APSU Mondays: A naming ceremony, bats, classes and trails
An old track is getting a new name. New students got a jump start on the college scene. Bats take center stage, and there's a new math trail.
Check out the latest news from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville.
Ron and Andrea Morton Family Track Naming
Austin Peay State University will host the naming celebration and ribbon cutting for the Ron and Andrea Family Track at Fortera Stadium on Sept. 9.
Morton and his wife, Andrea, established a scholarship in 2012, dedicated to student athletes who major in business, are involved in the community and dream of someday owning their own businesses.
The couple has also donated money to the university's track and field, cross county and basketball teams as well as the athletics department.
“Our campus community is strengthened through the involvement of people like Ron and Andrea Morton,” APSU President Mike Licari said. “We are proud to commemorate their support with this naming that will serve as a reminder of their generosity for years to come.”
Those wishing to attend the ceremony are asked to RSVP by Sept. 2 at alumni.apsu.edu/mortonnaming22.
CMCSS Camp
Twenty-nine incoming freshman recently completed a two-week student success camp at the university.
The camps are held in partnership with CMCSS, and they aim to ease the transition between high school and college. The 8 camp leaders tailored the program to help student feel more comfortable as they they enter the post-secondary education setting.
Students also had access to Austin Peay leaders and gained assistance with things like financial aid and class registration. They were also able to learn about opportunities for undergraduate research as well as the university's Learning Resource Center.
Four bat species in one night
The Fort Campbell Bat Project made great progress over the summer with the help of Dr. Catherine Haase and her team.
On July 18, in about two hours, the team had captured and inspected 12 different bats, covering four different species: six red bats, three evening bats, two gray bats and tricolored bat.
The project is part of a three-year partnership between Austin Peay and Fort Campbell to survey the base for endangered bat species. This information will later be used by Fort Campbell officials to assist in making a conservation plan to protect where endangered bats roost and forage.
Haase's team consists of a variety of biology students, ranging from undergrads to master's graduates. The team will continue to net and inspect bats on base through the end of August or early September.
New Financial Literacy Course
The university’s Continuing Education Department recently announced a new course on money management.
It will be taught by Susan Paisley, a retired State of Tennessee auditor. The course is aimed at teens over 16 and young adults.
The 7-week-course will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 7:30pm on Austin Peay’s campus and costs $200. Participants do not need to be enrolled at the university to attend. Topics will include credit cards, budgeting, how to apply for a mortgage, factoring interest rates on loans and more.
New Math Trail
The university is adding a math trail for students and children alike, encouraging them to stop and take a look at the mathematics happening around them.
Dalton and Dr. Jennifer Yantz, an Austin Peay professor of mathematics, received grants from Google and the TIDES foundation to create the trail.
The professors also reached out to their colleague Dr. James Church, an Austin Peay associate professor of computer science, to create an app that is designed specifically for this project. The app will contain math questions based on different grade levels from elementary to high school.
The 1.5 mile trail will have stops like the sundial near the technology building and translating the binary code on the Maynard Mathematics and Computer Science Building.
Prototypes of the app as well as the trail's unveiling are expected this December.
Reach Reporter Marissa England at marissaengland@theleafchronicle.com or (615) 823-9868. To support her work, sign up for a digital subscription to TheLeafChronicle.com.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: APSU Mondays: A naming ceremony, bats, classes and trails
