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 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 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.