy into tornado-weary fans and lit up the campus and community in a never-to-be-forgotten way!

     As Hallmark says, they cared enough to give the very best.

Human-rights activist, author Harry Wu speaks at graduation

     Austin Peay’s 1999 graduates left commencement with the inspirational words of Harry Wu ringing in their ears and, perhaps, in their souls.

     A respected author and human-rights activist, Wu spent 19 years in a Chinese laogai, or government prison camp. Since earning his freedom, he has risked his life repeatedly returning to China and visiting prison camps to document atrocities on film.

     The founder and executive director of the Laogai Research Foundation, Wu’s work has brought him worldwide admiration of those who know the story of his sacrifice and survival. Wu has been recognized worldwide, receiving both the Martin Ennals Human Rights Award and the AFL-CIO award for outstanding public service in 1993.

     Upon his return to China in 1995, Wu was arrested for "stealing state secrets" and expelled from the country. Since his expulsion and return to the United States, he has vowed to continue the exposure of the Chinese government’s mistreatment of its citizens.

     Speaking at APSU’s May 14 commencement, Wu explained that, unlike the candidates for graduation sitting before him, he wasn’t able to attend his own graduation because the Chinese Communist Party had declared him a "counterrevolutionary rightist" and a political criminal.

     He said, "What did I do to deserve this fate? I spoke my mind. In the spring of 1957, at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party, I like many other members of China’s so-called ‘intellectual class’ openly criticized the government. With this act I began learning—the hard way—that freedom is priceless."

     Today, Wu is an American citizen. This citizenship—backed by the strength of America and the U.S. State Department—secured his freedom in 1995 when the Chinese government arrested him for trying to enter the country illegally.

     He said, "What I will continue to do is work to expose the human rights abuses of the Chinese government. I feel that, if the truth about the way (China) treats its people is fully known around the world, then it cannot remain. There must be democracy in China if the Chinese people are going to prosper as they deserve."

     Wu’s international bestsellers "Bitter Winds" and "Troublemaker: One Man’s Crusade Against China’s Cruelty" are stories of courage against the odds. Telling in vivid detail of Wu’s life in the laogai and his journey of survival, they plead for the betterment of the human condition.

Hardin wins annual APSUNAA award

     Among the faculty awards presented at each spring commencement is the APSU National Alumni Association’s Distinguished Professor Award.

     This year’s recipient was Dr. Carlette Hardin (’71, ’79), professor of education. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Vanderbilt University in 1984. Both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees are from APSU.

     Since becoming part of the APSU faculty in 1981, she has served as director of the Freshmen Transition Program and been director of the Developmental Studies Program. In 1994, Hardin was president of the 2,000-member National Association for Developmental Education and is president of the APSU chapter of Phi Delta Kappa.

     In 1986, she wrote "A College Yearbook: Making It Through the First Year," published by Ginn Press. Her "Access to Higher Education: Who Belongs?" was the outstanding article for the 1988-89 volume of the "Journal of Developmental Education." She is under contract to write a fastback for Phi Delta Kappa to be published in 2000 and an orientation text for adult students to be published in 1999 by Cambridge Press.

     In 1997, Hardin received the Outstanding Faculty Community Service Award for helping create the Crisis Call Line and for her outstanding service to United Way.

Design for new UC unveiled

     In early May, APSU officials unveiled designs for a new University Center, which has been in the works for years.

     According to Dr. Sal Rinella, president of APSU, the new building will be complete by Fall 2001 and should open shortley after the new science building. According to Rinella, both will be state-of-the-art facilities.

     Like the science building, the new UC will blend with the other Jeffersonian-style buildings on campus. The new building will be twice as large as the current UC, covering approximately 86,500 gross square feet. The total cost is projected at $17.7 million. None of the funding will be supplied by the state. Instead, an increase in student fees, which was approved by student vote, will help defray the cost.

     Plans include a bigger food court with more dining options, student organization workspace, 24-hour lounge, coffeehouse, information desk, seven meeting rooms and a ballroom. Tentatively slated to have space in the new building are the offices of career services, student development and the student newspaper and student magazine.

     A large, bricked plaza connecting the new UC to other student-centered buildings, such as the Memorial Health Building, will emphasize that, truly, students are at the heart of Austin Peay.

"Austin Peay" magazine receives national, state acclaim

     In the Fourteenth Annual Admissions Advertising Awards competition, APSU’s Fall 1998 issue of "Austin Peay" won a Bronze Award in the area of External Publications for colleges and universities with 5,000-9,999 students.

     With more than 1,600 entries this year, the competition is sponsored by "Admissions Marketing Report," the national newspaper of admissions marketing.

     During the annual meeting of the statewide Tennessee College Public Relations Association (TCPRA) held in April at Vanderbilt University, Dennie B. Burke, editor of "Austin Peay," was honored as author of the top story in the state.

     Public relations officers from both public and private colleges and universities throughout Tennessee comprise TCPRA. Markham Howe of Mangan/Holcomb & Partners, Little Rock, Ark., judged the competition with its 24 categories ranging from newsletters to video ads.

     Burke won the Gold Award for her article, "Off the Wall," published in the Fall 1998 magazine and featuring author and humor columnist, Paula Wall (’76).

Winner of alumni shopping spree announced

     Congratulations to Ann Gilliam (’95, ’98), Franklin, Tenn., who won the $50 shopping spree from the APSUNAA Logo Merchandise in last fall’s "Austin Peay" magazine. Her name was drawn from those who responded to the reader’s survey.

     The number of survey responses was low. Surveys returned show:

     The editorial staff thanks Mary Ann Erwin, Robert Breese, Jerome Jackson, Kimberly Letson and Shane Pendley who wrote the survey proposal, compiled the data and presented the final report. All were students in a marketing class taught by Dr. Steve Anderson, professor of marketing, who served as the project director.