2003 press releases

PACK TO SPEAK AT FREED-HARDEMAN COMMENCEMENT
12/8/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will celebrate its 2003 fall commencement ceremony Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium. Eighty undergraduates and 54 graduate students will receive degrees, including 16 who are receiving the first Education Specialist degrees conferred by FHU.
Freed-Hardeman received national accreditation to offer the Ed.S. degree in December 2002. Students in the advanced program must hold a Master of Education degree and have at least three years of successful teaching experience.
FHU’s commencement speaker will be Dr. Rolland Pack, dean of the university’s Honors College. Pack has worked with FHU’s honors program since 1993 and established the Honors College in 1998, making it the oldest program of its kind in the state of Tennessee and among colleges and universities associated with the churches of Christ. He is also affiliated with the National Honors Council, serving on the Honors Evaluation Committee and the President’s Ad Hoc Committee on Honors Colleges. He is also faculty representative on the Executive Committee of the Southern Regional Honors Council and has served as president of the Tennessee Honors Council.
In addition to his service at FHU, Pack is also a minister, preaching for the Wildersville Church of Christ. He also conducts workshops on medical ethics for hospitals and community organizations, most recently at St. John’s University in New York. As a consultant in medical and business ethics in recent years, he has worked with HealthTrust Hospitals, St. Thomas Clinical Ethics Center, Columbia-HCA Hospitals and a Tennessee Humanities Council Grant.
Pack had taught Bible and philosophy at Lipscomb University in Nashville before his service at FHU. Before working with Christian universities, he was a full-time minister for churches in Virginia and Maryland.
For more information on Freed-Hardeman University’s fall 2003 commencement ceremony, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at 731-989-6004.

10-Dec-03
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REEDER OLDHAM, FORMER FHU ADMINISTRATOR, DECEASED
12/8/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Reeder Oldham, 76, a long-time registrar of Freed-Hardeman University, died Dec. 5 at his home in Henderson. Funeral services were Monday at Henderson Church of Christ.
Oldham was born in Rogersville, Ala., son of the late Nolen and Odell Greer Rogers Oldham. He is a graduate of FHU, Tennessee Tech University and Murray State University and did post graduate work at the University of Michigan. He was married to June Moss in 1948.
In 1968, Oldham moved to Henderson, where he worked with FHU in several capacities, including dean, registrar and vice president for enrollment management. He retired in 1991.
He worked with churches in Oklahoma, Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee, most recently serving as an elder for the Henderson Church of Christ. Oldham was actively involved in several mission efforts, including mission trips to South America, Africa, Scotland and Russia. He was also involved with the African Christian Schools Foundation and a member of the Tennessee Children’s Home board of directors, serving two terms as president.
Oldham was preceded in death by his wife, June, in 1991. He was married to Mary Edwards McNaulty in 1994.
Oldham is survived by his wife, Mary, of Henderson; three sons, Larry Oldham of Henderson, Tim Oldham of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Phil Oldham of Starkville, Miss.; four step-sons, Jack McNaulty of Aberdeen, S.D., Kevin McNaulty of Little Rock, Ark., Michael McNaulty of Cabot, Ark., and Peter McNaulty of Sherwood, Ark.; a sister, Faye Heffington of Edmond, Okla.; and 14 grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Tennessee Children’s Home in Spring Hill, Tenn.

8-Dec-03
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FETTERS, FOSTER NAMED HOMECOMING KING AND QUEEN
11/20/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Chad Fetters and Kasey Foster were named Freed-Hardeman’s Homecoming king and queen at the university’s Grand Coronation ceremony Nov. 15. One of highest student honors at FHU, the king and queen are selected from the senior class by the student body each year following a nomination process.
Fetters, of Bay Minette, Ala., is a business management major planning to seek a master’s degree in education. While at FHU, he has been involved in organizations such as Phi Kappa Alpha social club, University Program Council, the Society for the Advancement of Management, the university Athletic Fair and Interface orientation leadership. He also has worked in publicity and marketing for the FHU baseball program.
Foster, of Iuka, Miss., is a communication and public relations major planning to work as a public relations practitioner after graduation. While at FHU, she has been involved in Phi Kappa Alpha social club, Students in Free Enterprise, the Student Alumni Association, University Program Council, the Society for Future Accountants and Interface orientation leadership.
Other nominees were Brett Beckham, Sarah Decker, Betsi Hepler and Jonathan Pettus.
Freshman Homecoming court attendants were Brian Brewer, Mendy Cooper, Katy Gooch and Chuck Willis. Sophomore attendants were Jeremy Andrews, Ashli Garner, Stacey May and Ben Smith. Junior attendants were Mallonee Barberio, Trey Ingram, Justin Morton and Julie Sharp.

20-Nov-03
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TONY KIRK NAMED PRESIDENT OF STATE HEALTH ASSOCIATION
11/10/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Tony Kirk, chairman of the Freed-Hardeman University Department of Health and Physical Education, was named president of the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education and Dance (TAHPERD) Nov. 8.
As president, Kirk will be responsible for planning the organization’s 2004 conference, to be hosted Nov. 4-6 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He will also represent TAHPERD at the annual conference for the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, TAHPERD’s national counterpart.
Along with his conference duties, Kirk will be involved in lobbying efforts on behalf of the state association. He was recently part of a group that met with representatives from Sen. Bill Frist’s office to discuss a bill recently presented to Congress. The bill, he said, would help ensure that more nutritious snacks are sold in schools.
“Vending machines have regular Coke and fruit drinks that are more sugar than anything else. This would change that,” he said. “Kids are going to buy [snacks]. If a kid has 50 cents in his pocket, he’s going to buy something, and if you give them good choices – milk, water, nutritious food – they’re going to buy that.”
According to Kirk, TAHPERD also strives to educate Tennesseans about healthy everyday lifestyles. To many people, he said, “physical activity is some kind of ball activity – basketball, softball, volleyball. But there is more to it than that.”
Kirk mentioned two pieces of research he had recently read, one linking physical activity to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, another linking activity to better academic performance in students. “There are all kinds of links out there [between physical fitness and health] … But a lot of times, the research stays in the ‘ivory tower’ and doesn’t get down to everyone else,” he said. TAHPERD’s goal is to share such information with the general public.
Kirk has been involved with the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance since 1972 and was involved with state organizations in several other states before moving to Tennessee and becoming involved with TAHPERD.
For more information about TAHPERD, visit its Web site at www.tahperd.us.

