freed-hardeman university press releases

2006 press releases

FHU STUDENTS FEATURED IN FINAL 2006 BROWN BAG CONCERT
11/8/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The vocal students of Freed-Hardeman University will light up the stage in this month’s Brown Bag Concert Series performance. The free concert will be held on Nov. 16 at noon in FHU’s Old Chapel Hall.
         Among the performers is Janet Fitzgerald, a junior music education major. She acknowledges that participating in the concert can be nerve-racking.
         “There’s always some anxiety, but you learn to get over it,” she said.
         Students will present vocal works by Schubert, Giordani and Scarlatti, among others.
         “I like being able to hear music from different time periods,” Fitzgerald noted.
         The community and FHU students alike seem to agree. A flutist and guitarist were highlighted in the last two performances, respectively, and the audience size has steadily remained over 100.
         “This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our talented students,” said Dr. Richard England, an FHU music professor. “They have been doing so well, and we’d like to be able to present them to the community.”
         More of FHU’s music students will take the spotlight in December.
         For more information on the fall 2006 Brown Bag Series or to request placement on the FHU Fine Arts mailing list, contact Dr. Barbara England at 731-989-6089 or blengland@fhu.edu.

ef

FHU’S HOOTENANNY TO BENEFIT 1-YEAR-OLD HLH PATIENT
11/3/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The students of Freed-Hardeman University’s Phi Kappa Alpha social club are on a mission this week to raise funds for a 1-year-old baby in Dunlap, Tenn. Megan Foster, who turned 1 in October, was diagnosed with the rare blood disorder hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) at 4 months. FHU students will donate the proceeds from next week’s annual PKA Hootenanny to help with her treatments.
The Hootenanny, a concert hosted in conjunction with FHU’s Homecoming celebration, will feature the FHU alumni oldies band Kid Cruise and T-Birds. Show time is 8 p.m. Nov. 11. Tickets are $5 at the door. The Hootenanny, which has been a tradition for more than 30 years, benefits a medical patient and his or her family each year.
HLH, while not a cancer, is treated like a cancer, and its only cure is through a stem cell transplant. Megan Foster received a transplant from her 5-year-old sister, Michelle.
The Foster family – parents Don and Margaret and sister Michelle – has a Web site at CaringBridge.com – type in “meganfoster.” The site tells the story of Megan’s diagnosis and treatments and offers a journal of her progress. Donations may also be made through the site.

jw

FHU GETS SET FOR HOMECOMING 2006
10/31/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The Freed-Hardeman University campus will be a bustling place Nov. 10 and 11 as alumni return for Homecoming 2006. While officially scheduled as a weekend event, the Homecoming celebration will offer alumni and student activities throughout the week.
“Homecoming is a special time for alumni to return to campus and reminisce or relive some college memories, but it’s also a great time for students who are making their college memories today,” said Dawn Bramblett, director of alumni relations.
Highlight activities for the FHU Homecoming will include:

The Alumni Awards Banquet, including the presentation of the 2006 Outstanding Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni awards.
Induction ceremonies for the School of Education Hall of Fame and Athletic Hall of Fame.
Coronation of the 2006 Homecoming King and Queen.
Five-, 10-, 20-, 25-, 30- and 40-year class reunions.
Reunions for math and computer science alumni, WFHU 91-Five former staff, Lion and Lady Lion basketball alumni, former Psi Mu members and former students of Dr. Milton Tucker.
FHU Theatre performances of William Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker.”
Performances by the Pied Pipers, the University Chorale and University Singers, and the alumni band Kid Cruise and the T-Birds.
Homecoming basketball games against Harris-Stowe State University and Covenant College.
Student spirit competitions.

A complete schedule is available at www.fhu.edu – click on “Homecoming 2006: Find Yourself.” For more information or to reserve seats for ticketed events, contact the FHU Office of Alumni Relations at 731-989-6021 or lblamb@fhu.edu.

jw

FHU THEATRE OFFERS NEW APPROACH TO FAMILIAR HELEN KELLER STORY
10/27/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Annie Sullivan will have to use all her Irish pluck to shape the intellect of a seemingly brutish deaf and blind Helen Keller as “The Miracle Worker” takes stage in FHU’s Loyd Auditorium Nov. 9-11. Show times are 7 each evening and 2 p.m. Nov. 11. Tickets are $10. For reservations, visit FHUtickets.com, or purchase tickets at the FHU bookstore.
William Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker” tells the true story of Keller, who, through the love and persistence of her teacher, would learn the gift of language. Keller went on to graduate from Radcliffe University, star on the vaudeville stage and write numerous articles on social issues and women’s rights.
“The Miracle Worker,” celebrating its 47th anniversary this year, won four Tony Awards for its original production on Broadway. Patty Duke made her stage debut as Helen and played Annie 20 years later opposite Melissa Gilbert of “Little House on the Prairie” fame. The filmed version of the latter production won Duke an Emmy.
FHU Theatre director Cliff Thompson said that while he expects a vast majority of the audience to be familiar with Keller’s story, they’ve never encountered the story quite like they will at FHU.
“Most (theatres) do a pretty naturalistic rendering of the play, and ours is not,” he said. While factually correct, “Ours is much more theatrical, demanding, abstract.”
Thompson said audiences would encounter unique and abstract dimensions to the FHU production at several levels, including the double-casting of several characters. To offer a show equally accessible to speaking and hearing-impaired theatre goers, Thompson went beyond merely placing an interpreter at the side of the stage. Several characters will have speaking actors as well as signing counterparts on stage, while other actors will speak as well as sign, depending on the role being played and that character’s comfort with the speaking and signing worlds.
The abstraction of the FHU production, Thompson said, stems from the theme of language, which permeates several levels of the show. It only starts with the simultaneous speaking and signing on stage, with the set itself adding another dimension.
“It (the set) doesn’t look like a photograph of Ivy Green (Keller’s home in Tuscumbia, Ala.),” which most “Miracle Worker” sets have offered, Thompson said.
The set will involve multimedia images as well as embedded text, such as recurring words from the script and quotes from Keller’s autobiography.
The set is designed by Luis Ramirez, whose work includes scenic and lighting designs for prestigious theatres such as the Body Politic Theater in Chicago, the Acacia Theatre Company in Milwaukee and the Academy Theatre in Atlanta.
Ramirez also designed the set for FHU’s November 2005 production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”
As FHU offers this innovative approach to “The Miracle Worker,” Thompson sees it simply as a new telling of an old story.
“It’s kind of like what the Greeks did,” he said. “The Greeks knew the ‘Antigone’ story. So they didn’t come to the theatre to have a story revealed to them, but to encounter it in some different way.
“That’s what we’re doing. We’re helping the audience to encounter this text in a different way.”

jw

FHU’S CLOUSE AND NEWBERRY AWARDED CFRE DESIGNATION
10/25/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – CFRE International has awarded Freed-Hardeman University’s Dave Clouse and David Newberry the professional designation of Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Clouse serves FHU as vice president for university advancement, and Newberry serves as assistant vice president for development.
Clouse and Newberry join more than 4,700 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation.
The CFRE designation recognizes an “accumulated knowledge of the best practices in the industry,” Clouse said. “You have to have a pretty good knowledge of all aspects of advancement, from alumni relations to major gift fundraising.”
Individuals granted the CFRE credential have met a series of standards set by CFRE International, including tenure in the profession, education, professional achievements and a commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations. They also agree to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights. In addition, candidates must pass a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a fundraising executive.
“The CFRED process was developed as a way to identify for the public and employers those individuals who possess the knowledge, skills and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective, conscientious, ethical and professional manner,” said Susan F. Rice, chair of CFRE International. “Achievement of the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential demonstrates the level of commitment on the part of Dave Clouse and David Newberry and the profession as a whole.”
Clouse and Newberry lead a 30-member FHU advancement team, which includes fundraising, gift planning, alumni relations and marketing arms. The team is currently engaged in the $80 million Beyond Believe Campaign for FHU.
CFRE recipients are awarded certification for a three-year period. To maintain certification status, recipients must continue to demonstrate ongoing fundraising employment, fundraising results and continue with their professional education.
CFRE International is an independent organization whose sole mission is dedicated to the certification of fundraising executives by setting standards in philanthropy. The single, universal baseline organization works in cooperation with leading philanthropic associations. The board of directors of CFRE International is made up of currently certified individuals from various types of fundraising settings, and it includes members of the public representing the interests of donors.
Seventeen professional associations participate with CFRE International, including the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Association of Christian Development Professionals (ACDP), Association of Fundraising Consultants (AFC), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE), Association of Philanthropic Counsel (APC), Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), the Council for Resource Development (CRD), Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA), Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ), Institute for Development Professionals in Education (IDPE), International Catholic Stewardship Council (NCSC), National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC), New England Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (NEAHP), North American YMCA Development Organization (NAYDO), Philanthropic Service for Institutions (PSI) and United Way of America.

