[228] MTSU on WGNS: MTSU Arts, political polling and social work

MTSU faculty and staff took to WGNS Radio recently to share information about an upcoming theatrical production at Tucker Theatre, the future of political polling and growth in the field of social work.

The details were shared during the Nov. 21 “Action Line” program with host Bart Walker. The live program was broadcast on FM 100.5, 101.9 and AM 1450 from the WGNS studio in downtown Murfreesboro. If you missed it, you can listen to a podcast of the show here.

Guests and their topics included:

Meredith Kerr, development director for the College of Liberal Arts, Justin Reed, production manager at Tucker Theatre, and theatre student Skylar Grieco, one of the performance directors, discussed the recent “Joys of the Season” showcase held Dec. 1 at Tucker Theatre.

MTSU Arts proudly presented “Joys of the Season,” a collection of holiday performances and artwork from the MTSU performing and fine arts departments that will entertain and delight people and children of all ages.

First held last year, the event is a showcase of music, art, theater and dance. Presenting sponsor for this production was Ascend Federal Credit Union and the media sponsor was WGNS Radio.

Learn more at www.mtsuarts.com.

Drs. Ken Blake and Jason Reineke, director and associate director of the MTSU Poll, discussed the MTSU Poll and the future polling in the wake of the surprising presidential election.

For over a decade, the MTSU Poll has been providing independent, non-partisan, unbiased, scientifically valid public opinion data regarding major social, political, and ethical issues affecting Tennessee. The poll began in 1998 as a measure of public opinion in the 39 counties comprising Middle Tennessee and began measuring public opinion statewide in 2001.

The future of polling has been under intense scrutiny following the surprise election of Republican Donald Trump, in spite of the fact that many polls gave the edge to Democratic contender Hillary Clinton. In recent months, Trump frequently lambasted the polls as inaccurate and not reflective of his overall support. Many professional pollsters have been analyzing the results to find out what went wrong.

Learn more at http://mtsupoll.org.

Dr. Angela Pharris, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work and coordinator of the Master of Social Work program, discussed the growth of MTSU’s social work program.

With 330 plus students enrolled, the MTSU Department of Social Work boasts the largest undergraduate program in Tennessee and continues to build an innovative master’s program that shares resources with Austin Peay State and Tennessee State universities.

Social Work is a growing profession with a 19 percent faster than average growth rate in the United States. Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. One group of social workers, clinical social workers, also diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.