When they enter the Super Bowl on February 7, for the first time in history, the New Orleans Saints will be led by a pair of former Towson Tigers.  Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Joe Vitt and left tackle Jermon Bushrod have helped propel the Saints to the top.

Vitt played four years at linebacker for Towson, where he was part of a squad that went undefeated in 1974.  Today, in his fourth season with the Saints, Vitt has been coaching a defensive unit that ranks near the top of the NFL in turnovers generated.

A four-year starter at Towson, Bushrod’07 was drafted by the Saints in 2007.  In his first season as a starting left tackle, Bushrod has helped the Saints in their most memorable season.  As part of the Saints offensive line, Bushrod has contributed to the most prolific offense in the NFL.

Towson salutes our two Tigers as they enter the Super Bowl on February 7!

Once again this year Towson University held the “Stuff-A-Bus” campaign to benefit the MD Food Bank and Marine Corps Toys for Tots. Last year students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members collected 850 pounds of food and 2,000 toys for these great causes. This year’s goal was 25,000 items for distribution in the local community and judging from these pictures, I think we did pretty well.

And just for fun, the Towson University Student Ambassadors filmed a fun little holiday message with the help of many divisions across campus, including some of the staff from my office.  Check out the video to see how the holiday spirit is catching on all over campus. 

Towson University has yet another reason to celebrate. The Towson University TIGER Marching Band is the only university marching band in the nation to claim one of 11 coveted spots to perform in the nationally televised 83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Be sure to tune in on Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 9 a.m. (specifically around 11:43 a.m.) to see our talented, spirited students perform live in New York City before 50 million viewers on NBC and more than 3 million parade spectators.

Our Tiger Marching Band keeps us energized and motivated during countless games and events throughout the year , and now it is our turn to cheer them on as they represent the university on this prestigious stage.

Don’t miss the TU Marching Band Send-Off Celebration on Monday, November 23 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Please join students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends  as we celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our marching band.

There will be free popcorn, drinks, and giveaways including a Wii, iPod touch, portable DVD player, and a 32″ flat screen. Plus the first 100 people will receive a gift card to local retailers.

Admission and parking is free in stadium Lots 20 and 21.

To make a gift or support the band call 410-704-3375 or go to www.tigertracks.com/band.

Looking forward to seeing you there! Go Tigers!

 

Did you know it’s International Education Week?

A joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, International Education Week, which runs this year from November 16-20, aims to promote s and celebrate multiculturalism and international education.

Towson University’s Study Abroad Office sponsors several International Education Week activities, including foreign film screenings,  a cultural quiz, chalking flags outside of Cook Library, and international bingo.  Check out this year’s schedule at www.towson.edu/studyabroad/iew2009.asp for more information.

Did you know that you can study abroad at any time during your academic career at TU?

Here are some quick facts about Towson University Study Abroad.

• 2008-2009 academic year, the TU Study Abroad Office awarded $112,000 in scholarships to 150 undergraduate and graduate students.
• In 2008-2009 the top study abroad destinations by Towson students were the United Kingdom, Spain, and Australia.
• More than 500 TU students study abroad each academic year.
• TU has more than 50 study abroad programs in more than 25 countries.
• TU students can choose programs than range in length from one week to one year abroad.
• All financial aid and scholarships can be used for study abroad and special scholarships are available for study abroad students.

Take some time this week to stop by the study abroad office in the Administration building to get more information about enhancing and expanding your student experience to an international destination!

Come join your fellow alums, celebrate Homecoming and reconnect with Towson University.  Reunion Row has become a popular part of the homecoming experience.  With nearly 2,500 attending from over 50 alumni groups – made up of Greek alumni, many historically Black fraternity and sororities, independent groups of friends and former classmates, and even some academic alumni groups – Reunion Row offers something for alumni of every background!

