Today @ APSU - University News

APSU names top five candidates for athletics director position

boothcw — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:02:32 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University has narrowed its search for a new athletics director down to five strong candidates, and the University will begin interviewing the first two candidates on campus next week. APSU began looking for a new AD in April when Coach Dave Loos stepped down from that position after 16 successful years. Loos remains the head coach for the men’s basketball program.

After an extensive national search, the University is bringing in the following five individuals for interviews:

• Matthew Pope, senior associate athletics director at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga;

• Bill Lansden, associate athletics director for athletics development at the University of Memphis;

• Derek van der Merwe, deputy athletics director and chief operating officer for Central Michigan University;

• Chad W. Kimmel, managing group leader-major gifts for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin;

• Julio Freire, senior associate athletics director for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

On Monday, May 20, the first candidate, Pope, will visit APSU for a full day of interviews. The University will host an open session with Pope at 4 p.m. in the Dunn Center Football Suite, room 227.

On Thursday, May 23, Lansden will be on campus to meet with University officials. An open session will also be held with him at 4 p.m. in room 227. The public and local media are invited to attend both of those sessions.

APSU is still in the process of finalizing the schedules for on-campus interviews with the other candidates. When those dates are set, the University will also host open sessions, allowing the public to meet with those individuals.

“I’m proud that our University is able to attract such talented individuals from across both the state and the nation,” APSU President Tim Hall said. “These candidates know what our athletic programs are capable of achieving, and our new director will help usher in a new era of success at APSU.”

That new era will include needed renovations to a few of the University’s key athletic facilities. After the 2013 football season concludes next fall, the home side of Governors Stadium will be demolished. A brand new $16.9 million facility, with state-of-the-art player amenities and corporate suites, will greet the Govs when the 2014 season opens.

By next season, the Dunn Center arena will have just its third scoreboard since the facility was constructed. In addition, new LED tables will replace the current tables, allowing more professional signage display.

The Candidates:

Matthew Pope

Matthew Pope is the senior associate athletic director at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. That program oversees 310 student athletes in 17 athletic programs and an annual budget of $14 million.

Pope earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and his Master of Arts in Sports Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Throughout his 20-year career in Intercollegiate Athletics, he has served as athletic business manager for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, associate athletic director for business affairs at Western Kentucky University, athletic business accounting technician at UNC and in several administrative positions at UTC.

Bill Lansden

Bill Lansden is associate athletic director for Athletics Development at the University of Memphis. That program oversees 425 student athletes in 19 athletic programs and an annual budget of $41 million.

Lansden earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration at Rhodes College, where he was a 4-year Football Letter winner and team captain. He earned his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Georgia State University. During his 17-year career in Intercollegiate Athletics, he served as marketing coordinator for the FedEx – St. Jude Classic, associate athletic director for external operations at Middle Tennessee State University and directed a $10 million “Vision for Victory” football campaign at the University of Memphis.

Derek van der Merwe

Derek van der Merwe is deputy director and chief operating officer at Central Michigan University. That program oversees 350 student athletes in 16 athletic programs and an annual budget of $25 million.

He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Political Science and his Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. During his 15 years of professional experience in Intercollegiate Athletics, he has chaired a $22 million University Event Center Committee for a CMU basketball arena and fitness center, negotiated an all-sport apparel and equipment agreement with Adidas and reorganized a $5 million model for a Grant-in-Aid Scholarship program.

Chad W. Kimmel

Chad W. Kimmel is managing group leader-major gifts for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin. That program is part of the Big Ten Conference, with several athletic programs – including basketball and football – winning conference titles over the years.

Kimmel earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Management from Austin Peay State University and his Master of Science in College Student Personnel from Kansas State University. During his career, he has worked as assistant director of marketing and promotions and assistant director of development for the Kansas State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, director of development and senior director of development for Wisconsin’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and he served in a leadership position for that school’s development team, which raised $31 million in gift funds over the last year.

Julio Freire

Julio Freire is senior associate athletics director for the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. UNLV is a Division I NCAA program that participates in the Mountain West Conference, and its teams have won several national championships.

Freire earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University and his Masters in Counseling from the University of Phoenix. Throughout his 22-year career, he has served as associate athletics director for Ohio University, associate athletics director for development at Tennessee Technological University, associate athletics director for development at the University of Arizona and he secured $13 million in cash gifts for a UNLV basketball practice facility.

For more information on the University’s AD search, please contact the APSU Office of Public Relations and Marketing at 931-221-7459.

APSU Breast Cancer 5K raises $3,375 to American Cancer Society

shembergerm — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:36:34 +0000

Henderson Hill III (center), director of the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center at APSU, and Lauren Wilkinson (right), assistant director of the APSU University Recreation, present a check to Jerri Rule, community representative with the American Cancer Society. The proceeds are from the annual Breast Cancer Awareness 5K held April 13 on the main APSU campus. (Photo by Beth Liggett, APSU photographer)

On an early Saturday morning April 13, more than 200 runners joined forces to race in the Breast Cancer Awareness 5K race organized by a number of offices at Austin Peay State University.

Some of them walked away with top finisher awards, but all of them played a part in raising $3,375 to the American Cancer Society.

“This money will benefit breast cancer efforts,” said Jerri Rule, community representative with the American Cancer Society who was on hand to receive a check from APSU race organizers Tuesday, May 15.

This was the third year for the Breast Cancer Awareness 5K. Lauren Wilkinson, an assistant director in University Recreation whose office helped to organize the 5K run, said this year’s event was the first competitive race.

“In the past couple years, the 5K was held as a fun run, but I think having it this year as a 5K race really helped,” she said.

In addition to University Recreation, two other APSU offices – the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center and the Office of Alumni Relations – also assisted with planning the event.

For more information, contact Wilkinson at 931-221-6974 or wilkinsonl@apsu.edu. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

New students, community encouraged to read 'Saints at the River'

shembergerm — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:36:16 +0000

This summer, Austin Peay State University will welcome new students who will register for classes and pick up one of their books that will serve as the common reading assignment for Fall 2013 semester.

The new book is “Saints at the River” by Ron Rash, and the community also is invited to read the book and participate in the campus events and book discussions beginning in September. New student orientation and registration will begin May 18 and continue throughout the summer.

The book was selected for APSU’s annual reading initiative called The Peay Read. One of the highlights of this year’s program will be a special presentation from the author, Ron Rash. He will speak at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26 in the Dunn Center at APSU. The talk is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow his talk.

The Peay Read is designed to provide a unifying experience and contribute to the academic experiences for freshmen students. However, the reading program also offers opportunities for the entire campus community.

