Rep. Mike Sparks to Visit Motlow Smyrna for Talk and Live Radio Show

                SMYRNA, Tenn. -- Tennessee Rep. Mike Sparks will visit Motlow’s Smyrna campus in late September to lead an educational talk and interview guests for his live radio show on radio station WGNS-AM/FM.

                Sparks, who majored in Mass Comm at Motlow, will kick off the college’s fall “Famous Communicators Series” with his appearance in the STAH Student Lounge from 2-3 p.m. Sept. 26 (Tuesday). He will share insights on how a professional can effectively work with the news media to receive accurate and balanced coverage. He also will share insights about his popular blog and live radio show on WGNS in Murfreesboro.

                He will host his live radio show in the STAH Lobby from 10-11 a.m. on Sept. 28 (Thursday). Among his on-air guests will be Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, Motlow Smyrna Academic Dean Elizabeth Fitch, and students from an Electronic Media class.

                Sparks is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing District 49 in Rutherford County, including Smyrna, La Vergne, Almaville and North Murfreesboro. He also is a business owner who has authored the books “Learn The Car business for fun & Profit,” “Learn to Barter & 21 Ways to Increase Your Income,” and “How to Do More with Less During Tough Times.”

                The former Motlow student, who stays busy at the Tennessee State Capitol, sometimes finds himself in a flurry of breaking news coverage. Students, faculty and others can expect to hear some interesting stories.

Motlow Seeks tnAchieves Mentors for Tennessee Promise Program

By Jonathan Graham

Tennessee Promise Director

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

         “Empower students… Be a resource… Transform your community…”

These are the words echoed by tnAchieves every year as they begin to recruit college mentors across the state of Tennessee.

 One of the unique features of the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program is the mentor component in which each Tennessee Promise student is paired with a mentor from the local community. Mentors help high school seniors prepare for college by informing them of important college deadlines, encouraging them throughout the college transition process, and by connecting them to important college resources.

 Each college mentor is paired with five to 10 high school seniors whom they help transition from high school to college.

“Mentors remind students of important deadlines, answer students’ questions, alleviate their concerns, and most importantly, encourage students to reach their full potential,” said Graham Thomas, deputy director of engagement and partnerships for tnAchieves.

We need your help!

Active recruiting for tnAchieves is occurring across the state. In 2017, some counties did not reach their mentor goal. This year, the Motlow team is hopeful that there will be enough mentors to help provide quality assistance to each high school student.

Below is a breakdown of the number of mentors currently needed by each county in Motlow’s service area:

Make a difference!

                Becoming a tnAchieves mentor is extremely easy. Mentors simply need to complete a mentor application by Dec. 1, 2017. Mentors will select a preferred high school, complete a one-hour training session, and attend a total of two meetings with their mentees.

I’m in! Am I eligible?

                Mentors must:

                * Be 21 years or older.

                * Apply by Dec. 1, 2017

                * Complete a mentor training by Feb. 15.

                For more information about becoming a tnAchieves mentor, please visit www.tnachieves.org

In The Motlow Spotlight: History Club President Bien Espera

     Motlow Buzz Managing Editor Ramona Shelton recently interviewed History Club President Bien Espera. As you can see, this promising student is making a big difference on Motlow's Smyrna campus.

Bien Espera serves as president of the History Club on the Motlow Smyrna campus.

Question: What is your major?

Answer: “Currently, I plan to graduate from Motlow with an associate degree in General Studies as a foundation to a university transfer to either Cumberland University for a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics or MTSU with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and a minor in French.”

Question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Answer: “I can’t say I fully know what I want to be when I grow up. One thing I would like to possibly open is a cat café due to my love of cats, coffee and tea. With it, I hope to give some cats from shelters a home. All in all, my definition of success is knowing the true value of life without materialism and having both financial stability and financial freedom.”

Question: Tell us something interesting about yourself.

Answer: “One interesting fact about me is my love of animals. I have a 4-month-old kitten named Athena, who is extremely feisty, quirky and full of personality, yet sweet, and a 15-year-old Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix named Brownie, who is rather a couch potato and snug bug, yet aggressive and protective like his Aztec and Mayan ancestors. I can prove that cats and dogs can get along! Another fact is my love for reading books and writing poetry. I began writing poems in middle school as a hobby because I saw something rather nifty about the self-expression of words using metaphors and symbolism. On top of it all, I enjoy playing piano as a de-stressor.”

Question: Why did you choose Motlow?

Answer: “During my senior year in high school, I took several Dual Enrollment classes at Motlow while simultaneously taking AP classes at LaVergne High School. As the year drew to a close, I wasn’t so sure which direction I should take because I graduated one year before Tennessee Promise started. However, I saw great education opportunities here at Motlow, such as inexpensive tuition, flexible schedules, amiable professors, and an idyllic atmosphere that I couldn’t pass up.”

