MURRAY, Ky. — The latest Murray State University Racer Report includes student, faculty, staff and alumni accomplishments, announcements, upcoming campus events and more for the week of April 20-24.

 

The Murray State University Speech & Debate Union (SDU) recently finished their season with a strong performance at the International Public Debate Association National Debate Championship hosted by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

One of the most challenging competitions of the season, 423 competitors from 52 schools across the nation participated in the tournament. 

Graduating senior Caleb McCurren, of Paducah, Kentucky, had a staggering 7-1 win record in preliminary rounds, earning a spot in the single-elimination winner’s bracket as the #4 seed. McCurren advanced through two elimination rounds before losing to Dallas Baptist University on a 2-1 decision in the Sweet 16, ranking ninth in the nation.

For the second national tournament in a row, freshman competitor Coleton Boyd, of Simpsonville, Kentucky, ranked in the top 10 novice speakers, placing eighth.

Season-long performance:

For the first time in program history, a Racer took the stage for season-long awards, which are calculated on performance at six tournaments over the course of the entire school year. 

Boyd ranked top three in the nation for his season-long win record and also ranked fourth speaker in the nation for season-long performance out of 658 competitors.

Upcoming campus event:

The SDU looks forward to showcasing the talent of its students at the annual Provost Premiere Showcase on April 23 at 7 p.m. in Wrather Auditorium.

 

 

Murray State University’s chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi welcomed 16 new members during an induction ceremony held on April 15 in the Waterfield Library Gallery on Murray State’s campus.

Phi Kappa Phi is the highest academic honor society at Murray State. Membership is by invitation only to the top 7.5% of juniors and 10% of seniors and graduate students. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. 

New student members are Brynlee Butler, of Medina, Tennessee; Deborah Cauthen, of Gracey, Kentucky; Lizabeth Conkle, of Metropolis, Illinois; Entropy Cramer, of Lexington, Kentucky; Mouhamed Diagne, of Murray, Kentucky; Jesse Hutchens, of Murray, Kentucky; Astha Karki, of Manassas, Virginia; Kristen Pacheco, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Trinten Patten, of Pontiac, Michigan; Alessandra Donaldson, of Enterprise, Alabama; Isabella Eads, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky; Andrew Gaby, of Avon, Indiana; Sara Gorman, of Murray, Kentucky; William Gray, of Dover, Tennessee; Daniel Grubbs, of Barlett, Tennessee; and Homira Hane, of Murray, Kentucky.

Officers for the 2025-26 academic year are Dr. Melony Shemberger, president; Assistant Provost Ashley Ireland, vice-president/president-elect; and Associate Provost Dr. Renee Fister, treasurer. The student vice presidents are Devin Paige Frisch, Piper McClain, Jyotiraditya Thakka and Nishita Trivedi.

Chapter 302 was chartered on Nov. 28, 2007, and has inducted several hundred outstanding Murray State students into membership since then. The chapter seeks to recognize and encourage excellence in all academic disciplines and promote discussion of important issues across disciplinary lines. 

Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The society has chapters on more than 300 select college and university campuses in North America and the Philippines. 

Since its founding, more than 1.75 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization’s more notable members include the late former President Jimmy Carter, National Aeronautics and Space Administration  astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist David Baldacci and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. The society has awarded more than $14 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, more than $1 million is awarded each biennium to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. 

The society’s motto is “Let the love of learning rule humanity.”

For information on Chapter 302, contact chapter president Dr. Melony Shemberger at mshemberger@murraystate.edu.

 

 

 

 

Karrington Edwards, a biology (pre-dental) major, chemistry and sociology minor from Memphis, Tennessee, and member of Murray State University’s Eta Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., recently received a $500 Howard Ferrell Scholarship from Order of Omega. 

Order of Omega is a Greek honorary organization recognizing only the top 5% of individuals in the fraternity and sorority community. The 1959 scholarship program was established to recognize achievements in leadership of campus organizations, citizenship, academic success and service to Order of Omega and the campus community. These scholarships are intended to support students in their academic endeavors. Over the years, the Order of Omega scholarship program has awarded more than $2 million in undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships. This year, the organization awarded 88 scholarships totaling $62,750 to deserving individuals from 52 campuses in the United States, Canada and the Bahamas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murray State University School of Nursing and Health Professions faculty members Dr. Amelia Dodd and Dr. Jessica Naber, alongside senior nursing student Eliza Heinrich have published their article, “An Appreciative Inquiry into Protective Lifestyle Factors for Longevity,” in the academic journal Educational Gerontology.

This meaningful work explores factors that contribute to longevity, highlighting the importance of positive lifestyle influences across the lifespan. The team also collaborated with co-authors Dr. Lauren Roberson, Rachael Obeng, Dr. Oluwabunmi Dada and Dr. Esther Malm, showcasing the power of interdisciplinary research. 

To read the full article, visit bit.ly/4euJN2F.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Murray State University School of Nursing and Health Professions faculty members Drs. Tiffany Eye, Amy Cook, Erica Brown, Jennifer Rogers and Chris Mecklin recently had an article article titled “Enhancing Teamwork and Clinical Readiness: A Collaborative Simulation for BSN and DNP Students in Obstetric and Neonatal Emergencies” accepted for publication in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice.