MIDPOINTS
A look at recent awards, events, and accomplishments at MTSU compiled by Stephanie Barrette, Gina E. Fann, Jimmy Hart, Gina K. Logue, Drew Ruble, and Randy Weiler
A Prestigious Ranking MTSU is on The Princeton Review’s annual list of the nation’s best colleges for a third consecutive year. MTSU remains the only locally governed institution in Tennessee recognized by the publication, having first achieved its spot in 2019. Only five higher education entities in the state—one other public university and three private institutions—were included in the recently released 30th edition of The Best 387 Colleges. The honor by the highly regarded educational services company is extended to only about 13% of the nation’s roughly 3,000 four-year institutions, said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of the book. Franek said the list is based on data gathered from more than a thousand school administrators about their academic programs and offerings, as well as insights from about 140,000 students surveyed who attend the selected colleges. MTSU was also included in the review’s list of top schools in the Southeast.
A Gentleman and a Scholar Ronald A. Messier, 76, a professor emeritus in History at MTSU, served as director of the Honors program from 1980 to 1990 and was a member of the Honors College Board of Visitors. He died Sept. 2, 2021. Messier taught Islamic history and historical archaeology at MTSU from 1972 to 2004. He won several teaching awards, including the MTSU Outstanding Teacher Award in 1976, Outstanding Honors Faculty Award in 1978, and CASE Tennessee Professor of the Year in 1993. From 1987 to 1998, Messier directed the excavation of the ancient city of Sijilmasa in Morocco. In recognition of that work, he received MTSU’s prestigious Outstanding Research Award in 1997. From 2005 to 2020, he co-directed an archaeology project at Aghmat, near Marrakech, Morocco.
Winter 2022 47
