We are resilient
This project is the result of a special campus initiative led by the Murray State University Bluegrass Academic Leadership Academy fellows: Dr. Teresa Clark, Dr. Amelia Dodd, Dr. Kristie Guffey, Ms. Ashley Ireland, and Dr. Robin Zhang. A call for nominations was sent to the Racer community in August. We received and verified 16 nominations of individuals and groups in September. The nominations featured here serve as excellent examples of Racer resiliency. So many students, faculty, staff, and alumni have gone above and beyond in recent months; all are resilient in their own way. Go Racers!
Lee Clark Residential College
Residential College Spotlight
"Lee Clark Residential College is taking strides to be a safe community, but also still be engaging with our students. During these socially distant times, Clark is trying to make everyone engaged and still have that sense of community within their residential college. Clark College has been resilient, optimistic, and creative when it comes to what we can do for each other."
Dr. Miguel Gomez
Adolescent, Career, and Special Education
College of Education and Human Services
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Gomez, a faculty member in Middle School Education, provided some much needed support to future educators who watched the entire field forced into the unknown seemingly overnight. Dr. Gomez was an advocate for all his students whether they were in his classes or needed someone to talk to. On top of his commitment, passion for education, and his love for his students, he has always had his students’ best interest at heart. He regularly provided support, reassurance, and kind words in the spring semester. He has inspired me to be the best Middle School Educator I can be, and because of him I didn't drop out of school."
Kentucky Academy of Technology Education (KATE)
College of Education and Human Services
Staff Spotlight
"KATE worked all summer to get ready for this challenging semester. They problem-solved and troubleshooted. They greet everyone with a smile and are amazingly patient."
Dr. David Ferguson
Agricultural Science
Hutson School of Agriculture
faculty spotlight
“He split the class into Zoom and tries to have class outside when possible to give students more hands-on experience as well as trying to keep things somewhat normal during these uncertain times. He goes above and beyond to make sure we are safe as well as having hands-on experiences.”
Hutson School of Agriculture
academic college spotlight
“The Hutson School of Agriculture has gone above and beyond with allowing social distancing and proper sanitization. Even during all of this, they are still doing a fantastic job of teaching their students and making sure it is an environment good for learning.“
Essential Farm Student Workers
Hutson School of Agriculture
Student spotlight
Essential HSOA farm student workers continued to work at Murray State’s farm laboratories throughout the closure of campus. These farms are living/working laboratories, and numerous plants and animals were dependent upon these essential student workers to be kept alive and continue to contribute to the research and educational goals of our agriculture programs.
Shanna Burgess
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Purchase Area Health Education Center
Staff Spotlight
“Shanna did her Rural Health Scholars program online this year. Usual school tours and shadowing had to be converted to online learning with guest speakers, reading, online tours, movie streaming and more. She worked really hard to convert a month of in-person work into a month of creative online work that students would enjoy to participate in.”
Carolyn Tinsley
Nursing
School of Nursing and Health Professions
alumni & Faculty Spotlight
“She traveled to North Dakota for a few months during this time period to work in the COVID ICU. She provided exemplary care to vulnerable groups of people. She gave them hope by nursing them back to health and helping relieve their suffering. She sacrificed time with her family and an enjoyable carefree summer to work in difficult conditions, physically and emotionally.”
Mary Scott Buck
Calloway County Collective
Alumni Spotlight
“She created a group called the Calloway County Collective, in which she organized the exchange of food, clothing, personal protective equipment, furniture, disinfectants, hand sanitizer, and other necessities to the community. She also supports the community "Blessing Boxes," that provide non-perishable goods throughout the community. She created a community garden this summer. “
Dr. Traci Byrd and Ms. Kimberly Pidcock
Occupational Safety and Health
Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
Faculty Spotlight
“Dr. Traci Byrd and Kimberly Pidcock worked with spring 2020 EMT candidates after the university's closure to complete their practical skills labs during summer 2020. Twelve EMT candidates successfully passed a state practical exam and are awaiting the National Registry of EMTs written examination results.”
Dr. Rudy Ottway
School of Engineering
Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
Faculty Spotlight
"I'm happy to be nominated as a Resilient Racer. It is an honor to be recognized for outstanding and creative service to others during the COVID-19 pandemic. I consider myself blessed to be a part of a wonderful team of people as we used 3D printing technology to manufacture frames and produce face shields that supported those in need of personal protective equipment (PPE) during COVID-19. I owe a special thanks to Dr. Danny Claiborne and Clay Doron from the School of Engineering, Dr. Bob Jackson, Dr. Tim Todd, Dr. Bob Hughes, Keith Travis, Kent Campbell, Chris Lavery, Jeremy Gosser, and Jason Klotz. These individuals played a pivotal role in our collective efforts to make a positive impact on and serve those around us. We, as a team, produced and distributed over 3,000 face shields to support our local and regional communities."
Phoebe Pohlman
Honors College
Student Spotlight
“As the Honors Student Council Community Service Chair, Phoebe specially designed an outreach program called Pen Pal Local. Pen Pal Local is a no-cost letter-writing exchange program between members of the Honors Student Council and elderly members of the community. Phoebe has engineered a fantastic way to help the local community in this time of relative isolation for our senior citizens.”
Members of Racer Band
Student Spotlight
“The students spent time reaching out to members of the band to be sure they were aware of our safety plan, and that this season as always, we would strive for safety first, music second. The entire safety plan and design was made in consultation with university leadership and health officials, and designed by student leadership and directors. The intent was to maintain the spirit and tradition of Racer Band while doing whatever was possible to keep members safe. I could not be more proud of this organization for the effort and execution of not only marching and performing but also following the racer restart health and safety guidelines.
Summer Orientation Leaders
Student Spotlight
Transitioning to a virtual Summer O, for the first time in Murray State history, took the whole group of resilient leaders. They were working through their own abrupt transition to virtual learning, to work as one big team and family. They met the challenge to fulfill their responsibility to let the incoming students know that it was going to be ok. They also had a Racer Life event during move-in week where to show how much fun could be had even with a mask and social distancing. If it wasn't for such a great group of people to work with, it would've been hard to provide a sense of comfort to the students and community around us, but every, and I mean everyone, was so willing to do everything we could to work together and make even a COVID time, one of the best we could possibly have!"
Springer-Franklin RCC
Residential College Spotlight
"Springer-Franklin RCC has really exhibited the meaning of perseverance. With everything going on in the world, they have managed to make a close community among their resident through safe, innovative, and fun events. They recently put on an event called fast friends: Speed dating for friendships where residents were broken off into break out rooms to meet other residents in the community. They were rotated in intervals of five minutes and it was a hit with the residents. They are also doing a digital PenPal where residents that signed up were able to be assigned a resident to email and get to know. They have really been working hard to make sure students feel included and a part of a supportive community."
Jessica Langston
Alumni Spotlight
"In May 2020, I started working with Workforce Essentials, a private nonprofit organization, as a Project Coordinator for their National Dislocated Worker Grant. In this position, I helped dislocated workers re-enter the workforce through temporary employment opportunities. Ironically, I was offered this position because I was also a dislocated worker due to the COVID crisis. On September 1st, 2020, I was offered a permanent position with Workforce Essentials' Adult Education Program as a Student Coordinator."