jw

FHU SCHOOL OF EDUCATION INSTITUTES HALL OF FAME
10/24/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Two longtime Freed-Hardeman administrators will be honored at the university’s Homecoming celebration in November. Dr. E. Claude Gardner, former FHU president, and Dr. B.J. Naylor, former vice president, will be the first two inductees into the FHU School of Education’s newly instituted Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony and dinner will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at FHU. Tickets are $25 each and may be ordered by contacting the School of Education at 731-989-6074 or gsneed@fhu.edu.
“It seemed logical to us that Dr. Gardner and Dr. Naylor, given their history with the program and with the university, that they be the first two we honor,” said Dr. John Sweeney, dean of the School of Education.
Sweeney said the school will induct new members into the Hall of Fame at the FHU Homecoming celebration each November.
Gardner, who retired as president emeritus in 1990, came to FHU in 1949 as head of the Department of Education and Psychology and as an instructor in Bible. Twenty years later, he was named president. Gardner’s presidency saw the school’s move from junior college to senior college status, its later move to university status, as well as its implementation of graduate programs of study. Still living in Henderson, Gardner now devotes his time to preaching, lecturing, writing and consulting.
Naylor, a Chester County native, joined the FHU faculty in 1966 to teach in the Department of Education and Psychology. He later served as director of institutional research, graduate dean, academic dean, vice president for academic affairs and vice president for administration. Since his retirement in 2003, Naylor has served as an adjunct member of the FHU faculty, teaching in the School of Education as well as the School of Biblical Studies. He is the co-author of a book on the history of Finger, Tenn.

jw

FHU ENVIRONMENTAL LECTURE TO DISCUSS APPALACHIAN DESTRUCTION
10/24/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – It’s called mountaintop removal mining. In West Virginia and East Kentucky, coal companies blast as much as 600 feet from the tops of mountains, already turning more than 300,000 acres of hardwood forests into barren grasslands. These areas have seen increased flooding, contaminated drinking-water supplies and cracked foundations among other detriments.
Freed-Hardeman University will host a free program on the hidden destruction of mountaintop removal mining Thursday at 6 p.m. in Ayers Auditorium. The program will feature Dave Cooper of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. A discussion will follow his presentation.
The program is open to the public and particularly to students of environmental science, political science and related fields.

jw

FHU BREAKS GROUND ON VISUAL ARTS CENTER
10/18/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University broke ground on its newest academic center Wednesday afternoon. The Bulliner-Clayton Visual Arts Center is being named for Jack and Patsy Bulliner of Henderson and Jim and Kay Clayton of Knoxville, Tenn.
“These four individuals are beloved in the Henderson community, and we consider them important members of the Freed-Hardeman family,” said Dr. Milton Sewell, FHU president. “It is a privilege to honor them with this new academic center.”
FHU announced the Claytons’ commitment of $1 million toward the visual arts center in Oct. 2005. The couple is using the gift to honor the Bulliners, longtime Henderson residents and friends of the Claytons.
Jack Bulliner is board chairman of First State Bank in Henderson, owned by Jim Clayton as a subsidiary of Clayton Bank and Trust. Other subsidiaries include American City Bank in Tullahoma, Tenn., and Friendship Bank in Friendship, Tenn.
Bulliner is also a former president of First State Bank, where he has been employed for more than 50 years, since age 16.
Jim Clayton is a native of Finger, Tenn., and a graduate of Chester County High School.
The Bulliner-Clayton Visual Arts Center, which will be built near the site of the old Milan-Sitka Building on the corner of East Main Street and White Avenue, is the first phase of a two-phase fine arts center. The facility will be completed with a center for the performing arts.
“We are proud to have the Claytons show such confidence in our excellent art programs,” said Dr. Barbara England, chairwoman of the FHU Department of Fine Arts. “Our award-winning students and faculty have been highly successful in their fields, so I can only imagine where they can go with the advantage of this new cutting-edge visual arts center.”
England also referred to the new facility as “a marvelous contribution not only to Freed-Hardeman but also to the surrounding community.”
The 11,550-square-foot visual arts center will include studio and lab classrooms specially designed for printmaking, painting, drawing and graphic arts. Areas will also be equipped for film development and printing, woodwork, and sculpture. A state-of-the-art show gallery will be available to display works by students, faculty and visiting artists.
The center will also offer a children’s art lab, equipped with such features as small desks, low countertops and cork wall areas for displaying children’s art. FHU hosts after-school and summer art programs for local schoolchildren.
The visual arts center is one of several capital goals of FHU’s $80 million Beyond Believe Campaign. Other goals include a new library, a renovation and expansion to the university’s Associates Science Center, and several building and renovation projects for student living.
The Beyond Believe Campaign, which will conclude in May 2009, currently stands at more than $62 million.
In addition to their capital gifts, the Claytons are supporting FHU’s School of Business by providing the opportunity for a group of finance students and faculty to manage the investments of $1 million of their funds. Jim Clayton announced the new investments program last April. Fifty percent of the investment growth is given to FHU.
Jim Clayton is owner of Clayton Bank and Trust, whose subsidiaries include First State Bank and Trust Department in Henderson as well as American City Bank in Tullahoma, Tenn., and Friendship Bank in Friendship, Tenn.
He is also founder and former chairman of Clayton Homes Inc., a leading company in the manufactured-homes industry. Clayton sold the company to Warren Buffett in 2003.

jw

FHU’S ‘THE MIRACLE WORKER’ TO OFFER UNIQUE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE FOR HEARING-IMPAIRED
10/12/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – As Freed-Hardeman University theatre director Cliff Thompson explored possibilities for the upcoming production of “The Miracle Worker,” he knew he wanted to make the play accessible to a hearing-impaired audience. But he wasn’t content merely to place an interpreter at the side of the stage.
He found a more unique approach as he considered the nature of each character and the theme of language in the remarkable story of the play’s main character, the deaf and blind Helen Keller. “What would happen if we tried to have signers shadowing the actors on stage? What sort of level would that bring to the production?” Thompson said.
When audiences attend the show at FHU Nov. 9-11, they’ll see two stage productions in one. Speaking actors will be shadowed by counterpart actors using American Sign Language (ASL), and some scenes will be mirrored across stage by a signing cast.
However, some actors will speak as well as sign, depending on their role. “A character that is more complete in our production is not doubled. … The nature of that character is such that he is very comfortable with both the hearing and signing world,” Thompson said, referring to such characters as Dr. Anagnos, who was fluent in both spoken and sign languages in the Helen Keller story.
Thompson said he is unaware of any productions of “The Miracle Worker” that have used such a complex double-casting approach for the hearing-impaired. “And the licensing company hadn’t had any requests of groups doing this before,” he said.
Thompson didn’t have to look far for actors fluent in ASL to fill some of the major signing roles. The part of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher, will be played by a deaf student, FHU freshman Kaitlin Pate, who is using special hearing devices to hear the lines of her counterpart actor. Several roles will be played by FHU students and staff who have interpreted for Pate this fall. Other actors, including five children, have been working closely with ASL interpreter Kathy Simmons to learn the language.
“What I’ve done is taken the entire play for those who are not as experienced (in ASL), and I’ve rewritten the play to be put into sign language,” Simmons said.
She has also recorded the script on audiotape, which she listens to while watching the signing cast rehearse.
Simmons’ decision to work with the cast of “The Miracle Worker” was one she took seriously, she said. After 25 years as an educational interpreter, it would be the most unique job she’s undertaken. Before agreeing to it, she visited Ivy Green, Helen Keller’s birthplace in Tuscumbia, Ala., and read about Keller’s remarkable life. And then her decision was resolute.
“It wasn’t because I all of a sudden realized I’m capable,” she said. It was “just being down there and seeing what an incredible story it is to tell.”
Simmons said she was also motivated by Thompson’s vision of “a play where they (the hearing-impaired) can come and sit and not have to worry about understanding, because every single character is going to be made clear to them.”
“The Miracle Worker” will take stage Nov. 9-11 in FHU’s Loyd Auditorium. Show times are 7 each evening and 2 p.m. Nov. 11. Tickets are $12. For reservations, visit FHUtickets.com, or purchase tickets at the FHU bookstore.

