University of Memphis Students Give Back

University of Memphis students are giving back to the community through the social work program.  53,000 hours were donated back to the community in the 2012-2013 school year.  Students are responsible for more than half of those hours.  This amount of hours translates to about 1 million dollars in volunteer time.

University of Memphis students are giving back to the community in a big way. Recently, the Department of Social Work teamed with agencies in the Memphis area to place graduate and undergraduate students in social work settings where they can get on-the-job experiences.

By the end of the 2012-13 academic year, students will have donated almost 53,000 hours to the community. The graduate students are responsible for about 31,600 of these hours and the undergraduate students accumulated about 21,400 hours. That amount of time translates to almost $1 million of volunteered time.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to experience the clinical side of social work at Daybreak," said Rachel Duerr, a graduate student placed at Daybreak Treatment Center. "It is such a welcoming environment in which to learn and provides challenging experiences with many opportunities for professional growth and development. I am confident that when I leave my placement at Daybreak I will be prepared to step into a permanent position as a social worker.”

Ashley Higginbottom is an undergraduate student placed with the Department of Children’s Services. At her placement, she worked with the Child Protection Investigation Team, which is responsible for investigating allegations of severe physical and sexual abuse and ensuring the children are safe."I am gaining an abundance of knowledge with my placement at the Department of Children's Services," Higginbottom said. "I am confident that what I am learning now will be beneficial in the future."

The Bachelor of Arts Social Work Program places 12 student interns at the Department of Children’s Services each year. The Department of Social Work also offers internships with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, St. Jude, the Med and other community hospitals welcoming students who are in pursuit of a career in medical social work. Synergy Treatment Centers, Friends for Life, the UT Boling Center, the VA Hospital Memphis, Compass Intervention Center, AGAPE and the Exchange Club are among many other agencies that also accept students from the Department. For more information about the Department of Social Work, visit http://www.memphis.edu/socialwork. 

For more information see the University of Memphis.

The Tigers Have a New Football Schedule

 Make sure to check out the new revised football schedule for the University of Memphis.  They will be playing some new opponents that you have not seen before.  UConn and USF are some of the exciting matches for the 2013 year.  Keep reading to learn all about the new schedule and reworked conference.

The University of Memphis received its updated Big East football schedule Friday, a re-worked version necessitated by the recent departures of Boise State and San Diego State.

Memphis, as a member of the league's newly formed west division, was scheduled to play Boise State and San Diego State in 2013, but instead will play at UConn and at home against UCF. UCF, like Memphis, is a new Big East member joining the league officially in July from Conference USA.
All Big East teams will play an eight-game league schedule. In the 10-team football conference, the Tigers will play each of the other schools except Rutgers. Memphis will have home games against UCF, Temple, SMU and Cincinnati and away games against UConn, USF, Louisville and Houston. Dates have not been set, but should be announced in mid-February.



In replacing Boise State with UConn, the Tigers, 4-8 last fall in coach Justin Fuente's first season, play a team that finished 5-7 instead of one that went 11-2 and was ranked in the top 20.
The U of M's non-conference schedule is Duke, Arkansas State, UT Martin and Middle Tennessee State.

While a first-ever Big East Championship game was set for December, the reduction of football-playing members from 12 to 10 will eliminate the two-division setup and title game.

New commissioner Mike Aresco had announced the league schedule — with Boise State and San Diego State — Dec. 11, but Boise State announced three weeks later it would remain in the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State followed earlier this week with a similar move. Neither Boise State nor San Diego State, who would have been football-only members, spent a day as a Big East program.

For more information see Commercial Appeal.

Stay Safe During the Storm

Freezing Rain expected across much of the Mid South on Tuesday.
An Upper level disturbance will move across the region today bringing another round of wintry precipitation mainly in the form of freezing rain. There is a potential for significant ice accumulations across portions of Southwest Tennessee, North Mississippi and East Arkansas.
Ice Storm Warning remains in effect until 6 am CST Wednesday.

• Ice accumulations: freezing rain will produce ice accumulations of a quarter of an inch to four tenths of inch through early evening, mainly on trees, power lines and elevated road surfaces.
• Timing: through 6 am CST Wednesday with the greatest potential for icing this afternoon.
• Impacts: hazardous road conditions will likely develop. Especially on elevated surfaces such as bridges and overpasses.

Precautionary/preparedness actions. An Ice Storm Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of ice accumulations will make travel dangerous or impossible. Travel is strongly discouraged. Commerce will likely be severely impacted. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Ice accumulations and winds will likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches that add to the danger.

For more information see google.

Congratulations to the Opera at the University of Memphis

The University of Memphis Opera Program has won first place at the National Opera Association's Production Competition.  They won for their 2011 production of Idomeneo.   The competition is judged by opera professionals who review the videos of the production.  They do not know who submits the videos or from what school they have come from.

