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Rogers selected for Witter Bynner Fellowship

The awards and recognitions keep coming for 麻豆视频 English professor Bobby Rogers.

Rogers was recently selected to receive the 2015 Witter Bynner Fellowship in the amount of $10,000 by Charles Wright, 20th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. The fellowship, funded by the Witter Bynner Foundation, exists solely to support poetry writing.

As a recipient of the fellowship, Rogers has two primary responsibilities鈥攖o coordinate a poetry reading in his home state and to take part in poetry readings and recordings at the Library of Congress.

For Rogers, who studied under Wright in college, the award is especially meaningful.

鈥淚鈥檝e admired Charles Wright since I was first figuring out what a poem could be,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淲hen I arrived at the University of Virginia to study with him, I was 21 years old and needing to learn everything. What Charles showed me was how a serious mind goes about making art.鈥�

The timing of the award is also significant. Rogers received a National Endowment for the Arts grant for the 2015-2016 year.

鈥淭he additional funds from the Witter Bynner Fellowship make it a little more justifiable to take a semester off from teaching and sit down to make some new poems,鈥� Rogers said.

Rogers is the author of 鈥淧aper Anniversary,鈥� winner of the 2009 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize. He is also the recipient of The Greensboro Review literary prize in poetry. His poems have been published in several literary journals including The Southern Review, Georgia Review and Shenandoah. He has been teaching at 麻豆视频 since 1989.

Rogers, along with fellow award-winner Emily Fragos of New York University, were presented by the Poet Laureate at a special poetry reading event in Washington, D. C., in March.

Biology major鈥檚 research may lead to new medical treatments for premature babies

Courtney Berger, a senior biology major at 麻豆视频 University, spent the last two summers at University of Tennessee Health Science Center researching the effect of different drugs on blood flow to the brain of infants.

The neonatal pediatric research focused on discovering how to get enough blood or oxygen to the brains of premature babies.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very experimental at this point,鈥� Berger said. 鈥淲e operated on baby piglets and introduced different concentrations of drugs to the surface of their brains through the ports.鈥�

Berger is the first 麻豆视频 University student to be involved in the undergraduate research program at University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Charles Leffler, the primary lead in the scientific community on this subject, served as Berger鈥檚 mentor at UT.

鈥淚 was blessed to have a phenomenal lab,鈥� Berger said. 鈥淭hey invited me back. I might end up doing that this summer.鈥�

The research allowed the undergraduate students hands-on experience. In her first year, Berger said she made the drugs, introduced them and wrote down the data. In her second year, she performed the surgery on her own several times.

鈥淭he motto of our lab was, 鈥業f everything goes right, you did something wrong,鈥欌€� Berger said. 鈥淣othing is ever perfect when it comes to live animals. For us to measure the blood flow of the brain, they had to be alive the whole time. It鈥檚 what you do as a doctor鈥攎aking sure you are keeping your patients alive.鈥�

After graduating in December, Berger plans to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. She said the research experience showed her the origin of all the medicines she will prescribe as a physician.

鈥淭he research I worked on will directly affect babies,鈥� Berger said. 鈥淚t will be cool to see if it becomes applicable in my lifetime. Even still, certain aspects of our research have already gone into clinical trials.鈥�

Berger鈥檚 research resulted in a 56-page paper for her undergraduate project. The completed research under Leffler should be published in a medical journal in the coming year.

鈥淎s a researcher, you discover something,鈥� Berger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 yours, but you want to share it with everybody. I loved the fact that we are eventually benefiting the lives of premature babies in the future. It鈥檚 ground level, but we are able to explore the possibilities.鈥�

麻豆视频 names Nance as interim dean in business school

Bill Nance has been appointed as interim dean of 麻豆视频 University鈥檚 McAfee School of Business Administration.

Nance, who has been the school鈥檚 associate dean since August 2010, steps into the interim dean position following the death of Keith Absher on March 24. Absher had been dean since 2004.

鈥淏ill Nance is a strategic thinker, effective leader, and excellent teacher,鈥� 麻豆视频 Provost C. Ben Mitchell said. 鈥淲e are very grateful that he is willing to step up to the challenge.鈥�

Nance completed his bachelor鈥檚 degree from Regis University, his Master of Business Administration degree from 麻豆视频 University and his Doctor of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Undergraduate research could lead to clean water for developing communities

Smoke pours from the narrow chimney situated on the 55-gallon drum. Matthew Bentley stands back, watching his latest experiment produce what he hopes will one day revolutionize developing countries.