10-Nov-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE HOMECOMING
11/6/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman alumni will return to campus Nov. 10-15 as the university celebrates Homecoming 2003, “Wish You Were Here.”
In addition to more than 10 reunions throughout the week, FHU will host the traditional Homecoming events, such as the Grand Coronation ceremony, Homecoming basketball games and the Alumni Awards Banquet. Other activities will include the university’s Roland Lecture Series, the social club Spirit Trophy competition, the congregational Sing On, Phi Kappa Alpha’s Hootenanny and the Homecoming play, “Into the Woods.” Student drama and vocal groups will also perform at various locations throughout the week. A detailed list of these and other Homecoming events is posted on the FHU Web site, www.fhu.edu.
Most Homecoming events will be free of charge. Tickets to the Homecoming basketball games will be $5 at the door, and Hootananny tickets will also be $5. Advance tickets are available for the Homecoming play, “Into the Woods,” as well as for Phi Kappa Alpha’s 65th anniversary reunion. Advance play tickets are $8 by contacting the theatre office at 731-989-6780 or theatre@fhu.edu. PKA tickets are $5 by e-mailing jdauksch@fhu.edu or bhepler@fhu.edu. Guests can also purchase play tickets for $10 at the door.
For more Homecoming information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 731-989-6021 or jdauksch@fhu.edu.

6-Nov-03
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THORNTHWAITE TO SPEAK AT BIOMEDICAL CONFERENCE
11/6/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

FHU associate chemistry professor Jerry Thornthwaite has been invited to speak at the New Approaches in Molecular Biotechnology for Biomedicine conference in Wein, Austria, Nov. 22-25.
The conference will address applications in biomedicine, dealing with topics from vaccines to advanced drug delivery systems. The conference is part of a series of international lectures and provides an opportunity for leading researchers to exchange information and recognize recent achievements in vaccinology.
Thornthwaite will speak on the topic of “Natural Killer Cells and Surveillance Defense Mechanisms.” Thornthwaite was one of the first researchers to discover the natural killer cell, which can target and attack foreign cells. Natural killer cells are known for their ability to kill certain tumors but can also aid in defense against certain pathogens.

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6-Nov-03

FHU HOSTS ANDY HOLTIN ART EXHIBIT
11/4/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The Freed-Hardeman University Department of Fine Arts is hosting an exhibit by sculptor Andy Holtin through Nov. 21 in the Art Gallery, located in the Art Annex. His exhibit, Collaboration Installation, is a collaborative effort between him and FHU art students, who spent several days creating abstract pieces from common objects.
Holtin, a 1998 FHU alumnus, holds an M.A. in art from the University of Arkansas and an M.F.A. in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University. He teaches art courses at George Mason University. Holtin was the winner of the 2002 International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award and has been featured in Sculpture Magazine. He also has received attention in such venues as National Public Radio and currently has an exhibit at the Torpedo Factory Arts Center in Alexandria, Va.
The artwork exhibited at FHU is based on the ideas behind most of Holtin’s work. “What I was interested in and what I told the students was that I wanted to make was events that take place. … I like the idea of having something that does something and exports information somewhere else or that takes that experience or an event and exports it to another place, either through time or through distance or through translation. Even if it doesn’t move very far away, it becomes another thing in that sense,” he said.
The pieces in the FHU exhibit feature such events and experiences as a feather duster dusting a shelf, a spoon dipping into a jar of honey and a fan blowing into a hollow tube, and the mechanism causing the action or noise is several feet away or even across the room. “It’s a way of taking small things and changing your attention to them by expanding their reach or moving them to another place. It changes the way you pay attention to it,” he said. “It’s a little event, but it takes kind of a long way to get to it so that it makes that little thing even more precious or more attentive.”

4-Nov-03
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FHU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR RESIGNS, PURSUES NEW INTERESTS
11/3/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Long-time Freed-Hardeman University athletic director Charles Smith announced Monday morning that he had accepted a new job opportunity with Jostens Recognition Corporation. He will begin his work as a Jostens representative at the first of the year and will continue his service at FHU through Dec. 31.
“Charlie has been a close and beloved member of the Freed-Hardeman family for many years, and we’re definitely going to miss having him here,” said FHU President Milton Sewell. “He has a great record of success with our athletic program, both as a coach and director, and Jostens is very fortunate to have him. Even though he’s moving on to pursue new interests, we know Charlie will continue to be a close friend and supporter of the university and especially of our athletic program.”
Smith, a 1968 graduate of FHU, has served in the FHU Department of Athletics since 1978. He has been athletic director since 1980 and assistant vice president for athletics since 1998. Smith has also served in several coaching capacities, including men’s and women’s tennis, men’s basketball, volleyball and baseball.
Under Smith’s leadership, the FHU athletic program has grown from five to 13 teams. He was also instrumental in moving the program into the state-of-the-art $5.6 million Sports Center, giving a significant renovation to the university’s baseball field, and adding soccer and softball fields to the program’s facilities. Other notable accomplishments include the implementation of the LionBacker Club, an athletics support group with a 210-family membership, and the Sports Advisory Council, an invitational support group of more than 100 members. The SAC also hosts an annual benefit, bringing in as much as $115,000 each year for the athletics program.
As a coach, Smith’s teams were frequent visitors to NAIA national tournaments, and his Lady Lions tennis team posted a 166-0 conference record over 10 years. The team was also ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation.