Question: What is the best thing about Motlow Smyrna?

Answer: As a sophomore, I have attended Motlow for four semesters simultaneously balancing a hectic work schedule with an insane amount of homework only to find that the best thing about Motlow Smyrna is the helpfulness of each of my professors and the positive vibes they bring to every class period.”

Question: As History Club President, what do you hope to accomplish this year?

Answer: “As the History Club President, I hope to increase the involvement of our members, not only in the Smyrna area but also in the many communities around us to broaden our horizons while incorporating historical concepts when feasible. The concepts will not only include the war and political stories that we learn in World and American History classes but also the pop culture history from different time periods because history has a profound significance to our future growth in all kinds of professions and careers. This semester we have a tentative calendar planned for several on-site activities, historical site trips, and volunteer opportunities (beneficial for TN Promise students!). We are always welcoming new members throughout the year so please come to our events and make new friends!”

Motlow Buzz Tech Tips for Education

Here’s a tech tip (for education) from our librarian, Paige Hendrickson.

Would you like to have Microsoft Office for PC or Mac on your computer or laptop? You can download it onto four devices for four years – all for free!

First, log onto your Motlow Student/Staff/Faculty email account (Outlook) while using a personal laptop or desktop computer.

In the upper left corner of the Motlow Outlook screen, click on “Office 365.” You will be taken to the Microsoft webpage.

In the upper right corner of the Microsoft page, click on “Install Office 2016.” Then follow the prompts and instructions for downloading the software. That’s all there is to it!

http://www.mscc.edu/itts/DownloadingAndInstallingMSOffice365STUDENTS.pdf

We Heard It Through the Grapevine...

* Student Government freshman elections are underway. Voting starts Sept. 25 and continues through Sept. 29 (Monday-Friday). Voting takes place electronically through MyMotlow. Check the campus monitors and doors for voting instructions.

* The Smyrna campus has raised $625.20 for students of Houston Community College that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Collections will continue through the month of September. Please look for tables in the lobby or find an SGA advisor to give your donation to Stacy Dowd, Nicole Speelman or Bill Kraus. Anyone can donate… faculty, staff and students.

* Are you a registered voter? Look for Student Government in the STAH Lobby on Sept. 26 (National Voter Registration Day) to get registered.

* What the heck is QUEST? Come find out from 12-2 p.m. Sept. 28 (Thursday) in the STAH Lobby. Test your knowledge and win fun prizes!

* Biology Club is participating in National Public Lands Day. On Sept. 30 (Saturday), students and faculty will head to Stones River National Battlefield to help remove non-native invasive plants from an area of the park. This volunteer activity this will also count for four hours of Tennessee Promise Volunteer hours, not to mention look great on a resume. Please contact Mary Matthews at mmatthews@mscc.edu or Stacy Dowd at sdowd@mscc.edu for more information.

Send your “Grapevine” news to cwhiting@mscc.edu or rshelton@mscc.edu.

(Special thanks to Stacy Dowd for sharing these great opportunities.)

History Club to Host Campus Cleanup Day

Are you in need of Tennessee Promise service hours?

Come to the History Club’s Campus Cleanup Day from 9 a.m.-noon on Sept. 30.

Volunteers will spend Saturday morning cleaning the classrooms, common areas, café, library and grounds (so there will be projects for everybody!). Students can earn one to three service hours for Tennessee Promise.

Check in with Club Advisor Ramona Shelton in the café area of the STAH building and help us make Motlow shine!

Fall Festival to Bring Pumpkins, Volleyball and Food to Motlow’s Smyrna Campus

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Reporter

            SMYRNA, Tenn. – Motlow’s Smyrna campus will host its Fall Festival on Oct. 31, providing plenty of activities to relieve midterm stress and accumulate Tennessee Promise service hours.

            Fall Festival will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the STAH Lobby and on the grassy areas between the two buildings on campus. Free activities such as pumpkin painting, a poetry session, cornhole, and volleyball will be available. There also will be a bake sale at the “Flavors of Fall” booth. Food trucks will be on hand to provide refreshments to participants.

            Despite the immense growth in the number of students attending Motlow, Fall Festival committee member Candace Grissom is confident that every student will have a chance to participate.

Associate Professor of History Heather Koller and Academic Dean Elizabeth Fitch enjoy Fall Festival in 2016

            “The faculty and staff have done an excellent job stepping up to help make this happen,” the English professor said.

            The Fall Festival is a great opportunity for students to earn hours toward their Tennessee Promise service requirements. Volunteers are needed for both set-up and cleanup of the four-hour event. Grissom says this will make it easier for the college’s busy landscaping staff. 