“Saints at the River” tells the story of how the small South Carolina town of Tamassee is thrown into the national spotlight after a 12-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy. The girl's parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent. Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a 28-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost 10 years ago, she has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town's conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she's fought so hard to leave behind.

In addition to the speaking event on Sept. 26, The Peay Read festivities will include a number of other activities centered on the events and themes observed in the book:

Sept. 16: Book discussion luncheon at 12:20 p.m. in the Morgan University Center, Room 103A.

Sept. 18: Book discussion with appetizers, 1 p.m. in the Morgan University Center, Room 306.

Sept. 21: Whitewater rafting trip, with sign-ups in the Foy Fitness and Recreation Center.

Sept. 24: Photojournalism workshop, 2:30 p.m. in the Student Publications Office, located in the Morgan University Center.

Sept. 26: Before his talk, there will be a meet-and-greet, specific to APSU students, with Ron Rash at 3 p.m. in the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center.

Sept. 28: Canoe trip, with sign-ups in the Foy Fitness and Recreation Center.

In addition to the book and panel discussions, other Peay Read student activities and memorabilia include the following:

-- T-shirts with “Saints at the River” printed on them and given to freshmen students enrolled in the APSU 1000 First-Year Experience program, which is including the book in its classroom discussions.

-- Bookmarks with book quotations, which will be used in student discussion groups focused on those quotations.

-- Faculty-student class discussions.

-- Student book reviews, with authors of the best essays and creative projects invited to a dinner with Rash.

A mobile app detailing all events and activities associated with The Peay Read has been developed and can be downloaded via Apple’s iTunes.

For more details about this year’s book reading selection or The Peay Read, visit http://www.apsu.edu/Read/ or visit Peay Read on Facebook.

For more information about the book or Rash’s upcoming talk, contact Dr. Dixie Dennis, chair of The Peay Read committee at APSU, by telephone at 931-221-7415 or by email at dennisdi@apsu.edu. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

APSU history professor teaches classes in Honduras

boothcw — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:59:13 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Soto Cano Air Base sits at the bottom of the Comayagua Valley in the Central American nation of Honduras. It’s home to about 500 U.S. Army soldiers, and this past January, a handful of them gathered inside a small wood hut with a sheet metal roof. The building served as a classroom for the first “on-the-ground” college courses offered at the remote base, and Dr. Sheena Harris, Austin Peay State University assistant professor of history, traveled all the way from Clarksville to teach the new classes.

“I love to travel to tropical environments,” she said. “I went over there and taught a U.S. History I and a U.S. History II survey course. While there, we had the unique opportunity to visit the Mayan ruins in Copan with the class. It was a great way for them to experience live history.”

Last year, the Austin Peay Center @ Fort Campbell decided to offer the soldiers stationed at Soto Cano an option other than online classes. The Center pitched the idea of teaching in Honduras to professors at APSU’s Clarksville campus, and Harris, a new history faculty member and an Iraq war veteran, volunteered to teach a couple of classes. She spent eight weeks in Honduras, living in military housing, eating at the post’s mess hall and local restaurants and providing many soldiers with their first taste of APSU.

“People asked, ‘You’re in Texas right?’” Harris said. “When I told them it was in Clarksville, they’d say, “Oh I was stationed at Fort Campbell once.”

The Austin Peay Center @ Fort Campbell is looking to expand its offerings at the Central American airbase by sending math, English and history professors for future eight-week sessions. But the Center isn’t simply looking to educate soldiers. Harris said the University wants to make a positive impact on that entire region. That’s why she led outreach programs targeting young girls in the area and local orphanages.

“A high percentage of the teenage girls there don’t finish school because they can’t afford book bags or paper, and they end up pregnant at very young ages,” she said. “We got a group of girls and asked what they needed. We were able to supply them with uniforms and books and pens and all those things for them to continue their education. I was able to do that on behalf of Austin Peay.”

Harris returned to Clarksville in March and spent the remainder of the spring semester teaching online courses and eight-week courses at the Fort Campbell Center. But she hopes the program catches on so she can return to the air base next January to teach more military students.

For more information on this program, contact Harris at harriss@apsu.edu.

APSU grad to study poetry at Robert Frost's summer farmhouse

boothcw — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:06:18 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – During the summer months, the great American poet Robert Frost liked to stay in a small, white clapboard farmhouse in rural New Hampshire. According to the website www.literarytraveler.com, he later wrote to a friend about his first experience at the farm.

“Our summer was one of the pleasantest we have had for years… There is a pang there that makes poetry,” Frost wrote.

He spent 19 summers at the farm, and in 1977, 14 years after his death, the farmhouse was transformed into The Frost Place – a retreat for emerging American poets. This summer, recent Austin Peay State University graduate Chase Davenport will stay at Frost’s former summer home to study the craft under some of the nation’s top poets.

“I’m going July 14 to their Conference on Poetry, and that’s basically an intensive workshop that lasts an entire week,” Davenport said. “I get to work with well-established poets like Kevin Prufer, Cleopatra Mathis and Martha Rhodes. I get to be around 60 or 70 poets and in workshops all day long, writing poetry all day long.”

Davenport is able to attend this exclusive residency because he received the APSU Bravo Award earlier this spring. Each year, the University’s Office of Academic Affairs presents the award to a high achieving student with an interest in research or creative work. The award pays for the recipient to attend a professional conference or workshop related to his or her research.

“I’d never be able to go without this Bravo Award,” he said.

Davenport arrived at APSU four years ago from Humboldt, Tenn., planning to study music composition. Then he took a class taught by poet and former APSU associate professor Dr. Blas Falconer, which inspired him to change his major to English. In the years that followed, he has become a guiding force in the campus’ creative writing community.

“We're very proud of him here,” Dr. Amy Wright, associate professor of English, said. “He has been such an inspiration for our local writing community, providing them with a writing role model, demonstrating what it means to be a serious writer is to engage community, give and receive feedback, organize local readings, and of course, invest in the work itself.”
Davenport served as the inaugural president of the APSU Creative Writing Club. After only two years, it is now the largest collegiate-based student writing organization in Tennessee. He was also editor-in-chief of the student literary magazine, “The Red Mud Review,” which received more than 200 submissions from across the country this year.

On May 10, Davenport finished his career at APSU, earning his Bachelor of Arts in English. He was recently accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at The New School in New York City, but he hasn’t decided if he will attend this fall or not. Right now, he’s focused on spending his summer the way Frost did – writing outside a small farmhouse in rural New Hampshire.

