APSU Mondays : Leaders parachutes, study abroad, theatre camp
Here's the latest news from Austin Peay State University.
Campus leaders take to the skies with U.S. Army Parachute Team
As he soared thousands of feet in the air over central Kentucky at speeds approaching 120 mph, it was hard to imagine that Kris Phillips, vice president for alumni, engagement and philanthropy, had just celebrated his grandson’s birth a week ago.
A longstanding fear of heights made Phillips’s leap from a military aircraft even more daunting. Still, he was in good company: the United States Army Parachute Team, also known as the Golden Knights, supervised the experience and paired him with a seasoned tandem jumper.
Phillips and Dr. Chad Brooks, dean of the College of Graduate Studies, were among several higher education and community leaders who jumped with the Golden Knights on July 12 at Addington Field, just outside Fort Knox, Kentucky. The United States Army Cadet Command (USACC), which supervises ROTC programs at 274 schools, is headquartered at Fort Knox and coordinated the event.
“We’re trying to educate professionals around campus about the opportunities available for students through ROTC,” said Lt. Col. Mark Barton, a professor of military science who oversees Austin Peay’s ROTC program. “Every summer, USACC brings the Golden Knights to Fort Knox and asks schools around the country if they have any [faculty or staff] who support the ROTC program and would benefit from learning more about the Golden Knights and what ROTC does.”
Phillips and Brooks were chosen to participate because of their support for Austin Peay’s military population and their families – from Phillips’ work raising money to fund the ROTC program to Brooks’ history of acquiring military-focused grants and training opportunities for active-duty and retired soldiers and their families. After a thorough safety briefing, they suited up and prepared to jump from approximately 13,000 feet.
“It seemed like a long time, but you’re really in the air for just a couple of minutes,” he said. “Once you got in the air, it was quiet and serene … I didn’t hear anything. It was a spiritual thing for me, looking around as I was freefalling through the air.”
After adjusting to the environment, Brooks decided to make the most of his time in freefall.
Both Phillips and Brooks enjoyed the experience, from the jump itself to the opportunity to learn more about the Army and its ROTC programs.
Leadership Exchange program with Fort Campbell leaders
An inaugural Leadership Exchange program is being launched as a unique initiative to foster closer relationships with senior-level leaders from Clarksville and the surrounding region through seminars, discussions and workshops. The program will kick off on Sept. 6, focusing on leaders from Fort Campbell.
This program, part of the 2022-27 Experience Austin Peay Strategic Plan, is a testament to the university’s goal of becoming the region’s top choice for individuals seeking to enhance their lives. Recognizing the significant military and military-affiliated segment of our student population, Austin Peay launched its program by inviting Fort Campbell leaders, paying homage to the strong connection between the university and the military.
The Leadership Exchange program will provide participants with an exclusive and comprehensive look into the university's exceptional programs and facilities. The event commences at 7:30 a.m. with a welcoming breakfast, followed by a day filled with engaging activities and informative sessions. Highlights include a lunchtime Q&A session with a military student panel, an interactive activity with the ROTC program, and a guided tour of the Newton Military Family Resource Center.
The next Leadership Exchange event is scheduled for Nov. 14, 2023, with two additional programs planned for Spring 2024.
Education professors work abroad with NSF grant
A group of faculty members from the Eriksson College of Education traveled to France this summer as part of a three-year, $300,000 International Research Experience for Students (IRES) grant from the National Science Foundation. The team, consisting of Drs. John McConnell, Philip Short and Donna Short, arrived in June to evaluate Austin Peay STEM students participating in the program at the University of Rennes.
The University of Rennes, in Rennes, France, along with the two other European universities participating, specialize in nano and glass technology. As part of the experience, six Austin Peay students conduct research and learn from experts in these fields each year. The students also gain valuable cultural experience throughout their seven weeks in Europe.
Dr. Andriy Kovalskiy, a professor in the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy, is the project’s principal investigator. Kovalskiy was persistent in bringing the Jack Hunt STEM Center, where the Shorts serve as co-directors, onto the project. With a background in biology rather than physics, Dr. Philip Short was initially hesitant to evaluate the research of students at these specialized nanotechnology and glass science sites.
“The project seemed very interesting and very worthy of funding; however, I’m an old biologist – not a physicist,” Dr. Philip Short said. “Thankfully, Dr. Kovalskiy was persistent and patient with me as I eventually understood the role for the Jack Hunt STEM Center team to assess the educational effectiveness of the program overall.”
The Austin Peay education professors’ work abroad included viewing student presentations and learning more about their research projects, with focus group sessions and interviews throughout the week-long visit.
CSA Summer Arts Camp's new addition, theatre
The Community School of the Arts (CSA) recently began its annual Summer Arts Camp for children ages 8-14, and this year’s program offered theatre classes for the first time.
The camp features four disciplines of art: theatre, dance, ceramics and painting. Students attend one of three week-long programs and spend their days rotating through each discipline.
Theatre proved to be a popular addition to the camp, and each group of students closed out the program by getting on stage in front of their families to demonstrate their newly learned skills.
Alyssa Amos is an instructor for the camp’s theater discipline and said she loves seeing its impact on the kids. She is a recent graduate of APSU who majored in both theatre and business. Amos said she hopes that all students take what they have learned and use it, whether it be in theatre or another aspect of life.
The New Gallery exhibition season opens
The New Gallery, with support from the Department of Art + Design and The Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, is kicking off the 2023-24 exhibition season with "Reclamations,” a solo-exhibition by Atlanta-based artist Tokie Rome-Taylor.
This free, public exhibit will run from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on weekdays from Aug. 28 – Oct. 13 at The New Gallery, located in the Art + Design Building on Austin Peay’s campus. There are several events associated with the exhibition:
Tokie Rome-Taylor will present an artist lecture on her work and creative practice at 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 in Heydel Hall room 120, of the Art Design + Building.
A reception and gallery talk with Rome-Taylor will be held in The New Gallery beginning at noon on Sept. 20.
This exhibition will be open during Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk; 5-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 and Oct. 5.
Dickins said Rome-Taylor's work stems from ethnographic and historical research, probing the material, spiritual and familial culture of the descendants of Southern slaves.
Hours for The New Gallery are from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday – Friday. The gallery is closed on weekends and holidays and follows the University’s academic calendar. For more information on this exhibition, contact Michael Dickins, director of The New Gallery, at dickinsm@apsu.edu.
APSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from APSU News and Communications department.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: APSU Mondays : Leaders parachutes, study abroad, theatre camp
