Greg Danner, Music, has won 1st prize in the 2005 Composer's Guild International Competition for his composition "Catch the Wind" for children's chorus and brass quintet. The composition is a setting of five poems by noted children's author Shel Silverstein. Composers Guild was organized in 1963 to assist composers by providing workshops, seminars, concerts, and the international annual composition contest.

Jim Ligon, Agriculture, served as judge of the Simmental cattle show at the 100th annual National Western Stock Show, Rodeo and Horse Show, held this week in Denver, Colo. He is the first Tennessean ever invited to judge the two-day show. The Denver event — with more than 400 animals registered — is one of the largest and most prestigious Simmental shows in the world. The event was expected to draw more than a half-million visitors, who were treated to a 100th anniversary celebration that began with an authentic cattle drive through the streets of Denver. Ligon, as manager of our Shipley Farm, oversees a dairy and beef cattle operation that includes the Simmental breed.

Josephine A. McQuail, English, was honored during the 2005 Modern Language Association convention as managing editor of the journal Modern Language Studies, which was runner-up for the 2005 Phoenix Award for Editorial Achievement. Modern Language Studies is the journal of the Northeast Modern Language Association; McQuail is executive director of NEMLA. The Phoenix Award is presented by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals, an allied organization of the MLA, which held its annual conference Dec. 27-30 in Washington, D.C. McQuail also serves on the delegate assembly, MLA's governing body.

Rita Reese, President's Office, has replaced long-time secretary Sue Jones, who retired last month after more than 18 years of service to TTU. In February 2001, Reese joined TTU's College of Engineering, where she worked with the financial analyst and associate dean for graduate studies.