The President's Report 2022

2022President’s Report The

DR. SIDNEY A. MCPHEE University President

WILLIAM J. BALES

Vice President for University Advancement

MARK BYRNES

University Provost

YVETTE CLARK

Interim Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

KIMBERLY S. EDGAR

Executive Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

ANDREW OPPMANN

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

DEBRA SELLS

Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Provost for Enrollment and Academic Services

ALAN THOMAS

Vice President for Business and Finance

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

STEPHEN B. SMITH, CHAIR

Chair, Haury and Smith Contractors

J.B. BAKER

Owner and CEO, Sprint Logistics

TOM BOYD

Investment Advisor Representative, Decker Wealth Management

PETE DELAY

Principal, Lynwood Ventures LLC

CHRISTINE KARBOWIAK VANEK, VICE CHAIR

Retired Executive Vice

President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief Risk Officer, Bridgestone Americas

PAMELA J. WRIGHT

President and Managing Partner of Wright Development, a Real Estate Investment Company

RICK COTTLE, FACULTY TRUSTEE

Associate Professor of Fashion and Apparel

DREW CARPENTER, STUDENT TRUSTEE

M.B.A. Candidate, Health Care Management

Good Governance: The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) approved a substantive change in governance for MTSU in 2017. The substantive change was required when Tennessee’s FOCUS Act established an independent Board of Trustees to govern MTSU—a major milestone for the University. The commission reviewed all aspects of governance, from board duties and responsibilities to policy processes and revisions, in making its decision to approve compliance with SACSCOC governance standards.

MTSU AT A GLANCE

Founded Sept. 11, 1911, at the geographic center of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is proud of its more than 100-year commitment to academic excellence and student success. Started as a teacher training institution, MTSU today is a major comprehensive university accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The University is composed of eight undergraduate colleges, with more than 180 majors/degree programs available in 39 departments/schools. MTSU houses a wide variety of nationally recognized academic degree programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. The College of Graduate Studies offers over 90 master’s and specialist’s programs and nine doctoral degrees. MTSU features signature disciplines in accounting, aerospace, recording industry, equine studies, teacher training, industrial/organizational psychology, and concrete industry management, among others.

With more than 20,000 students and nearly 1,000 full-time faculty members, MTSU is really the equivalent of a midsize city on its beautiful, 515-acre main campus. We serve students from every county in Tennessee (90% of our students are from the state of Tennessee), as well as students from almost every state and about 70 foreign countries.

MTSU is the No. 1 choice of Tennessee transfer students and college students attending summer school, and is a leader in adult learners (ages 25 and up). MTSU’s standing as a destination of choice for first-generation students and its long success in helping low-income students who meet admission standards overcome obstacles often posed by tuition and fees are well established. In all, about 50% of MTSU’s student population receives Pell aid. MTSU’s full-time undergraduate tuition and fees of $9,592 annually remain the lowest of the state’s three largest universities.

As a community of scholars, we enthusiastically embrace our past, celebrate our present accomplishments, and effectively plan for the future.

TRUE BLUE

INTRODUCTION

In 2022, for a fourth consecutive year, the high quality of our programs and overall institutional excellence were affirmed by The Princeton Review in its list of the best colleges in the U.S.

We remain the only locally governed institution in Tennessee included in this prestigious ranking.

Many other publications and institutions also recognized MTSU in their rankings in 2022. For example, the Economics graduate program made the U.S. News and World Report ranking of top U.S. graduate programs in Economics for the first time. Also in 2022, Newsweek named MTSU to its “Top Online Colleges” list. MTSU was the only institution in Tennessee recognized.

MTSU continues to be a powerful economic engine for the region and the entire state of Tennessee, responsible for more than $1.42 billion in economic impact and almost 11,500 jobs statewide in 2021, according to an economic report released in 2022.

In addition, the report by the Business and Economic Research Center (BERC) in the Jones College of Business at MTSU showed that the University, as Murfreesboro’s second-largest employer (2,270 jobs), generates $143.6 million in local, state, and federal tax revenue—a significant rise from 2017’s $88 million.

In addition to being a top employer in the community, our University attracts top scholars from across the state, and our graduates overwhelmingly remain in our region and state to give back to their communities and in turn their local economies.

For example, in 2021, according to the BERC study, MTSU graduates accounted for nearly two in every five adults with bachelor’s or above educational attainment in Rutherford County, and one in every six adults with bachelor’s or above educational attainment in the Nashville MSA.

