Communications

Accreditation is our Focus

The Communications Department is in the midst of preparing for re-accreditation, having just completed the self-study and submitted it to our national accrediting body, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The site team will visit on Feb. 10-13, 2008, after which it will recommend toward our reaccreditation. Its recommendation will then go to the accrediting committee, which will recommend to the full accrediting council at meetings next spring in Chicago.

We were first accredited in 1996 and were re-accredited in 2002. The accrediting review takes place every six years, and we are confident in again receiving that national endorsement. The Communications Department is one of only about 100 programs receiving this accreditation nationally.

Welcome two new faculty

The Communications Department welcomed to our family two new faculty members this fall, Chara Van Horn, who will teach public speaking courses, and Tracy Morris Rutledge, who will teach VisComm, PR and public speaking courses. Tracy is one of our alumni, having graduated in 1997 with a PR emphasis, and we are thrilled to welcome her back. Her visual communication skills will bolster our emerging new sequence, which is well received by our students who are interested in new media technology. Chara is an excellent teacher, as well, with a passion for her field and the classroom. She is particularly interested in rhetoric. Both are ABD and working on their dissertations.

Chara was hired to replace the late Dorotha Norton, who taught more than 40 years at UTM until her tragic death in the summer of 2006, and Tracy was hired to fill the position vacated by Jerald Ogg several years ago when he became dean of the College of HFA.

English

Creating Writers/Readers

This October the English Department hosted the second annual Young Writers Conference for high school students across the region. This year's visiting writer was Gloria Ballard a free lance writer who retired from the Tennessean after 32 years as a feature writer and editor. During her career, she covered fashion, home design, gardening, travel, and from 1998 until 2006 served as the newspaper's Travel Editor. UT Martin faculty led workshops in areas such as poetry, songwriting, photo essays, online writing, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Over 100 students participated.

Our English alumni are also busy reading and writing. Jason Atkins (2006) began his work at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, this year. Also working on graduate degrees are Tonya Parham (2005), who is working on both an MFA and a MA in History at the University of Memphis; Aretha Vaughn, who after a year-long study–abroad program in Paris, is in the MFA program at the University of Colorado; Megan Hannah (2007), who is attending the Valparaiso School of Law in Indiana; and Megan Beam (2007), who is studying at Wheaton University in Illinois. Both Phillip Gordon (2006) and James Bachman (2005) recently finished MAs at Ole Miss and the University of Tulsa respectively. Many of our alumni are now teaching, such as Dr. David Winston Taylor (1974), who is the Senior Advisor for the Writing Center of The University of Maryland University Campus; Eric Clark (2004), who is teaching English in Japan; Missy Carr (1996), who is teaching online classes for the Apollo Group; and Larry Ridley, who is teaching computer-aided drafting and design in Michigan. David Whitworth (1997) is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader and Jonathan Haupt is Marketing Manager for The University of South Carolina Press. Trish Guy recently moved to South Carolina where she entered an EdD program.

This summer, after 15 years at UT Martin, Dr. Margrethe Ahlschwede retired. She and Bill have moved to Lincoln, NE, to be closer to family. But she has already been busy—in October she made a presentation on how to read a quilt at a Historical Society exhibition.

History

Growing the Next Generation of Historians

The Department of History and Philosophy is gaining a strong reputation for producing promising young historians, who preparation at UT Martin allowed them to excel at the graduate level. Sally Utech (2002) (MA, University of Kansas, 2006), is completing her doctoral work in European History at Kansas, while Adam Wilson, Class of 2005, begins his Ph.D. work at Ole Miss this fall. Tammy Prater, also in the Class of 2005, is pursuing a doctorate in History at the University of Memphis even as she teaches History in the Memphis area in our Extended Campus and Continuing Education program. Tonya Parham, a 2005 graduate with a double major in History and English, has also entered the doctoral program at Memphis. Josh Camper, a Secondary Education major at UTM, is wrapping up his master's work in History at Murray State with plans to enter a Ph.D. program next year. Finally, Leah Simpson, a double major in Psychology and History (2006) is putting the finishing touches on a master's degree in Educational Studies here at UT Martin as a stepping stone to future doctoral work in Public History. During a recent phone conversation with his counterpart at Ole Miss, History and Philosophy chair Dr. David Coffey learned that Adam Wilson's academic performance is not only opening eyes down in Oxford it's also opening doors for future UTM grads. “Send us more like him,” said Dr. Joseph P. Ward. Coffey plans to do just that.       

Keeping the Dream Alive: The 8th Annual UT Martin Civil Rights Conference begins Monday, February 25, 2008, on the main campus and continues all week, culminating in a field trip to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis on Saturday, March 1. This year's theme is “Civil Rights 40 Years After Dr. King,” which will be the focus of the Thursday program. Each year the conference attracts nationally recognized leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and prominent scholars in the field.       

Modern Foreign Languages

Reaching Out

This year the Department of Modern Foreign Languages has two new appointments. First, the Japanese instructor, Kyoko Hammond, has just received a term appointment to Lecturer of Japanese. Although Ms. Hammond—known as “Hammondo-sensee” to her students—has been giving courses in Japanese as an adjunct for the past two years, this appointment provides a solid base for future development of the Japanese program. MFL has plans of establishing a minor in Japanese as early as this year. The second appointment of importance is that of Dr. Daniel Nappo to department chairperson. Dr. Nappo had served as interim chair since March 2005.