3-Nov-03
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FHU THEATRE TO PRESENT ‘INTO THE WOODS’
10/7/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Classic childhood fairytales will have a compelling blend and twist as Freed-Hardeman University presents its 2003 Homecoming play, “Into the Woods.” A hit musical by Stephen Sondheim, the play was originally produced on Broadway in 1987. It has recently enjoyed a Broadway revival, with Vanessa Williams in a lead role.
Freed-Hardeman’s production of the play will take stage at 8 p.m. Nov. 11-15, with a 9 a.m. matinee Nov. 12. Local schools are encouraged to attend the matinee. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. For advance tickets, contact theatre director Cliff Thompson at 731-989-6780 or theatre@fhu.edu. All tickets are general admission.
A hit Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim, “Into the Woods” blends familiar childhood fairytales with an original story of a baker and his wife and their attempt to reverse a witch’s curse that has rendered them childless. The musical follows them in their quest for a child, which includes a series of misadventures with the characters of such fairytales as Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. While each of the characters set out to achieve their traditional fairytale goals of living happily ever after, they also, along the way, learn much about choices, deceit and the powerful bonds between parents and children.
Originally produced on Broadway in 1987, “Into the Woods” has enjoyed a recent Broadway revival, with Vanessa Williams as the witch.

 · Click here for tickets

27-Oct-03
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OLIVER EARNS DOCTORATE, HIBBETT ADDED TO BUSINESS FACULTY
10/25/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Mike Oliver, assistant professor of management for the Freed-Hardeman University School of Business, has completed his Doctor of Business Administration degree. He successfully defended his dissertation at the University of Sarasota Sept. 11.
Oliver, who also holds B.B.A. and M.S. in business from Harding University, is in his fifth year teaching business management at FHU. He previously had taught accounting at the university for 10 years. Oliver and his wife, Nancy, had also served as FHU residence hall supervisors from 1990 to 1992.
The FHU School of Business has also added a new marketing instructor to its faculty, Lee Hibbett. Hibbett, a 1989 graduate of the university, has worked in inventory control, purchasing, new product development and cost reduction for the food and automotive industries. Companies he has worked with include Martha White Food, Quaker Oats and Denso, a supplier to Toyota. He holds an M.B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi and is currently working toward a Ph.D. at Touro University.
Hibbett and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters, Elisabeth and Rachel Grace. His father had taught at FHU, as well, serving in the chemistry department for more than 30 years. Hibbett has been on the business faculty since June.

25-Oct-03
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FHU TO WELCOME ALUMNI TO BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
10/7/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Art, music and old friends will meet Oct. 21 as Freed-Hardeman University welcomes Memphis-area alumni to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
“It gives people an opportunity to connect,” said Dawn Bramblett, FHU alumni relations director. “People often run into former professors or college friends and get to spend a couple of hours visiting and catching up on what’s going on in their lives.”
This is the sixth year for the event to be hosted at the museum, with larger numbers attending each year. “This is something that people look forward to every fall,” Bramblett said. “It is becoming one of our traditional events.”
The Brooks Museum event will be hosted from 7 to 9 p.m. The evening will feature exhibits by Freed-Hardeman student photographers and artists and a performance by the A Cappella Singers, an FHU student choral group. All galleries at the museum will be open for visitors.
For more information, contact Dawn Bramblett at 731-989-6021 or dbramblett@fhu.edu.

7-Oct-03
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FHU ADMISSIONS OFFICE TO HOST FIRST FALL FEST
10/7/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The Freed-Hardeman University will welcome prospective students to campus Oct. 11-13 for Fall Fest. The event, new this year, gives high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to experience college life before they get to FHU.
“We had a lot of kids who wanted to see what FHU students really do,” said Laura Beth Lamb, campus events coordinator for the Office of Admissions. “That’s why this event will be Saturday through Monday. It will give visitors a chance to attend an area congregation on Sunday and experience other off-campus attractions.”
Fall Fest is aimed at students who are seriously considering attending Freed-Hardeman. “This is not a youth rally. This is for people who really want to come here – a chance for them to attend classes, talk to financial aid officers and spend time with students,” Lamb said.
The weekend event will include opportunities for visitors to enjoy a campus movie, eat meals in the cafeteria and attend a candlelight devotional.
Students interested in attending Fall Fest should visit the Office of Admissions online at www.fhu.edu/admissions to register.

7-Oct-03
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FHU TO CELEBRATE FINE ARTS WEEK
10/6/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will celebrate Fine Arts Week Oct. 13-16. The event is in its fourth year, according to fine arts chair Barbara England.
“We are looking forward to sharing some exciting opportunities for our campus family, as well as the Chester County community, to experience the arts,” England said. The week will begin with a poetry reading at Timely Tomes Bookstore in downtown Henderson Oct. 13 at 6 p.m., and each morning at 10:30, the university’s daily chapel program will focus on a different aspect of the arts. The week’s highlights will include performances by actor John Berryman and pianist K.B. Doyle, as well as an art exhibit by painter Brian Bishop.
Berryman, a professional actor, author and playwright from Seattle, Wash., will present a solo performance, “Leaving Ruin,” Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium. The play, set in the fictional Texas town of Ruin, features a minister, Cyrus, who has served the First Church of Ruin for 11 years. After the congregation falls on hard times, the members force Cyrus to resign, leaving him to “face questions of faith and purpose that some audience members say are ‘a bit too real,’” said FHU theatre director Cliff Thompson. “Cyrus’ search for answers amidst what seems to be the silence of God is both inspiring and poignant.”
Berryman will speak at FHU’s daily chapel service Oct. 14 at 10:30 a.m. and will present a workshop for student actors at 1 that afternoon in Loyd Auditorium. He will also speak on the topic of “The Christian and the Arts,” highlighting the compatibility of Christian faith and the work of the artist, Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. in the Brown-Kopel Auditorium.
Doyle, a Chester County native who has recently returned to the area, will perform Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in Old Chapel Hall. He is the son of the late Kelly Doyle, a well-loved former Freed-Hardeman music department chairman.
Bishop, an assistant professor of painting at the University of Alabama, has exhibited his art in galleries across the nation as well as internationally, at Gallery 111 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a graduate of the Memphis College of Art and the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Bishop’s paintings will be featured in the FHU art gallery until Oct. 31. He will also present a lecture Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. in Old Chapel Hall, which will be followed by a reception at 6 p.m.
Admission is free to all Fine Arts Week events. For more information, contact England at 731-989-6089 or bengland@fhu.edu.