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APSU is one of 7 schools to receive national grant

shembergerm — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:00:22 +0000

Austin Peay State University is one of seven universities in the U.S. chosen to receive an inaugural $150,000 national grant to propose efforts that will increase the number of students receiving degrees.

The University was named to the Next Generation Learning Challenges Breakthrough Models Incubator (BMI) grant program, an initiative managed by the nonprofit organization Educause with support from the League for Innovation in the Community College and funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The six other schools selected were Ball State University, Charter Oak State College, SUNY-Empire State College, Harper College, Montgomery County Community College and the University of Maryland-University College.

In addition to grant funding, the BMI will provide a range of support to help each participating institution plan and launch its own pathway to fundamental, technology-enabled change.

APSU will consider techniques that will serve as the next steps toward student completion. This could involve the University’s computerized planning tool called My Future, which suggests which majors are the best fit for each student’s academic talents.

My Future also includes links to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, giving students an opportunity to research the careers that follow from the majors suggested for them.

By demonstrating what is possible through their designs and implementation, BMI institutions will catalyze broader efforts to improve the quality, completion and affordability of college. The result, both for the Incubator institutions and for the field, will be significantly improved student access to and completion of high-quality, affordable degree programs, which in turn will improve the effectiveness of American higher education. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

Edelweiss Club scholarship awarded to APSU student for 2013-14

shembergerm — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:43:44 +0000

Andrew Beaudoin (middle), who is studying German at Austin Peay State University, receives a scholarship from Debbie Whitaker (left), president of the Clarksville Edelweiss Club. Dr. Norbert Puszkar is on the right. (Photo provided)

Andrew Beaudoin, a German major at Austin Peay State University, has been selected to receive the Clarksville Edelweiss Club Scholarship for 2013-14.

He was honored during an awards ceremony at the Edelweiss Clubhouse on May 8 and received a check from Debbie Whitaker, president of the Clarksville Edelweiss Club.

The Clarksville Edelweiss Scholarship grants $500 per year. Students must be German majors or minors at APSU. The Clarksville Edelweiss Club is a not-for-profit organization and was founded to uphold and promote German heritage and tradition.

For more information, contact Dr. Norbert Puszkar, associate professor of German, at 931-221-6391.

APSU military students honored with APSU military coin

boothcw — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:49:43 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On Wednesday afternoon, Austin Peay State University President Tim Hall stood before a small group of about 50 students and said they were one of the main reasons he loves going to work each morning.

“It makes us proud that we get the chance to work with heroes,” he said.

The students, sitting on a stage in the campus’ Mabry Concert Hall, were all either veterans, reservists or active duty military personnel. In less than 48 hours, they would receive degrees from APSU, and the University hosted a special ceremony Wednesday to recognize all their hard work.

As part of the Spring 2013 Military and Veteran Graduate Recognition Ceremony, each student received one of the University’s special military coins. About 20 percent of APSU students have a military connection, and the coin, designed by the APSU Office of Public Relations and Marketing, was created to honor those individuals.

During this year’s ceremony, the University also presented a coin to Joe Winn, a 1963 APSU graduate and a World War II and a Korean War veteran. Winn spent much of his career as a flight engineer on the Navy version of the B-24 bomber. The 94-year-old, dressed in a dark blazer with his medals pinned to his chest, was greeted by a standing ovation as he went on stage to receive his coin. When Wednesday’s ceremony ended, the APSU students made sure to stop and shake Winn’s hand as they processed out to meet with their families and friends.

For more information on the ceremony or APSU’s military coin, please contact Dr. Bill Cox, executive director of the Austin Peay Center @ Fort Campbell, at coxw@apsu.edu.

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Photo cutline: APSU President Tim Hall presents graduate and veteran Darrell Sheffield with an APSU military coin. (Photo by Beth Liggett/APSU).

Ninth Annual Clarksville Writers Conference coming to APSU in June

boothcw — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:46:12 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Arts & Heritage Council is partnering with the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, the APSU President’s Office and the Tennessee Arts Commission to once again bring acclaimed authors and poets to town for the Ninth Annual Clarksville Writers Conference. The event will be June 6 and 7 at the APSU Morgan University Center.

This year’s conference will focus on Southern culture and Southern literature. Frye Gaillard, writer-in-residence at the University of South Alabama, will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. Gaillard has written extensively on Southern race relations, politics and culture as the author or editor of more than 20 books, including “Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement that Changed America.” He will speak during the Thursday evening banquet at Freedom Point at Liberty Park, overlooking the Cumberland River and historic downtown Clarksville.

The conference will also feature several distinguished southern writers, such as best-selling author and Nashville resident Adam Ross and three members of the “Grit Lit” southern literary movement – Tom Franklin, Dale Ray Phillips and George Singleton.

Authors scheduled to speak this year include:
• Janine Boldrin, freelance journalist for Military Spouse magazine and author of e-book “The Thinking Spouse's Guide to Military Life.”
• Beth Ann Fennelly, award-winning poet of the collections “Unmentionables,” “Open House” and “Tender Hooks” and co-author of forthcoming novel “The Tilted World.”

• Tom Franklin, New York Times best-selling author of “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter,” co-editor of anthology “Grit Lit: A Rough South Reader,” and co-author of forthcoming novel “The Tilted World.”
• Rheta Grimsley Johnson, journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the memoirs “Hank Hung the Moon” and “Enchanted Evening Barbie and the Second Coming.”
• Dale Ray Phillips, short story writer and author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated collection “My People's Waltz.”
• Adam Ross, author of 2010 New York Times Notable Book “Mr. Peanut” and the short story collection “Ladies and Gentlemen.”
• Chuck Sambuchino, editor of “Writer's Digest's Guide to Literary Agents” and author of “Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript” and “Create Your Writer Platform.”
• Ann Shayne, former editor of book review BookPage and author of novel “Bowling Avenue” and “Mason-Dixon Kitting: The Curious Knitter's Guide.”
• George Singleton, author of often humorous short story collections and novels, including “Stray Decorum,” “Work Shirts for Madmen” and “Pep Talks, Warnings, And Screeds: Indispensable Wisdom And Cautionary Advice For Writers.”

In addition to the scheduled presentations and workshops, free manuscript consultations with two literary agents will be available to conference participants.
A complete package, including all conference activities, is offered, as well as “a la carte” options. Discounted rates are available for early registration, which is postmarked on or before May 23. Late registration is postmarked between May 24 and May 30. Visit the conference website at http://www.artsandheritage.us/writers for author bios, the conference schedule, registration information and more.