Also, in 2021, 90% of the almost 21,000 students at the University were from Tennessee, while 79% of MTSU alumni live in Tennessee.

In the words of Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ralph Schulz, MTSU provides “a robust talent pipeline for employers whose primary concern right now is access to a skilled workforce.”

The BERC study also showed that MTSU brings nearly 300,000 people to Rutherford County each year. Visitors’ spending accounts for more than $60 million, and that translates to almost 800 jobs. These results happened despite the impact that the pandemic had on travel and cancellation of events in the study period.

Now in my 22nd year as president of this great University, I consider it a blessing to have presided over one of the most remarkable periods of growth and progress for our institution. Thanks to our individual and collaborative endeavors, the University has grown significantly in both student numbers and physical facilities, including more than $1.4 billion in recent construction and renovation projects.

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee President

YEAR IN REVIEW

HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP HEADLINES FOR THE BLUE RAIDER CAMPUS IN 2022—PRESENTED IN MONTH-BY-MONTH FASHION— ALONGSIDE 12 FEATURE STORIES

HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AT MTSU.

LEGENDARY LOSS

Dean Hayes, 84, MTSU’s track coach of 57 years, died January 7. Hayes guided the men's and women's programs to 29 Ohio Valley Conference titles, 19 Sun Belt championships, and 20 NCAA Top 25 finishes. Hayes received four Conference USA Coach of the Year accolades, 15 Sun Belt Coach of the Year awards, and 15 OVC Coach of the Year honors, which included 10 in a row from 1977 to 1986. He was inducted into the Blue Raider Hall of Fame in 1982.

Importantly, Hayes, who first stepped onto the campus in 1965, is credited with integrating MTSU athletics. His first recruit, Jerry Singleton, became the first African American varsity scholarship athlete at MTSU. Others followed as their quietly competitive coach recruited more and more Black athletes. When those athletes arrived on campus, so did their girlfriends, sisters, brothers, and friends. As such, Hayes is also rightly credited with integrating campus. He served as the first advisor for Kappa Alpha Psi, a Greek letter fraternity with predominantly African American membership, when it began a chapter at MTSU.

Hayes also deserves much of the credit for the increased presence of international students at MTSU. Under his guidance, international athletes began arriving from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and other places in the 1970s.

MEETING STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE

In a three-week stretch beginning in late January, MTSU’s transfer admissions team met with prospective students at nine community colleges across Tennessee. The annual MTSU Promise Tour reaches out to prospective transfer students—from Knoxville to Jackson and from Dyersburg to Chattanooga—in time for them to meet the annual Feb. 15 deadline for the guaranteed transfer scholarship—$3,000 per year for qualifiers.

MTSU Promise is one of the University’s commitments to making the transfer process as smooth as possible and, in some cases, signing special agreements with the community colleges to ensure clear pathways. For instance, MTSU and Nashville State Community College have a “True Blue Pathway” agreement.

FUTURE PIONEERS

Students participated in the seventh annual HackMT January 28–30 in the Science Building.

HackMT, a “hackathon” and project expo hosted annually by MTSU’s Department of Computer Science, brings software developers and visual designers together with computer science and data science students from regional universities.

Teams try to invent new web platforms, mobile apps, and electronic gadgets during more than 36 intense hours. Their creations in 2022 included a way for people to find nonprofits nationally, a communications tool for college students similar to Slack or Discord, and a method to help match people with differentsized feet with correct shoe sizes through an app.

We are doing everything in our power to attract the best and brightest students to become part of the True Blue family.

RECRUITMENT

One of our most helpful barometers for the health of the fall 2023 incoming class is the “count of admits” on Dec. 1, 2022. This date marks the application deadline to be considered for our guaranteed freshman academic scholarships. Overall, applications for both transfer students and first-time freshmen were up 17.5%. Admitted student numbers were up 6.2% for new freshmen and up 30.4% for transfer students. This is an outstanding data point in light of the significant losses our Tennessee community colleges have suffered in the past several years.

The challenge becomes converting those applicants and admits to enrolled students. Universities all over the country are experiencing this challenge as students both apply to more institutions and have the additional options of entering a booming workforce or taking a gap year to work, travel, or learn on their own. This means we must continue to recruit the students we’ve admitted through orientation and even up to the day classes start.

