U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
M E M P H I S
President’s Report Winter 2020
PRESIDENT M. David Rudd VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS Tammy Hedges EDITOR Trent Shadid PHOTOGRAPHY Trey Clark Justin Fox Burks
The University of Memphis is governed by a 10-member Board of Trustees. The Board consists of eight members appointed by the governor of Tennessee, a faculty trustee elected by the faculty and a non-voting student trustee selected by students and appointed by the Board. The University of Memphis’ name, seal, logos and Tigers are registered marks of the University of Memphis and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior written approval is obtained from the University of Memphis. The University of Memphis Magazine (USPS-662-550) is published four times a year by the Division of External Relations of the University of Memphis, 303 Administration Building, Memphis, TN 38152-3370. Periodical Postage paid at Memphis, TN 38152. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alumni & Development Office, The University of Memphis, 120 Alumni Center, Memphis, TN 38152-3760.
MISSION
The University of Memphis is a learner-centered metropolitan research university providing high quality educational experiences while pursuing new knowledge through research, artistic expression and interdisciplinary and engaged scholarship.
Driven by Doing
“We’ve improved graduation rates from 41% to 53.2% over the past five years, that’s a 29% magnitude of improvement. Our first to second year retention rates have improved in corresponding fashion. All of this is tied to affordability and making it easier for our students to get through the process financially and overcome that barrier. ” – M. David Rudd University of Memphis President
TOP TIER FIVE YEARS AGO, the University of Memphis was unranked among national universities by U.S. News and World Report (USNRW). Entering 2020, the UofM is officially in the top tier of those rankings. The University is No. 135 on the list of top public universities and No. 138 in social mobility. Only two other schools in the State of Tennessee — the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Tennessee Tech — are also in the top tier. “This is great movement for the University of Memphis and the result of hard work by so many,” said UofM President M. David Rudd. “It is rewarding to see the rest of the country start to recognize what we have known for many years — that the University of Memphis is a great university and some remarkable work is being done on our campus and in our community. We are by no means done. Our next step is to move into the top 100 nationally.” In order to gain recognition from the USNRW, the UofM formed a working group five years ago to increase knowledge and visibility of the University across the country.
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“The goal was simple: help our peers understand and recognize the great work being done on our campus,” said Rudd. “We have made steady gains since the group started working.” The previous two years, the UofM was included in USNWR Tier 2 for national universities, but did not receive individual recognition in the category of top public schools since only the top tier is ranked. A ranking within the top tier is a significant factor in helping the University expand its already growing footprint nationally. “Many across the country simply were unaware of the great work being done on our campus and in our community,” said Rudd. “The USNWR rankings are both highly visible and arguably the most frequently used resource by students and parents in making college decisions.”
NEXT UP: CARNEGIE R1
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chieving top tier status from USNWR is one major important step toward another high-priority goal: Carnegie Research 1 status. The designation is given to institutions deemed to have very high research activity as compared to others across the country.
As of the 2019 update, the UofM is currently among 135 schools in Carnegie R2. The top tier consists of 131 schools.
“There are only a few schools ahead of us now in becoming an R1 school,” said Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, executive vice president for research and innovation. “If we become an R1 school in the next two years, it will be a fantastic achievement. We will have jumped into a platform for bigger research grants. It will change how we as an institution view ourselves. It will certainly open up a lot more opportunities for our students to go work at great places because they’ll be coming from a Carnegie R1 school.” The UMRF Research Park is an essential piece in the push toward Carnegie R1 status. Among the schools receiving the distinction, 95% have an affiliated research park or similar facility. The UMRF Research Park has been highly successful in its first year. The facility is currently at capacity with 12 tenants and an expansion is in the works. From a national perspective, achieving Carnegie R1 status would significantly help increase the value of a degree from the UofM. While the quality of the educational experience is already in place, it won’t be fully realized without this kind of national recognition. “The value of the degree is not just quality,” said UofM President M. David Rudd. “It’s coupled with a lot of things: visibility, recognition and overall identity of the institution. I would tell you the quality of this education is as good as any in the country. It’s not always understood because our visibility nationally isn’t what some other universities have, but we’re building that.”
