MTSU celebrated research and scholarly efforts March 30 on Scholars Day to conclude the sixth annual Scholars Week on campus.

A record 331 students presented posters during the Universitywide conclusion to Scholars Week, which was held in Murphy Center. Twenty-six MTSU faculty members and 15 centers from across campus also participated.

“This gets bigger, more sophisticated and better organized every year,” said Dr. Mike Allen, dean of the College of Graduate Studies and vice provost for research.

“I’ve only seen two (Scholars Weeks) and both were great,” added University Provost Brad Bartel. “The poster sessions were high-caliber. So many disciplines were represented. All in all, it was a great, great week.”

Dr. Kaylene Gebert, former provost and now a Department of Speech and Theatre faculty member, said Scholars Week “gets better every year. You see more students participating this year. I believe some of the labs were asking their students to come and take notes. There were a lot of students talking and taking notes and saying, ‘This is cool.’ They were really engaged.”

“This is wonderful because of the variety of projects,” she said. “It’s hard to compare and contrast those. They are different projects with different thought processes behind them.Dr. Amy Sayward, chair of the history department, has served four years as one of the many volunteer judges.

“I love the idea that we come together as a University community. To know that we have this kind of research going on is why I volunteer.”

During the week, all of the colleges within the University conducted their own Scholars Days. (Read about one such event here.)

On March 26, Dr. Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of the National Science Education Center in Oakland, Calif., delivered a keynote address to a capacity crowd in the Business and Aerospace Building’s State Farm Lecture Hall.

“There is a lot of great work going on at MTSU in many different fields,” said Dr. Andrienne Friedli, chair of the Scholars Week committee, a chemistry department faculty member and director for the Center for Advancement of Research Scholarship.

“It’s an opportunity for students to showcase their accomplishments and see what others are doing.”

A list of Scholars Week 2012 award winners is below.

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

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The year 2012 marks Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary and to kick off this year-long commemoration, each state park will host its own special hike in the first few days of the New Year.

“We are very excited to announce Tennessee State Parks’ 75th Anniversary and felt this series of First Hikes would be a fitting way to commence the various celebrations slated throughout the year and across the state,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau.  “Following the old Gaelic tradition of ‘first footing,’ the First Hikes are meant to encourage all Tennesseans to hit the trail and get 2012 started on the right foot.”

From Meeman-Shelby to Fall Creek Falls to Roan Mountain and every state park in between, the 2012 First Hikes are designed for all ages and abilities.  Some hikes will be approximately one mile in length and tailored for novice hikers, while others are lengthier and geared toward more experienced hikers.  For a more in-depth look into planned First Hikes in your area, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/parks/firsthikes/.

In addition to the First Hikes slated for early January, Tennessee State Parks will host a variety of special events throughout 2012 and has unveiled a specially-designed 75th Anniversary logo – reminiscent of the ranger uniform patches of yesteryear.

The Tennessee State Parks system was established through legislation in 1937, and those laws – with modifications and additions over the years – remain the framework for park operations today.  As in most states, Tennessee began in cooperation with federal programs that instigated individual parks. Later, Depression era recovery programs gave a boost to the idea and the possibility of creating parks. The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration worked on land conservation, but also delved further into the actual planning and construction of what would become the first of 53 Tennessee State Parks.

Today, there is a state park within an hour’s drive of just about anywhere in Tennessee.  A 2009 University of Tennessee study highlights the positive economic impacts that state parks provide local communities, particularly in rural areas of the state.  The study found that for every dollar spent on trips to Tennessee State Parks, an additional $1.11 of economic activity was generated throughout the state.  When the direct and indirect expenditures were combined, the impact of Tennessee State Parks to the state’s economy was $1.5 billion in total industry output, supporting more than 18,600 jobs.

“Our vision statement highlights the inherent value of our natural environment, along with the value of the many physical reminders of Tennessee’s past,” added Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill.  “Tennessee’s state parks have played such an important role in our history, and they play a critical role in our health and quality of life, which will benefit Tennesseans well into the future.”

Tennessee’s state parks deliver a rich fabric of natural landscapes, wild places, preserved ecologies, outdoor recreational opportunities and protected historic scenes and resources – together representing the heritage of Tennessee in the landscape.

Tennessee's 53 state parks and 82 state natural areas offer diverse natural, recreational and cultural experiences for individuals, families or business and professional groups.  State park features range from pristine natural areas to 18-hole championship golf courses.  For a free brochure about Tennessee State Parks, call toll free at 1-888-867-2757. For upcoming events in connection with the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, please visit the state parks website at www.tnstateparks.com.

SPRING HILL, Tenn. – General Motors will invest $61 million to bring its idled Spring Hill assembly plant back to life as one of the world’s most-flexible manufacturing facilities capable of building any GM car or crossover based on customer demand or manufacturing need.

The investment will create 594 hourly jobs and 91 salaried positions for the flexible operation scheduled to begin with the hot-selling Chevrolet Equinox in the second half of 2012. The additional production will supplement Equinox production in Canada, the main assembly sites of the midsize crossover vehicle and its sibling the GMC Terrain.

The Equinox has been so popular – U.S. sales were up 18 percent in October – that GM has increased production three times since it went into production in 2009.

GM also announced Monday a second investment of $183 million for future midsize vehicles to be built at Spring Hill, located about 40 miles south of Nashville. Timing was not announced, but that investment is expected to create an additional 1,090 hourly and 106 salaried positions.

“Spring Hill has a history as one of GM’s most innovative and flexible plants,” said Cathy Clegg, vice president of GM Labor Relations. “We’re pleased that, working together with the UAW, we were able to build on that history and develop a plan to resume production at Spring Hill.”

The potential for Spring Hill’s future role was discussed as a part of negotiations for a four-year national labor agreement ratified in October.

"Our number one priority in auto negotiations this year was jobs," said UAW President Bob King.  "We asked the company to bring jobs back to America , and that’s what this collective bargaining agreement represents.  Together, we are bringing 1,800 jobs to Tennessee, and a total of 6,400 new GM jobs, which translates to nearly 60,000 good, auto-related jobs in the United States."

Equinox production is only the start for Spring Hill Flex. Operators will be capable of building a variety of products on a range of platforms – covering for plants being retooled for new products and also allowing real-time reaction to sales spikes in a given car or crossover.

Spring Hill powertrain and stamping operations, part of the integrated complex that was the home to the former Saturn brand from 1990 to 2007 and the Chevrolet Traverse large crossover into 2009, are still operating. In fact, GM has invested $515 million in the engine operations in the last 14 months for current and next-generation Ecotec 4-cylinder engine production.

"The re-opening of Spring Hill is a testament to the value of collective bargaining," said UAW Vice President Joe Ashton, who directs the union's General Motors Department. "Collective bargaining works for companies, for workers and for America. Collective bargaining is what brought good jobs to Tennessee.  It is what built our middle class. It is how workers and communities have a voice in corporate decision-making. Bargaining is what gives the working class a seat at the table."

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.  GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.