Use Degree Works to Get Ready for Priority Spring Registration

November 5 and 6, will be important dates for current Vol State students. It's the start of Spring Priority Registration. It's your short opportunity to register before the public. That could mean getting the classes you need at the times you want.

Spring class registration opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, November 5 for sophomores (30 or more credit hours earned). It opens at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 6 for freshmen (less than 30 credit hours earned). Once Priority Registration starts, you will have until November 19 to take advantage of it. You can still register for classes after November 19, but you will be competing with new and readmit students.

Get ready this week by visiting the Degree Works program on your My Vol State page. It will show the classes you need for your listed degree path. But that isn't enough- make sure you talk to your academic advisor about your choices. You don't want to take classes you don't need for your degree. You can find the name of your academic advisor listed on that Degree Works page.

Events this Week at Vol State

This week at Vol State:

Oct. 22  UT-Knoxville, Wood Campus Center main hallway, 10am – 1pm

Oct. 22 The Color of Fear: race relations, movie, free pizza, Nichols Dining Room, 3pm-5pm

Oct. 22 Grave Robbing in America, lecture, Jennifer Weedman, Rochelle Center, 6:30pm
Oct. 23 Lecture by Dr. Bill Bass, Body Farm Founder, Caudill Hall auditorium, 10am
Oct. 23 Middle Tennessee State University, Wood Campus Center main hallway, 10am-2pm
Oct. 23 Grave Robbing in America, lecture, Jennifer Weedman, Rochelle Center, 11:30am
Oct. 23 The Color of Fear: racism, movie, free pizza, Nichols Dining Room, 3pm-5pm
Oct. 24 Fall Festival and Food Day, activities, food displays, tasting, Thigpen Plaza, 11am-1pm
Oct. 24 The Color of Fear: gay identity, movie, free pizza, Nichols Dining Room, 3pm-5pm
Oct. 25 Count it, Lock it, Drop it, drop-off unwanted medications, Duffer Plaza, 10am-2pm
Oct. 25 Western Governors University, Wood Campus Center main hallway, 10 am – 2 pm
Oct. 25 Identity and Career Choices, LGBT issues and careers, Nichols Dining Room, 11:30am
Oct. 25 The Color of Fear: discussion, free pizza, Nichols Dining Room, 3pm-5pm
Oct. 26 CAB Movie Night: Hotel Transylvania 3, free and open to the public, Nichols Dining Room, 6:15pm
Oct. 27 Hazardous Waste Collection, drop-off site at Vol State, Wood Parking Lot, 9am-2pm

Dr. Bill Bass, Body Farm Founder, Speaks October 23

The creator of “The Body Farm” in Knoxville, Bill Bass, will speak at Volunteer State Community College on Tuesday, October 23 at 10 a.m. in a public lecture. The forensic anthropologist is best known for his work in founding the Anthropology Research Facility at U-T Knoxville. Researchers there study the decomposition of donated bodies in various weather and burial conditions. The findings, including methods to help determine when a person died, revolutionized forensic science and criminal investigation. To expand the work, and provide expertise to the world, the Forensic Anthropology Center, was opened in 1987. It curates the largest collection of contemporary human skeletons in the nation and provides professional training. Bass, now retired, became a bestselling author and inspired many fictional characters in TV and movies. He will be speaking about his work at Caudill Hall on the Vol State campus at 1480 Nashville Pike in Gallatin. The event is free and open to the public. It is organized by the Vol State Radiologic Technology program in conjunction with the Health Sciences Division. For more information call 615-230-3570.

Members of the public can park in any open space for this event, aside from disability parking.

Lecture Monday and Tuesday: Grave Robbing in America

Jennifer Weedman is fascinated by the history of grave robbing. She will tell you that one of the most notorious body snatchers in America was born in Gallatin. She has collected the stories of resurrectionists, and “sack-‘em-up” men (and women), who secretly sold bodies to medical schools back in the days before dissection was legal in this country. Weedman is a retired school librarian and lifelong history buff. She is working on a book about the subject. She will share her research in two lectures at Volunteer State Community College titled “A Fate Worse Than Death: Grave Robbing in America.” The first lecture is on October 22 at 6:30 p.m. The second is October 23 at 11:30 a.m. Both events are free and open to the public. They will be held in the Rochelle Center of the Thigpen Library on the Vol State campus at 1480 Nashville Pike in Gallatin. For more information call 615-230-3400.

International Honors Society Inducts New Members

Perhaps you’re service minded and seeking to build some leadership skills for your resume. One way to get ready for your next step after college may be to join an honors society. Phi Theta Kappa may bridge this gap for you. It’s a club offering opportunities for growth as a student through service, leadership, and academic excellence.

“The big thing we’re trying to make known is that we’re a service club. We believe that students learn leadership through service. Participation and service are important,” president Megen Roberts explained.


Vol State’s chapter, Beta Delta Kappa, recently hosted their induction ceremony, where new members were recognized and officially inducted into the club. PTK is always seeking members and extra chapter officers. At the beginning of each semester, invitations are sent out via email to eligible students. A 3.5 GPA is initially required to be eligible for the club, once accepted, a 3.0 must be maintained. A minimum of 12 credit hours must have also been completed by the student. There is a one-time membership fee of $60, however, there are millions of dollars in scholarships that are given out to Phi Theta Kappa students annually.