APSU employees share plaudits about scholarly contributions

shembergerm — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:51:03 +0000

Faculty and staff members at Austin Peay State University recently announced a number of publications, conferences and credentials as part of their professional and scholarly activities.

Dr. Frank Parcells, professor of communication, Kathy Lee Heuston, associate professor of communication, and Dr. Rob Baron, assistant professor of communication, presented a panel at the 2013 Broadcast Education Association Convention held in early April in Las Vegas, Nev. Parcells moderated a program, “Local TV Stations Marketing Through the Social Media.” Parcells introduced the subject, Baron looked at the use of Facebook and Twitter by local TV stations, and Heuston focused on local TV stations’ lack of use of YouTube to reach the non-TV local news-watching demographic of 18- to 34-year-olds. Journal Broadcast Group Corporate Vice President Jim Thomas, owner of Nashville's News Channel 5, WTVF-TV, summarized the presentation with examples of what their stations are doing with the social media.

Claudia Rodriguez, TECTA director, and Lisa Maddox-Vinson, TECTA specialist, presented at the 2013 Tennessee Family Child Care Alliance (TFCCA) State Conference held April 5-6 in Nashville. Maddox-Vinson also attended the Pyramid Model Leadership Institute presented by Team Tennessee, April 10.

Dr. Melony Shemberger, assistant director of communication in the Office of Public Relations and Marketing and adjunct faculty member in the APSU Department of Communication, had a paper accepted for presentation at the 2013 Visual Communication Conference, to be held June 26-30 in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The title of her paper is “The verdict: How newspapers are using video to expand local courtroom coverage.”

Philip Voorhees, adaptive technology coordinator in the Office of Disability Services, was awarded the 2013 Dona Sparger Professional Service Award on April 18 during the annual Tennessee Association on Higher Education and Disability (TN-AHEAD) Conference held at Tennessee Tech University. This is the highest honor awarded to a disability service provider and honors a postsecondary service provider who demonstrates exemplary professional service to the disability services field through education, advocacy and service. Voorhees, who is president of TN-AHEAD, was specifically honored for his outstanding efforts across the state and country regarding assistive technology and general access for persons with disabilities.

APSU history honor society publishes third scholarly journal

boothcw — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:37:48 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On Thursday afternoon, members of Austin Peay State University’s Phi Alpha Theta (PAT) history honor society unveiled the third volume of its popular scholarly journal, Theta-Delta, during a ceremony in Harned Hall. The slim, red booklet might at first resemble the previous two editions of the journal, which features academic papers by APSU history students, but co-editor-in-chief Deanna Carter pointed to the masthead to show how this volume was different.

The names of several APSU history faculty members now serve on the journal’s editorial board. Dr. Jason Verber, assistant professor of history, also shared editor-in-chief duties with Carter.

“This is the new and improved Theta-Delta,” Carter said. “We just wanted to make it better. We had a lot more faculty editors and assistant editors and proofreaders. This is really coming together as a premier work.”

The idea of creating a scholarly publication began about three years ago when Dr. Minoa Uffelman, associate professor of history at APSU, saw a copy of Murray State University’s history journal. She then challenged her students to develop a similar publication, which they did by using scholarly magazines such as The Journal of Southern History as a model.

PAT members solicited scholarly papers from their peers and asked for recommendations from faculty members. The editorial board ultimately selected six strong works, focusing on a diverse range of historical topics such as Maya civilizations to women maintaining the home front during the Civil War. The third volume was also partly funded by a grant from the APSU Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR).

“This journal exemplifies the mission of the Office of Undergraduate Research by providing students an outlet for their scholarly achievements,” Dr. Christopher Gentry, OUR director, said.

APSU President Tim Hall also praised the organization’s efforts in a letter printed at the front of the journal.

“I could not be more pleased than I am at how the Theta Delta Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta continues to flourish on campus,” he wrote. “The scholarly efforts represented by the Theta-Delta journal are one evidence of that flourishing.”

A limited number of printed versions of the journal were distributed among faculty and students last week. For more information on the journal or PAT, contact Dr. David Rands, the chapter’s adviser, at randsd@apsu.edu.

Military/Veteran Graduate Recognition Ceremony May 8 for APSU spring grads

shembergerm — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:36:38 +0000

Active duty and military veteran students who will graduate from Austin Peay State University this week will receive APSU’s military coin.

The military and veteran graduate recognition and coin presentation ceremony, with the theme “All Hail to Those Who Serve,” is scheduled for 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 8 in the Mabry Concert Hall, located inside the Music/Mass Communication Building. The event is open to the public.

Guest speaker will be state Sen. Mark Green. A special coin presentation also will be held to honor Clarksville resident Joe Winn, an APSU alumnus who will be the first World War II veteran to receive APSU’s military coin.

About state Sen. Mark Green

As state senator, Green currently serves District 22 (Houston, Montgomery and Stewart counties). He is vice chair of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee as well as a member of the Judiciary and State and Local Government committees. He is also the chaplain of the Senate GOP Caucus where he authors a weekly devotion.

In his civilian life, Green is president and CEO of Align MD, an emergency department and urgent care management and staffing company based in Clarksville. He also founded Align MD Foundation, also in Clarksville, which provides health care to underserved populations throughout the world.

As an active duty soldier from 2004–06, Green served as the emergency department medical director at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell, Ky. There he won awards for patient satisfaction and efficiency.

Green’s military career actually began as an infantry officer. From 1987–90 he served as a rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader and battalion personnel officer in the 194th Separate Armor Brigade at Fort Knox, Ky. Following the infantry officer’s advanced course, then-Capt. Green served as a battalion supply officer and an airborne rifle company commander in the famed 82nd Airborne Division.

In 1986, Green graduated West Point with a degree in quantitative business management. In addition to his degree from West Point, he has a master’s certificate from the University of Southern California in information systems and a medical degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

His military awards include the Bronze Star, The Air Medal, The Air Medal with “V” device for valor under heavy enemy fire, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, The Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Services Achievement Medal, the Combat Medical Badge, the U.S. Army Ranger Tab, U.S. Army Flight Surgeons’ Wings, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Senior Parachutists Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

About Joe Winn

In 1938, shortly before the U.S. entered World War II, a young 18-year-old man named Joe Winn left a job at his family’s service station to join the Navy. Tensions were rising in Europe and Asia as war broke out in those regions, and the young seaman soon saw signs of the conflict washing up on American shores. He witnessed U-Boat attacks on American ships off the coast of Florida, and he helped the Immigration Services search for German saboteurs in Jacksonville.