6-Oct-03
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FHU ARTISTS SELECTED FOR REGIONAL EXHIBIT
9/24/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The artwork of three FHU artists has been chosen for the fifth annual Renaissance Regional Art Exhibit in Dickson, Tenn. The paintings and sculptures of associate art professor Kenny Jones, art camp instructor Polly Jones and senior art major Laura Sanders are on display in the exhibit through November 15.
The 2003 Renaissance exhibit is a juried competition for which 33 pieces were selected for display from a group of 376 entries. Sanders’ and the Jones’ entries were chosen as five of the 33 pieces in the show.
“As usual, the regional show drew a wide range of mediums in the entries, and Terry [Thacker, show juror] has done a wonderful job in selecting an interesting collection of pieces to display in the gallery,” said Curtis Southerland, curator for the Renaissance Center’s Visual Arts Gallery.
The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday at the Renaissance Center’s Visual Arts Gallery in Dickson. Admission is free. For more information, contact the Renaissance Center at 615-740-5600.

24-Sep-03
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MYNONNE TATE NAMED TO FHU BOARD OF TRUSTEES
9/23/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Mynonne Tate of Dyer, Tenn., was recently named to the Freed-Hardeman University board of trustees.
“Ms. Tate has long been a close friend of Freed-Hardeman and has indicated a strong enthusiasm for Christian education and for helping young people seeking a good education,” said Bill Morgan, chairman of the FHU board of trustees.
A 1960 graduate of FHU, Tate has received several honors for her mission work with children in Pitesti, Romania, and is a former member of such groups and organizations as the Dyer Clinic board of directors, the Student Teachers Education Association and the Southern Business Education Association. She was employed with West Tennessee Business College in Jackson, Tenn., from 1986 to 1990, following her graduation from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1986.
“The administration is very excited about Mynonne Tate’s appointment to the trustee board. Her dedication, Christian character and background in education will make for a valuable contribution of service,” FHU President Milton Sewell said.
Tate and her husband, Lyle B. Tate, are members of the Dyer Church of Christ in Dyer and have two sons, Kenneth Danny Tate and Jon Marcus Tate.
With Tate’s recent appointment to the board, 38 men and women serve on the Freed-Hardeman University board of trustees.

23-Sep-03
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FHU TO WELCOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR RUSH
9/10/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will welcome hundreds of high school students Sept. 19-21 for RUSH (Reaching Unlimited Spiritual Heights), an annual event coordinated by the office of admissions.
“RUSH is a great opportunity for a spiritual uplift,” said Laura Beth Lamb, coordinator of the event. “Prospective students get to experience campus life while they fellowship with other Christians.”
Jim Brown, director of admissions, also praised the spiritual opportunities the weekend affords. “During RUSH, high school students get to meet other people who share their desire to grow closer to God,” he said. “It gives them a chance to see what Freed-Hardeman has to offer them and what they can look forward to as an FHU student.”
The theme for this year’s event is “Beyond the Obvious,” and activities will include encounter classes taught by FHU students, as well as youth minister workshops taught by youth ministers and FHU faculty. The keynote speakers for the weekend will be Jerry Elder, Reed Swindle and Matt Heupel.
RUSH will include a Friday night concert by FHU alumnus Brad Montague. Saturday night’s entertainment will include performances by FHU student and alumni bands Tripswitch, the West Virginia Boys and the Deans & Kizers.
For more information, contact the Office of Admissions at 731-989-6651 or visit www.fhu.edu.

10-Sep-03
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FHU TO WELCOME INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ARTIST
9/5/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The work of internationally recognized artist James Perrin is the subject of an art exhibit at Freed-Hardeman University through Sept. 30. The show features his abstract paintings and graphic drawings.
Perrin’s work has been featured in solo and invitational group exhibitions across the nation as well as internationally, at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy, in 2001 and in a solo exhibition at Venice’s Galleria Perela’ this year. Originally from Enville, Tenn., he is a graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute and Boston University.
“Our art students as well as the community will benefit greatly from being exposed to this level of art,” Freed-Hardeman gallery director Warren Greene said. Perrin will give a lecture at FHU Sept. 11, with a reception to follow.
Perrin will be the first artist to have a major solo exhibit in FHU’s new art gallery, located upstairs in the Art Annex Building. The gallery will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

5-Sep-03
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FHU ANNOUNCES CONTINUING RECORD ENROLLMENT
9/3/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

On August 29 Freed-Hardeman University announced its fall enrollment of 1,962, up from a record of 1,927 the previous year.
The record enrollment is due to a “total campus effort,” with “everyone from the president down” working to make FHU a welcoming place for new students, FHU admissions director Jim Brown said. Off-campus efforts have also contributed significantly to the record enrollment. “We’re seeing the benefit of alumni involvement. … Our alumni are promoting Freed-Hardeman among students in area schools and churches,” he said.
Brown credits alumni for also encouraging their own children to attend FHU. “We’re seeing a second generation of students attending the university since Freed-Hardeman became a four-year school in 1976.”
Alumni relations director Dawn Bramblett said that influencing students to attend Freed-Hardeman is the primary motive of alumni involvement. “Alumni want to see students enjoying the same things they enjoyed as a student,” she said. “Whether they get involved with fund-raising, contribute to scholarship funds, or actually recruit students, students are the main area of interest when alumni decide to stay involved with Freed-Hardeman.”
FHU’s new record enrollment includes record numbers of undergraduate and graduate students: 1,447 and 519, respectively. The university has enrolled a total of 482 new students for the fall 2003 semester.