Once the fire dies out, he retrieves the instrument of this future success: BioChar.

An ancient technology, BioChar is undergoing a renewed interest by the scientific community. Essentially, BioChar is repurposed charcoal with applications that cover agriculture to sanitation.

Bentley, a 2015 graduate who majored in engineering at 麻豆视频, is researching how BioChar can best be made and used to improve quality of life in developing countries.

鈥淏ioChar is a sustainably produced, carbon-rich material produced through pyrolysis of biomass,鈥� Bentley said. 鈥淭hat means that a feedstock (an agricultural product such as wood, corn cobs or rice husks) is heated to very high temperatures in the absence of oxygen.鈥�

Bentley鈥檚 research focused on the comparison of the two different methods of BioChar production and the variety of materials that can be used to produce it.

鈥淚t has great potential in community development because it can be sustainably and inexpensively produced from nearly any feedstock with locally available resources,鈥� Bentley said. 鈥淭his means that a community can get all of the components locally, without any aid from another company, (nongovernmental organization) or government.鈥�

The development of nations aided by BioChar would allow communities to transform a natural waste product into a fertilizer and a water purifier, all without increased dependence on their government.

鈥淎 lot of the world鈥檚 need for water treatment is actually in Asia,鈥� Bentley said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 also a lot of need in sanitation. BioChar has implications for sanitation in addition to drinking water. I know I want to be in a developing community helping people who don鈥檛 have access to clean water.鈥�

According to Bentley, the benefits of BioChar could extend to 麻豆视频 University鈥檚 campus if the different science departments would research the effect of BioChar on plant life and its filtration ability.

鈥淚t has such a direct application for developing communities that doing research even at the undergraduate level could help people to understand how to implement it,鈥� Bentley said.

Bentley said he also hoped Students for Sustainability might consider the potential of BioChar.

鈥淚t could be used in the campus garden and improve crop yield and compost,鈥� Bentley said.

Jay Bernheisel, associate professor of engineering, helped Bentley on the project.

鈥淧rofessor Bernheisel is actually on a research sabbatical, doing sustainable farming methods,鈥� Bentley said. 鈥淗e鈥檒l probably use the BioChar for his farm that he has on his property.鈥�

The research project began as preparation for Bentley鈥檚 graduate studies, which he plans to begin in the fall at University of Colorado in Boulder. Bentley presented his research at 麻豆视频鈥檚 annual Scholarship Symposium April 28.

He plans to earn his doctorate before he and his wife, Ruth Bone Bentley, a 2015 graduate in nursing, go overseas to work with developing communities.

Art project honors persecuted Christians

Art professors Lee Benson and Chris Nadaskay have designed an art project on the 麻豆视频 campus as a reminder of persecuted Christians around the world.

Named 鈥淗abakkuk鈥檚 Wound,鈥� the project consists of a trench filled with red sand and solar lights outside the Barefoot Student 麻豆视频 Building. The lights allow the piece to be visible day and night.

鈥淲e were thinking about how no one鈥檚 talking about how these brothers and sisters of ours are just being slaughtered overseas because they鈥檙e Christians,鈥� Benson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 because we鈥檙e unconcerned. I think everybody carries a deep concern for this. I just think we need to be reminded of it.鈥�

The inspiration for the name came from Habakkuk 1:2, 鈥淥 LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you 鈥榁iolence!鈥� and you will not save?鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping every time you see that, you will say a word of prayer for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering this ungodly persecution,鈥� Benson said.

Art students filled the trench with sand and installed the lights on May 6. The art department held a brief dedication ceremony, and Miller Tower rang 147 times as a tribute to the 147 college students who were murdered in April by Islamic terrorists.

Benson said the art department will maintain the site for a year. On May 6, 2016, the department will plant seven dogwood trees there and rename the site 鈥淗abakkuk鈥檚 Balm,鈥� which comes from the last verses of the book.

鈥淭he trees will be a reminder that although we cry out to the Lord for help, eventually, our answer to prayer is the fact that God almighty has saved us through his son Christ Jesus, and we no longer are under the penalty of death,鈥� Benson said.