“We don’t want Motlow’s professional landscaping team cleaning up after the festival all by themselves,” she added.

Contact Grissom at cgrissom@mscc.edu for more information on how to volunteer for Fall Festival.

Motlow's Counseling Services Program Changes Lives

               SMYRNA, Tenn. – According to the American College Health Association, 31 percent of college students have felt so depressed in the past year that it was difficult to function, and more than 30 percent have felt overwhelming anxiety, making it hard to succeed academically.

                Motlow Smyrna has a professional licensed therapist who is standing by to help students who face personal, social, emotional and adjustment issues. Sometimes there are challenges in life that individuals just can’t face alone.

                “Successful academic performance depends on emotional, psychological and social well-being,” said Lisa Stone, a licensed therapist who helps students overcome these challenges through the newly created Counseling Services program at Motlow State Community College.

                Stone, who joined Motlow on Aug. 1, works on the Smyrna campus all day on Mondays and Tuesdays. She encourages students to call (615) 220-7913 or visit with her in Room 138 of the Smyrna Classroom Building for confidential counseling sessions. Walk-ins are welcome upon availability.

                “Faculty and staff can help by noticing negative changes in a student’s behavior, attitude and motivation, then suggesting that they call Counseling Services for an appointment,” Stone added.

                Students can learn to navigate through obstacles and better maintain perspective and purpose by talking with a licensed therapist like Lisa. She is prepared to help them overcome challenges related to self-doubt, personal or relationship conflicts, stress or anxiety, depression, drug abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual orientation or gender identity.

                Stone encourages students who are experiencing a mental health emergency to dial 911 or go to their nearest emergency department.

                All counseling services are free for Motlow students. To make an appointment or to learn more, send an email inquiry to lstone@mscc.edu, call (615) 220-7913, or visit http://www.mscc.edu/counseling/ .

Student Clubs Offer Opportunities to Network, Create, Volunteer and Have Fun

                SMYRNA, Tenn. – Motlow Smyrna has a host of clubs to provide opportunities for students to network, create, volunteer and just have fun.

                Last week, students and faculty sponsors manned tables in the STAH lobby during the college’s Smyrna Club Days. If you didn’t attend, you can still get involved. Here’s a list of student clubs with contact information.

Senator Cameron Droddy welcomes student Jordan Donalson to the SGA table during Smyrna Club Days.

Student Government Association (SGA)

Faculty Sponsors: Stacy Dowd, Nicole Speelman, and Bill Kraus

sdowd@mscc.edu or 220-7865

nspeelman@mscc.edu or 220-7879

wkraus@mscc.edu

History Club

Faculty Sponsor: Ramona Shelton

rshelton@mscc.edu  or 220-7942

Student Nurse Association

Faculty Sponsor: Cathy Simpson

csimpson@mscc.edu or 220-7831

Phi Theta Kappa

Faculty Sponsor: Misty Griffith

mgriffith@mscc.edu or 931-668-2117

COR Club

Faculty Sponsor: Kevin Fitch

kfitch@mscc.edu  or 220-7824

Biology Club

Faculty Sponsor: Mary Matthews

mmatthews@mscc.edu  or 220-7883

Diversity Club

Faculty Sponsors: Andrea Green and Paige Hendrickson

agreen@mscc.edu or 220-7947 (Primary)

phendrickson@mscc.edu or 220-7815

Rotaract Club

Faculty Sponsors: Liala Syler, Paige Hendrickson and Terry Durham

lsyler@mscc.edu or 220-7867 (Primary)

phendrickson@mscc.edu or 220-7815

tdurham@mscc.edu or 220-7885

Mathematics Club

Faculty Sponsor: Brian Mitchell

bmitchell@mscc.edu  or 220-7825

Forming Now: Smyna Entertainment, Arts & Media Club

Faculty Sponsors: Charles Whiting and Debra Stockdale

cwhiting@mscc.edu or 220-7948 (Primary)

dstockdale@mscc.edu

(Paige Henderson provided the information for this article.)

History Club faculty sponsor Ramona Shelton shares a table with charter member Ashton Sisco.

Christian Cifuentes mans the Diversity Club table during Smyrna Club Days.

Motlow Market Offers Assistance to Food-Insecure Students

By Stacy Dowd

Contributing Writer

SMYRNA, Tenn. -- There’s a resource for students who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

The Motlow Market is a resource for food-insecure students at Motlow. It was created after a psychology course conducted a survey that revealed that at least 25 percent of on-ground Motlow students were food insecure.

