Recognized for knowing how to make international study trips work, Dr. Bonnie Higginson and Melanie McCallon have been invited by The Chronicle of Higher Education to share their expertise in an online chat on Friday, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m. The live chat can be found online at http://chronicle.com/article/Live-Chat-Innovators-in/63552.

Higginson and McCallon were featured in a Feb. 7 article in The Chronicle in both the print and online editions. Karin Fischer from The Chronicle interviewed Higginson, Murray State University’s associate provost, and McCallon, the university’s associate director for education abroad.

The article, “More Colleges Coach Professors to Lead Study-Abroad Trips,” tapped McCallon’s knowledge on training faculty members in organizing and leading study abroad trips with students. McCallon works with Murray State’s faculty members from start to finish, from creating course proposals to how to deal with the breakout of an infectious disease while traveling in another country.

Higginson, who has led a group of students to Belize to teach and frequently traveled abroad, is aware of how intensive planning for such a course of study can be and the challenges they entail. Murray State has mandatory training combined with staff support before, during and after each trip.

Later this year McCallon, along with co-author Bill Holmes, the director of international education at Campbellsville University, will have their training manual, “Faculty-Led 360: Guide to Successful Study Abroad,” published.

The Chronicle article can be found online at http://chronicle.com/article/More-Colleges-Coach-Professors/63901.

Posted by Sherry McClain in Info for the media at 11:36

Murray State University will host Girl Scout Day for the first time Saturday, Feb. 6.

The event will take place in the Industry and Technology Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with 30 girls from western Kentucky registered to attend.

The scouts will complete skills toward earning the following badges: Inventions and Inquiry, Computers in Every Life, Architecture and Environmental Design, and Home Improvement. The event is geared toward Junior Girl Scouts and Senior/Cadet Scouts (sixth grade through high school). The majority of scouts attending are sixth- through eighth-graders.

Girl Scout Day is sponsored by the MSU department of industrial engineering and technology and the office of regional stewardship, and Associated General Contractors.

Posted by Sherry McClain in Info for the media at 11:36

As you know, the impoverished and struggling country of Haiti has experienced one of the worse national disasters of our time. Over a million people are homeless and it is estimated that 200,000 have been killed from the earthquake. Injuries and deaths have left countless children without parents and many people are searching for shelter, medication and food.

You can help. Join us by making a contribution to the American Red Cross. Send your check or money order to the American Humanics/Youth & Nonprofit Leadership program at 105 Carr Health Building, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071, and be sure to write Haiti Relief and Development AP 2885 in the memo section.

Or, you and your department/class/residence hall/organization can become a part of the Bucket Brigade for Haiti Relief. Contact Robin Esau at robin.esau@murraystate.edu or (270) 809-3824 and sign out a Bucket for Haiti Relief and pass the bucket at your next meeting or activity.

The Red Cross already has numerous mobile units on the ground in Haiti and hundreds of staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to aid those in need.

If you’d like more information on Haiti relief efforts at MSU, contact Roger Weis at roger.weis@murraystate.edu or (270) 809-3808. Thanks for your help.

Posted by Sherry McClain in Info for the media at 13:35

The office of recruitment and the college of business at Murray State University are sponsoring the first Project Leadership on Thursday (tomorrow). Approximately 500 student leaders from 14 high schools throughout the area will spend the day on campus, learning about college life and exploring study areas in the college of business at MSU.

Posted by Sherry McClain in Info for the media at 12:59

The spring meeting of the West Kentucky Press Association will be held at 6 p.m. April 16 at the Oasis Restaurant in Eddyville, according to president Rae Wagoner of the Eddyville Herald Ledger. The restaurant is located on Hwy. 62, just off of I-24 at the Eddyville exit.

Posted by Ava Watkins in Info for the media at 17:01

According to Jason Pittman, facility manager at the Regional Special Events Center at Murray State University, the Girls Region 1 High School Basketball Tournament will proceed as planned.

Posted by Ava Watkins in Info for the media at 14:19