Then came the attack on Pearl Harbor. As America joined the World War, Winn patrolled the west coast in reconnaissance planes, looking for Japanese submarines. But the end of the war didn’t end his naval career. He went on to serve as a flight engineer on the Navy version of the B-24 bomber, looking for Soviet submarines off the Alaskan coast, traveling throughout the Pacific and brightening the skies with 80 million candle-powered search lights for pinned-down Marines fighting on the Chinese border during the Korean War.

In 1958, after 20 years of dedicated service, Winn left the Navy and returned home to the New Providence area. He entered Austin Peay State College on the G.I. Bill as a nontraditional student and, after graduation, went on to a long and successful career as an industrial arts teacher in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area.

About the APSU military coin

APSU created its own coin with its military students and veterans in mind. The antique bronze color coin, designed by the APSU Office of Public Relations and Marketing, is finished with black enamel. The first set was cast in 2011.

On one side of the coin, the eagle is prominently displayed as the nation’s symbol, along with other American patriotic elements. The University’s AP logo is situated at the bottom of the coin. The words, “All Hail to Those Who Serve,” were crafted from the lyrics of APSU’s alma mater and from the military’s customs and courtesies to welcome those who have joined the unit.

The other side of the coin shows an image of the clock tower atop the Browning Administration Building, generally considered the emblem of APSU. The year APSU was founded, 1927, also is noted on the bottom of the piece.

Students receiving the coin as military service members and veterans will graduate from APSU on Friday, May 10.

APSU Veterans Upward Bound now enrolling

shembergerm — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:30:53 +0000

Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) at Austin Peay State University is now enrolling veterans for free COMPASS test preparation and college prep classes.

The program is free and assists veterans with the transition to higher education. VUB offers refresher courses in mathematics, English, reading and computer literacy as well as seminars on time management and study skills.

The VUB program has two classrooms to serve veterans. One is on the main APSU campus, in the McReynolds Building, Room 212. Hours are from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Thursday.

The other location is at Fort Campbell, in the Glenn H. English Jr. Army Education Center, Room 1201, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The program is also available online for veterans who cannot come into the classroom during normal operating hours.

For more information, call 931-221-7600 or visit online at http://www.apsu.edu/veterans-upward-bound.

Center for Entrepreneurship established at APSU

shembergerm — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:10:10 +0000

Several APSU administrative leaders and others celebrate the monetary gifts contributed to the new Center for Entrepreneurship during a formal announcement held May 3 in the APSU Gentry Auditorium. (Photo by Beth Liggett, APSU photographer)

For Dr. John Volker, the establishment of the new Center for Entrepreneurship at Austin Peay State University “is a dream come true.”

“My excitement knows no boundaries,” Volker, a professor in the APSU College of Business, said.

Volker will serve as director of the new center, which was officially announced during a special event May 3 on campus.

At the event, Delta Dental of Tennessee and Civic Bank and Trust, both located in Nashville, contributed $25,000 each to support the new center. The two businesses are led by APSU alumni and brothers Tom Perry, chief financial office at Delta Dental, and Robert Perry, president and chief executive officer of Civic Bank. Both brothers also serve on the APSU College of Business Advisory Board.

The Center for Entrepreneurship will challenge students beyond the classroom and bridge community business with future business leaders from all areas of interest. New student-led business ventures are likely to develop from the center.

“There’s going to be a business. This is a start,” Robert Perry said.

In addition, the Center for Entrepreneurship will help students develop strong business plans and offer a new 21-hour minor in entrepreneurship that will be an option for any APSU student to choose.

“We are going to enter business plan competitions, and we are going to win some of that,” Volker said. “For the minor, I want to see a mix of students.”

The establishment of the new Center for Entrepreneurship will help the College of Business advance in its quest to attain accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), APSU President Tim Hall said.

Dr. William Rupp, dean of the College of Business, said the college is in the “middle of a passionate event” with the new center, one that will place APSU and its students on the business map.

“We might not start the next Microsoft, Google or Facebook. We’re going to start something, so stay tuned,” he said. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

APSU biology student presents research in Washington, D.C.

boothcw — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:44:47 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Earlier this spring, a bidding war erupted on the Austin Peay State University campus. Specifically, several different departments were fighting over the honor to pay for biology student Eva Grebe to attend the annual Council on Undergraduate Research’s Posters on the Hill Convention in Washington, D.C. Only 60 out of 800 applicants nationwide are accepted to attend the convention. Grebe was the only Tennessee college student to be invited.

Dr. Don Dailey, chair of the APSU Department of Biology, sent out an email in March congratulating Grebe and telling her the Department would be able to cover her travel expenses. Then, Dr. Steve Hamilton, director of the APSU Center of Excellence for Field Biology, sent an email.

“Being that Eva is a Center undergraduate research assistant, I think we can pitch in some money,” he wrote. “Somebody tell Eva that she is the sort of student over whom we fight to spend money!”

Both departments ended up splitting the cost, allowing Grebe to present her research to members of the U.S. Congress and other high-level government officials. Grebe spent the last year studying the scales of small freshwater fishes called darters, and her work could show that North America has a much more diverse fish fauna than is currently known.

“With this project she has been able to contribute to this area of ichthyology that’s very important to understanding the relationships of these fish to one another, but also in the project she’s been able to develop skills on an important kind of tool that’s applicable to many areas of biology,” Dr. Sarah Lundin-Schiller, APSU professor of biology, said.

Grebe used the University’s new confocal microscope, which allows users to see three-dimensional details in biological specimens. The microscope, funded by the University’s technology access fees, is the type of tool usually reserved for professionals and graduate students.

“Our undergraduates get to use it, and this gives them a skill set that sets them above undergraduates coming out of bigger institutions,” Lundin-Schiller said.

Dr. Rebecca Johansen, APSU associate professor of biology, praised Grebe as “being very well organized” and a self-starter, and said she represents a new class of student at APSU.

“We’re trying to make Austin Peay recognized as the place to come for undergraduate research in science and mathematics,” Dr. Christopher Gentry, director of the APSU Office of Undergraduate Research, said. “And we can show externally these are the things you can do here that you might not be able to do somewhere else.”

Grebe went to Washington, D.C., last month and spent several hours showcasing her research and promoting the University and its efforts to elected officials. She met briefly with Tennessee Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn. She also spent some time with U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, an APSU alumnus.

“Congressman Roe was very engaging,” Grebe said. “He had done undergraduate research at Austin Peay, so he was very enthusiastic.”

Grebe’s undergraduate research experience at APSU has also helped with her future academic aspirations. She received a competitive National Institute of Health Fellowship for $36,000, which will cover her tuition and cost of living while attending graduate school at San Francisco State University.