Pairing Reunion Row with the Alumni Homecoming Festival gives an opportunity for all alumni to feel welcome and bring their families.  This year the festival will have a variety of games and entertainment for all ages, including the TU Dance Team and TU Marching Band!  The Alumni Association will be offering walking tours of campus at their Welcome Tent and plenty of free food and giveaways will be available at the GEICO Hospitality Tent!

At game time, hop on the free shuttles provided by the Alumni Association and enjoy a quick ride to the stadium or relax on Burdick Field and enjoy radio feed of the game as the Towson Tigers take on rival University of Delaware.

I’ll see you at the Alumni Festival and the football game!

 
Towson University Provost, Dr. Marcia G. Welsh

Many of you may have already met our new provost, Dr. Marcia G. Welsh, or seen her out and about campus.  I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to your new chief academic officer with a quick and informal Q & A session so you can get to know her a little better.

Bob’s Blog:  What excited you most about coming to Towson University?

Provost Welsh:  I wanted to get back to a larger university and Towson is not only large, but the institution’s mission and vision really appeal to me.  I like Towson’s classification as a metropolitan university that combines researched-based learning with practical application.  I also like the emphasis that Towson has to serve those students who are disadvantaged because of socioeconomic issues, and I am passionate about the need for higher education to get back into the communities we serve.  Universities were started in this country with the goal of educating the citizens in preparation for living and participating in a democracy, and I believe Towson’s mission serves to advance that goal. 

BB: What are you looking forward to accomplishing in your first semester on campus?

PW: I want to learn all I can about the institution, and hopefully finish some initiatives that were started by my predecessors.  The economy has proven challenging and I want to be sure the academic priorities and the mission of the institution are held as harmless as possible, so I will be working with the Deans to evaluate what we do and what we can do without.  As 2010 comes to a close, it will be important to help lead the academic voice as we begin the next strategic planning process and determine what Towson should look like with 25,000 students. 

BB: What do you do for fun in your free time?

PW:  What free time?  I find that most of what I do is in some way related to work, including many of my social events.  I also love spending time with my family, although they now live quite a distance from me and we see each other primarily through Skype!  My husband and I enjoy going to movies and plays, finding good restaurants, and I do love to shop and typically drag him along!  Our vacations are always around water, as we both enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving.  And I’m addicted to Sudoku.

BB: Will you most likely be seen at a sports event, arts event, or film or lecture series?

PW:  Great question.  Fortunately, the timing of these events typically don’t overlap, so you will absolutely see me attending most types of events on campus, although I won’t make it to everything.  I love to see students perform, either on the court or field, marching down the street (I’ll be at the Macy’s Parade), on stage or in a black box theatre, so you might say my priority will be at student events.  I also enjoy indies, and have the list of films being shown this fall, so will try to get to some of those.  We are quite privileged to have such quality visual arts programming at Towson, so I’ll see you there, too!

http://www.towson.edu/president/widget.asp

 My latest podcast is up and ready for listening. This time I sat down with Kim Fabian, president of the Towson University Alumni Association and member of the class of 1988.

Be sure to tune in to find out:

-how you can get involved or continue your involvment at Towson University post-graduation through our alumni network

-how alumni giving plays a part in our national rankings

-little-known facts about Towson University that all alumni should know to help us “tell the Towson story”

-ways to show your Towson University pride!

After you listen, leave a comment here to tell me what you think and what you would like to hear on future podcasts.

Each semester I  sit down with students to talk about your campus experience at Towson University.  In an effort to find new and interesting ways to reach out to students, I decided to host a study break in Second Life this semester in addition to the traditional study breaks.

My hope is that we not only engage students already using Second Life, but also bring in new interest to those who have not yet discovered SL or my study breaks.

The best thing is, you don’t have to be a Second Life pro to join the discussion. There are several different ways to participate.  Check out the TU Daily Digest announcement this week for more details.

So plan to join me for this exciting endeavor on the new Towson University Innovation Lab Island in Second Life.

Please let us know where you are logging on by submitting your RSVP here.