Our annual True Blue Tour began in August with the Rutherford County event on our own campus, the first of 14 stops across Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia.

In the fall, we hosted two extended tour opportunities—our True Blue Preview events—where we invited students and their families to take a closer look at campus and meet some of our faculty and college advising staff. Through these events and hundreds of school visits, college fairs, and our campus tour program, we are

doing everything in our power to attract the best and brightest students to become part of the True Blue family.

In an effort to stay competitive with other Tennessee institutions as we work to attract the highest-achieving new students, MTSU made substantial changes to our guaranteed freshman scholarships. I announced a new, top-tier scholarship: the designation of Centennial Scholar, which provides $32,000 over four years ($8,000 per year) to students scoring 34–36 on the ACT and a 3.5 high school GPA. A review of declining national and statewide average ACT scores, coupled with conversations with our partner guidance counselors in high schools statewide, also suggested that it was time to increase and expand our guaranteed scholarship at the beginning end of the array. To that end, we expanded the True Blue Scholarship to include applicants with ACT scores of 22–24 and increased the value of the award to $3,500 per year.

As a result of these changes—and the considerable effort of our undergraduate recruitment team—scholarship offers to eligible students are up more than 23% over the same period last year.

TRUE BLUE GIVE

MTSU gave the Blue Raider community a Valentine's opportunity to show love financially for its educational mission during the fifth annual True Blue Give February 14–16.

The goal of the 72-hour special Valentine's fundraising effort was to raise $500,000 in gifts

BRIGHT FUTURES

Seven MTSU undergraduate researchers—and nearly 40 altogether from across Tennessee—attended the annual Posters at the Capitol event on Tennessee’s Capitol Hill in Nashville on February 16, showcasing research in the Cordell Hull Building.

Posters at the Capitol brought together STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) researchers from seven state universities. They visited with state legislators during scheduled meetings and discussed their research with peers, faculty mentors, the legislators, and others.

The group included Logan Carver, Hunter Brady, DeVonte Lewis, Sophia Taylor, Maria Clark, Carine Vazquez, Quinn Wilson, and Casey Penston.

The effort is coordinated by the Tennessee STEM Education Center at MTSU.

An MTSU administration delegation also visited lawmakers for MTSU Day on the Hill the same day as the posters event.

of support from at least 800 University friends for academics, athletics, and scholarships.

In 2022, more than 840 MTSU alumni, faculty and staff, students, and friends (from all over the country) came together to give over $640,000 to support MTSU students.

Started in 2018, the True Blue Give is a crowdfunding movement created by alumni and friends. Supporters make a gift online or by text in a very short time frame (just three days) to show their support for current MTSU students by giving to areas on campus that have critical needs.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Comedian and author D.L. Hughley enthralled a packed house inside the University’s Business and Aerospace Building on February 3 during his Black History Month keynote address.

Hughley drew laughter throughout his 30-minute address, followed by a longer and extensive Q&A session with the audience that delved into issues ranging from social media to U.S. politics, from Confederate monuments to the NFL, and much more.

“Relax, laugh it up. We’re risking our lives to be together,” Hughley deadpanned to the heavily masked audience inside the State Farm Lecture Hall.

But he quickly turned serious in homage to the occasion, noting the contributions of African Americans to this country’s history and culture.

The event was sponsored by the MTSU Black History Month Committee, the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, and the Distinguished Lecture Committee. It was coordinated by the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs.

STUDENT SUCCESS

MTSU continues to be recognized as a national leader for its Student Success initiatives.

MTSU was recently invited to join the 2022–25 cohort of institutions in the Student Success Equity Intensive (SSEI) coordinated by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. This program, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is focused on achieving equitable outcomes for Black, Latino, Indigenous, and low-income students.

This opportunity occurs as we complete our work on the Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) project, coordinated by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), with funding from the Gates Foundation. This two-year project has focused on improving supports for all students, with an emphasis on underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation populations.

As examples, MTSU’s early arrival programs, Scholars Academy and Student Transition and Academic Readiness (STAR), have become integral components of our student success efforts. Both programs serve students new to MTSU. Students enrolled in Scholars Academy arrive two weeks before the start of the fall semester to participate in workshops, team-building exercises, leadership training, and service-learning projects. Students in the STAR program arrive one week early and are also involved in structured experiences to prepare them for a successful college start.