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COMMUNITY COURTS
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HE PUBLIC OUTDOOR basketball court at Lewis-Davis Park has a new look: Memphis Tigers blue and gray. In conjunction with the City of Memphis, the University of Memphis coordinated the paint job as part of the Community Courts initiative. In an effort to improve area parks, the initiative will include the repainting of one court within the community annually. “The UofM did a fantastic job with the repainting of this basketball court,” Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said. “Our parks serve as a cornerstone for neighborhoods, and the new paint job gives park patrons another asset to be proud of. I’m grateful to the UofM for its partnership and looking forward to more projects like this in the future.” Lewis-Davis Park is located on Pendleton Street in Orange Mound between Park Avenue and Deadrick Avenue. It is the first location to receive a new paint job as part of the University’s Community Courts effort. “It is an exciting time to be a Tiger and a proud new member of the Memphis community,” said Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch, who took over in October. “This is a wonderful example of how a university and a city can work together for the good of the entire community.”
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LAUNCHING PAD
After one year of existence, the University of Memphis Research Foundation’s Research Park has already made big things happen for startup businesses and the Memphis community. 6 | PRE S I DEN T ’ S R E P O RT | Winter 2020
Chief economic development and government relations officer Ted Towsend (left) and UMRF Research Park director Troy Parkes have quickly turned the Research Park into a hub of research-driven growth and collaboration in the heart of the University District.
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he University of Memphis converted a former library on the edge of campus at Highland Street and Midland Avenue into the UMRF Research Park in January 2019. The goal was to create a co-working space for startups that would serve as an innovation hub capable of attracting global talent and having a longlasting economic impact on the community. The year one results have been overwhelmingly positive.
The Research Park — a 10,000-square-foot facility — has already housed a startup that expanded into downtown Memphis (Prospero Health) and attracted another (DEVCON) with plans to heavily invest in the city. Between the two, more than 400 jobs are projected to be brought to Memphis in the near future.
SweetBio, an anchor tenant of the Research Park, received FDA clearance last summer to begin marketing a cutting-edge device that uses honey to assist with wound care. Green Mountain Tech, another company that has shared the space since its inception, is planning for at least 20% growth annually over the next three years. Clearly, the businesses occupying space inside the Research Park are using the partnership as a launching pad. As of November 2019, the Research Park was at capacity. The UofM’s Office of Economic Development and Government Affairs is already working on a plan for expansion. There are several factors drawing budding startups to the Research Park. Above all else, access to talented students at the University is the primary attraction. That’s a mutually beneficial relationship — the businesses have convenient access to a talented employee base while UofM students are given a fast-track opportunity to a career. In the process, the community is made better as both the growing companies and University students remain in Memphis.
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MOVING UP
Michael Scarbrough Prospero Health co-founder, president and COO
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Prospero Health moved out of the UMRF Research Park in September 2019 and into a larger space in downtown Memphis, becoming the first tenant of the park to use it as a launching pad for expansion into the city.
Within the next five years, Prospero Health is on a path of rapid growth that projects to bring 250 jobs to the City of Memphis. The UMRF Research Park served as the springboard for this home-based supportive care company to anchor itself in the city.
P PROSPERO HEALTH ENDED up as a tenant at 460 S. Highland St. shortly after co-founder and president Michael Scarbrough attended the grand opening of the Research Park in January 2019. That’s where Scarbrough was connected with UofM chief economic development and government relations officer Ted Townsend.
Of the 1,200 employees Prospero Health expects to hire, the largest concentration will be in Memphis. The city will serve as Prospero’s operational headquarters, where employees will provide administrative and clinical assistance to doctors, nurses, social workers and other professionals who care for patients with serious illnesses across the country. Smaller teams will be located in Boston and Minneapolis. Additionally, because Prospero is using the city as its training headquarters, every hire will spend at least some time in Memphis.
“When I talked to Michael about coming into the Research Park, it was with the understanding that, beyond just occupying space, this could present a strategic, long-term partnership for the University,” Townsend said.
By the end of January, Prospero Health had moved in, seizing on an opportunity the company felt was too good to pass up.
“For us, the Research Park was the perfect space to facilitate the kind of brainstorming we needed,” said Scarbrough, a Memphis native with 29 years of experience in the healthcare industry.
“A significant added benefit was the chance to build a relationship with the University from our beginning. We would’ve been searching for a way to connect with the University regardless. To have the Research Park opportunity provided to us, it was the perfect welcome mat for a startup hoping to access the talent coming out of the University. It’s been so great for us.”