jw

EATON RECEIVES FHU’S SERVICE TO THE ARTS AWARD
10/5/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University recognized the on-stage and off-stage work of one of its staff members Oct. 2, when the Department of Fine Arts presented its annual Service to the Arts award. The department chairwoman, Dr. Barbara England, presented the award to Ray Eaton, director of broadcasting services, at the university’s morning chapel.

“He’s played in everything from Shakespeare to modern plays, and he also is a very important behind-the-scenes person who has worked with the sound and the recording,” England said.

The award was presented in conjunction with FHU’s Fine Arts Week, which is running Oct. 2-7 and featuring a variety of events, including a student showcase of the visual arts Oct. 5 and an outdoor play, “Antigone,” Oct. 5-7 at 6 each evening, among other events.

Eaton isn’t cast in the play, though he will record it. He was last seen on stage last spring, when he was cast as the Old Shepherd in Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale.”

Eaton’s first experience with FHU Theatre was as a student in 1979, when he appeared in the university’s Homecoming musical, “Carousel.” Since 1983, when he joined the FHU staff, he said he has been cast in at least one play a year.

He has also traveled several times with theatre students to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

When Eaton isn’t acting in or recording plays on campus, he’s often helping with the props. Most recently, he’s located a water pump for the Nov. 7-11 staging of “The Miracle Worker.”

While Eaton’s background is in broadcast communications, he said he enjoys theatre on the side for two reasons. He likes the live nature of theatrical performance (“Every audience is different”), but he also sees it as “a way to get to know the students better.”

FHU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DEBUTS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
10/5/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The Freed-Hardeman University School of Business is offering a win/win situation for its business majors and area businesses with a new internship program.

“The School of Business understands the advantage its business majors can receive from hands-on, practical experience in their chosen business field of study,” said Jim Brown, director of admissions and career development for the School of Business. “Employers will have the opportunity to observe and evaluate FHU interns in real business world situations and consider them as possible full-time employees.”

The internship program hopes to secure internships in management, operations, marketing, accounting, banking, insurance, real estate, management information systems, sales and financial services. Students who participate in the internship program will have the option of taking the program for academic credit and would be required to meet several academic requirements.

“Research is showing that companies are hiring a greater percentage of their new employees from internship programs,” Brown said. “The FHU School of Business recognizes the importance of internship experience and is working hard to make our students more aware of the value of internships. This internship program is being created to help give our business majors a better opportunity to determine and advance their chosen career.”

For more information about the FHU School of Business internship program, contact Brown at 800-348-3481, 731-983-3449 or jbrown@fhu.edu.

FHU PRESENTS SECOND CONCERT IN BROWN BAG SERIES
10/5/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University’s Brown Bag Concert Series will continue Oct. 19 at noon in Old Chapel Hall. This month’s featured performer is Christopher Schlegel, a classical guitarist and composer from McKenzie, Tenn.

“He is a young composer with excellent reviews and a very accomplished guitar player,” said FHU music professor Dr. Richard England. “Considering his performance schedule, we are fortunate he is able to be with us.”

Schlegel earned a music B.A. from Bethel College and taught both classical and electric guitar for 20 years. Recently, he has decided to focus primarily on composing and performing, in which he has 25 years experience. He has recorded two CDs: one of classical guitar sonatas and the other of concert electric guitar.

Last month, more than 100 students and community members attended FHU’s first Brown Bag Concert Series performance for fall 2006.

“We look forward to having another enjoyable performance where we can all relax and enjoy a good afternoon of music,” England said.

November’s Series concert will present some of FHU’s finest voice students.

For more information on the fall 2006 Brown Bag Series or to request placement on the FHU Fine Arts mailing list, contact Dr. Barbara England at 731-989-6089 or blengland@fhu.edu.

‘ANTIGONE’ TO TAKE STAGE AT FHU IN OCTOBER
9/22/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – When Freed-Hardeman University theatre major Emily Hooker chose Sophocles’ “Antigone” for her senior thesis, she said she wanted to experiment with a Greek play as performed in the Greek theatrical tradition. That’s what audiences will get when her production takes stage Oct. 5-7.

The play will begin at 6 each evening in the FHU Commons. A Greek festival will be hosted before the Oct. 7 show, celebrating the food, music and art of the Greek Isles. All events are free to the public. Playgoers may bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic dinners to enjoy during the show.

As Hooker directs the play, she is “trying to do it using masks like they did 2,500 years ago and double-casting it the way the Greek plays were,” said Dr. Cliff Thompson, FHU theatre director.

Cast members will play more than one role each, using masks and other costume adjustments in their character changes.

The outdoor performance area will also be from ancient Greek theatre. And the staging, Thompson said, is giving the play scope, “as she (Hooker) is using the entire Commons area – the steps, the trees around the Commons to stage different scenes. So the production should be pretty full, rather large, even though the cast is pretty small.”

“Antigone” was one of the most widely produced plays of its period, the fifth century B.C.

Following a bloody civil war, the victorious king Creon decrees that the traitor Polynices is not to be buried, but his sister Antigone defies that order. She is caught and sentenced by Creon to be buried alive, even though she is betrothed to his son Haemon. After the blind prophet Tiresias proves that the gods are on Antigone’s side, Creon changes his mind – but too late.

He goes first to bury Polynices, but Antigone has already hanged herself. When Creon arrives at the tomb, Haemon attacks him and then kills himself. When the news of their deaths is reported, Creon’s wife Eurydice takes her own life. Creon is alone.

The cast will include Megan Applewhite as Antigone, Joshua Blanton as Creon, Chris Wheat as Haemon and Hannah Stone as Ismene. Others in the company include Hooker, Allison Boyd, Bailey Gillreath, Joshua Clayborn, Matthew Neely, Chris Pate, David Galloway and Meg McGehee.

For more information on “Antigone” or other FHU Theatre productions, call 731-989-6938 or e-mail theatre@fhu.edu.

jw

DISNEY CREATIVE GURU TO PRESENT ‘IMAGINU!TY TOUR’ FOR FHU STUDENTS AND AREA PROFESSIONALS
9/18/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Creativity. Imagination. Ingenuity. We’ve all got it in us. Yet these are traits too often missing from businesses and organizations of all kinds, according to McNair Wilson, theme park and entertainment designer for Disney, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony.

Wilson will present his “Imaginu!ty Tour” at Freed-Hardeman University’s Ayers Auditorium on Oct. 3 and 4. In the two-part series, Wilson will introduce students and area professionals to the very best in creativity studies while sharing techniques used by the creative artists at Walt Disney World.