The University of Memphis Opera at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music won first place in its category in the National Opera Association’s Production Competition for the 2011 production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. This is the second win for the School of Music, following its 2008 production of Hansel and Gretel.

Each year the NOA selects winners, based on the production budget and size of the program. The competition is judged by a panel of opera professionals who review videos of the entered productions with no knowledge of which opera companies submitted them. Productions are critiqued on vocal and orchestral performance, dramatic quality, stage direction, set, lighting and costumes.

Idomeneo tells the story of the King of Crete who returns home after the siege of Troy. Because of a vow to save his life, he has to sacrifice the life of his son, Idamante, to appease the god Neptune. Complicating matters, Idamante is in love with Trojan prisoner-of-war Ilia and loved by Greek princess Electra.

The company’s production emulated the violence that Mozart incorporated in the composition of Idomeneo. He used the post-Trojan War heroes to add his own battle cry to the Enlightenment philosophers, artists, scientists and statesmen of the day. Just as Mozart's Trojan War is the background for his artistic lunge, this opera is the background for exploration of the movement from one generation to another and the violence of letting go.

Faculty member Copeland Woodruff directed the opera and Mark Ensley was conductor and music director. The production starred Malcolm Cooper, Idomeneo; Christina Paz, Ilia; Annabeth Novitzki, Idamante; Katie Liesner, Elettra; Phillip Himebook, Arbace; and Steven Albart, High Priest. The technical crew was comprised of Michael Montgomery, Set & Costume Design; Les Dickert, Lighting Design; Luke Hall, Props Design; and Matthew Strampe, Technical Director.

The National Opera Association was founded in 1955 to promote a greater appreciation of opera. Its membership extends to the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. 

For more information see Memphis.edu.

De-Stress Around the Holidays and Through The Year

Do you want a way to rewind and de-stress?  "Mindfulness" is the new way to do that.  Here are some great tips on how to embrace this philosophy in your home.


Mindfulness is being embraced everywhere these days, from the Kindergarten classroom to the company retreat. What is mindfulness, exactly? Susan Smalley, Ph.D., and Diana Winston, co-authors of Fully Present, say that mindfulness is "an accepting and kind attitude toward yourself and your present moment experience." One that will change your relationship to life.

Sounds enticing, huh? Here are a few tips on how to integrate the practice of mindfulness into your home.

1. Set an intention when you wake up. Before you get out of bed, take a few deep breaths and a minute to give thanks for the day. What do you want to accomplish today beyond your to-do list? What do you want to appreciate, acknowledge, and communicate in your life?

2. Make your bed. Making your bed is a productivity-enhancing and mood-boosting habit that can promote the adoption of other healthy habits. Take three minutes (yep, I timed it) and start your day off right.

3. Do your laundry. Karen Maezen Miller, a Zen Buddhist priest and author of Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, says, "A full hamper reminds us that running away from the things we would rather avoid makes our lives feel like an endless chore. Face it. Taking responsibility for your own well-being is the first step in transformation."

4. Practice mindful eating. Eat when you are hungry, not when you are tired, sad, anxious or bored. Take a minute to appreciate your food: Where did it come from? How did it make its way to you? What people might have been involved in getting the food to your plate? How will this food nourish you? (Studies show that when we practice mindful eating, we take in only what is necessary.)

5. Turn off the TV, the computer and any other stimulating devices at least two hours before bed every evening. Our brains need time to build melatonin, which is critical for deep rest. Personally, I find that this technology curfew is one of the best House Rules I have.

6. Slow down; Literally. When we race around at a frenetic pace, our minds operate at the same speed. And who can sleep at night when your head is spinning like a Nutcracker ballerina after too many Red Bulls? When you slow down your physical actions, even just the smallest bit, your shoulders relax, your jaw un-clenches, and your mind can be a bit more at ease.

7. Pause to think about your consumption. Give gratitude to all of the people behind each purchase: The person who delivered your Amazon package, the person who packed it and shipped it, the person who assembled your new book, the person who wrote it, edited it, the list goes on and on. Think also about how your consumption affects the greater world. Do you really need to order another pair of shoes from Zappos? Think of everything that this purchase means; it's not just a new pair of shoes. It's a pair of shoes that requires a box, packaging materials, time and energy to ship, time and energy to store and maintain, time and energy to pass it along once it is no longer serving you. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself is deciding NOT to purchase something.

8. Take a ten minute "mind re-set" break in the middle of the day. We live in a world that is turned on at full-speed, full-blast, full time. The body craves balance and one great way to achieve it is by doing nothing for ten minutes a day. Mindfulness is sometimes called the "seat belt of mental health." The body cultivates what we practice and practice changes the breath. By practicing becoming relaxed and aware, we can actually become more so in our daily life.