Prospero Health’s growth plan quickly made a larger space a necessity. In September, the company moved into a floor in the One Commerce Square building downtown. The goal is to occupy a total of three floors at the location, further fulfilling the desire to build a large presence in Memphis.
“I really want to commend the University for creating the Research Park,” Scarbrough said. “If you look at Prospero, DEVCON, Green Mountain Technology, SweetBio and you just kind of go down the list; each one of those companies has a chance to be better because of the association with the University of Memphis. Absent the Research Park, I think it would be much harder to do what we’re all doing.”
Though Prospero Health has moved out of the Research Park, its connection to the UofM remains strong. Scarbrough is heading a concerted, multi-layered effort to build a pipeline that allows Prospero Health to tap into the talented workforce coming from the University while providing students with real-world learning opportunities and pathways to a career. “There’s certainly a talent angle to it,” Scarbrough said, “but we’re also going to continually have meetings and an open dialogue with various deans at the University where we think our services are relevant. We’re about exploring not only what can we get from the University, but also what can we contribute back.” Scarbrough is currently working with the UofM on the possibility of bringing MBA students into the company — ideally for a semester — to work on projects centered around their program. Prospero Health’s commitment to hiring UofM students is already apparent. Among recently hired employees in the Memphis office, 18% were 2019 UofM graduates.
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MOVING IN Originally based in Atlanta, DEVCON’s founders discovered the perfect opportunity to grow their cybersecurity company at the UMRF Research Park.
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he space Prospero Health moved out of due to company growth didn’t stay vacant for long. DEVCON, a startup cybersecurity company, quickly moved in with big plans for building its foundation in Memphis. DEVCON became a UMRF Research Park tenant in September and plans to hire an estimated 160 employees in Memphis over the next five years. The city will serve as its headquarters with current employees also based in Atlanta and London.
“We started discussions about coming here in July, we had a handshake agreement in August and in September we were moving in,” said DEVCON CEO Maggie Louie. “That’s a good example of what makes this move so great for us because it shows everyone is rowing in the same direction. When you’re surrounded by people in a city and at a University where everybody wants the same thing, there’s an urgency to make things happen. It’s easy to say yes to that.” Louie founded DEVCON in 2017 along with COO Casey Hester and CTO Josh Summitt, who is a Memphis native and UofM graduate. While the leadership group has a vision for fast growth, there’s no expectation it will begin looking outside the UofM for a larger space within the city. Instead, the company plans to grow along with the
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“From my perspective, everyone at the University of Memphis is very supportive of creating an environment that will help push the future of cyber and tech forward,” Louie said. “We want to be part of that and help that grow. There’s going to be a lot of incredible growth happening here. We are so excited to get into the Research Park in the beginning and help build that in a city where there’s a lot of momentum.”
Research Park, and become a long-term tenant with a role in the expansion plans. “We want to make sure that we are in a position that is really connected with students and their new ideas,” Louie said. “We want a really fun, dynamic, interactive and innovative lab for developing new technologies. That’s a big part of why we’re here. We think this is the place for that.”
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EVCON’s long-term plans with the Research Park and the City of Memphis are driven by the incentive to create a mutually beneficial ecosystem for itself, UofM students and the Memphis community. “In cybersecurity, I think Memphis has a huge opportunity,” Louie said. “There is so much room for growth and there’s a very high demand in the industry. You’ll find a lot of job opportunities in places like Seattle and San Francisco, which are fine cities, but the pay rate hasn’t kept up with the rising cost of living in those places. That’s putting younger generations at a significant disadvantage. “By creating well-paying jobs in places like Memphis, where the cost of living isn’t such a burden, you’re really giving students a head start on life in the real world. You’re also keeping students from leaving the city. Those are things that really appeal to us.” DEVCON’s path to success presents a unique set of challenges. As a startup specializing in protection for third-party Javascript vulnerabilities, a major need in cybersecurity, there’s no clear roadmap for the company to follow. Instead, as Louie puts it, there’s a lot of “breaking, hacking, discovering and learning” to be done. Maggie Louie DEVCON co-founder and CEO
That’s yet another reason DEVCON is drawn to the UofM’s Research Park. The company looks forward to becoming immersed in an environment that cultivates the new and innovative ideas needed to make DEVCON a success.