In other news, the department has organized its Foreign Film Series for this fall; all the features this semester are monster or horror films. Leading off the series was the highly-acclaimed South Korean film, The Host ( Gwoemul , 2006), shown on Friday, September 21. Next was the French werewolf film, The Brotherhood of Wolves ( Le Pacte des Lupes , 2001), shown on Friday, October 12. The third film of the series was Spain 's Pan's Labyrinth ( El laberinto de Pan , 2005), shown on Friday, November 9. The fourth and final film of the series is the Japanese horror classic, Ringu ( The Ring, 1999), which will be shown on Friday, November 30.

MFL continues to be a leader in overseas study. After sending well over thirty UTM students to Germany, Mexico and Francophone Canada this past summer, three more students are currently studying for an entire semester at Hirosaki University in Japan. Thanks to formal exchange agreements brokered by MFL faculty, there are currently six foreign students enrolled in courses here at UTM. Those students include two Mexican students from our new partner, the Autonomous Agrarian University “Antonio Narro”, three Japanese students from Hirosaki University, and a French student from the University of Orleans.

Music

Playing for Campus and Community

The Department of Music is midway through another busy year of performances and other events. Over the summer, the Department hosted the Tennessee Music Teachers Association State Convention. At the beginning of the school year, the annual Skyhawk Marching Band Invitational brought a record number of high school bands to campus to compete in what is quickly becoming one of the top marching band competitions in the mid-South. The Skyhawk Marching Band's “Journey Show” was a huge hit this year. Dr. Nola Jones, Director of Bands, and the marching band performed in exhibition at the Division I and Division II state high school championships.

A third sold-out performance was added to this year's Dessert Evening, an annual event featuring a variety of choral works and vocal soloists. Funds raised from this year's performance are being used to support the University Singers and the New Pacer Singers as they go on their “Tour of the West” in January 2008. Under the direction of Dr. Mark Simmons, the choirs will perform at significant venues in Arizona and California. A climax of the tour will be a performance at the Sunday evening service at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California on January 6, 2008.

Second semester, the Department will host its annual Honor Band and Honor Choir —events that bring hundreds of potential students to campus. The Montage Concert on January 28, 2008 will be fast-paced and will feature a variety of performances by students, faculty, and Departmental ensembles. On February 26, 2008, the New Pacer Singers will perform at the Festival of Choirs at the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center in Huntingdon. The performance is free, and will feature choirs from regional colleges and universities.

In its second year, the Faculty Recital Series features six performances by various faculty soloists and ensembles. The October recital on the series featured Dr. Julie Hill's Caixa Trio, performing works from their debut CD entitled: “Caixa Trio: Commissioned Works.” In November, Brazilian percussionist Ney Rosauro visited campus for a masterclass and performances with the Percussion Ensemble and the Wind Ensemble. A number of other guests are scheduled throughout the year, including percussionists Tom Roady and Zoro; the percussion/clarinet duo of J.B. Smith and Bob Spring ; Stanley Friedman, composer and trumpet; and Oni Buchannan, pianist. The Department's website ( www.utm.edu/music ) contains information about upcoming performances and other events. Hope to see you soon!

Visual and Theatre Arts

Coming to an exhibition hall near you . . .

Another busy exhibition season is upon us. Here's the skinny on all that's too kitch to ditch. Guest artist Laquita Thomson from Freed-Hardman University will begin the exhibition year with a display of her provocative and compelling photography. The first annual (at least sponsored by VTA) SOYBEAN Festival Art Exhibition/Competition in sunny, majestic, downtown Martin-by-the-Sea opened Friday, September 7 and ran throughout the Soybean Festival.

Senior exhibitions begin with a bang this fall. First up will be Adam McCammon and Mary Margaret Boyd (opened Tuesday, September 11), followed by Natalie Carroll, Kelly Church, and Anessa Inman (opened Tuesday, September 25), with Joanna Hite and Jason Woolery (opened Tuesday, October 9) making it a tight race in the stretch.

Also this fall, during the Vanguard Theatre production, in honor of the Fine Arts Building's imminent destruction, a nostalgic display of Vanguard posters from past plays performed within the “old gal” will be exhibited simultaneously with the paintings of senior Jorge Leal (art minor).

If you thought “Those are sure plenty of fall art exhibitions for me.” – YOU WERE WRONG! We haven't even gotten to the best part. Opening Tuesday, November 6, in cooperation with the Department of Music, will be the annual VTA Faculty Art Exhibition. Our yearly faculty art extravaganza will be immediately followed by the faculty of music strutting their stuff all over the Harriet Fulton Stage in the Music Faculty Showcase Performance. WOW! What an evening that will be. Finally, for the fall anyway, VTA offers a very new event, one of earth shattering proportions, one that blows the lid off all previous cursory efforts at aesthetic achievement ever attempted by students in the arts. The Visual Art Society Disgruntled Artists Exhibition! Yes, the faculty are tired of hearing all the whining and moaning. It's time for the students to put their art where their mouths are and show us what they can do. It's a little frightening, but an artist has got to do what an artist has got to do. Does that make the Visual Art Society exhibition doo-doo? Stay tuned. The exhibition opens Tuesday, November 27.

Ok, the beat goes on. Starting off the spring semester will be the High School Art Exhibition (opening Tuesday, January 16) in connection with College Art Day (Friday, January 18), our yearly sojourn into the hearts and minds of America's up and coming young artists. Continuing with our selection of senior exhibitions will be Jody Stokes and Stephanie Smoyer (opening Tuesday, February 19), Chi-Yun Huang and Cheryl Deyeso (opening Tuesday, March 18), and finally Bethany Hummer, Lauren Singleton, and Laura Hensley (opening Tuesday, April 1–no fooling!).

Making the world safe for university students in the visual arts everywhere will be the VTA sponsored Artists of the 21st Century exhibition (opening Thursday, April 3).