During her tenure at Tennessee State University a focus that Dr. Portia Shileds has been adament about is her dedication to physical activity and the well being of her students, whether it’s in running in the mornings with incoming freshmen or walking the indoor track. Earlier this year when Tennessee State commited to rennovating Hale stadium for the 2012 football season Dr. Shields ran into a slight problem once construction begun- she no longer had a place to do her daily walking exercise.
To remedy this problem the ever innovative Dr. Shields took to walking around the campus along a specific path. In order to help promote awarness of a new way to temporarily workout until the Hole was completed, activity signs were erected announcing “Portia Shields Walking Trail” to draw attention to the trail that she had begun walking, in hopes of getting students to join in on the exercise so she could interact with her students in the midst of working out.
Since the trail has came into existence many students have understandably been confused about the meaning of the trail and it’s purpose throughout the campus. Some students thought that the trail was a way for Dr. Shields to “leave her mark” on TSU before her term as interm president comes to a close. Others simply were at a loss to the multipule signs having any purpose at all. In the end though the signs do serve a purpose, as well a way for Madame President to leave her mark; one decreasesd waist line at a time.