The Smyrna campus has partnered with Nourish Food Bank, which serves Lavergne and Smyrna to house the Motlow Market. Students can visit the market to assist with their food supply needs. Sociology Professor Liala Syler and Tennessee Promise Coordinator Jonathan Graham are the contact points in Smyrna for the coordination and running of the Motlow Market. Serving as contact points on the other campuses are Dean of Students Kirsten Moss and Director of Student Success Rhonda Cotham (Moore County); Completion Coach Laura Brown (McMinnville); and Completion Coach Joshua Caldwell and Student Success Coach Hayley Caldwell (Fayetteville).

Students can volunteer to work at the market and gain Tennessee Promise volunteer hours or FYE course requirements. The Market is currently open during normal operating hours of the Nourish Food Bank. To learn more, visit www.nourishfoodbanks.org .

Throughout the year, food drives are held on Motlow campuses to help stock the market. The Market also collects school supplies to assist Nourish Food Bank in its support of the Rutherford County School Supply Drive.

For more information on how you can help or to learn more about the services offered by the Motlow Market, contact Liala Syler at lsyler@mscc.edu or Jonathan Graham at jgraham@mscc.edu.

Writing Center Opens To Students

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Reporter

                SMYRNA, Tenn. – The Writing Center opened in the Student Success Center off the STAH lobby in early September, allowing students to get help with any writing project.

                The Writing Center, which encourages appointments, is open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays, 9-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

“This is the first time we have offered weekend hours, giving busy students a chance to get help,” said Assistant Professor of English Jenna Caviezel, who oversees the Writing Center on all four Motlow campuses.

Assistant Professor of English Jenna Caviezel encourages students to visit The Writing Center.

                If an on-campus meeting is not possible, students can now call on the Writing Center’s tutors for live online tutoring. The sessions take place using a microphone and a webcam and can be done from home. A non-live online option called etutoring, where the student sends in the assignment online and receives a commented version back, is also available.

Inside the Writing Center, students can meet with a tutor who has been handpicked by Caviezel from a list of applicants. The center’s tutors are typically sophomores who have already taken the courses their fellow students might be struggling with. Students may bring in any type of assignment to tutors for feedback. Whether it is a paper for a class, a PowerPoint presentation, or a short story by an aspiring author, all works are accepted in the Writing Center.

“We’re here to help with any project at any stage of the writing process,” Caviezel added.

  Each session lasts 50 minutes, and students are advised to bring all the drafts they have worked on, as well as the rubric or assignment prompt if applicable. After each session, students are sent a link to an anonymous survey about their experiences at the Writing Center. These surveys are used to improve the Writing Center, most notably helping tutors adjust to the ever-changing availability of students.

Caviezel says she and her staff are very pleased with the response they are getting from Motlow students. “We had over 1,000 appointments last year, and 98 percent of students who completed the survey stated they would recommend the Writing Center.”

For instructions on how to make an appointment and to receive more detailed information about the Writing Center, visit http://www.mscc.edu/writingcenter/ or email your questions to writingcenter@mscc.edu. 

In the Motlow Spotlight: A Conversation With Mollie

            The Motlow Buzz is publishing spotlight interviews with students, faculty, administrators and staff members who are contributing to Motlow’s amazing success. This issue, we spotlight Mollie McDonald, Smyrna Vice President of the Student Government Association.

Question: Tell us a bit about you Mollie.

Answer: “My name is Mollie McDonald. I live in Murfreesboro and graduated from an online homeschool in 2016.”

Question: Why did you choose Motlow? What is your major, and what do you want to be when you grow up?

Answer: “I chose Motlow because it is growing quickly, which allows so much opportunity for the school and for the students. After Motlow, I'm going to transfer to Western Kentucky University for a bachelor’s degree in film, so eventually I can become a director.”

Question: What is your favorite thing about Motlow Smyrna?

Answer: “I enjoy how caring the professors here at Motlow Smyrna are.”

Question: Why did you join the SGA? What do you do as our Smyrna VP?

Answer: “I joined the Student Government Association to make Motlow Smyrna an even more fun and exciting place to be for the students. As the Smyrna VP, I am in charge of planning fun events for the students and giving the students what they ask for.”

Question: How can students get involved with SGA even if they aren’t an elected officer?

Answer: “Everyone who attends Motlow is already in the Student Government! All they have to do is give us their email and they'll be informed of all events and meetings.”

Question: What piece of advice would you give to a first-time incoming freshman? What do you wish you had known on your first day here?

Answer: “To incoming freshman I would say, make friends while you're here. Talk to people, get involved, and enjoy yourself. Lots of people think of this as just something they have to do to get to a bigger school. However, just because this isn't a typical university experience doesn't mean you can't have fun!”

Congratulations Mollie! Thank you for making a big difference on Motlow State’s Smyrna campus.

(This interview was conducted by Motlow Buzz Managing Editor Ramona Shelton.)