Part one of the series will begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 3, and part two will begin at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 4. The event is free, but reservations are required. Visit www.fhutickets.com to reserve seats.

“My philosophy is that everyone is born with a creative spirit,” Wilson said. “Everybody uses their creativity by the time they’re about 3, but by the time they’re 7, when they’ve started school, they stop using it.”

Wilson explains this “creative spirit” and the roadblocks that suppress it on the first night of his workshop. On evening two, which he calls “Brainstorming Secrets of a Theme Park Designer,” he discusses techniques used by Disney Imagineers, offering these as the same techniques that can help major corporations, government agencies, school groups and others to effectively and imaginatively solve problems.

Wilson has conducted workshops on creative thinking and inventive problem solving with clients from Apple Computers to the Salvation Army.

“We have relegated the word creative … to artists and ‘creative people,’” Wilson said. But others also “have the creative tools in their toolbox, in their minds, in their spirit, and they’re just not using them. I want to remind them that they’ve got the tools. They’re factory-installed. They’ve been there since birth. The only reason you don’t use them is because you think you don’t know how, and that’s because you haven’t used them enough.”

Algene Steele is among the FHU staff planning to hear Wilson. Steele, who is working on a master’s degree in creative studies at Buffalo State College, spoke at the 17 th Annual International Creativity Conference in Midland, Mich., in June.

“It’s important that people become more aware of their creative abilities and find ways to use them, not only in their everyday life but in business especially,” Steele said. “ America is in a much more competitive global environment. The problems that we face are not simple problems – they are complex problems that require unique and creative answers.”

Steele teaches a creative methods course at FHU.

Wilson said his “Imaginu!ty Tour” is designed for virtually any size project or problem in any organization or industry.

“What I tell people is that I’m going to teach you a system that I’ve used to design the best birthday party anybody has ever been to, and I’ve also used it to design a $1.3 billion theme park,” he said. “If you have any projects that are anywhere between the size of a birthday party and a billion-dollar theme park, this process will work. If it’s bigger than a billion 3 or smaller than a birthday party, you’re on your own.”

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ‘R.U.S.H.’ TO FHU
9/18/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – More than 1,500 high school students, youth ministers, parents and Freed-Hardeman students, faculty and staff “reached unlimited spiritual heights” at the university’s annual R.U.S.H. weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The theme, “Revolution: Changing Your World,” emphasized the importance of sharing one’s beliefs and not being content with the biblical knowledge one has already. Highlights included keynote speakers, in-depth Bible classes, a performance by FHU’s Chorale and entertainment by hypnotist Dr. Jim Wand.

“R.U.S.H. is a fast-paced weekend full of spiritual growth,” said Aarek Farmer, FHU’s events and groups coordinator. “It is an enriching experience for all involved.”

Amanda Riddick, an 11 th-grader from Halls, Tenn., agreed. “It just feels good to be around other Christians. … It’s homey here.”

While students enjoy the campus atmosphere, adults stress additional bonuses.

“I think that Freed-Hardeman is a great place,” said Mark Kelly, a chaperone from Madison, Ala. “I bring kids to R.U.S.H. to introduce them to a school where they can be with other Christians and still get a good education.”

Students like Joseph Anderson, a 12 th-grader from Poplarville, Miss., appreciate the opportunity R.U.S.H. gives to experience the campus life.

“I came here because I’m interested in the school,” Anderson commented. “I like the people, and it’s different from other colleges.”

According to Farmer, most of the high schoolers who come to R.U.S.H. become FHU students. Ryan Davis, a freshman from Tullahoma, Tenn., is one such student.

“I liked meeting possible future classmates and friends at R.U.S.H.,” Davis said.

R.U.S.H. is one of FHU’s most highly anticipated events among prospective students. Davis still finds the event enjoyable even though he is no longer a true R.U.S.H. participant.

“My favorite part is the singing and devotionals in the Commons because there are 500 more people there than other nights,” he said.

Farmer and FHU’s Campus Delegate Team plan R.U.S.H. a full year in advance.

“R.U.S.H. is a campus-wide effort,” Farmer said. “I couldn’t do it without the help of CDT and everyone else.”

ef

WITH AGING POPULATION ON THE RISE, FHU OFFERS GERONTOLOGY CERTIFICATION
9/15/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Dr. Mike Cravens and his FHU counseling faculty didn’t have to look much further than the statistics to see the need for West Tennessee’s first graduate certificate in gerontology.

In 2000, 12.4 percent of the United States population – 35 million people – was age 65 or older, according the U.S. Census Bureau. But the Baby Boomers are nearing retirement, which means that the elderly will soon be the nation’s fast-growing demographic. By 2030, in fact, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that 20 percent of the country’s population – 72 million people – will be at least 65.

“What we’re starting to see is that more and more entities, agencies, organizations are needing gerontologists,” Cravens said.

That’s why Jerome Platt enrolled in FHU’s 27-hour certification program this fall, the program’s first semester. Platt, a program supervisor for Tennessee Adult Protective Services, said the elderly constitute of significant percentage of the clients he works with. “The type of services that we are providing for them is going to have a direct bearing on their quality of life,” he said.

Platt added that today’s aging population is “not going to allow us to ignore them, which is a good thing,” meaning they are an educated demographic that is aware of the services they need.

“According to the studies we have,” Cravens said, “this aging community is not only needing, but expecting, services, because Baby Boomers are used to healthcare and psychological services. And now that they’re older, they’re needing more specific services.”

Cravens said that while there is currently not a national certification in geriatrics, the FHU program is broad and interdisciplinary, covering vital aspects of the aging process. “We’re looking at every mental, emotional, social, physical and spiritual domain that an elderly person is facing to help educate those students who are going to work with them,” he said.

For more information on the FHU graduate certificate in gerontology, contact Cravens at 731-989-6666 or mcravens@fhu.edu.

FHU KICKS OFF FALL 2006 BROWN BAG SERIES
9/14/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University’s Department of Fine Arts will present its first concert of the fall 2006 Brown Bag Series at noon Sept. 21 in Old Chapel Hall. Sarah Beth Hanson, an accomplished flutist, will be the featured performer.

Hanson, who plays the piccolo for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, has performed solo recitals in prominent locales such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium. Her professional skill as a recitalist, adjudicator and clinician has been highly sought-after, according to Dr. Richard England, an FHU music professor.

“We are very fortunate to have her in the area and able to come to campus,” England said.

The Brown Bag Series provides a relaxed atmosphere for the community to enjoy quality music. Admission is free, and attendees are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. Future series performers will include Christopher Schlegel, a classical guitarist and composer from McKenzie, Tenn.

For more information on the fall 2006 Brown Bag Series or to request placement on the FHU Fine Arts mailing list, contact Dr. Barbara England at 731-989-6089 or blengland@fhu.edu.

FHU TO HOST CHURCH UNITY DISCUSSION
9/13/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – A century after the landmark division between the Churches of Christ and Independent Christian Churches, unity has been the wish among members of both groups. But there are still doctrinal issues serving as a barrier between the two, according to Dr. Ralph Gilmore, a Bible professor at Freed-Hardeman University.

These unity issues will be discussed by Gilmore and Dr. David Faust, president of Cincinnati Christian University, in a Contemporary Discussion being titled, “What Will It Take to Be ‘Together Again?’” The discussion will be hosted at FHU on Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Gilmore said he sees the discussion as a plea for unity. While some have already assumed the Churches of Christ and Independent Christian Churches to be newly reunited, he said there is still more road ahead.

“Although there are other differences in addition to the instrument, most would recognize that it is a major, if not the major, barrier,” Gilmore said. “I would like for us to be able to worship together again and work together again. And I would like to think that, for the sake of unity, they (the Independent Christian Churches), would lay the instrument aside.”

Faust, president of the National New Church Conference and North American Christian Convention, shared similar sentiments on the desire for Christian unity and need for more discussion.