Treasurer of PTK at Vol State, Anedra Moore, shared some of her experience. “One of the things that I’ve gotten out of this is networking. It’s probably one of the best nuggets you get out of any club or organization. Not just networking, but leadership skills. When you go back out into the workforce, you’ve got to have good leadership qualities. You get so many soft skills here being a part of PTK, that you probably wouldn’t get if you were just here as a student.”

PTK strives to give back to the community in a multitude of ways. Most recently they volunteered for non-profit organization, Music City Trykes, where members participated in building fully adaptive tricycles for those individuals with special needs who cannot ride a standard bike. “That was a really amazing experience,” said Makenzie Smith. “I’m just really excited to see what else I get to do… I feel like so far, I’m growing my leadership abilities right now.”

After undergoing many club changes, faculty advisor Jamie Fuston said she hopes for some sort of stability for the clubs future. President Megen Roberts added that her biggest hope is to leave PTK in a better place than she found it.

“We’re basically starting from the ground up, trying to renew the chapter completely. That’s part of why it’s so much of a hurdle because everybody is starting from scratch… It’s all about scholarship and service. So all of it is about being able to not only grow as an individual but being able to do research, figure out where the problems are, fix the problems. So, anybody who is service motivated and has academic inclination… we want you,“ Fuston emphasized.

For more information on PTK, please visit their website: www.ptk.org. For specific questions about, please contact Vol State PTK president Megen Roberts at: mroberts34@volstate.edu or faculty advisor Jamie Fuston at: jamie.fuston@volstate.edu

-By Rachel Keyes

Junie B. Jones Visits Vol State

Junie B. Jones is a mischievous kindergartener consistently paying the price for her questionable decisions; she tends to learn the hard way. The best-selling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, offers life lessons, insight, and most of all – humor. Despite it being a children’s book, there is much to appreciate and gain from Junie B. even as an adult. It’s a feel good play that the entire family will enjoy. You may find yourself rolling on the floor laughing as the Theatre department takes you back to your childhood during their performance of Junie B. Jones: Is Not a Crook.



“I love creating myself into characters, particularly old ladies and little boys,” said Nicole Black. “It’s kind of weird, but I like it… I’m doing three (characters) a little boy, Ricardo, Junie B.’s ex-boyfriend, she breaks up with me; it is a sad day… I play an old lady who likes to type, and a cat burglar. I’m just excited to perform for some kids, hopefully make them laugh a little bit.” Nicole said that she loves comedic acting and has an irrational fear of her pants falling down on stage.

Kiara Jenkins will play Junie B.’s teacher, Mrs. “When I was younger, the first time I saw a play, was when they came to my school, I wasn’t really interested because I was trying to get my work done, but I really liked it a lot from then on, I just wanted to do acting…” Kiara said. She plans to pursue a career as an actress and is excited to perform for kids so they can hopefully have the same experience as she did.

The love interest of almost every female character in the play, Warren, will be Matt Pace. He also plays a fireman, and a police officer. “I’m actually majoring in Broadcasting to become a voice actor,” he said. “I do share some interest in theatre because it’s still acting… it’s going to be my first play in probably a decade, so it’s pretty exciting. It’ll give me some experience with acting again, especially on stage…”

“I’m basically like Sharpay Evans (from High School Musical) but, like, five,” said Emily Bardwell, who is casted as Junie B.’s friend, Lucille. “I like performing for kids. I think they’re fun and you can kind of be a bit little more like a cartoon character… I want to be a makeup artist for movies, but as my fallback plan I’d be a theatre teacher to little kids, which kind of ties into the show… Theatre is what started the whole thing.”

For a night of family fun with the Vol State Theatre Department, join us on October 19^th and 20^th at 7:30 P.M. in Caudill Hall. Admission is $5 at the door and free for students, faculty, and staff with a Vol State ID. All proceeds go to fund student scholarships. For more information on the Theatre Department at Vol State, please visit: www.volstate.edu/humanities/performing-arts

-By Rachel Keyes

Events this Week at Vol State

This week at Vol State:
Oct. 17 Western Kentucky University representative, Wood Campus Center main hallway, 9:30 am-2 pm
Oct. 18 Welch College representative, Wood Campus Center main hallway, 10 am-2 pm
Oct. 18 Let’s Talk About Domestic Violence, Nichols Dining Room, 10:30am-11:30am
Oct. 19 Theater for kids: “Junie B. Jones- I am not a Crook,” Caudill Hall, 7:30pm $5 admission goes to student scholarships, free with Vol State ID.
Oct. 20 Theater for kids: “Junie B. Jones- I am not a Crook,” Caudill Hall, 7:30pm $5 admission goes to student scholarships, free with Vol State ID.
Oct. 20 Fall Fiesta at Vol State, a celebration of Latino culture, inside the Pickel Field House, 10am-3pm, free and open to everyone