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MTSU Mondays: Students to medical school, 'Joy' to the community

Courtesy of MTSU News
·6 min read

Here's the latest news from Middle Tennessee State University.

First 4 MTSU students reach medical school through Meharry partnership

Rural Tennesseans are closer to more trained physicians serving their areas as the first four Middle Tennessee State University undergraduates successfully advanced in the special partnership with Meharry Medical College School of Medicine in Nashville.

“We have made it to medical school,” said Maria Hite of La Vergne, regarding the continuing journey for her, Claire Ritter of Nashville, Pierce Creighton of Lascassas, and Kirolos Michael of Brentwood. They are five months in after completing their first three years of study in prescribed undergraduate premedical school curriculum and four years of medical school study.

First-year MTSU students Abdurahman “Abdul” Abdouni of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Alisha Saeed of Chattanooga, Tenn., Ethan Powers, left, of Lexington,Tenn., and Zaynab Syed of Brentwood, Tenn., observe a laboratory exercise during the second week of a Summer Bridge program that’s part of the Medical School Early Acceptance program. Dec. 1 is the deadline for Tennessee students to apply and meet acceptance requirements to start their first year in fall 2023. They are shown outside the Meharry library. (Meharry Medical College file photo by Israel Thomas)

It is all part of the Medical School Early Acceptance Program, or MSEAP, a collaboration between MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences and Meharry. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of primary care physicians serving medically underserved populations as well as alleviating health care disparities in rural Tennessee.

“These students will be part of the solution to an ongoing health dilemma in Tennessee, caring for those whose health care options may be scarce or inadequate,” said Dr. James E.K. Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College.

Maria Hite, left, of La Vergne, Tenn., Claire Ritter of Nashville, Tenn., Pierce Creighton of Lascassas, Tenn., and Kirolos Michael, left, of Brentwood, Tenn., are the first group from Middle Tennessee State University to emerge and head to Meharry Medical College’s School of Medicine. Current Tennessee high school seniors must apply by Dec. 1 to try to qualify to be a part of the fall 2023 freshman class in the Medical School Early Acceptance Program with Meharry. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of primary care physicians serving medically underserved populations as well as alleviating health care disparities in rural Tennessee. (Submitted photo)

“The opportunities this MTSU-Meharry partnership create for both this cohort of health care students and eventually for those in remote and underserved parts of the state will benefit Tennesseans who otherwise may not have access to health care,” he added. “We’re delighted with the first cohort of students from MTSU and look forward to this continuing partnership.”

In addition to Hite, Ritter, Creighton and Michael, there are four students in their third year of the program at MTSU, eight in their second year and four in their first year — a total of 20 altogether. The program was announced in 2018. Hite, Ritter, Creighton and Michael were in the first freshman class.

College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Greg Van Patten said the program “attracts highly talented and compassionate students who want to make a difference for people in the state by making top-notch health care accessible to everybody.

Visit https://www.mtsu.edu/cbas/MSEAP.php to learn more.

MTSU’s community holiday gift, ‘Joys of the Season' premieres Dec. 5

MTSU’s College of Liberal Arts is presenting the 2022 edition of "Joys of the Season," the annual holiday-themed arts showcase, available again on TV and online premiering Monday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. on MTSU’s True Blue TV — https://mtsu.edu/TrueBlueTV.

The 30-minute show will also air on the university’s Facebook page and YouTube channel and will serve as a special edition of the university’s monthly TV magazine show, “Out of the Blue.” The show will repeat on True Blue TV throughout December and will air on News Channel 5+ in the Nashville market.

“Joys of the Season” once again focuses on the creativity of students and faculty from MTSU’s School of Music and Department of Theatre and Dance, recorded live inside the university’s Hinton Hall and Tucker Theatre and in the home of theatre associate professor Kristi Shamburger. See the full show lineup at https://mtsunews.com/joys-of-the-season-2022/.

"The versatility of our College of Liberal Arts stands out in this show, " says liberal arts Dean Leah Lyons. "There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy in this fantastic production.”

“Joys of the Season” began in 2015 as an evening of live performances and displays in Tucker Theatre to showcase the College of Liberal Arts’ performing and fine arts departments. The program took a pandemic-forced hiatus in 2020. For 2021, organizers realized that they could reach a wider audience and keep everyone safer for future arts events by taking the 2021 “Joys” to the screen.

MTSU employees raise near $145k in annual charitable giving effort

With a theme this year of “Make a Difference,” the university’s 2022-23 Employee Charitable Giving Campaign will do just that, with a record-setting amount of almost $145,000 pledged, beating the $142,500 campaign goal.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee lauded the university’s 830 faculty and staff participants for again rising to the occasion and demonstrating their True Blue spirit of giving with pledges totaling $144,906.

From left, James E. Walker Library Dean Kathleen Schmand, College of Graduate Studies Associate Dean Dawn McCormack and MT Athletics Senior Associate Athletic Director Diane Turham conduct one of the weekly drawings in the Cope Administration Building lobby as part of the 2022-23 MTSU Employee Charitable Giving Campaign. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

“Even as inflationary pressures have impacted us all this year, I’m not surprised that our employees recognized that it was more important than ever to give back during this time to assist the most vulnerable among our neighbors and friends throughout the community,” said McPhee.

MTSU’s annual Charitable Giving Campaign supports worthy causes through monthly payroll deductions from employees over the next year, but also allows one-time, lump-sum gifts at the donor’s discretion. Participants can designate gifts to 140-plus organizations from a list of 10 independent charities and three federated groups of charities, including Community Health Charities, Community Shares, and local United Way organizations.

MTSU taps 10 community leaders for planning advisory committee

Ten business leaders in the region have been named to MTSU's Advisory Committee for the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning.

“The advisory committee members include community stakeholders who invest their time and resources to make Middle Tennessee a better place to live,” said current chairholder Murat Arik, who serves as director of the Business and Economic Research Center at MTSU. “With the tremendous and continued growth in our region, this committee provides a forum for the discussion of regional and urban issues and for the development of solutions to promote effective economic development.”

Members of the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning Advisory Committee hold its inaugural meeting Sept. 9, 2022, in the Middle Tennessee State University Student Union Building. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)
Members of the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning Advisory Committee hold its inaugural meeting Sept. 9, 2022, in the Middle Tennessee State University Student Union Building. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

The committee includes:

  • Paul Martin Jr., chief managing member of Clarity Resources LLC, committee chair

  • Fulya Baysal-Gurel, interim associate dean of research at Tennessee State University

  • Patrick Cammack, senior Vice President for economic development at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce

  • Kendrick Curtis, assistant executive director of the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association

  • Ryan Egly, president and CEO of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce

  • Brad Gibson, chief cooperative business officer for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp.

  • Cliff Lippard, executive director of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations

  • Lori Odom, senior Vice President for economic development and international business for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

  • Michael Skipper, executive director of the Greater Nashville Regional Council

  • Michelle Steele, associate dean and director of Leadership and Public Service at Lipscomb University

Established in 1997, the Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning seeks to promote applied research and service focused on regional and urban planning, provide a forum to generate discussion and solutions, and support the on-campus development of curriculum materials and faculty more conversant with the issues of the region.

MTSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU Mondays: Students to medical school, 'Joy' to the community