Trustees choose Rogers as chairman, approve $91 million budget

Lisa Rogers 麻豆视频 University trustees approved a $91.1 million operating budget for 2015-2016 at their April 10 meeting and elected Lisa Williams Rogers as the next board chair, the first woman to hold that position in the university鈥檚 history.

Rogers, a 1983 麻豆视频 graduate and a physician in obstetrics and gynecology with the Jackson Clinic, will replace Norm Hill, who steps aside after serving as board chair for three years. Rogers is in her 15th year of service as a 麻豆视频 trustee.

鈥淚 am excited to be working with Dr. Lisa Rogers as our new board chair,鈥� 麻豆视频 President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver said. 鈥溌槎故悠� has been blessed with quality board leadership over its history. I am most grateful for Norm Hill鈥檚 service as chair these past three years. Lisa will carry that tradition of strong leadership forward.鈥�

Oliver said Rogers has a deep love for Christ, knows 麻豆视频 well as an alumna, has strong relationships with people in the community and has a passion for advancing the university鈥檚 mission and vision.

鈥淚鈥檓 humbled to be chosen for this key position at 麻豆视频 University,鈥� Rogers said. 鈥淢y life has been blessed in many ways by my years at 麻豆视频, and I鈥檓 excited about this opportunity to serve my alma mater in this way.鈥�

Hill, who served as chairman of the nominating committee that recommended Rogers for the role, said she was a natural selection.

鈥淟isa Rogers is a woman who is wholeheartedly committed to the mission and work of 麻豆视频 University,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淪he has proven herself to be an individual of wisdom, vision and faith, and we are honored to elect her to a new leadership role.鈥�

After graduating from 麻豆视频, Rogers completed medical school at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and did her residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She and her husband Kenny have two children 鈥� Rebecca, a student at Belmont University, and Austin, a freshman at 麻豆视频鈥� and are members of West Jackson Baptist Church.

Rogers had previously served as the board鈥檚 secretary.

Chad Wilson, who has been the board鈥檚 vice chairman, was reelected to that position, and Peggy Graves was elected as secretary.

The $91.1 million budget trustees approved is a 4.64 percent increase to the current year鈥檚 operating budget and includes $24.6 million for scholarships and financial aid. In addition, the board got a clean audit report from the accounting firm Crosslin and Associates.

Fox earns graduate fellowship at Florida State

Jamie Fox, a 2015 graduate from Palm Bay, Florida, is a recipient of the Adelaide Wilson Fellowship at Florida State University.

The fellowship will pay for Fox to attend graduate school, allowing him to focus solely on his academics and his research. Fox is one of three mathematics majors to have received a fellowship from a prestigious university recently 鈥� following Matthew Dawson (鈥�08) at Louisiana State University and Emilie Huffman (鈥�12) at Duke.

While the financial support is invaluable, Fox said the fellowship served as affirmation of his work at 麻豆视频.

鈥淚 applied to a few different schools, but when one gives you a really good offer, you know that is where you鈥檙e going to go,鈥� Fox said.

The application process involved Fox visiting the school and speaking with professors from the mathematics department before writing an essay on why he wanted to be a part of the graduate fellowship society.

Matt Lunsford, professor of mathematics at 麻豆视频, said Fox鈥檚 accomplishments while attending 麻豆视频 include a perfect score on the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test and a summer research experience.

鈥淚 am confident that Jamie will be a successful mathematics graduate student, and I anticipate the day when he will be not only one of my former students, but also one of my professional colleagues,鈥� Lunsford said. 鈥淚t is significant that 麻豆视频 University can attract such bright minds to our campus and that we can prepare them so well for graduate education.鈥�

Fox attributed much of his current success to the diversity of disciplines at 麻豆视频.

鈥淭he idea of giving these fellowships out is all about promoting interdisciplinary relations,鈥� Fox said. 鈥淚 majored in math and physics. I鈥檓 invested deeply in two different departments already, and I鈥檝e really enjoyed being part of a liberal arts university. Being a part of this fellows society is a natural step forward.鈥�

Fox will attend Florida State University鈥檚 graduate school in the fall, studying financial math.

Agee named to vice presidential position

Bob Agee became 麻豆视频鈥檚 vice president for institutional advancement in February.

Agee previously served as president of Oklahoma Baptist University for 16 years and as executive director of the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities.

