As part of MTSU’s Centennial celebration during the University’s upcoming spring 2012 Alumni Weekend, the Department of Computer Science thought it would be a grand time to celebrate its 25^th anniversary.

On Saturday, April 14, from 10 a.m. until noon, the Computer Science 25^th Anniversary Reunion will take place in the James Union Building’s Hazlewood Dining Room and in nearby Kirksey Old Main, where the department is located.

As part of the 100^th anniversary (of the University), we decided to do a 25^th anniversary reunion during Alumni Weekend,” said Dr. Chrisila Pettey, interim chair for the department. “They (Alumni Relations) were wanting people to participate. It seemed like a good thing to do.”

Alumni, their families and friends will be gathering to reconnect and meet fellow computer-science alumni, visit former teachers and hear from current students during a morning social in the JUB and department tours in KOM, which was one of the original four structures built on campus in 1911 when it opened as Middle Tennessee Normal School.

Tours of the department and computer-lab rooms will be held at 10:30, 11, 11:30 and noon. Computer Science is located on the third floor of KOM.

“If you’ve not been here in awhile, the lab looks really different,” Pettey said. “Come and see old friends and faculty, and tour the department.”

To register to attend, call 615-898-2922 or 1-800-533-6878.

Pettey said there are 325 to 350 computer-science majors in the program, including undergraduate and master’s-level students. She adds there about 1,600 alumni, many who live in the middle Tennessee region.

Computer Science, which is one of 10 departments in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, has 12 full-time faculty, two full-time temporary faculty, three adjunct faculty, an executive aide and a lab director.

“Our students are some of the best at the university,” she said. “They usually score above the national average on major field tests and the general education tests.”

— Randy Weiler ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

The Boys and Girls Club of Rutherford County will celebrate its 25th anniversary this week with events at the Murfreesboro and Smyrna units.

From humble beginnings on King's Highway 25 years ago, the Boys and Girls Club now operates two multi-million dollar facilities in Murfreesboro and Smyrna, just opened in the past year, serving hundreds of children at both locations.

Games for the children and snow cones with a short program are planned:

Tuesday, July 19

4pm - 6pm

Boys & Girls Club, Murfreesboro Unit

820 Jones Blvd.

Thursday, July 21

4pm - 6pm

Boys & Girls Club, Smyrna Unit

198 Culbertson St.

Pick Tennessee Products 25^th year anniversary celebration visits the Rutherford County Farmers Market on John Rice Boulevard Friday at 9 a.m. as part of a statewide tour that started in June.

Tammy Algood, spokesperson for the Pick Tennessee Products promotion and author of “The Complete Southern Cookbook,” will have a “25 Things to Remember at Your Farmers Market” session, sharing tips on choosing and storing fresh produce, and offering easy recipes for fresh produce. Copies of her new cookbook and baskets of farm-direct and artisan Tennessee foods will be given as prizes to lucky customers.

Pick Tennessee Products is the promotional campaign through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture that works to connect consumers with locally made food products.

Pick Tennessee Products is celebrating its 25th anniversary by showcasing a set of 10 simple, but sure to please recipes at upcoming farmers market events. The recipes focus on common fruits and vegetables typically available at Tennessee farmers markets. Recipes include instructions for choosing and storing produce to help even the most inexperienced cooks feel confident about choosing fresh, local produce.