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GOING GLOBAL
In fall 2019, the UMRF Research Park hosted three CEOs from around the world for a month-long business incubation experience. Teddy Pejoski Blueprint CEO
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Olzhas Satiyev WebTotem CEO
Entrepreneurs also had the ability to build a network in their assigned market. Recognizing a unique opportunity for potential partnerships, the UofM created an initiative to offer international companies space within the Research Park and a chance for a soft landing into the U.S. market.
T Bourzhan Shalbayev Clicklog CEO
THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS Research Park was one of just seven research institutions across the country to serve as a host site for the inaugural Global Innovation through Science and Technology Business Incubation, a month-long proof of concept program.
The program was created to promote and support innovators in international science and technology who are aiming to expand their startup companies into the U.S. market. As part of the program, entrepreneurs were provided the opportunity to improve and build business plans, fine-tune ideas and discover the perfect potential market for their product.
“We are incredibly honored to have been selected by the U.S. Department of State as a host site for the 2019 GIST cohort,” said Ted Townsend, chief economic development and government relations officer for the University of Memphis. “This serves as continued validation of the UMRF Research Park as a strategic, University-based, public-private hub for startup business maturation and recognizes the deep partnerships of the Memphis entrepreneurship ecosystem.” GIST Business Incubation brought three entrepreneurs from across the world — Olzhas Satiyev of WebTotem, Teddy Pejoski of Blueprint and Bourzhan Shalbayev of Clicklog — to the University. The three were among just 30 in a pool of 600 applicants who were selected to participate at one of the host sites. WebTotem is an Estonian-based security operation platform designed to protect websites and applications for businesses and agencies of all sizes. Satiyev has served as CEO since 2017. Pejoski, based in Macedonia, is CEO of Blueprint — a company that’s making it possible for non-technical users to create complex web applications in minutes rather than months. Shalbayev’s Clicklog, based in Kazakhstan, provides automated dimensioning and optimal plans for loading cargo onto trucks and containers. The entrepreneurs spent Oct. 14-Nov. 8 at the selected sites before convening in Washington D.C. for an additional two-week incubation program.
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UofM Makes History For the first time in program history, Memphis football hosted ESPN College GameDay. This game marked the first time that Memphis and its opponent played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium while both teams were nationally ranked in both major polls (AP and USA Today/Coaches). The then-No. 24 Tigers defeated No. 15 SMU 54-48 in a game that broke the AAC attendance record for a conference game with 59,506.
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Empowered through resources at the University of Memphis, computer science graduates Kareem Dasilva (BS ’19) and Naim Hakeem (BS ’18) are enhancing the food truck experience for owners and consumers around the city. Dasilva and Hakeem co-founded Edesia along with three other recent UofM graduates — OMAR MUSTAPHA, UMER KHAN and PAMODOU JAWNEH. Edesia connects local food trucks to customers through geolocation, mobile ordering, booking and more. The group of UofM grads previously created Poeen — an app studio helping businesses put themselves on the mobile marketplace.
Q&A
Naim Hakeem Edesia co-founder and CDO (BS ‘18)
Q: What brought you to the UofM? A: Dasilva: I’m from the Nashville area and when I was getting ready to make a college decision, it seemed like everyone I knew was going to MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University) and a lot of my family had gone to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. So, it felt like I was positioned to go to one of those two schools.
My mindset on that changed when I started to find out about the University of Memphis. It felt like out of all the marketing materials sent to me from colleges, the University of Memphis was putting the most amount of effort into it. I felt like the UofM was really pushing for innovative people to come out there.
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Kareem Dasilva Edesia co-founder and CEO (BS ‘19)
A: Hakeem: I’ve always been good
with computers and very much liked design-oriented stuff, so I was looking for a school where I could potentially get into video game design. I looked into a bunch of different schools that were really big and really expensive. But I’m from Memphis, I’m already in Memphis, my parents went to the University of Memphis, so why not just go right down the road and pursue those goals? I checked into it and felt like everything I needed was right here. That turned out to be true.
Q: How did you two get connected at the UofM?
A: Hakeem: We actually had a few
classes together within our first few semesters. From there, we would do our homework together and hang out, and it really just turned out to be one of the many great connections I’ve made with like-minded people here. We’ve built our startup team here, and it’s a team where everyone wears multiple hats.