“If we’re going to ‘make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’ (Ephesians 4:3), then we need to listen to each other carefully, understand each other accurately and love each other deeply,” he said.

“We must be willing to dialogue respectfully about what we believe, what we have in common and even what we disagree about.”

FHU hosted a similar Contemporary Discussion at its annual lectureship in February 2004 on the question of whether instrumental music in worship should be a barrier to fellowship. Discussion participants were Marlin Connelly, a retired Lipscomb University professor and minister for the Hillsboro Church of Christ, and Phillip Morrison, a former Wineskins magazine editor and elder for the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ.

For more information on the Oct. 14 Contemporary Discussion, contact the FHU School of Biblical Studies at 731-989-6622.

jw

FHU NAMES RESIDENCE HALL FOR PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY
9/13/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman president and first lady Milton and Laurel Sewell received a standing ovation Wednesday morning when the name for the university’s new residence hall was announced – Sewell Hall. The announcement was made by FHU’s board chairman, Dr. Lynn Patterson, at the university’s morning chapel service.

“You’ll not find anyone who loves this university more than Milton and Laurel Sewell,” Patterson said in his announcement.

Sewell Hall, a 200-bed men’s residence hall, is still under construction. Its official dedication will be in January, when it opens for occupancy.

“Christian education is so very close to my heart and to Laurel’s, and we cannot think of a more excellent Christian university than Freed-Hardeman,” Milton Sewell said. “This is a tremendous honor for us, and we are deeply appreciative to everyone who has made it happen.”

Milton Sewell has served as FHU’s president since 1990. He had previously served as president of Mars Hill Bible School in Florence, Ala. From 1976 to 1983, he was FHU’s director of institutional advancement and later vice president for advancement.

Patterson shared some of Sewell’s highlight accomplishments with students Wednesday, including a budget increase of more than 400 percent, endowment increase of almost 600 percent and construction of seven new buildings. Sewell Hall is the seventh building.

Patterson also said that “while Dr. Sewell has been at the helm of Freed-Hardeman’s growth, Ms. Laurel has been his rock.” The Sewells frequently travel together on behalf of FHU, and Laurel Sewell has also represented the university at many Christian women’s events. She has also been a leader of the FHU Associates, a national women’s organization raising funds for FHU scholarships.

Milton Sewell has led FHU in its two most successful fundraising campaigns, Believe and Beyond Believe, which is funding Sewell Hall.

The Believe Campaign, which concluded in December 2004, surpassed its $32 million goal, ending at $35.5 million. Beyond Believe is currently building on that success to reach $80 million by May 2009. The campaign currently stands at more than $61 million.

In addition to a new residence hall and other student-living projects, goals of the Beyond Believe Campaign include a new library, a new fine arts center, and a renovated and expanded Associates Science Center, among other goals.

jw

FHU NAMES TWO NEW TRUSTEES
9/12/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University has added two new members to its board of trustees, FHU president Dr. Milton Sewell announced. New members are Dr. Phil Oldham of Starkville, Miss., and Jack Stites of Cookeville, Tenn.

“The university is pleased to have each of these gentlemen serving on the board. I look forward to working with them,” Sewell said.

FHU now has 40 members on its board of trustees.

Dr. Lynn Patterson, chairman of the FHU board, said the selection of the new trustees “was done prayerfully and with great care. This board always seeks the most qualified leaders, and I know Dr. Oldham and Mr. Stites will serve effectively,” he said.

Oldham, a 1980 graduate of FHU, is dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University, where he has taught chemistry for 20 years. Oldham completed a Ph.D. at Texas A&M University after graduating from FHU. He has also served on FHU’s Sports Advisory Council and the Starkville School District PTA. He and his family are members of the East Lee Blvd. Church of Christ in Starkville, where Oldham serves as a deacon and teacher.

Stites, of Cookeville, Tenn., is president of J&S Construction Co. Inc., a four-time recipient of the Tennessee Quality Award and 2005 winner of the Tennessee American Business Ethics Award. Stites is also president XI Properties, a commercial, industrial and institutional development company. He is a board member for the National Association of Church Design Builders. Stites and his family are members of the Collegeside Church of Christ in Cookeville.

jw

FHU ADDS TO ADVISORY AND MSYC BOARDS
9/12/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University has added five new members to its President’s Advisory Board and two new members to the Mid-South Youth Camp board, university president Dr. Milton Sewell announced.

New members to the Advisory Board are John and Debbie Brown of Lexington, Ala.; Kent and Vicky Carter of Jackson, Tenn.; and Brenda Veerhusen of Mabelville, Ark. New members to the Mid-South Youth Camp board are Greg and Kelley Swims of Jackson.

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. The Mid-South Youth Camp board oversees camp operations and fundraising for upkeep, maintenance and development of the camp facilities.

FHU EXPERTS TO SPEAK ON ‘THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY’
9/11/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – In the face of high gas prices and dwindling oil supplies, three Freed-Hardeman University environmental and marketing experts will discuss Jeremy Rifkin’s “The Hydrogen Economy” Sept. 18.

The discussion will be the first of three 2006 Great Books discussions, an honors program hosted at FHU each fall. The Sept. 18 discussion will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Brown-Kopel Business Center, room 109. The event is offered for FHU honors students as well as the community.

The discussion will be led by FHU biology chairman Dr. Brian Butterfield, Research Center director Dr. LeAnn Self-Davis and marketing director Jud Davis.

Self-Davis, an environmental chemist, said she recommended “The Hydrogen Economy” for discussion because, “with energy and global warming at the forefront on the news, I thought it was just a good book for the students to start to think about. We don’t always have to be dependent on gasoline.”

“The Hydrogen Economy,” written in 2002, offers a historical look at oil use and then predicts that, because of limited oil resources, societies are on the downhill slope of oil dependence. What to do? Rifkin argues that unlimited fuel sources, especially hydrogen, will be the wave of the future. That could lead to a global economic power shift.

“Big oil companies, unless they change gears, aren’t going to be powerful anymore,” Butterfield said. “The Middle East will be less of a significant player. Whoever has the oil right now has the power, and that will all change.”

And populations that couldn’t afford energy before would suddenly be able to afford it, Self-Davis said. “So the quality of life in developing countries starts to increase.”

Self-Davis is hopeful of the shift to unlimited fuel sources, saying that the technology is already in place, although hydrogen fuel is still expensive.

Realistically, though, “you’re not going to go from depending on one energy source to a completely new energy source,” she said. “It’s really baby steps to get us there.”

And there are several transition energies – nuclear, solar, wind, hydroelectric and others – that will be relied on as consumers wean themselves off of oil. Self-Davis said the transition will be a long one and that people today will only begin to see the shift away from oil.

One of the criticisms of “The Hydrogen Economy,” she said, is that it skips over that transition period, going straight to hydrogen fuel. But Self-Davis sees other clean energy sources on the rise.

“Even here in West Tennessee,” she said, “our electricity is coming from a hydroelectric power plant. I think there are several of those in the country that supply a pretty significant amount of energy to the grid. I think solar energy is going to increase, too.”

Self-Davis mentioned a couple of solar homes in Chattanooga, Tenn., that produce enough energy to power their own houses and then sell energy back to the power company. “I think more and more people are getting interested in that.”

FHU hosts three to four Great Books discussions each fall. The fall 2006 series will also include “The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century” Oct. 9 and “Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results” Oct. 30.

The Great Books discussions are part of the university’s Honors Colloquia Series, which also offers three to four Faculty Forums in the spring. Faculty Forums enable FHU professors to share new or ongoing research or a variety of contemporary issues with students and the community. Each session of the Honors Colloquia Series is open to the public.

jw

SEN. JIM TRACY SPEAKS AT FHU
9/8/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Sen. Jim Tracy returned to his West Tennessee alma mater Freed-Hardeman University on Friday to speak at the school’s daily chapel service.