Students who participate in Scholars Academy and STAR have higher rates of success, including retention and graduation, than students who do not. First-year retention rate projections are at 80% for participants in the Scholars Academy. The STAR program retention rate projections are 73%.

The Scholars Academy welcomed its newest cohort of 123 students last fall. Fifty-four percent of these scholars achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or above. Twelve percent achieved grade point averages of 4.0. Finally, the persistence rate for this cohort is currently 93%.

Learner support programs, including tutoring, also continue to be key elements of our commitment to improve graduation rates and close outcome gaps.

Of the students who went for tutoring during the Spring 2022 semester, 94% passed the course. This is an impressive 4% increase from the Fall 2021 semester. Of the students who passed the course, 57% passed with grades of A and B, and 29% passed with the grade of A.

We were excited to launch summer tutoring this year for a limited number of courses, including in physics, accounting, recording industry, media arts, and computer science.

Focused on our goal to eliminate the achievement gap, we saw a significant increase (66%) in Black males who attended tutoring in fall 2022 compared to the previous fall; there was a 44% increase in Black females who attended tutoring in fall 2022 compared to the previous fall. Overall, for fall 2022, there was an astounding 53% increase in the total number of Black students who attended tutoring compared with fall 2021. We will continue to focus on increasing the participation of students of color as tutees and tutors.

In fall 2022, tutoring usage overall (6,517) saw a 47% increase compared with fall 2021.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Six individuals were lauded for their pioneering efforts to aid women at the 2022 Trailblazer Awards at MTSU on March 29.

Winners—who represent members of the MTSU community and members of the greater community who are nominated and voted on by MTSU faculty, students, and staff—were celebrated at the official closing ceremony for National Women’s History Month.

Lucy Langworthy, an advisor to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts,

was hailed for her work as a mentor, helping students to make major life decisions even after they graduated.

Terri Schultz, executive director for Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, was praised for helping families remain strong and hopeful, even as housing prices rise.

Future Trailblazer award winners were Khadijah Alnassari and her 15-year-old triplets, Ahmed, Fatimah, and Zaynab. All four Alnassaris are MTSU students.

Khadijah was the prime organizer of the inaugural Festival of Veils,

a March 19 event centered around enlightening the public about the use of veils in various religions and cultures.

Ahmed tutors and mentors teenage boys in Nashville on the weekends. He has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and has worked as an assistant to a doctor with Medical Brigades in Honduras.

Fatimah is co-founder and secretary of Al-Wahda, an MTSU student organization focused on inclusivity and acceptance. She also is a mentor and tutor and has taken up donations for Raiders’ Closet.

Zaynab, the event coordinator for Al-Wahda, also volunteers her time to help other teenagers.

From left to right: Zaynab Alnassari, Fatimah Alnassari, Ahmed Alnassari, Khadijah Alnassari, Lucy Langworthy, Terri Schultz, and Maigan Wipfli

BETTER UNDERSTANDING CRIME

MTSU’s Ben Stickle, a Criminal Justice Administration associate professor, took six years’ worth of policing experience from patrol to the classroom when he changed careers to become a professor.

Now, a decade after he left the force, three of Stickle’s research and evaluation efforts helped the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation receive a combined $950,000 in funding from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Two of these grants fund studies on the impact of coronavirus on crime and criminal justice at the state and local level. Adam Rennhoff, MTSU Economics professor, assisted Stickle with this research.

The third grant awarded Stickle $800,000 as part of the state’s Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking program. Carter Smith, a Criminal Justice Administration master instructor at MTSU, also works on the project and provides research assistance.

PUBLIC SAFETY

A new degree program, launched in March 2022 in MTSU’s University College, allows more public servants to earn their bachelor’s degrees.

The new Public Safety concentration is part of the Integrated Studies major. The degree program can be completed online and is specifically designed for those already working in the public safety field. It features courses from management, sociology, communications, and health.

The Public Safety concentration is designed for those in law enforcement, homeland security, emergency management, and fire safety, and other public service professionals at the local, state and federal levels. Students who qualify can also earn credit for their past work experience and training.

Alumni Sarah Jackson, MTSU Public Safety dispatcher.

CAMPUS PLANNING

The physical landscape of the MTSU campus continues to evolve and grow in positive ways.

