APSU Mondays: new books, grants, academics and art

Marissa England, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle
·4 min read

Sharon Mabry publishing first novel

Renowned retired Austin Peay State University professor Sharon Mabry is publishing her first novel, "The Postmaster's Daughter".

The suspense novel is based in East Tennessee in the late 1930s. It features a young woman who is murdered shortly before her wedding day. In the following years, two prominent families slowly unravel more and more because of the event.

"This southern mystery becomes more complicated with each chapter as elements of region, family, and sordid intrigue slowly heat to a boil,” Khristeena Lute, author of ‘Finding Grace and Grit,’ said in a review of the book.

Mabry is a retired professor of music. The book will be published next month by Thorncraft Publishing.

Purpose First Scholars

APSU is helping students get ahead and succeed with the help of the Purpose First Scholars program.

The program allowed 55 students to get exclusive academic and career readiness experiences. They were all first-time freshman who were either first generation college students or Pell grant eligible.

With help from freshman seminar instructor and coordinator Savannah Longo, they're able to have instant connections, access to a peer leader, and learn many other skills to assist students adjusting to college life.

Longo is now recruiting for the next scholars for the 2023-2024 academic year. For information on the program, visit https://www.apsu.edu/academic-strategic-initiatives/title-III.php.

Student debt:Student loan cancellation could impact thousands at Clarksville's Austin Peay State University

APSU Recognized for Leadership in Continuous Improvement

The Council for the Accreditation of Preparation recently announced that Austin Peay is one of 32 providers in 16 states, Puerto Rico, and Jordan, to receive recognition for its leadership and continuous improvement efforts.

In late 2021, President Mike Licari received a letter from the CAEP. The letter that stated that the Erikkson College of Education was now accredited for the next seven years, stating that there were no areas that needed improvement or stipulations.

“This recognition is the culmination of a lot of work from a lot of people — our staff, faculty, our district partners, and academic units across the university,” Dr. Prentice Chandler, dean of the APSU Eriksson College of Education, said.

“This was truly a team effort, and this is a team win."

$200,000 Grant to help veteran students succeed

Earlier this month, The Tennessee Higher Education Commission awarded the APSU College of Behavioral and Health Sciences a two-year grant to help military veterans succeed in their academic careers and further.

The grant will help fund APSU's Promoting Access for Veteran's Educational Success (PAVES) project.

The collaborative intervention and research program will have specialized counselors inserted into the APSU Newton Family Resource Center, the Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell and Clarksville's Tennessee College of Applied Technology.

These counselors (APSU doctoral and masters in psychology graduates), will assist veteran students with free mental health, academic, and career counseling.

"One More River"

The New Gallery continues its 2022-2023 exhibition season with "One More River", by Chris Friday, a Miami-based artist.

Friday's drawings contain figures at leisure or at rest, highlighting the importance and desire to do so. The figures are turned against the viewer however, forcing people to be a witness, not a participant. The name of the gallery refers to "One More River to Cross" by Sam Cooke.

"With this exhibition, Friday, as a Black woman, asks the question, ‘When is that last river coming, because I’m tired?” said Michael Dickins, director of The New Gallery.

The exhibit will open Monday, Sept. 26 and will run through Oct. 28 in the APSU Art + Design building in The New Gallery. Viewing hours are 9am-4pm.

Here are also some other events associated with the gallery:

  • Friday will present an artist lecture on her work and creative practice on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. in Room 120 of the Art + Design building.

  • A reception and gallery talk with Friday and a special guest – spoken-word artist Arsimmer McCoy – will be in The New Gallery on Sept. 28 beginning at noon.

  • This exhibition will be open during Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk on Oct. 6 from 5-7:30 p.m.

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: new books, grants, academics and art.