“I think there are more opportunities for undergraduate research on this campus, and I think there are more faculty members pushing undergraduate research,” Gentry said. “And for all the students that want to go to graduate school, this is the key to getting in. Otherwise, you’re a nameless face in a crowd of applications.”

For more information on Grebe or undergraduate research, contact Gentry at gentryc@apsu.edu.

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Photo cutline: APSU student Eva Grebe is interviewed about her research during the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Posters on the Hill Convention in Washington, D.C.

Student 1st in APSU history to receive SDP national grant

shembergerm — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:39:25 +0000

An Austin Peay State University student will be the first in the school’s history to receive the Sigma Delta Pi National Hispanic Honor Society Undergraduate Study Abroad Award.

Nancy G. Diaz, a double major in nursing and foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish, is the recipient of the national grant for 2013. She is the first APSU student to receive this grant, said Dr. Miguel Ruiz-Aviles, adviser of the Hispanic honor society at APSU and professor of Spanish.

Diaz will use the award to return to Spain, where she studied last summer.

“Once more I have the opportunity to study abroad in Spain and I feel very blessed not only because it will help with my academic progress, but also because I will have the opportunity to learn more about Spanish-speaking culture,” she said. “Spanish is a language with so many variables depending on what part of the world is spoken and I feel that it is my responsibility as a professional to know as much as possible about all these different cultures that are linked together by a base language.

“This opportunity will help me broaden my knowledge about the world and the differences and similarities that make us all unique and so the more I know about different cultures the more I will be able to help.”

Diaz, a divorced mother of two children, said she chose to study both nursing and Spanish to help more people.

“I chose these two careers because I feel I will be able to help so many people who sometimes don't even have the blessing to get basic services. One of the reasons is because of the huge language barrier we still have in U.S.,” she said. “I know that I can help close this gap for many of them and this gives me a feeling of accomplishment. To me making a difference in someone’s life, even in a small proportion, is a reason worth enough to be thankful for one more day of life.” - Dr. Melony Shemberger

ROTC Cadet Nathan Brewer presented with Walker Award

shembergerm — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:06:18 +0000

ROTC Cadet Nathan Brewer (center) was named the recipient of the 2013 Command Sgt. Maj. Walker Award during a breakfast ceremony May 2 at Austin Peay State University. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Darol Walker (right, for whom the award is named) and local businessman Jack Turner (who created the award) also are shown. (Photo by Beth Liggett, APSU Public Relations and Marketing)

The recipient of the 2013 Command Sgt. Maj. Darol Walker Award at Austin Peay State University is one of the nation’s top ROTC cadets.

Cadet Nathan Brewer with APSU’s Governors Guard Battalion of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) was presented the award during a breakfast ceremony held Thursday, May 2 at APSU. He already has prior military service, having been assigned to the 5^th Special Forces Group and 82^nd Airborne Division.

Brewer said the Walker Award is special.

“There is nothing better than to be honored with an award named for a senior military leader,” he said.

Brewer – designated a Distinguished Military Graduate last fall, representing the top 20 percent in the nation among 5,592 cadets – will graduate from APSU in May with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies and a minor in military science. He will be commissioned as an infantry officer, and after further education and training at Fort Benning, Ga., he will be assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash.

The award is established in honor of Darol Walker, retired vice president of Jack B. Turner and Associates Inc. in Clarksville and retired command sergeant major in the Army. He entered the life insurance business in 1977 after retiring from the Army. In addition, he has served in several leadership positions in various community organizations, including past president of both the Clarksville Rotary Club and the Montgomery County Habitat for Humanity.

A distinguished veteran, Walker also is a 1991 graduate of Leadership Clarksville and served as co-chair of the Military Affairs Committee of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce.

The award was created by Jack B. Turner to recognize Walker and his efforts in support of the military and local community.

Both Turner and Walker attended the breakfast, along with guest speaker retired Gen. Gary Luck, former commander in chief of the United Nations. Luck currently is a business consultant and a senior fellow for the National Defense University in support of the Capstone, Keystone and Pinnacle joint professional military education courses. He also provides advice and counsel to senior commanders and staff when requested. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

APSU receives 8-figure gift in memory of former educator

boothcw — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:50:40 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – There was a noticeable energy around the Austin Peay State University campus on Tuesday. APSU President Tim Hall planned to announce a “transforming gift” that afternoon, prompting faculty, staff, students and the community at large to keep asking, “What is it?”

Their curiosity was apparently overwhelming because a crowd of people packed into the Morgan University Center ballroom, requiring APSU officials to set out more chairs. Finally, after some brief introductions, Hall stepped behind the podium.

“Future histories of this university will distinguish Austin Peay from before the Eriksson gift and after it,” he said.

Hall was referring to Lars Eriksson – the tall gentleman with the pleasant smile sitting at the front of the room. He’d come up from Florida, where he owns Crankshaft Rebuilders, Inc., but his late wife, Martha Dickerson Eriksson, graduated from APSU in 1962 with a bachelor of science in education.

Late last year, Eriksson presented the university with an 8-figure gift in honor of his wife. The donation is by far the largest single gift in APSU history. In recognition of this unprecedented generosity, the University officially changed the name of its College of Education to the “Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education.” One of the three new residence halls, set to open this August, will also be named for her. And the College of Education’s STEM Center was renamed the Jack Hunt STEM Center, in honor of her late brother-in-law and a local teacher.

“We are here today to establish a legacy to further education standards in memory of my wife Martha, or Becky as she was known,” Eriksson said. “Becky grew up in Clarksville, graduated from Austin Peay and went on to the Orange County, Fla., area and taught in middle school levels for 32 years. During that time, she was always proud of the accomplishments of her students. I have established 27 scholarships to be given each year to students who want to dedicate themselves to continue teaching upon graduation. I’ve also helped fund the program for the continued education for existing teachers with the Jack Hunt Austin Peay STEM Center.”

The students who receive the scholarships will be formally known as Eriksson scholars.

“The gift consists of an initial sum of $1 million to provide scholarships each year for the first three years of this program,” Hall said. “After those initial years, the gift includes a pledge of an additional $330,000 per year across the lifetime of our donor. And finally, Mr. Eriksson has created a $10 million estate gift, which will establishes an endowment, which will permanently fund at the same level of scholarships for as long as the university lasts.”

Few local individuals knew the Eriksson name before that Tuesday afternoon, but it will now be so woven into the fabric of campus that future generations of students will come to associate it with generosity and academic excellence.