3-Sep-03
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TWIN PROFESSORS RECEIVE DOCTORATES
8/27/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University faculty Karen and Sharen Cypress were recently featured in a cover story at the University of Memphis as the first set of twins to receive doctorates from the university. Both recently received Ed.D. degrees in leadership and policy studies with a concentration in educational leadership. They had each earned master’s degrees in education from the university in 1995.
Karen Cypress, an FHU faculty member since 1998, serves as sponsor of the university’s Democratic Club as well as the Multicultural Committee. Sharen Cypress, also a faculty member since 1998, is director of clinical field experiences for the School of Education as well as a member of the Teacher Education and Chapel committees. She has received the Outstanding Advisor Award from the Student Tennessee Education Association in 2000 and 2001 and has been featured in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2000, 2002 and 2003.
The Cypresses, 1991 graduates of FHU, serve together on FHU’s Financial Aid Committee, are co-sponsors of the FHU chapter of the Student Tennessee Education Association, and co-chairs of the Ethnic Cultures committee. They have each held Tennessee licensure in education administration since 2001.

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27-Aug-03
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FHU TO RECOGNIZE GRANDPARENTS OF STUDENTS
8/27/03 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will welcome the grandparents of its students on Sept. 8 in conjunction with Grandparents Day, nationally celebrated Sept. 7.
Dawn Bramblett, director of alumni relations, praises the event for the way it allows grandparents to see firsthand the impact they have on students’ lives. “We host the event to honor the contributions grandparents make, and to show our appreciation,” she said.
The event is open to grandparents of all current students, and will include a morning reception for grandparents and their grandchildren. The university’s daily chapel service will feature FHU alumnus Billy Ringold, who has two grandchildren, Brittany and Billy Ringold, currently attending FHU.
Bramblett expects more than 100 grandparents to attend the event. Grandparents wishing to attend should notify the alumni office at 731-989-6021.

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27-Aug-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN ADDS NEW ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University named nine new members to its Advisory Board in July. New members are Dexel and Angie Burns of Henderson; Tom Holland of Cornersville, Tenn.; Kenneth and Carolyn Hoover of Phoenix, Ariz.; Jerry and Marilyn Jones of Anchorage, Alaska; Mark McKeel of Memphis, Tenn.; and Ron Wharey of Arlington, Tenn.
The Advisory Board of FHU is a group dedicated to supporting the university through suggestions and helpful insight while identifying potential students and donors and representing the university in communities throughout the nation.

1-Aug-03
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FHU TO CUT RIBBON FOR BROWN-KOPEL BUSINESS CENTER
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will celebrate the opening of its newest academic facility, the Brown-Kopel Business Center, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception Aug. 21 at noon on the main lawn area of the building. The opening comes a day less than a year following the celebrated groundbreaking for the facility and three years following the announcement of plans for its construction.
Honorary guests and speakers at the ceremony will be Drs. John and Rosemary Brown of Portage, Mich., for whom the building will be dedicated. The Browns were the first and leading contributors to the Brown-Kopel Business Center, with a $5 million challenge gift, the largest single gift in FHU’s history.
“Over the years, the Browns have been special friends to Freed-Hardeman in many ways, not only financially but also through their examples of integrity and professionalism to FHU students,” President Milton Sewell said. John Brown is president and CEO of Stryker Corporation, a medical supplies manufacturer in Portage, while Rosemary Brown is a teacher at the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center, as well as Freed-Hardeman’s first woman trustee – a post she has served since 1990.
The opening of the Brown-Kopel Business Center is the culmination of FHU’s Believe Campaign, a five-year endeavor to raise more than $32 million for the university’s student scholarship fund, facilities, and academic programs. The campaign surpassed its $32 million goal May 22 – more than a year-and-a-half before the Dec. 2004 deadline.
FHU’s new business center, a 66,000-square-foot-structure, will offer more than $1.7 million in business and educational technology, including Internet and multimedia capabilities in each classroom, Internet access at each desk in more than half the classrooms, two computer classroom labs and a computer project lab. The first classes in the building will begin the same day as the opening ceremony.
“We’ve needed a building like this for some time,” Sewell said. “Our School of Business is known for excellence – as one of the best among programs its size. A facility like this, which is the best academic business facility in the area, will simply allow our program to perform to its full potential.” The FHU business school includes 12 full-time faculty members, 10 with doctorates in their respective fields. Prior to moving to the Brown-Kopel Business Center, they taught classes in the Milan-Sitka Building, the university’s oldest facility, constructed in 1897.
In addition to the School of Business, the Brown-Kopel Business Center also houses FHU’s Office of Planning and Technology in the basement floor of its west wing, thereby serving as the hub for all the university’s information technology.
For more information about the opening of FHU’s new Brown-Kopel Business Center, contact the Office of University Advancement at 731-989-6019 or thyde@fhu.edu.