Fasten your seat belts, because the holidays are here. This holiday season, consider taking a few minutes each day to cultivate a home that is more mindful, a mind that is more peaceful, and an attitude that keeps you happier at home.

For more information see Apartment Therapy.

Make Your Own Wreath

Do you need a great holiday gift that is from the heart?  You can make your loved ones their own personalized Christmas Wreath.  Here is a great step by step guide to creating a great homemade gift for your friends and family.

Supplies:• An assortment of evergreen clippings (ask for scraps at a tree lot or use clippings from the bottom of your own tree)
• Staple gun
• Garden clippers
• Wire
• Round or octagonal wood frame
• Berry branches, pinecones, ribbon, ornaments or other decorations

Prep Work:
You can purchase basic round frames or build your own. To create your own, miter wood slats to form on octagon. The wood frame is relatively light, yet sturdy enough to hold staples and be reused each year. At the end of the season, simply remove the staples and save the frame for next year.

Cut evergreen branches that are 8"-18" in length. Depending on the size and fullness you're looking for, gather larger or smaller pieces.

Making Your Wreath:
Use the staple gun to attach each branch to the wood frame. For some of the thicker branches, staple from an offshoot instead of the main branch. One staple per branch is usually sufficient.
Overlap the branches as you add them and take a step back to look at your progress every few staples. The wreath will look a little wild and full at first, but that's okay, you will trim it later. As you near the starting point you'll have to slide the branches beneath those you already stapled in order to create a full circle of greenery all the way around.

Manicuring Your Wreath:
For the trimming it's best to hang your wreath first. Wrap a thick piece of wire around the frame and form a loop at the top.
Trim around the edges. Don't trim a perfect edge, but rather trim within an inch or two of the adjacent branch. You want the wreath to appear circular, yet natural. Trim the center so that you can see a hole, but not so much that you reveal the frame. Step back every so often to check your work and adjust.

Decorating Your Wreath:
Use found objects to keep costs down and create a natural looking wreath. Borrow ornaments from your tree or get creative with gift wrapping supplies.


For more information see Apartment Therapy.

5 Tips for a Beautiful Tree

Have you decorated the Christmas Tree yet?  Here are some great tips on how make that tree look like it is from a catalog.  Start early and make sure to get all the materials you need to have the tree of your dreams in your home.


1. To create more visual impact, hang larger, bolder ornaments closer to the trunk, and lighter, more simple ornaments closer to the edge.

Bigger ornaments can stand out against the bushiness of a tree's interior, and branches are stronger at the base, so this rule just makes plain good sense to follow. Use Glitter Spiked Burst Ornaments to punctuate the interior branches of your tree. Also consider tucking a few larger ornaments, like Paper Mache Animal Ornaments in spots where branches are sparse to fill up space and give your tree a fuller look.

2. Hang smaller ornaments near the top, and larger ones closer to the bottom.

Remember learning in art history class how the Greeks curved the columns of the Parthenon to make them appear straighter and taller when viewed from the ground? You can used the same forced-perspective technique on your tree! Placing smaller ornaments above eye level will subtly make your tree seem taller. It's also smarter as the smaller, more tender branches near the top are often not strong enough to carry the weight of large ornaments. Of course, the one exception to this rule is your tree-topper. The Capiz Star Tree Topper will seem even brighter and bolder when surrounded by smaller, more delicate ornaments at the top of your tree.

3. Mix up shapes and textures.

Variety is key to a perfectly decorated tree.Though it makes sense to stick with an overall theme when selecting ornaments, try to branch out in terms of texture and type. Knits are a great way to add a new, cozy texture to your collection. Try some Knit Animal Ornaments, or Knit Mitten Ornaments for cute shapes and comfy textures. If your tree has a more modern look, consider trimming with Knit Ball Garlands which add a new texture and shape in a clean, simple manner.

4. Use white lights to show off bright ornaments.

White lights, especially super-brights LEDs, provide the cleanest light for showing off glittering ornaments. When decorating your tree consider the placement of shiny ornaments in relation to strings of light. Shatterproof Blue/Green Ornaments, for example, will shine especially bright when reflecting nearby lights.

5. Estimate 150 lights per vertical foot of tree.

150 lights per foot of tree will provide a very luminous glow. Enough to illuminate ornaments as well as provide a soft light for the room.

Of course, none of these tips are very helpful if you don't have a tree to begin with! Artificial trees have come a long way since the days of bright pink metallic "trees". (Though if you're going for a retro Kitschmas, you could still get away with that one). Target has a wide selection, and we're a fan of the 7.5-ft Pre-lit Balsam Fir from Philips. It comes with a stand and is lit with 500 clear mini-bulbs so it's easy to set up. You can also choose an artificial tree by variety, like this Virginia Fir. Whichever tree you choose this year, follow the tips above for great results!

For more information see Apartment Therapy.