“Today, Mr. Eriksson has chosen to continue her legacy with a more than generous gift to his wife’s alma mater,” Hall said. “Her name will continue guiding and motivating students for generations to come, turning them into master teachers just like her.”

For more information on the gift, contact the APSU Advancement Office at 221-7127.

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Photo cutline: Lars Eriksson and APSU President Tim Hall outside the Claxton Building, which houses the newly named Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education. (Photo by Beth Liggett/APSU Staff

Kovalskyy named 2013 Hawkins Award winner

boothcw — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:51:22 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Dr. Andriy Kovalskyy, associate professor of physics, was named the recipient of Austin Peay State University’s prestigious Richard M. Hawkins Award during a ceremony on April 29. The award is presented every spring in recognition of exceptional scholarly and creative work produced by a faculty member.

Kovalskyy has earned an international reputation over the years for his innovative research on glass materials. Aside from being published in more than 65 peer-reviewed journals, he has written several chapters for scholarly books and he holds numerous patents for his inventions pertaining to his research.

Kovalskyy began his impressive scholarly career at the Ivan Franko National University in L’viv, Ukraine, where he earned his Ph.D. in physical and mathematical sciences, with a specialization in solid state physics. He then went on to work as a researcher and professor at several prestigious institutions, such as the Warsaw University of Technology, the University of Applied Sciences in Muenster, Germany, and Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. While at that school, Kovalskyy served as the project leader for Lehigh’s Center for Optical Technologies.

In 2010, Kovalskyy joined the physics faculty at APSU, where he quickly earned a reputation as a brilliant researcher. He has advanced the University’s name with his collaborations with major research institutions. Kovalskyy was awarded beamtime at the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s National Synchrotron Light Source and at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Neutron Spallation Source. He brought undergraduate students with him on both of these data gathering visits.

Kovalskyy is also the recipient of numerous honors, awards and fellowships from organizations such as the National Science Foundation to the Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science.

For more information on the Hawkins Award, contact Charles Booth with the APSU Office of Marketing and Public Relations at 221-7597.

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Photo cutline: Dr. Andriy Kovalskyy, associate professor of physics, with his Hawkins Award. (Photo by Beth Liggett/APSU).

Four professors honored with annual Socrates Award

boothcw — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:59:54 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Four Austin Peay State University professors were singled out Monday by their students and peers as exceptional teachers this year, earning them one of the University’s top distinctions for tenure-track faculty members.

Dr. Lynn Sims, assistant professor of languages and literature; Dr. Eric Branscome, assistant professor of music; Dr. Grace Moodt, associate professor of nursing; and Dr. Rebecca Johansen, associate professor of biology, were named this year’s Socrates Award winners, an honor bestowed by APSU annually to teachers who have excelled in motivating and inspiring their students.

Sims joined the faculty in 2008 to teach both English and linguistics courses, and she has quickly gained a reputation as a demanding and accomplished teacher. By her second semester on campus, students began making their way to Dr. David Guest’s office, asking him as chair of the languages and literature department to establish a minor in linguistics. On one occasion, six students crowded into Dr. Guest’s office to make the request.

“Linguistics had long been a part of the department’s curriculum,” Guest said, “but students often treated it as something they were obligated to study rather than as a subject to pursue. The increased demand for linguistics courses after Dr. Sims arrived on campus led to dramatic changes in both her schedule and in the department’s curriculum.”

Branscome joined the APSU faculty two years ago, but he has already established strong connections with the Clarksville community. He developed an annual children’s concert in cooperation with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra, and he has initiated a successful summer music education program for children through the Community School for the Arts, titled “Camp Granada.” He also hosted monthly music education classes at the public library, and he involves APSU music education students in these programs. All of these programs give APSU students invaluable teaching experience.

“In observing Dr. Branscome,” Dr. Douglas Rose, chair of the music department, said, “our students are provided with an excellent role model for teaching music at the primary and elementary levels.”

Dr. Patty Orr, director of the APSU School of Nursing, praised Moodt for researching new teaching methods and incorporating active learning into classrooms.

“Dr. Moodt makes the classroom come alive,” Orr said, “and her preparation for her classes is outstanding in order to assure the student is actively thinking and applying problem analysis to all theory presented in the classroom.”

Moodt is the course coordinator for a sophomore-level Concepts of Professional Nursing class, which oversees 52 first-semester nursing students. She also coordinates a senior-level maternal child-nursing course, which is an eight-hour clinical class that includes lectures, labs and clinical experiences for approximately 50 students. Moodt has also recently developed a master’s in nursing-level course, titled Maternal and Prenatal Nursing, which is part of the University’s M.S.N. program.

After a two-year postdoctoral appointment at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Johansen joined the APSU Department of Biology in August 2009. The position required Johansen to split her time as a teacher for the department and as a researcher for the Center of Excellence for Field Biology. She has earned more than $100,000 in grants and contracts, and her extensive publication and presentation history left little doubt about her skills as a researcher. What initially concerned Dr. Steve Hamilton, director of the center, was her limited teaching experience. He soon realized he had nothing to worry about.

“Having chaired on the search committee for her position,” Hamilton said, “I am very proud to brag about the fine choice we made when we offered the position to Dr. Johansen. In the three and half years at Austin Peay, she has proved herself a great teacher, a model for undergraduate and graduate research mentorship, and a leader at all levels of the University. She does this while continuing to maintain a stellar research program in ichthyology.”

The four faculty members were presented with their awards during a ceremony on April 29.

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Photo cutline: Dr. Eric Branscome, Dr. Lynn Simms, Dr. Rebecca Johansen and Dr. Grace Moodt were all presented with APSU’s Socrates Award on April 29. (Photo by Beth Liggett/APSU).

APSU's Barry Jones shares community's hopes and dreams with new art project

boothcw — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:29:42 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Barry Jones, Austin Peay State University associate professor of art, sat at his desk in a small basement studio off First Street in downtown Clarksville. The room was dark because of the rain outside. It tapped softly against the windows while Jones rubbed his hand through his beard. He seemed as if he could use a cup of coffee or something with a bit of caffeine. His eyes, usually gleaming with a quiet happiness, were red from staring at a computer screen on this dreary Thursday afternoon.

“What does it mean to live a good life?” he asked. “I have no idea, but I’m hoping to find out.”

Jones, a married father of four, was awarded a Faculty Professional Development Assignment this semester to explore that and other fundamental questions about existence. He traveled throughout the Clarksville community, collecting answers from a wide range of citizens, and he has turned their responses into the dynamic, community art piece, “Common Hope,” which he plans to unveil to the entire city the week of May 20-26. During those seven days, Jones will project their words onto public buildings while playing audio clips of their answers.

