For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901/678-2843

New initiatives, new programs, and an Open House are all on the agenda at the Fogelman College of Business and Economics for Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 21^st and 22^nd. Much of the two-day event will focus on the College’s renewed emphasis on recruiting and educating high-ability students.

On Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. the College’s new Honors Commons will officially open. U of M Provost Ralph Faudree and former U of M Board of Visitors Chairman Larry Papasan will officiate at the Commons ribbon-cutting. Located in Room 274, the Honors Commons will provide a place for honors students to gather, relax, study, and form closer associations and friendships with other honors students.

Beyond just furnishing a place its honors students can call their own, the Fogelman College will also launch several initiatives beneficial to honors students’ academic progress. The College is creating a new Honors Student Organization, providing access to a dedicated honors advisor, launching an honors speaker series, pairing honors students with industry mentors, increasing students’ interaction with faculty mentors, and planning for an annual honors recognition dinner to be held every spring.

A non-academic, but vitally important program being introduced at this year’s open house is Fogelman Fit, a coordinated effort to enhance all Fogelman students’ physical health and wellness. Fogelman Fit is also supported by the Department of Health and Sport Sciences and other campus and professional organizations. The program will promote healthy eating, physical exercise, and an emphasis on small, more easily achievable steps to better health.

The Fogelman Fit program will also offer ongoing wellness activities, plus challenges (with prizes) throughout the year. During the Open House, students can sign up for the various fitness challenges, watch fitness demonstrations, and see displays about nutrition and health.

Fogelman Fit is coordinated by Dr. Heather Chambliss, faculty member in the Department of Health and Sports Sciences. Dr. Chambliss is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and she has been a collaborating scientist with the Cooper Institute in Dallas. She is especially well versed in changing health behavior, promoting physical activity, and designing weight management programs.

Contacts for more information are: Open House, Mary Johnson, 901-678-4070 or mjohnson@memphis.edu; Fogelman Honors Program, Professor Jasbir Dhaliwal, 901-678-5402 or jdhaliwl@memphis.edu; and Fogelman Fit, Dr. Heather Chambliss, 901-678-4410 or hchmblss@memphis.edu