addenda The University of Tennessee at Martin Faculty and Staff Newsletter | September 14, 2015 Robison Advances to Top Seven in Miss America 2016 Hannah Robison, a senior She was also recognized as chemistry major, finished in the one of three USA gold medalists top seven contestants during for the Duke of Edinburgh the 2016 Miss America Pageant, International Award, broadcast Sept. 13. introduced to the pageant in She was selected as the 2013. This accolade was first People’s Choice contestant given in the United Kingdom based on social media votes in 1956 and today is the world’s cast on her behalf and will leading youth achievement receive a $7,000 scholarship for award, available to qualifying advancing to the final level. young people 14-24 years old. Robison received several The award considers a variety recognitions before Sunday’s of self-improvement areas, competition as well. She is including community service, the first Miss Tennessee to physical recreation, adventurous win the Miss America STEM journey and a residential Scholarship, which totals $5,000 improvement project. The and is awarded to a contestant Misses Alabama and South enrolled in a declared field of Carolina were also recognized study in science, technology, for this award. engineering or mathematics. Since claiming the Miss She was also named first Tennessee title in June, Robison runner-up for the Jean Bartel has received more than $37,000 Quality of Life Award, given to in scholarships from the Miss a contestant who excels in her America Organization, allowing commitment to enhance the her to fund her dream of quality of life for others through earning a doctoral degree in volunteerism and community chemistry and teaching at the service. university level. The first runner-up receives Robison will return to a $4,000 scholarship. This Tennessee and complete her is the highest finish a Miss reign as Miss Tennessee 2015, Tennessee has received for which includes serving as Gov. this award. Robison is the first Bill Haslam’s ambassador A STUNNING FINISH – Hannah Robison, a senior chemistry major from Miss Tennessee to qualify as for character education and Buchanan, finished in the top seven contestants during the 2016 Miss a finalist for both preliminary supporting the state’s Children’s America Pageant, broadcast live on ABC Sept. 13. The contestant from scholarships. Miracle Network hospitals. Georgia was ultimately awarded the crown. Preliminary Fall Enrollment; New Rankings Noted Preliminary fall semester enrollment is calculated after the includes a decline of 152 The release of preliminary fall enrollment stands at 6,827 14th day of classes and is among students in the 2015 freshman enrollment numbers comes as students. The fall 2015 total several factors that determine class. Among positive numbers the 2016 U.S. News & World includes students at the main funding for Tennessee public are increases in graduate (up Report rankings were released. campus, the university’s four colleges and universities. 27), dual enrollment (up 136 UT Martin continued as a top- centers in Jackson, Parsons, Total enrollment is down undergraduates) and online tier, southern master’s level Ripley and Selmer, and students from the fall 2014 final count (up 179 undergraduate and university and is tied for 50th enrolled in UT Online. Final of 7,042 students, which graduate) students. place among both public and Continued on pg. 4 page 2 | addenda | September 14, 2015 faculty and YoUTMs staff excellence Smith Goes “Over the Edge” for Special Olympics Don’t Forget! Tomorrow is the deadline to submit all student worker positions (including workstudy) for the 2016-17 academic year, as well as requests for additional position funding. Contact Jennifer Hays at [email protected] or by phone at SUPPORTING A CAUSE – Dr. Clinton Smith, UT Martin assistant professor of special education and area director 731-881-7657 for for Special Olympics of Upper West Tennessee, is pictured preparing to rappel down the I-Bank Tower in downtown Memphis as part of his fourth Over the Edge for Special Olympics fundraising event. Smith raised assistance. more than $1,200 for the organization. Dr. Clinton Smith, assistant “I have seen so many students and the community. Full professor of special education, over the years increase their participation is granted to every went “Over the Edge” for self-esteem, improve their social athlete regardless of his or her Special Olympics on Aug. 29 skills by making friendships with economic circumstances. by rappelling 30 stories down their peers with and without The ultimate goal of Special the I-Bank Tower in downtown disabilities, and develop their Olympics is to help persons Memphis. Smith serves as area skills in various sports,” Smith with intellectual disabilities director for Special Olympics said. “I have also seen the peers participate as productive and of Upper West