Q: Explain the process of starting
their favorite food truck might be, and that’s just not often the most time-efficient way for people to find out where you are.
Q: How did you solve these problems?
A: Dasilva: During a 48-hour
app to find food trucks. We released the app, and the problem we ran into was that no one was willing to pay for an app that just finds food trucks.
competition we were a part of, we built a product we called “sweet spot” that can track the foot traffic of a specific area using Bluetooth signals. We’re able to map out the city where most of the foot traffic occurs at certain times, and we can offer spots to food trucks accordingly.
What we learned from that is to treat the food truck owner like a core customer. The food truck owner is in a high-pressure environment where they typically only have a window of a couple of hours to make most of their money. They can’t afford to miss out on opportunities.
They bid on valuable spots and when they get to those spots, then we offer a delivery component to the app. So essentially, food trucks now have an innovative new channel to make sales that never existed before.
A: Hakeem: We found from talking
Q: What would you say
Edesia and the obstacles that came along with it?
A: Dasilva: Initially, we just built an
with the food truck owners that people wouldn’t even know where they were set up a lot of the time. People had to search online or scroll through social media to see where
to someone that’s considering the University of Memphis and wants to follow a similar path to what you’ve done?
A: Hakeem: The University of
Memphis gives you all the resources you need to hone your skills and go pursue all of your goals. For example, when I came to the Crews Center for Entrepreneurship they gave me access to an iMac that had all the Adobe tools on there. I didn’t have that at my house, so all the design stuff I’ve been able to do with Edesia I wouldn’t have been able to do without that resource. Whatever you might need help with, the University will help you figure it out. That’s the best part of it. It’s almost like an incubator being here.
A: Dasilva: It is like an
incubator, that’s the best way I would describe it. The Crews Center and the UMRF Research Park are amazing resources to help you learn and grow as an aspiring entrepreneur. Then you also have the City of Memphis with its “grind” spirit. The people here are the best type of people to be around because they’re willing to work and try anything.
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CREATING A COMMUNITY
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ORKING TOGETHER, the University Neighborhoods Development Corporation (UNDC) and the University of Memphis Office of Economic Development and Government Relations have set several plans in motion to improve physical infrastructure that will ultimately have a significant positive economic impact in the area surrounding the University of Memphis.
Among these plans is the facelift to Highland Street as part of the Highland Revitalization Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Completed projects through the Highland Revitalization TIF include an activated crosswalk and mural, a SkyCop camera network, a study into the feasibility of a railroad quiet zone and new LED lighting for the Walker Avenue parking lot. Up next is the Highland Streetscape Improvements Vision. The $18 million project will include intersection and railroad crossing enhancements, traffic calming, new sidewalks, landscaping, public art and more. “Everything that we do has a common goal of promoting economic inclusion, shared prosperity and student success,” said Cody Fletcher, University District development officer at the UofM. “This project furthers those goals and will serve as a catalyst to bring more students, visitors and businesses to the University District.” The Highland Streetscape plan is designed to unify both sides of the street and is flexible enough to include new ideas throughout the process. The current plan of improvements will generate value, enhance access and promote improved quality of life in the area.
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“This is all to create a vibrant and safe neighborhood for our students, partners and neighbors; and to create a boulevard-type environment along Highland,” said Ted Townsend, chief economic development and government relations officer for the University. The community improvements aren’t stopping with Highland. Plans are being made to expand the TIF to encompass a one-mile stretch of Park Avenue from Highland to Goodlett. Many of the planned enhancements to this area are public necessities similar to the projects on Highland, with the additional boost of a state-approved vertical construction component.
These drastic improvements via the TIF will mitigate risks for investors that look to move into the area, providing an opportunity for these neighborhoods to flourish. In addition to enhancing the broader community that surrounds the University, these efforts will help further connect the main and Park Avenue campuses. A primary goal of the work being financed through the TIF is improving the community as a whole. This is just one of the many ways the University and its partners are working to make a significant positive economic impact on the City of Memphis.
The University Neighborhoods Development Corporation (UNDC) and the University of Memphis Office of Economic Development and Government Relations are on a mission to create a thriving, vibrant community in the areas that surround the University of Memphis.