“It seems that Clarksville’s answer to living a good life is to follow your dreams and have a positive impact,” Jones said. “Despite what broadcast television is telling us, we’re probably not as divided or different as we think. Family seems to be very, very important to everyone. They also want to live a life they’re proud of. That’s pretty inspiring. And it doesn’t seem to matter where on the political spectrum they are. When it comes right down to it, as a community, our core values are pretty consistent.”

Jones, an APSU alumnus, returned to Clarksville eight years ago, and he considers the community his home. This is where his children go to school and have made friends, and he plans to stay here throughout his career at APSU. This connection to Clarksville got him thinking recently about his responsibility as an artist.

“What is the role of an artist in a community?” he asked. “What’s my role? Is it to make discrete objects to sell? I decided I wanted to be involved. I wanted to know Clarksville.”

For the last three months, Jones has visited local public institutions, such as schools, churches and community and senior centers. Armed with a digital audio recorder, he has asked everyone from children to senior citizens, conservatives to liberals, four simple questions. What are your hopes and dreams? What is the most important thing in your life? What does it mean to live a good life? What are our responsibilities to each other?

“My theory was that the hopes and dreams of a child in elementary school would be very similar to the hopes and dreams of a senior citizen, and I set out to prove it,” Jones said. “What I’m looking for is those common hopes. And when we talk about responsibility, everybody says we have to take care of each other. We may disagree on how, but it's nice that we all want to do it.”

Jones did a similar project in Spartanburg, S.C., with typographic animation of people’s responses projected onto the local library. The result, along with the audio responses, made it seem as if the public building was talking.

“My attitude toward art making has changed a lot, and how I think about success as an artist really,” Jones said. “This won’t be in galleries. I’m making it for the city really. It’s public art, but in a new way. It’s not a bronze figure.”

The dates and locations for the “Common Hope” projections are:

• 5-8 p.m., May 20, Moore Magnet Elementary School.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., May 21, Kenwood High School.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., May 22, Deliverance Outreach Temple Church.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., May 24, Ajax Turner Senior Citizens Center.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., May 25, Trinity Parish Episcopal Church.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., May 26, Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library.

• 8:30-9:30 p.m., June 17, Kleeman Community Center.

Jones is still collecting responses for this project. He has set up a link to a call-in website, http://commonhope.us/, allowing individuals to call and leave their responses. For more information on the project, contact Jones at jonesb@apsu.edu.

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Photo cutline: Barry Jones, APSU associate professor of art, works on his new “Common Hope” project. (Photo by Beth Liggett/APSU).

APSU to announce, celebrate transforming gift

shembergerm — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:47:10 +0000

Austin Peay State University will announce and celebrate a transforming gift that will impact generations of students and teachers, both present and future.

The announcement and celebration will take place at 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 30 in the Morgan University Center, Ballroom B and C and include a video presentation and comments from keynote speakers. Then an unveiling and reception will take place in the Claxton Building.

The public is invited to hear details about how this significant gift will be used.

For more information, contact the APSU Office of Alumni Relations, 931-221-7979.

APSU establishes new Center for Entrepreneurship

shembergerm — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:31:49 +0000

With initial funding from two businesses in Tennessee, the Austin Peay State University College of Business will establish the Center for Entrepreneurship to challenge students beyond the classroom and bridge community business with future business leaders from all areas of interest.

A formal gift announcement to jumpstart the venture is planned for 11 a.m., Friday, May 3 in the Gentry Auditorium, located in the Kimbrough Building on the main campus. The public is invited to attend.

The Center for Entrepreneurship will help students develop strong business plans. Delta Dental of Tennessee and Civic Bank and Trust, both located in Nashville, are contributing $25,000 each to support APSU students in new business development.

Tom Perry, chief financial officer at Delta Dental, graduated in 1973 from the APSU College of Business, four years after his brother Robert Perry, president and chief executive officer of Civic Bank and Trust, also graduated from APSU. Both brothers also serve on the APSU College of Business Advisory Board.

Dr. William Rupp, dean of the College of Business, will provide additional details about the Center for Entrepreneurship at the announcement. - Dr. Melony Shemberger

Psychology professor appointed ONR summer fellow

shembergerm — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:24:31 +0000

Dr. Stephen Truhon, associate professor of psychology, has been appointed a fellow in the 2013 Office of Naval Research Summer Faculty Research Program.

The program is a continuous 10-week on-site program with the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. His work will end June 24.

During his fellowship, he will serve as a guest researcher studying the relationship between equal opportunity in the military with measures of job performance.

For more information, contact Truhon by telephone at 931-221-1452 or by email at truhons@apsu.edu.

APSU choral groups to perform works "From Vivaldi to the Pantatonix" on May 1

boothcw — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:39:38 +0000

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – When the Canadian singer Leonard Cohen first released his hauntingly beautiful song “Hallelujah” back in 1984, it received little fanfare. But over the years, musicians such as Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley recorded covers of the work, causing its popularity to skyrocket. Versions of the song have since appeared on TV shows such as “One Tree Hill” and “The Voice,” and movies like 2001’s “Shrek.”

At 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, the Austin Peay State University choral group Vocal Ease will perform an a cappella version of the now classic song during an evening of music that spans several centuries. The concert, “From Vivaldi to the Pentatonix,” will feature a wide range of works performed by three of APSU’s choral ensembles – Vocal Ease, Governors Singers and University Choir.

“It’s an evening meant to showcase the various vocal ensembles at the University,” Dr. Korre Foster, director of choral activities at APSU, said. “The program will feature eclectic music, ranging from Heinrich von Herzogenberg to Clarksville’s own George Mabry to the Pentatonix, all the way to Vivaldi. It will be local, contemporary, German Romanticism and Italian Baroque, both a cappella and accompanied.”

The evening will begin with Foster directing the Governors Singers in several powerful works, such as Herzogenberg’s “Die Nacht” and Mabry’s “A Chorister’s Covert Concert.” Then Hollie Dueker, APSU adjunct professor of music, will lead Vocal Ease in several pop-infused pieces, such as “Hallelujah” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me.”

The University Choir, under the direction of APSU graduate student Zach Thompson, will then perform pieces by Anton Bruckner and Thomas Morley. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will end with Antonio Vivaldi’s “Domine ad adjuvandum me festina,” with both faculty and student instrumentalists joining to make music.

“It’s a very kaleidoscopic program,” Foster said. “And it’s the last chance someone has to hear our students before summer break.”

For more information on this concert, contact Foster at fosterk@apsu.edu.