Tennessee and without disabilities become respected members of society raised more than $1,200 for more accepting toward their at large by offering them a the organization as part of this peers with disabilities.” fair opportunity to develop event. The mission of Special and demonstrate their skills Smith has been an active Olympics of Upper West and talents through sports participant and supporter of the Tennessee is to provide year- training and competition. Special Olympics program for round sports training and Special Olympics also increases 27 years, and this is his fourth athletic competition in a the public's awareness of year to rappel the I-Bank Tower. variety of Olympic-type sports participants’ capabilities and He coached the Team Tennessee for children and adults with need. Dr. Louis Glover, assistant athletics team in 2006 and 2014 intellectual disabilities. The Special Olympics of Upper professor, Department of and served as head basketball experience gives participants West Tennessee serves Henry, Educational Studies, has been coach for the 2010 Team continuing opportunities Lake, Obion and Weakley appointed to serve a three-year Tennessee traditional basketball to develop physical fitness, counties. term as the higher education team at the Special Olympics experience joy and participate For more information, representative for West USA National Games in in a sharing of gifts, skills and contact Smith at 731-881-7167 Tennessee on the Tennessee Lincoln, Neb., where they won friendship with their families, or by email at csmit279@utm. Association of Middle Schools the gold medal. other Special Olympics athletes edu. Board of Trustees. page 3 | addenda | September 14, 2015 Academic Speaker Sept. 16 Faculty music recital Sept 20 the Boling University Center’s Watkins Auditorium. Dreher is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, The New York Post and The Washington Times, among others. He has also appeared on a variety of television and radio shows, including NPR, ABC News, CNN and the BBC. Dreher is the author of three Rod Dreher, senior editor at books exploring issues of faith, Dr. Roberto Mancusi, associate professor of music, will perform a The American Conservative family, place and the meaning bass-baritone faculty recital at 3 p.m., Sept. 20, in the Blankenship magazine, will be the first of home in contemporary Recital Hall. speaker in the Academic Speaker American life. The recital will feature music from Franz Joseph Haydn, Gustav Series for the fall 2015 semester. The talk is free and open to the Mahler, Giuseppe Verdi and Aaron Copland. Attendees will also He will deliver a lecture titled public. For more information, hear the world premiere of a piece written specifically for Mancusi “Dante’s Message in a Bottle: contact Dr. Lionel Crews, titled “Ulysses” by British composer F. L. Dunkin Wedd. The event The Astonishing True Story of director of Honors Programs, is free and open to the public. How a Medieval Poem Saved at 731-881-7436 or by email at For more information, contact Mancusi at 731-881-7405 or by my Life” at 6 p.m., Sept. 16, in [email protected] email at [email protected]. WestStar Accepting Applications for 2016 Class YoU Tell Me Applications are now being want to help West Tennessee “Questions and Answers” about accepted to participate in the become a better place and are UT Martin WestStar Leadership Program’s willing to accept assertive and class of 2016. The program is dynamic leadership roles. •Question – On average, how many people visit the the largest and oldest regional Participants learn new UT Martin website each month? leadership development leadership skills and develop program in Tennessee and strategies for assisting •Answer – Using this year’s page-view average from boasts 739 graduates in its 26- communities in solving the start of February to the end of August, UT Martin year history. problems and maximizing had an average of 690,683 page views per month. The WestStar program potential. Participants also (source: Instructional Technology Center and Web consists of eight specially become part of a growing Services) designed seminar programs network of other leaders who, Submit your questions to the Suggestion Box link at www.utm.edu. addressing contemporary through mutual support and major issues important to West assistance, help shape West Tennessee’s development. Each Tennessee’s future. seminar takes place over one- For additional information or and-a-half days. The program to apply, contact the WestStar begins Dec. 10 with an opening Leadership Program at 731-881- addenda one-day retreat and ends June 7298 or visit www.utm.edu/ The University of Tennessee at Martin Published weekly during the academic year and biweekly during the 21, 2016, with an evening departments/weststar/. The summer by UT Martin, Martin, TN 38238 graduation ceremony. application deadline is Oct. 16. • Dr.