24-Jul-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN PLANS FOR ANNUAL TOLLING OF THE BELL
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will celebrate its annual Tolling of the Bell Aug. 21 at 10:30 a.m. in Loyd Auditorium on the FHU campus. The ceremony is organized each year to welcome freshmen to campus while celebrating the heritage, principles and goals of the university.
“This event is always important because it’s a special time for alumni and friends to come to campus to celebrate what Freed-Hardeman has meant – and still does mean – to them. And that’s valuable, especially for our new freshmen, who are just beginning their Freed-Hardeman experience,” said Dave Clouse, vice president for university advancement and coordinator of the event.
Since its inception in August 2000, the Tolling of the Bell has also been an event to recognize one or more individuals as Master of the Bell, an honor given in appreciation for significant contributions of service and support to the university. At the 2003 ceremony, FHU will honor Woody and Patsy Loden of Batesville, Miss.; E.C. and Edna Meadows of Red Boiling Springs, Tenn.; and Betty Hill of Troy, Tenn.
“Each year when we select individuals for the honor of Masters of the Bell, we base that selection on their dedication to Christian education and the actions those individuals have made to support it,” FHU President Milton Sewell said. “Through service in several capacities – from leadership on the board of trustees to sending their children to FHU – each of these individuals has most definitely exceeded these expectations.”
Bell Master Woody Loden, a 1948 graduate of FHU, is the longest-serving member of the university’s current trustee board. He and his wife, Patsy, have also been instrumental in such university projects as the construction of the Loden-Daniel Library, named in their parents’ honor. Hill and her late husband, C.H. Hill, have been supporters of the university through such programs as the C.H. Hill, M.D., and Betty Hill, R.N., Pre-Med Endowed Scholarship, awarded to pre-med students of the university. In addition, C.H. Hill was a long-time member of the FHU board of trustees, serving several years with Loden. E.C. Meadows, a retired minister and 1960 graduate of the university, and his wife, Edna, have also been constant supporters of the university in several capacities in addition to their years of service in ministry.
The Meadows’ son Terry Meadows of Tarpon Springs, Fla., a 1970 graduate of FHU, will be the keynote speaker at the Tolling of the Bell.
For more information on the 2003 Tolling of the Bell ceremony, contact the Office of University Advancement at 731-989-6019 or thyde@fhu.edu.

24-Jul-03
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FHU TO HONOR EDDY ARNOLD AND JIM CLAYTON
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will honor country music star Eddy Arnold and home manufacturer Jim Clayton with honorary doctorates during commencement exercises Aug. 8.
“Because these two natives of Chester County have achieved the highest levels of success in their professions, we consider this special occasion a time when Chester County, Henderson and Freed-Hardeman University can recognize and appreciate these very talented individuals for their achievements,” FHU President Milton Sewell said.
Arnold, often called the Ambassador of Country Music, has sold more than 90 million records and placed more country records on the charts than any other country singer. His hits – which include such tunes as “I’ll Hold You in My Heart,” “Bouquet of Roses” and “Cattle Call” – have made him one of the top recording artists of all times and have earned him such honors as the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award, the Academy of Country Music’s Pioneer Award and the Songwriter’s Guild’s President’s Award. Arnold is also recognized in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn.
Clayton, a graduate of Chester County High School, is founder of Clayton Homes Inc., the nation’s leading maker and seller of manufactured homes. Though his earliest business endeavors – in auto sales – proved disappointing, he has since led a company that is still reporting annual profits while the rest of the industry suffers. In retirement, Clayton is still an active businessperson, as owner of First State Bank, the largest bank in Henderson. He has been recognized nationally for his business activities, most recently as one of the Forbes 400 wealthiest people.
Commencement exercises to honor Arnold, Clayton and the August 2003 graduating class will begin at 6 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium. A reception in Arnold’s and Clayton’s honor will be hosted at 3 p.m. in the Sports Center Main Arena and will include special presentations by County Executive Troy Kilzer and Mayor Eddie Patterson, to be made at 4 p.m. For more information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at 731-989-6004.

24-Jul-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY NAMES NEW TRUSTEES
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University recently added two new members to its board of trustees: Kerry Couch and Nathan Pride.
Couch, a 1977 graduate of FHU, is president of Info Computer Inc. in Brentwood, Tenn. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Columbia, Tenn., and have two children, Elizabeth and Keith. They are members of the West 7th Street Church of Christ in Columbia.
Pride, a 1978 graduate of Tennessee State University and 1981 graduate the University of Georgia School of Law, is a partner with Stevenson, Taylor & Pride in Jackson, Tenn. His civic involvement includes service on the board of directors for such organizations as Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, the Mission Convalescent Home, Guiding Hands Services for the Blind and the Jackson-Madison County Bar Association. He also is a former member of the Jackson Counseling Center and a former board member of the YMCA. Pride and his wife, Linda, live in Jackson.

13-Jun-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN ADDS NEW ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University named 14 new members to its Advisory Board recently. New members are Martin and Kathryn Anderson of Guntersville, Ala.; Timothy Campbell of Michie, Tenn.; Kyle and Cathy Cavender of Knoxville, Tenn.; Emmett and Margie Hatchett of Henderson, Tenn.; Larry and Rowena Hayes of McEwen, Tenn.; David and Kay Jackson of Knoxville, Tenn.; Clifford and Rebecca Owens of Madison, Tenn.; and David Raines of Jackson, Tenn.
The Advisory Board of FHU is a group dedicated to supporting the university through suggestions and helpful insight while identifying potential students and donors and representing the university in communities throughout the nation.

10-Jun-03
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CAROL ANDERSON TO PERFORM ‘A SIZE 7 FOREVER’ AT FHU
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The Freed-Hardeman University theatre program is bringing professional artist Carol Anderson to campus April 15 to perform her one-woman play “A Size 7 Forever.” Anderson’s play was featured on PBS in 1991 and addresses the very real problem of eating disorders. Included will be a testimony of her own 12-year struggle with eating disorders that began when she was a college student.
This performance is funded, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Southern Arts Federation and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Additional funding has been provided through the Remuda Foundation Inc. for the treatment of eating disorders. In addition to her presentation at FHU, Anderson will speak to health students at Chester County High School.
According to the Remuda Foundation, one out of 10 females between the ages of 13 and 40 have an eating disorder that is severely affecting their lives. In addition, 8 million people in the United States, 10 percent of whom are men, are suffering from an eating disorder.
“A Size 7 Forever” will be presented at 8 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium on the FHU campus. Admission is free. For more information, contact the FHU theatre office at 731-989-6938 or theatre@fhu.edu.