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LAMBUTH NEWS
UofM LAMBUTH FOUNTAIN HONORS FLEENER’S CONTRIBUTIONS The legacy of Jacqueline Fleener will be everlasting on the University of Memphis Lambuth campus. As part of True Blue Day this spring, a new fountain in the courtyard at the center of campus will be dedicated in honor of Fleener. Installed in late August, the iron fountain includes intricate scrollwork and is surrounded by iron benches. A bronze plaque will serve as a tribute to Fleener’s career and her contributions to the campus. Fleener graduated from Lambuth University in 1964 with a degree in mathematics. She had a long and
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successful career as a mathematician for the U.S. Air Force and NASA. Part of her estate was left to Lambuth and is now being used to improve the campus visually as well as provide scholarship opportunities for students. In addition to the fountain, part of Fleener’s gift was used to create the first STEM scholarship at the campus. The scholarship first became available in the fall to biology and science majors enrolled at UofM Lambuth. “We were extremely pleased and appreciative to be the recipient of a gift from Ms.
Fleener’s estate,” said Dr. Niles Reddick, dean of UofM Lambuth and chief operating officer of the Lambuth and Millington campuses. “We formed a committee of faculty, staff, students and alumni to make a recommendation of what to do with part of the funds to beautify the campus, and I think this committee’s work has lived up to expectations. Students are already finding the fountain area in the quad to be a place to gather, to study, to read, and it’s exciting to see them enjoying it. We hope students will enjoy this for generations to come.”
UNIQUE DUAL-ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITY COMING TO UofM LAMBUTH The opportunity for dual-enrollment at the high school level can be an immense help to students as they begin their path to college completion, improving efficiency and affordability. At the UofM Lambuth, such an opportunity will soon become available in a very unique way for Madison Academic High School students. The existing high school will move into a new facility at Lambuth as part of a financing agreement for a dual-enrollment high school to be built by the City of Jackson and the UofM Lambuth. The new high school will face Lambuth Boulevard where Epworth Hall, a former residence hall, stood. As part of the arrangement, Madison Academic will be able to expand enrollment from approximately 450 to 600. Students can take dual-enrollment classes at the UofM Lambuth Campus, in the high school with Lambuth faculty or through UofM Global — the University’s online program. “The UofM Lambuth community is very excited about our partnership and Madison Academic’s relocation to our campus, and we look forward to those excellent students taking classes with us,” said Dr. Niles Reddick, dean of UofM Lambuth. Presently, Madison Academic’s baseball and soccer teams use athletic fields at the UofM Lambuth. The relocation will allow the school’s basketball teams to use the gym on the campus. Other facilities available to Madison Academic through the agreement include the theatre, chapel and library.
SPRAGUE HALL RENOVATIONS TO ENHANCE FAST-GROWING NURSING PROGRAM The UofM Lambuth’s Sprague Hall is set to be renovated after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and state legislators approved $6 million in funding for the project. Architectural work is currently underway and construction on the renovation is expected to take 12-18 months to complete. A longtime dormitory at the former Lambuth University, Sprague Hall will be remodeled into office and clinical space that will allow the nursing program at the campus to continue its rapid growth. Enrollment is approximately 170 with a goal of expanding to 300 in the near future. In 2012, the nursing program had just 12 enrollees. The new Sprague Hall will serve as a vital piece to the long-term stability of the UofM Lambuth campus. It will also provide a significant boost to an essential goal of the nursing program — educating the future nurses of West Tennessee, a region where the profession is in high demand. “We partnered with West Tennessee Healthcare to provide more BSN graduates to meet their needs, and we have made significant progress,” Reddick said. “Their data has shown that not only are our graduates excellent nurses, they have a very high rate of retention. We are very proud of our nursing faculty and the high-quality instruction they provide our students.” While the interior of Sprague Hall will be revitalized, the historical exterior will be preserved. The full project includes 26,500 square feet of renovated space that will include labs, simulation suites, study areas, office space and more.
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UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS
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he University of Memphis Campus School was recently designated an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School. One of the highest honors from the U.S. Department of Education, this designation is awarded to just 362 schools nationwide. Campus School, which was selected for the first time ever, was the only elementary school in West Tennessee to receive the honor in 2019. “This is a tremendous testament to the hard work and persistence happening each day at Campus School,” said Sally Parish, associate vice president for Educational Initiatives. “Our faculty, staff, students, parents, campus and district partners all contribute to the success of this school, and we are thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments.”