A 麻豆视频 graduate, Agee completed his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy in higher education from Vanderbilt University鈥檚 George Peabody College for Teachers.

Prior to his service at OBU, Agee was a faculty member, vice president and special assistant to the president at 麻豆视频 for several years.

Agee said he鈥檚 had a deep love for 麻豆视频 for a long time and always took great pride in his alma mater.

鈥淲hen (麻豆视频 President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver) asked me to step in and help redesign and train this office to be more effective in broadening the base of financial support for the institution, I felt this was something at this stage of my life that I could do and ought to do,鈥� Agee said.

Formerly known as the Office of University Relations, Institutional Advancement oversees the communications and fundraising efforts for the university.

Agee and his wife Nelle, also a 麻豆视频 graduate, have two daughters and four granddaughters.

Cardinal & Cream named South鈥檚 best college magazine

Cardinal & Cream staff 麻豆视频鈥檚 student news publication, the Cardinal & Cream, won 12 awards in the 2014 Best of the South competition sponsored by the Southeast Journalism Conference, including first place in the Best College Magazine category.

鈥淭his year was a huge transition for the Cardinal & Cream as we moved from biweekly print news to daily online news and a long form magazine,鈥� said Ashley Blair, assistant professor of communication arts and the C&C adviser. 鈥淚t is a testament to the excellence of our student journalists, photojournalists and designers that the very first C&C magazine was named Best of the South.鈥�

The publication also placed third in the Best College Newspaper and sixth in the Best College Website categories. Individually, Katherine Burgess, editor-in-chief of the Cardinal & Cream, placed second in the Collegiate Journalist of the Year competition.

SEJC is comprised of more than 45 member colleges and universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. These universities include both large state schools such as University of Memphis, Mississippi State, University of Alabama, Louisiana State University and Georgia State University as well as private institutions like Belmont University, Samford University and Harding University.

麻豆视频 students win 鈥極utstanding Delegation鈥� at National Model Congress

National Model Congress Six 麻豆视频 University students attended the first National Model Congress in Washington D.C. in February, an event that simulated the U.S. Congress and gave participants the opportunity to write, debate and vote on legislation.

The 麻豆视频 delegation won the 鈥淥utstanding Delegation鈥� award at the end of the conference as the top group out of seven universities from Tennessee, Florida and Virginia that attended the event.

Jenaye White, a public relations major, won the 鈥淥utstanding Senator鈥� award, while Morgan Kroeger (Spanish and accounting major), Garrett Wilson (economics major) and Michael Adkisson (business administration major) won 鈥淒istinguished Senator鈥� awards. Also attending were Eddie Echeverria, a political science major, and Seth Reid, a political science and history major.

Debate team goes undefeated

麻豆视频 University鈥檚 debate team went undefeated in its 2014-2015 season, winning the sweepstakes award at all eight tournaments in which it competed.

The 麻豆视频 debaters won the International Public Debate Association鈥檚 Founders Award (marking the season-long championship) for the second straight year.

Graham Gardner won the season championship among novice individual debaters, while Allison Pulliam won the season championship among professional individuals.

麻豆视频 named a 2015 Best Value College by Kiplinger鈥檚 Personal Finance

麻豆视频 University climbed significantly in the 2015 rankings of the country鈥檚 best values in private colleges by Kiplinger鈥檚 Personal Finance.

Kiplinger鈥檚 annual list ranks 100 private universities, 100 liberal arts colleges and 100 public universities, and 麻豆视频 ranked 48th among the best private university values in the nation. Last year, 麻豆视频 ranked 77th on the same list.

鈥淲e say often that 麻豆视频 is a great value because of the excellence of the 麻豆视频 experience and the cost of attendance, and this is a nice recognition from a respected publication saying the very same thing,鈥� 麻豆视频 President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淎ll of us at 麻豆视频 strive to be excellence-driven, Christ-centered, people-focused and future-directed. The stewardship of resources is one way we demonstrate our core values.鈥�

麻豆视频 and the other schools included in the 2015 lists represent the colleges that provide high quality academics at a reasonable cost during tough economic times, Kiplinger鈥檚 said. The colleges exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate. Many schools, including 麻豆视频, have appeared on the list multiple times. The complete rankings are available at .

麻豆视频

The 麻豆视频 University Magazine
Summer 2015