14-Apr-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN CHEERLEADERS TO HOST CHEER CLINIC
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

The Freed-Hardeman University cheerleaders will host a Cheer Clinic April 12 for students in grades 1-8 in the FHU Sports Center. Grades 1-4 will participate from 8 a.m. to noon, with registration at 7:30 a.m., and grades 5-8 will participate from 1 to 5 p.m., with registration at 12:30 p.m.
Cost is $20 for early registration by April 7. Registration on the day of the event will be $25. Participants should bring permission slips to the clinic. For more information, call 731-989-6001.

7-Apr-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY TO HOST UPROAR!
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will host its first Uproar! a carnival and art and music festival, April 5.
“With Uproar! we not only want to give the people in town a chance to see Freed-Hardeman talent – musical and artistic,” said alumni director Dawn Bramblett, coordinator of the event, “but we also want to provide a good, fun place for alumni to reconnect between shows at Makin’ Makin.”
Uproar! will feature live bluegrass music, food and snacks, a jewelry sale, karaoke, caricatures, face painting, games and a drawing for a $100 gift certificate from the FHU Bookstore and Bible Bookstore. Various artists from FHU and surrounding communities will also display their works, with pieces available for purchase.
Uproar! will be open from 1 to 5:30 p.m. in the FHU Sports Center Auxiliary Gym. The drawing for the gift certificate will be at 5 p.m. Admission to Uproar! is free. For more information, contact Bramblett at 731-989-6021 or dbramblett@fhu.edu.

31-Mar-03
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FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY HONORS KENT FAMILY
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

During its daily chapel service March 28, Freed-Hardeman honored the family of Willie Warren and Mary Malissie O’Neal Kent, who, in 1970, deeded a portion of their land on the corner of Hamlett and University streets for the construction of a new men’s dormitory, Farrow Hall. For about 20 years prior to deeding the land, the couple had housed nearly 200 college students in their own home.
FHU President Milton R. Sewell presented a plaque to the grandchildren and daughter-in-law of the Kents. “They were truly dedicated to education, especially Christian education,” Barbara Kent Wilson, a granddaughter of the Kents, said to the student body and faculty and staff as she accepted the presentation on the family’s behalf. The plaque will hang in the lobby of Farrow.
Also present were Wilson’s husband, Aubrey, of Germantown, Tenn; Christine Kent of Henderson, daughter-in-law of the Kents; and Larry Kent of Henderson, grandson of the Kents; and his wife, Janice.
The family also made a special presentation to Sewell: a registry containing the signatures of 184 FHU students whom the Kents had housed before the construction of Farrow Hall. The registry will be added to the university’s Historical Room.
During the ceremony, all current and former Farrow residents – about 200 in all – surrounded the stage. Sewell said the dormitory has housed an average of 150 students each school year since its construction in 1973.

31-Mar-03
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FHU’S SIGMA RHO SUPPORTS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY PATIENT
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University’s Sigma Rho social club presented a check for $2,000 to muscular dystrophy patient Dake Weatherford and his family, from Pulaski, Tenn., March 1. The check was presented at a pizza party hosted for Weatherford in the FHU student center. Weatherford, his family and several members of his youth group from the Second Street Church of Christ in Pulaski had also been special guests at the FHU-Union basketball games on campus that evening.
The $2,000 presented to Weatherford was proceeds from Sigma Rho’s 12th annual Fun Fair Sept. 21, 2002 – a carnival hosted each summer to raise funding for Weatherford’s medical treatments and other disability needs.
“The entire club considers Dake a friend, and we’re happy that we’re able to help him like this,” said Sigma Rho president Brett Beckham. “Sigma Rho has done this every year for over a decade, so it’s become a valuable service that’s inherited by new groups of students every few years. It’s a way for us all to be a part of an important Christian service.”
Weatherford, 18, is a senior at Giles County High School in Pulaski.

19-Mar-03
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FHU TO HOST CHRISTIAN TRAINING SERIES
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University will host its annual Christian Training Series July 6-10. Designed for ministers as well as all church leaders and workers, the event will feature about 14 speakers and 36 class sessions centered around the theme “Restoring and Advancing Christianity.” In addition, guests will enjoy evening dorm devotionals and various recreational games and activities, including a talent show and Homemade Pie Night.
Honored at the 2003 Christian Training Series will be Dr. Earl I. West, professor of church history emeritus at the Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis, Tenn. West also will be the featured evening speaker throughout the week.
For reservations or more information, contact Sandra Moore or Dr. Sam Hester at 731-989-6625 or shester@fhu.edu.

18-Mar-03
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FHU TO HOST BILL FRIST FOR BENEFIT DINNER 2003
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University has announced Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist as keynote speaker for its 39th annual Benefit Dinner, to be hosted on campus Dec. 5.
Frist, elected to the U.S. Senate Nov. 8, 1994, and re-elected Nov. 7, 2000, is the 54th U.S. senator from Tennessee and the 24th to fill the seat once held by Andrew Jackson. A graduate of Harvard Medical School and a former faculty member of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, he also is the first medical doctor elected to senate since 1928. Frist was named a Deputy Whip of the Senate in 1999, was named to head the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2000 and was named one of two Congressional representatives to the United Nations General Assembly in 2001. In January, the Republican caucus elected him to serve as Republican Senate Majority Leader. Frist currently serves on the Education, Finance, Health, Labor, Pensions and Rules committees. He and his wife, Karyn, have three sons: Harrison, Jonathan and Bryan.
“When we invite speakers like Sen. Frist, we’re always looking to bring in not only someone whom our audience would enjoy hearing but someone who is a good example for our students,” FHU President Milton R. Sewell said. “Sen. Frist, in his education, his career, his leadership in Congress, as well as his personal service interests such as medical missions and numerous civic organizations, has been outstanding. We’ll consider it an honor to have him on campus for our students.”
Freed-Hardeman University has hosted its annual Benefit Dinner since 1965. Generating more than $1 million in proceeds each year since 2001, it has become the largest single-evening fund-raiser in the state of Tennessee. All proceeds raised go to the university’s student scholarship fund.
Sponsorships for the FHU Benefit Dinner are currently available, beginning at $500. Upper-level seating is also available for $100. For reservations or for more information, contact the Office of Development at 731-989-6017 or 1-800-630-3482, or visit www.fhu.edu.

