Welcome Back Students (Finally)!

SMYRNA — It’s been snowy and rainy at times, but the winter doldrums can’t keep us away. We are finally getting back into the groove for Spring Semester 2024. 

Welcome back students!

Now that classes are meeting on-ground again, it’s time to celebrate. Please drop by the MLA Lobby anytime from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday or Thursday (Jan. 31 or Feb. 1) for our Club and Resource Days. 

The Student Government Association will provide complementary snacks as you roam the room to learn more about Motlow’s student organizations and opportunities. Visit individual tables to meet faculty advisers and sign up for future activities, including field trips, games, movie nights, and even a talent show.

For more information, contact Professor Stacy Dowd at sdowd@mscc.edu. 

Here are a few tips for a successful semester.

* Feeling overwhelmed by stress or hardship? Free counseling services are available to all Motlow students (in-person or Zoom). Contact: counseling@mscc.edu or (931) 393-1960.

* Need help with a paper? The Writing Center team is eager to help. Make an appointment in the MotlowHub.

* The Math Lab is open to all students via Zoom appointment. Visit www.motlow.edu/academics/programs/tutoring and click on Math Lab for contact information.

* Do you need a tutor? Find the link for NetTutor under Tutoring Services at D2L.

Have a great new semester everyone!

Mosaic Literary Journal Spotlights Talents of Motlow Students, Faculty and Staff

  SMYRNA — The literary and visual works of Motlow students, faculty and staff are on colorful display in Mosaic, a journal that includes fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction, as well as visual art and academic essays.

Established in 1993, Mosaic: A Literary Journal has been relaunched by the Language Department and Motlow Library. The Fall 2023 issue is available at https://www.canva.com/design/DAFznZt0fqQ/FGd_rTi26mAAZE2pOeTdnA/edit?utm_content=DAFznZt0fqQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton .

“The journal’s primary goal is to provide a platform to amplify creative voices,” said Associate Professor of English Andrea Green, who serves as co-editor-in-chief. “By featuring distinct methods of storytelling and artistry, Mosaic hopes to highlight the exceptional talents of the Motlow community.”

A spring issue is already in the works with student submissions encouraged through March 1, 2024. To learn more or submit an original work of literature or visual art, send an email to Mosaic@mscc.edu. 

Motlow Students Invited to Participate in Second Annual Speech Contest

By Robert Davenport
Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

SMYRNA -- Motlow Students can gain invaluable experience and career-changing recognition this spring by competing in the second annual Debbie Zimmerman Oratorial Contest. 

Emerging, intermediate and advanced student speakers are encouraged to enter the contest. 

The deadline to enter the contest is March 12 (Friday). Videorecorded speeches must be submitted by March 15. The speeches will be evaluated by March 22, with finalists notified they have qualified for the finals. The final round of the competition will occur at Moore County on April 4.

Students can enter the contest by emailing Associate Professor of Speech Robert Davenport at rdavenport@mscc.edu. In that email, they should state their name, email address, and the Motlow campus where they attend. Entrants will be emailed a list of the requirements for speech preparation and video submission.

Davenport is once again coordinating the contest, along with faculty co-advisors (Professor Charles Whiting and Professor Debbie Stockdale) of the SEAM (Smyrna Entertainment, Arts & Media) Club on the Smyrna campus. The event is also sponsored by the Humanities Department at Motlow. 

“I appreciate so much the support we have received from my colleagues who understand how important and rewarding this kind of activity is for our students across all of the campuses,” Davenport said. “We are committed to continuing to offer this opportunity to students for many years to come.”

Motlow debuted the contest last April with four students taking the podium for a series of self-penned persuasive speeches with visual aids. Kirsten Wright, who attended classes on the Sparta campus, won first place to become the first-ever Oratorial Contest champion.

The contest is named after Professor Emeritus Debbie Zimmerman, a longtime speech & theatre professor who was instrumental in building the curriculum at Motlow. She was also one of the judges for last year’s contest, along with two speech communication professors from MTSU. She expressed her appreciation for having the event named in her honor, sharing her hope that the contest would become an annual event.

The second annual Oratorical Contest is open to Motlow students (including dual enrollment students) who have already completed COMM 2025 – Fundamentals of Communication or are currently enrolled in that course.

Students who enter the contest will be asked to prepare and present a 6 to 10-minute persuasive speech on a topic of their choosing. Depending on the number of entrants, there will be a “semifinal” round in which students will submit a videotaped recording of their contest speech, which will be evaluated by a group of speech professors. The top five to 10 speakers from that round will then qualify for a live final round of competition on the Moore County campus and compete for trophies and other prizes.

Davenport emphasized how participation in this activity can be extremely helpful to students from any major or career path. The event will help them improve their speaking and overall communication skills as they prepare for the future. 

“Communication skills are the number one skill employers are looking for when choosing new employees for their companies,” Davenport noted. “Besides that, stronger communication skills can help students be successful in their other courses as they advance toward graduation.”