Tracy (R-Shelbyville) is a Tennessee State Senator for District 16, which includes Bedford, Moore and part of Rutherford counties. He is a Senate member of the 104 th General Assembly, assistant floor leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, secretary of the Senate Education Committee and a member of the Senate Government Operations Committee.

“I’ve talked with several of the Senators, and I don’t know if there’s anybody who is respected any more highly than Sen. Tracy,” FHU president Dr. Milton Sewell said in his introduction of Tracy. “Every time I hear one of the Senators talking about the high respect they have for him, I think … that’s what you expect of Freed-Hardeman alumni.”

Tracy spoke to FHU students, faculty and staff about having pride, which he defined as “self-respect, self-esteem, a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction of knowing one’s accomplishments.” He encouraged students to see their potential, to be responsible, to realize their influence, to be determined and to show enthusiasm.

Tracy’s community involvement has included service with the NFIB Leadership Council, the Bedford County School Board, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, and service as an NCAA basketball official. He is owner of the Jim Tracy Insurance Agency in Shelbyville.

He and his wife, Trena, also an FHU alumna, are members of the Fairlane Church of Christ, where Jim Tracy serves as a deacon.

FHU ART GALLERY OPENS SEASON WITH LAQUITA THOMSON
8/28/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The Freed-Hardeman University Art Gallery opened its 2006-07 season Aug. 24 with a 2-D show of the landscape paintings, prints and photographs of Laquita Thomson. The show will run through Sept. 22 and will also include a reception Sept. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Thomson, of Corinth, Miss., is a new art professor at FHU. Her art career of more than 30 years has included dozens of shows, most recently including this year’s invitational exhibit “Southern Women Artists” at the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Her landscape paintings, prints and photos shown at FHU, Thomson said, do not reflect only the landscapes. “I look at how it (the landscape) is affected by light or weather or manmade structures or objects. Beyond that, I look at it as possible settings for real or imaginary dramas,” she said.

She added that each of the pieces shown at FHU is pervaded by underlying narratives, “whether or not the viewer is privy to my version of the story.”

The FHU Art Gallery is open all day Monday-Friday. All shows are free to the public. For more information, contact the Art Gallery director at 731-989-6090 or wgreene@fhu.edu.

jw

SACS PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO FHU FACULTY AND STAFF
8/18/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Fifty years after receiving accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Freed-Hardeman University hosted the president of the accrediting agency, Dr. Belle Wheelan, for its fall semester Faculty/Staff Conference on Aug. 18. SACS is the regional accrediting body for institutions of higher education in 11 U.S. southern states.

Dr. Milton Sewell, FHU president and a SACS commissioner, said that Wheelan’s “outgoing people personality” has made a difference at SACS “from the moment she walked in. We commissioners felt very fortunate to be able to recruit her as president of SACS,” he said.

SACS-accredited institutions undergo a rigorous process for accreditation reaffirmation every 10 years. Wheelan, a former Secretary of Education for Virginia, spoke to FHU’s faculty and staff about recent changes to the reaffirmation process and the purpose and importance of the process.

“The reason we do reaffirmation,” she said, “is because we want to show the world … exactly what it is that student can do and know when they leave this institution.”

She said that changes to the reaffirmation process were made “so that we can have a better handle on what it is students learn and how it is that we portray it.”

In addition to standard criteria, such as administration and physical plant, Wheelan said that one of the key elements of the new process is the Quality Enhancement Plan – a plan to help colleges and universities identify student-learning outcomes. Reaffirmation, she said, will require schools to show plans for how “all the pieces of the university will come together” to enhance learning opportunities for students.

That message was reflected in a new SACS acronym she had developed: “Students Are Central to Success. That’s what SACS stands for for me,” she said.

Wheelan also observed the increasing need for education beyond career training in today’s career market.

“It’s not just specific training about a career,” she said, “but it’s about teambuilding. It’s about getting along with the people with whom you work. It’s all those soft skills that you teach by helping people understand the spirit of work. You’re working with the spirit of getting things done as well as the academic rigor that’s needed.”

Including her service as SACS president and Virginia Secretary of Education, Wheelan’s 32-year career in education has included roles as a faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost and president of two colleges.

jw

FHU LISTED IN TOP TIER BY U.S. NEWS
8/18/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – U.S.News & World Report has ranked Freed-Hardeman University in the top tier among 127 schools in the southern region of the Best Universities – Master’s category. The magazine’s “ America’s Best Colleges 2007” rankings were released Aug. 18.

FHU is ranked 50 th among its peers, which includes southern colleges and universities offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

“We are very proud of the quality of this great university, and we are honored at Freed-Hardeman to be ranked among other excellent schools,” said Dr. Milton Sewell, FHU president.

To arrive at the rankings, U.S. News evaluates colleges and universities nationwide, noting their standings in terms of student-to-faculty ratio, class sizes, freshman retention, graduation rates, financial resources, academic reputation and other areas.

These surveys are good indicators of quality in certain areas, but they’re only one indicator, Sewell said.

“We’re very proud of our ranking, but the overall quality and character of a university must be determined as students visit and get to know the campus community,” he said.

jw

FHU NURSING DEPARTMENT TO HOST OPEN HOUSE
8/14/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The Freed-Hardeman University Department of Nursing will host an open house in its new building Aug. 25 from 3 to 6 p.m. The nursing building is located near the FHU Witt Tennis Center on Mill Street.

The 5,040-square-foot facility offers two large classrooms with skills lab, six offices and a computer lab. The Department of Nursing will be located in the building until the university completes a $5 million renovation and expansion of the Associates Science Center.

FHU is beginning its first nursing classes this month. The nursing program is one of four new academic programs launched through FHU’s $80 million Beyond Believe Campaign. The Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity and management information systems programs were added in August 2005.

For more information on the open house for the new nursing facility, contact the Department of Nursing at 731-989-6965 or lgibson@fhu.edu.

jw

FHU THEATRE TO HOST AUDITIONS FOR ‘THE MIRACLE WORKER’
8/11/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – The Freed-Hardeman University theatre program will host auditions for its November production of “The Miracle Worker” Sept. 2, 5 and 6.

Set in 1887, William Gibson’s “The Miracle Worker” powerfully highlights the relationship between Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan. Keller, who had been blind, deaf and dumb since early childhood, discovered words and ideas through Sullivan’s instruction and determination.

FHU Theatre is seeking several children for the cast, including a 9-11-year-old girl to play Helen. The cast will also include one African-American boy age 9-11 and one African-American girl age 8-12.

Auditions for children’s roles will be held Sept. 2 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium on the FHU campus.

All children in the play will use sign language. Basic signing will be taught at the auditions.

Adult roles will include four women, two men, three female interpreters and two male interpreters. Auditions for adult roles will be held Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. in Loyd Auditorium.

“The Miracle Worker” will be performed Nov. 9-11 on the FHU campus. For more information, contact the FHU Theatre director, Dr. Cliff Thompson, at 731-989-6780 or theatre@fhu.edu.

jw

FHU AWARDS FIRST THREE MBA DEGREES
7/26/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – A year after launching its Master of Business Administration program, the Freed-Hardeman University School of Business is awarding its first three graduate degrees. At the Aug. 4 graduation ceremony, MBAs will be presented to Stevie Moore, Garrett Surls and Mitch Zlatovich, all of Henderson.

The 36-hour MBA program is designed for full-time students to complete in a year and for part-time students to complete in about two years.

When the program was launched in August 2005, it brought some dimensions unique to the West Tennessee MBA market, said Dr. Ray Eldridge, dean of the FHU School of Business. Without cohort groups, for example, students are able to begin and advance through the program on their own schedules.

Zlatovich, who runs a local computer-repair service, Onsite Computer Guys, was particularly impressed with the concentrations available in leadership and accounting. In his leadership courses, he said he studied such concepts as “benefiting all shareholders and all stakeholders” and “improving employees’ lives in the process.” And a real business leader, he said, is someone who will “make sure the whole group gets there instead of just the ‘superstars.’”