7-Mar-03
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KIZER AND GLASS NAMED MR. AND MISS FHU
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman seniors Barton Kizer and Emily Glass named Mr. and Miss FHU by the students, faculty and staff of the university during a special chapel ceremony March 7. The highest student honors at Freed-Hardeman, the Mr. and Miss FHU awards are given to two seniors each spring who best exhibit the intellectual, spiritual and leadership ideals of the university.
Kizer, of Haleyville, Ala., is a Bible major planning to pursue a career in youth ministry. While studying at Freed-Hardeman, he has been involved with such university organizations and activities as University Program Council, Phi Kappa Alpha and Psi Mu social clubs, the Preacher’s Club, Interface orientation leadership, and the worship leadership group IMPACT.
Glass, of Birmingham, Ala., is a social work major with plans to pursue a graduate degree in social work and a career in serving individuals with developmental disabilities. At FHU, she has been a member of Phi Kappa Alpha social club, University Program Council, Student Social Workers in Action, Interface freshman orientation leadership, and the spring musical production Makin’ Music, for which she has served as a director and coordinator. Glass had also been named Homecoming Queen in November.
Other students nominated for Mr. and Miss FHU were Amy Champion, Matt Cook, Aarek Farmer, Laura Beth Henry, Megan McVey and Brad Montague.

7-Mar-03
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FHU PROFESSOR ELECTED TO ACSR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Dr. John Sweeney, professor of education and associate dean of Freed-Hardeman University’s School of Education, has been elected to the executive committee of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). He also is serving a two-year term on the association’s Advisory Committee of State Representative (ACSR) as president of the Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (TACTE), one of 45 state associations represented in AACTE. In this capacity, he serves as a liaison between the Tennessee chapter and the national organization.
AACTE, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a principal organization for college and university leaders preparing teachers and educators, providing an avenue for discussion and decisions on state, national and international educational issues of significance. The advisory committee of AACTE meets twice each year to advise the national organization on state policy issues and participates annually in a Summer Leadership Institute to discuss leadership development as well as priorities for AACTE.
For more information, visit www.aacte.org.

28-Feb-03
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FHU TO PARTICIPATE IN SOUTHEASTERN THEATRE CONFERENCE
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University professor and theatre director Cliff Thompson will travel to Arlington, Va., March 5-9 to participate in the annual Southeastern Theatre Conference. As chair of the SETC religion and theatre committee, he will oversee two networking sessions, while also serving as Tennessee state coordinator to screen student actors auditioning for the national conference.
In addition, Thompson will introduce a solo performer from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, who will present the play “Killing Lincoln,” and will serve on the auditions committee to plan for the 2004 auditions.

27-Feb-03
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FHU ACCOUNTING STUDENTS OFFERING FREE TAX SERVICE
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University’s Society of Future Accountants, through an Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-sponsored program, is providing free tax assistance for low-income, handicapped, elderly and non-English speaking taxpayers. The student-and-faculty-organized program – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – is in its third year.
“Last year was very successful for VITA,” said Judy McKenzie, director of VITA and assistant professor of accounting. “We were able to effectively assist many taxpayers in our community, and we’re hoping to do the same again this year with this much-needed service.”
The VITA center, located in room 110 of the FHU Milan-Sitka Building, is open from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays until April 15. For more information, contact McKenzie at 731-989-6097, 731-989-6091 or jmckenzie@fhu.edu.

27-Feb-03
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ENGLAND TO SPEAK AT UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD CONFERENCE
Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

Freed-Hardeman University special education professor Richard England has been invited to participate in the Oxford Round Table at Lincoln College in the University of Oxford March 23-28. The conference, hosted periodically since 1989, serves to bring educators together to discuss and promote human understanding and advancement through improvements to schools and education. Participants, from schools and universities throughout the world, are selected based on nominations from previous participants, recommendations to the Round Table directors, recognized presentations and prestigious awards, as well as proven success in a university or public school system. England will be one of 35 participate in the March 2003 Round Table.
England’s topic, “Rethinking the Assessment of Maladaptive Behavior,” will promote the need to better serve children with high levels of inappropriate behavior.
“There is a need to better understand the difficulties children face,” he said. “What I’m proposing is that, because children do not have parents and are deprived of the opportunity to develop good relationships with alternatives to the biological parent … the children may actually become more attached to the chaos that surrounds them.” As children grow in such an environment, he said, they are unable to identify with a traditional upbringing in which children are loved, cared for and taught how to behave. When they are suddenly removed from the “chaos,” they find themselves in unfamiliar territory and react with resistance in the form of maladaptive behavior. “They become attached to the chaos of the situation that surrounds them, as opposed to becoming attached to parents in a way we would normally expect children to develop.”
At Oxford, England’s research will be reviewed by a committee of professors from the University of Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then discussed among all members of the Round Table. England will serve on a committee to discuss the research of UNC education professor Donald Steadman, “School-based Health Centers: A New Source of Support for Academic Achievement in School Performance.” Fifteen papers will be presented and discussed at the event. Dr. England and his wife, Dr. Barbara England, who will be accompanying him on the trip, will also become members of the prestigious Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford.
England’s research and paper on maladaptive behavior comes two years after his related book, “Displaced Children in Cri