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Campus School achieves Blue Ribbon Status
Consideration for Blue Ribbon status is contingent on a nomination from the state department of education, and qualifying schools must meet specific criteria set by the U.S. Department of Education. The award is given based on academic excellence or progress closing student achievement gaps. Campus School is regularly recognized for its exceptional test scores, which consistently top district ratings. Last spring, 74% of Campus School students scored proficient in reading and writing compared to 21% of students in the district overall and 34% across the State of Tennessee.
Future Plans
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ampus School and the Early Learning & Research Center have been part of the University of Memphis since the 1950s. In September, the educational community grew as University Middle opened its doors to 74 sixth graders. Plans are in place for University Middle to add seventh and eighth grades in the future. At its meeting in September, the University of Memphis Board of Trustees approved the purchase of property at Audubon Park Baptist Church and three adjacent residential parcels north of Park Avenue to accommodate the additional grades and future expansion of a University high school. The permanent location will be an extension of the Park Avenue Campus.
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perated by the University, the school exposes its students to dynamic and engaging instruction through research-based practices and various campus and community partnerships.
“As a University-sponsored Shelby County School, we are excited about the opportunity to share this partnership nationally so that other schools around the country may consider ways to implement this model in their communities,” Parish said. “This partnership is one of the unique strengths of Campus School, and we appreciate the support that we have at the University and district levels.”
Currently, University Middle is housed at East High School. On Fridays, the sixth graders begin their day on the UofM campus in the McWherter Library to work in small groups as part of their projectbased learning exploratory curriculum. University Middle has four full-time faculty teaching core subjects of English, social studies, science and math. Adjunct faculty from the UofM teach additional classes in world languages, art, music, dance, creative writing, debate, advanced math and advanced computer science.
Campus School previously received state honors as a Reward School (top 5%) from 2011-15 and in 2018.
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The Cecil C. Humphreys Law Alumni Chapter hosted its 10th annual Pillars of Excellence Awards at FedExForum in August. As part of the event, $160,000 was raised toward law student scholarships. The Law Alumni Chapter also used the evening to honor these distinguished individuals:
Honorable Robert L. "Butch" Childers
(BBA ’71, JD ’74)
Circuit Court Judge | Thirtieth Judicial District, Shelby County (Retired)
Honorable Bernice Bouie Donald (BA ’74, JD ’79) United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Richard Glassman (BS ’69, JD ’72)
Managing Shareholder | Glassman, Wyatt, Tuttle & Cox, P.C.
R. Hunter Humphreys (JD ’77) Member | Glankler Brown, PLLC
Connie Lewis Lensing
Retired Senior Vice President Legal | FedEx Express
Charles T. Tuggle Jr.
Executive VP & General Counsel | First Horizon National Corporation
OUTSTANDING PROFESSORSHIP AWARD Demetria Frank
Assistant Professor of Law | University of Memphis
2019 FRIENDS OF THE LAW SCHOOL The Bobango Family
John A. Bobango (JD ’83) & Lisa W. Bobango (JD ’83)
24 | PR E S I DE N T ’ S R E P O RT | Winter 2020
Driven by Doing ON THE COVER The University of Memphis opened the Hunter Harrison Memorial Bridge in August 2019 after 15 months of construction and decades of anticipation. A long-needed campus safety enhancement, the bridge serves as one of the many signs of the progress that has been made on the UofM campus within the past five years. The bridge’s namesake attended the UofM before leaving school to begin what would be a successful career as a railroader. Harrison served as CEO of four railways — the Illinois Central, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and CSX. He passed away in December 2017.
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION The University of Memphis President’s Report is published annually and highlights a variety of newsworthy topics from the previous year at the UofM. This edition is primarily focused on the positive economic impact the University is having on the Memphis community through research, innovation, neighborhood development, helping bring jobs to the city and more.
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UofM and Porter-Leath Launch Partnership for Early Childhood Care The UofM and Porter-Leath came together in 2019 to launch a new, innovative partnership designed to help address a critical need for early childhood care in the Memphis community. Through the generosity of a $3.5 million grant from the Urban Child Institute, the partnership will provide a state-of-the-art educational facility to serve children ages six weeks through pre-K. Construction is scheduled to start in fall 2020 with a tentative opening date of January 2022.