Such leadership principles “are rooted in the graduate program’s overall emphasis of business ethics and integrity,” said Eldridge, who uses high-level ropes courses in some of his leadership classes.

The leadership track focuses on personal as well as group leadership, teambuilding, goal and vision development, and similar principles.

Eldridge said the program’s accounting concentration was developed in one of the strongest accounting programs among universities like FHU. Several of FHU’s accounting alumni have scored among the top 10 on the Tennessee CPA exam, including the state’s No. 1 score in November 2000.

For more information on FHU’s MBA program, visit www.fhu.edu/TheMBA, or contact Jim Brown, director of business admissions and career development, at 731-983-3449 or jbrown@fhu.edu.

JACK STITES TO SPEAK AT FHU COMMENCEMENT
7/24/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Eighty-two new graduates will walk the stage at Freed-Hardeman University’s summer 2006 commencement ceremony, scheduled for Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. in FHU’s Loyd Auditorium. Degrees will be conferred upon 27 undergraduates and 55 graduate students.

Guest speaker for the ceremony will be Cookeville, Tenn., businessman Jack Stites. Stites is president of J & S Construction Co. Inc., an award-winning family-owned business. J & S most recently won the Tennessee American Business Ethics Award for 2005, and it is a four-time recipient of the Tennessee Quality Award. J & S is the only contractor in the state to achieve the latter recognition.

Stites is also president of XI Properties, a commercial, industrial and institutional development company that works throughout the southeast region. Stites is a board member for the National Association of Church Design Builders.

Stites is also active with a variety of community organizations, including the Rotary and Optimist clubs, the Heart Fund and United Way. He is a member of the International Advisory Board for the World Bible Translation Center and coordinates several community-outreach programs, including School Supply Day and Pockets of Love for the Collegeside Church of Christ in Cookeville, where he and his family are members.

Stites lives on the family farm with his wife of 35 years, Mary. They have four children and four grandchildren.

For more information on FHU’s summer 2006 commencement ceremony, contact the Office of Academics at 731-989-6004.

FHU PROFESSOR, STUDENT RESEARCH BATS FOR STATE PARKS
7/22/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Tromping through forest and wetland areas all hours of the night isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. But for Freed-Hardeman University biology instructor Brian Carver and junior biology major Nolan Ashley, it’s all part their research on the southeastern Myotis and Rafinesque’s big-eared bat.

The project is for Tennessee State Parks, which is funding the research. The southeastern Myotis and Rafinesque big-eared bat are “species of concern” in Tennessee and the southeast, said Carver, a community ecologist.

“And one of the reasons why most of these bats have declined is because of habitat loss,” he said.

While there has been work done in other states to determine the species’ habitat use, “we really don’t know exactly what their (the bats’) requirements are here in Tennessee.”

However, Carver and Ashley do know that, in general, the species look for tree cavities and similar hollow areas.

“Other types of bats will just hang on any branch and can sleep there,” Ashley said, “so it’s pretty easy for them to find a roost tree. But certain trees have a tendency to have a cavity, and you need to preserve those types of trees so that the bats (the southeastern Myotis and Rafinesque big-eared bat) can roost in them.”

Carver and Ashley’s objective is to track these nocturnal creatures to their habitats in two West Tennessee state parks, Pinson Mounds and Big Hill Pond. They’re looking for a variety of potential habitat criteria: “Tree requirements, how isolated the areas are, how far from water, how big do the patches need to be, those sorts of things,” Carver said.

To track the bats, Carver and Ashley are trapping them and equipping them with small radio transmitters, weighing less than half as much as a plain M&M candy. The next morning, when the bats have returned to their habitats, the transmitters are then tracked with a receiver.

They tracked their first bat, a southeastern Myotis, to a roost tree June 21.

“We were actually quite surprised,” Ashley said of their finding. “It led us to a black walnut tree with no cavity.”

But the researchers suspect the bat had climbed into a woodpecker hole or a hollowed-out knot high in the tree.

Later this summer, Carver and Ashley will report their findings to Tennessee State Parks, which can use the information for possible habitat development and protection.

But the researchers plan to keep track of other bat varieties, as well, so the state parks will have a bigger picture of the diversity of their bat populations.

Before this research project, Carver had done several mammal inventories for Tennessee State Parks.

“But this is the first time we’ve done anything quite like this, in terms of looking at the habitat use,” Carver said.

Carver’s most recent animal inventory was a bird census for the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in the late spring. The arsenal is required to monitor the health of its ecosystem, which is why Carver was contracted to survey its bird population.

“It’s basically a base-wide inventory survey of what birds are there and to analyze trends in terms of certain species going up or down, whether diversity is higher in forest sites versus open sites and so on,” Carver said.

MID-SOUTH YOUTH CAMP TO HOLD FISH FRY FUNDRAISER
7/3/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Anyone looking for food, fun and fellowship is invited to attend the Mid-South Youth Camp Annual Benefit Fish Fry, July 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. The fundraiser will be held at the camp on Highway 45 in Henderson. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $6 for children ages 12 and under.

Funds from this annual event are used to help maintain the 77-acre Christian youth camp, which is open to youth ages 9-18 every summer from June to Aug. This year, special guests The Bluegrass Stains will provide entertainment. For more information, contact Frank Bradford at (731) 989-6987.

el

BELL MASTERS SELECTED FOR ANNUAL CEREMONY
6/30/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Freed-Hardeman University will soon open the academic year with the Tolling of the Bell ceremony, scheduled for Aug. 23 at 10:30 a.m. in Loyd Auditorium. The annual event is traditionally held on the first day of classes and is a formal welcome to new students who are joining the university family. It is also a way to celebrate the university’s heritage, values and vision.

To assist in the celebration, official Masters of the Bell are chosen each year for their significant contributions to the university. This year’s ceremony will honor LaVonne Scott and Jean Marilyn Hogan.

“These two ladies have been a part of the Freed-Hardeman for many years, and their contributions to education as well as to the church have been felt by many,” FHU president Dr. Milton Sewell said. “The university is privileged to honor them in this way.”

LaVonne Scott is the wife of the late Thomas E. Scott, who was once chairman of the history department at FHU. Mrs. Scott is a professor emeritus of languages and literature at FHU and has been an active member of the FHU Associates for more than 40 years. She has also been very involved in mission work in locales such as Nigeria, Kenya and Scotland.

Hogan is known to many at FHU as the wife of the late Norman Hogan, a former chairman of the FHU history department and Bible professor. Together, the Hogans were active in mission work in Scotland and England. Hogan is also known for her 25 years teaching at East Chester Elementary School and for her 38 years working with the FHU Associates.

For more information on the 2006 Tolling of the Bell, contact FHU’s Office of University Advancement at 731-989-6019 or wpulse@fhu.edu.

CHRISTIAN TRAINING SERIES OFFERS A SPIRITUAL SUMMER VACATION
6/21/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Adults looking for a spiritually uplifting summer vacation are encouraged to attend the Christian Training Series (CTS) at Freed-Hardeman University, July 10-14. This annual event that brings Christians together in worship and a study of God’s word is now open for registration. This year’s theme is “Getting a Grip” and will include lessons centered around the steadfastness and endurance needed in the Christian walk, according to Dr. Sam Hester, CTS coordinator.

“CTS 2006 is sure to be a fun-filled week full of great fellowship and spiritual growth,” Hester said. “We invite people to come spend their vacation at Freed-Hardeman University. You will never be the same again. You will love it.”

For those attending the event who have pre-school and school-age children, many options for childcare and youth activities are available. A youth program is provided for children ages 6-9, and will include Bible and art classes this year. Childcare will be available for ages 2-5.

Youth ages 9-18 are encouraged to attend FHU’s Mid-South Youth Camp. MSYC also offers a Junior Camp, a day camp for ages 6-8.

