MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University representatives recently appeared on WGNS Radio to discuss the upcoming ribbon-cutting for the new Applied Engineering Building on the southeast side of campus, two new esports concentrations, and ongoing projects coordinated through the Center for Health and Human Services.

They appeared on the live “Action Line” program with host Scott Walker 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 July 21 program.

Guests for the July program included:

• Dr. Ken Currie, chair of the MTSU Department of Engineering Technology, and Julie Powers, outreach coordinator for MTSU Engineering Technology, discussed the grand opening of the new Applied Engineering Building on campus this fall.

Construction of the new $74.8 million, 90,000-square-foot facility has wrapped up in advance of a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for 10 a.m. Aug. 6. The Applied Engineering Building will be the home to the renowned Mechatronics Engineering program and other Engineering Technology concentrations, providing students with the space, equipment and education to prepare for ever-changing careers. 

The new facility will sit next to the School of Concrete and Construction Management Building, a $40.1 million, 54,000-square-foot facility that opened in fall 2022 and serves as an integrated and experiential learning laboratory. Both are part of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and shared space in the Voorhies Engineering Technology Building on the west side of campus for nearly 30 years.

• Richard Lewis, associate professor in the MTSU Department of Media Arts and the Esports and Content Creation coordinator as well as the faculty advisor for the MTSU Esports club, discussed two new esports concentrations launching this fall.

As the popularity of video gaming continues to explode, these new concentrations will teach MTSU students about aesthetics, ethics, marketing and technology needed to create gaming-related content and streams.

The development of the two MTSU undergraduate concentrations — Esports and Gaming Content Creation housed in the College of Media and Entertainment and Esports Coaching offered by Leisure and Sport Management in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences — has been a collaborative effort with stakeholders across campus to give students pathways to the needed skills and a degree for an industry that was previously unavailable.

• Dr. Cynthia Chafin, director of the Center for Health and Human Services, and Sarah Gwinn, senior project coordinator for CHHS’ Office of Prevention Science and Recovery, discussed the ongoing projects and services provided by the center.

CHHS partners with public agencies, private for- and not-for-profit organizations, and MTSU faculty and students to advance the health and well-being of Tennesseans and promote healthy communities. Current focus areas include rural health, substance use disorder, mental health, chronic disease, workforce development and injury prevention. 

Chafin serves as Primary Investigator on two active grants from Health Resources Service Administration, while Gwinn coordinates the Office of Prevention Science and Recovery, which is a Rutherford County-funded organization that utilizes data driven, evidence-based research to address the opioid epidemic in Rutherford County and serves as a resource to other Tennessee counties. 

Students, faculty and staff who are interested in guesting on WGNS to promote their MTSU-related activities should contact Jimmy Hart, senior director of MTSU News and Media Relations, at 615-898-5131 or via email at jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu.

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)