Young people in grades 6-8 may also attend Horizons junior week if they register soon.

For more information on CTS, contact Hester at 731-989-6625 or shester@fhu.edu , or Stephanie Finton at 731-989-6625 or finton4@charter.net .

Information about on-campus housing, dining, activities and registration can also be found at www.fhu.edu/cts.

HORIZONS AT FHU OFFERS ‘FAITH, FRIENDS AND FUN’
6/21/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Now in its 26 th year, Horizons at Freed-Hardeman University is accepting applications for youth from fifth grade up to twelfth grade.

Horizons includes two consecutive weeklong programs that offer fun activities and spiritual enrichment opportunities for young people. Senior week is July 2-7 for students entering grades 10-12. Junior week is July 9-14 for students entering grades 6-9. The theme for this year’s program is “Lord, Reign in Me.”

The program also offers specialized instruction for young men through the Future Church Leaders Workshop, which is directed by Dr. Billy Smith, dean of the FHU School of Biblical Studies.

“Horizons continues to be popular among our youth because of the emphasis on character development and leadership training, along with a variety of social and fun activities, all within a spiritual framework,” Smith said. “For years, I have used the terms ‘faith, friends and fun’ to describe what we do.”

Through classes and devotionals, participants learn about ways to increase their faith, and they build friendships with peers who will support them and the challenges they face as young people, said Hope Shull, director of Horizons.

“Horizons is a wonderful experience for Christian young people to be together with so many other Christians and to grow spiritually,” Shull said. “I’ve enjoyed seeing the friendships that are made and continued through the years.”

One longtime “friend” of the Horizons program is Kay Kay Sharp of Columbia, Tenn., who has attended Horizons since 1982. Sharp attended the program through high school and then went on to become a counselor during her college years at FHU and the years that followed. Even after becoming a mother, Sharp has never missed a year, she said, and continues to bring her daughter along for the experience.

“When you’re a kid or a teenager growing up, you love to come to youth events,” Sharp said. “Horizons is just like those youth events. It’s just awesome. You get to sing and hear wonderful devotionals. It feels good to be a part of that.”

For registration information or a brochure, contact Linda Lipe at 731-989-6622 or llipe@fhu.edu. Brochures and registration forms can also be downloaded at www.fhu.edu/horizons.

el

BEYOND BELIEVE CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS $60 MILLION
6/20/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – It was a moment for celebration as the new Beyond Believe Campaign figures were posted in the lobby of Freed-Hardeman’s Office of University Advancement early this week.

$60,120,277.16.

“It’s amazing,” FHU president Dr. Milton Sewell commented.

“People have to really believe in a place and its mission before they’ll give like this. We are seeing how much people believe in Freed-Hardeman.”

FHU’s $80 million Beyond Believe Campaign is building on the success of its predecessor campaign, Believe, a five-year campaign that concluded in December 2004. Believe surpassed its $32 million goal, ending at $35.5 million.

Beyond Believe has built on the $35.5 with an additional $24.5 million the past year-and-a-half, equaling $60 million. $20 million is left to go in remaining three years of the campaign.

Several major building projects are among the Beyond Believe Campaign’s goals. The projects include a new library, a new visual arts center, a renovation and extension of the current science building, and construction and renovation for several student living facilities.

Last year, the campaign also helped add two new master’s degree programs – the Master of Business Administration and Master of Divinity – and an undergraduate major in management information systems. This August, a new nursing major is being offered through the campaign.

Other campaign areas include funds for endowment, the Bible Teaching Program, athletics, and academic and professional support for faculty and staff.

For more information on the Beyond Believe Campaign, contact the FHU Office of Development at 800-630-3482, or visit www.fhu.edu/beyondbelieve.

FHU OFFERS FAMILY CLINIC FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF
6/14/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – Students, faculty, staff and faculty-staff dependents at Freed-Hardeman University are looking no further than the new FHU Family Clinic for affordable expert healthcare these days. The university hired Dr. Kenneth Cargile as a campus family physician June 1.

Students, faculty, staff and faculty-staff dependents can see Cargile at the clinic without co-pay and without filing insurance claims.

“Healthcare costs are so expensive, and it can cost so much to go to a doctor,” said Wayne Scott, an FHU vice president who helped develop the new clinic. “This way, for the non-acute things, it won’t cost our students, employees and families anything.”

FHU employs 341 faculty and staff, and 2,030 students were enrolled at the university in 2005-06.

FHU purchased a house in December 2005 to renovate into the new clinic. Cargile was able to watch as the house was transformed through the spring. The clinic now includes a doctor’s office, nurse’s station, three exam rooms, a waiting room and two restrooms.

“The people who were planning it were very, very good about asking me what I thought about things,” Cargile said. “It was really quite a change as they renovated and rebuilt. They did it right, and it’s an excellent clinic.”

Few organizations the size of FHU have established such clinics with an M.D. on staff, according to Scott. But Cargile said he could see others following suit if healthcare costs continue rising.

“There are many physicians visits that are not critical care, and those kinds of claims we can keep from coming to the school. So I think that as costs go up, they (other organizations like FHU) may very well want to consider their own private clinic,” he said.

Cargile sees patients from 8 to 11:30 each morning Monday-Friday. This fall, he will begin spending his afternoons in the classroom. He is slated to teach anatomy and physiology as well as a pre-med class for students preparing for the Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT).

ELDRIDGE NAMED BALDRIGE EXAMINER
6/14/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023

HENDERSON – For the second year in a row, the nation’s leading performance quality board looked to Freed-Hardeman University as it formed its team of about 500 national examiners.

Dr. Ray Eldridge, dean of the FHU School of Business, was appointed by William Jeffrey, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to the 2006 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Eldridge also served on the board in 2005, and he served on the Tennessee examination board in 2004.

The Baldrige award, created by public law in 1987, is presented by the president of the United States each spring.

National examiners must “meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition,” according to a Baldrige press release. Only about 2,500 of the 7,000 applicants for examiner have been selected since the award’s inception.

Eldridge and other examiners evaluate organizations based on their implementation of a specified set of criteria – criteria that Eldridge brings back to the classroom with him.

“I use this criteria in class, especially for MBA students, because this is a framework for running a great organization,” Eldridge said.

“I’m introducing students to Baldrige because they can take it back to their workplaces whether they’re in the award process or not.”

When evaluating an organization, Eldridge and other examiners begin by looking for effective leadership, which must “link through all of the other criteria,” Eldridge said. They also evaluate strategic planning, customer and market focus, measurement and analysis of organizational knowledge, human resources, processes, and results.

“None of this is prescriptive,” Eldridge said. “It doesn’t tell you what to do.”

The criteria have to be part of the organizational lifestyle, he said. “You don’t follow the Baldrige criteria to win the award. You follow the criteria to be a more efficient, effective organization.”

Sixty-six organizations have received the Baldrige award. Awards are presented in five categories: manufacturing, service, small business, education and healthcare. The 2005 Baldrige recipients included Sunny Fresh Foods Inc., DynMcDermott Petroleum Operations, Park Place Lexus, Richland College, Jenks Public Schools and Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Eldridge has taught management at FHU since 2000 and has served as a dean since 2004. A retired lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army, he was chairman of Syracuse University’s Department of Military Science before coming to FHU.

His military leadership included planning and support for multiple worldwide deployments to include all logistics for more than 15,000 personnel at the 1996 Summer Olympic and Para-Olympic games. He was also directly involved in staff planning and supervision as a senior military officer for a logistics organization of more than 4,000 people.

Eldridge was also a NATO plant manager, supervising a multimillion-dollar NATO production facility and exceeding the annual production quota to rebuild more than 13,000 vehicles and other items.

LACKEY ADDED TO FHU ADVISORY BOARD
6/9/06 - Contact Jud Davis or Josh Woods, 731-989-6023