Students began using MTSU’s new $40.1 million School of Concrete and Construction Management (CCM) Building on the west side of campus in October 2022, as they prepare for professional careers in a high-demand sector throughout the booming Nashville area and beyond. I’m amazed at the many ways concrete was utilized in the design and construction. Students will see firsthand how the many forms of concrete can add value and creativity to a structure. The building is a true living laboratory, with examples of various construction techniques and operating systems in full view of students.

Along with a neighboring Applied Engineering Building, set for groundbreaking in spring 2023, which will serve as the home for the Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering programs as well as provide space for future engineering programs, the CCM facility marks the latest expansion of MTSU’s Science Corridor of Innovation.

It was with great excitement that we announced in fall 2022 our success in securing $66 million to build a new Student-Athlete Performance Center as well as make stadium improvements. These advancements represent the first of a three-phase, $100 million-plus plan to upgrade our athletics facilities. The three-story structure will house training, strength and conditioning, and equipment centers. The first stage of the project is expected to be completed before the start of the 2024 Blue Raider football season.

We also preserved and updated our iconic Murphy Center in 2022, a year in which the “Glass House” marked its 50th birthday. The arena is undergoing a makeover that began in 2022 with a new glass exterior.

Construction also started on our new on-campus tennis facility at the corner of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive. The outdoor complex will include eight tennis courts, seating for 250 fans, new locker rooms, and new coaches’ offices. Projected completion is fall 2023.

The state provided funding for the renovation of Kirksey Old Main and Rutledge Hall. The total project budget is $54.3 million, which includes $2.4 million in required matching funds.

MTSU also received state funding for an Aerospace campus totaling $62.2 million, which includes $5 million in University matching funds.

“ The CCM facility marks the latest expansion of MTSU’s Science Corridor of Innovation.

GRAMMY FACTORY

There were no trophies to bring home in 2022 to polish, but the work of MTSU graduates still shone at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, announced April 3 in Las Vegas.

Nine MTSU alumni were nominated in genres ranging from pop to roots gospel to traditional blues to Latin music for their work on projects released between September 2020 and September 2021.

MTSU nominees and their categories were:

• 2015 alumna Maria Elisa Ayerbe engineered Colombian Paula Arenas’ Mis Amores album.

• Tony Castle, a 1995 graduate, engineered Willie Nelson’s That’s Life, Nelson’s second tribute collection of Frank Sinatra’s music. Castle also was a nominee for engineering Blues Traveler’s latest release, Traveler’s Blues.

• Billy Hickey, a 2006 alumnus, was nominated for his work on Ariana Grande’s Positions

• 1994 graduate F. Reid Shippen was nominated for engineering country standout Mickey Guyton’s release, Remember Her Name.

• 2000 alumnus Jason A. Hall and 2014 grad Jimmy Mansfield were nominated for engineering the Brothers Osborne’s Skeletons

• 2000 alumnus Wayne Haun, a producer/songwriter, was nominated with his longtime collaborators Ernie Haase & Signature Sound on their roots gospel album, Keeping On

• And 2003 graduates Ceylon Wise and Ashley Brooks Wise were part of the best children’s music albumnominated compilation, All One Tribe.

MTSU RETURNS TO THE GRAMMYS

True Blue returned to the Grammys in full force Friday, April 1, as MTSU resumed its annual pilgrimage to the music industry’s biggest showcase to celebrate alumni nominees and provide students career-building experiences.

For instance, five Media and Entertainment students helped prepare the MGM Grand Conference Center for the 31st annual MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala honoring legendary performer Joni Mitchell.

COVID-19 concerns in 2021 broke MTSU’s seven-year streak of hosting Grammy site events and lining up student experiences. The pandemic also delayed the 2022 event by three months, forcing it away from Los Angeles and to Las Vegas for an open venue.

‘OSCARS’ OF EDUCATION

Two MTSU College of Education alumni were recognized in April 2022 for their superior teaching, each receiving a Milken Educator Award—known as the “Oscar” of education—and the $25,000 cash prize that accompanies the honor.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn attended assemblies at the award winners’ schools to surprise the two outstanding educators.

The winners were Raeven Brooks, secondgrade teacher at Black Fox Elementary School in Murfreesboro, and Tyler Hallstedt, eighth-grade history teacher at Mount Juliet Middle School in Mount Juliet.

Their wins put Hallstedt and Brooks in an elite group of only 41 winners from across the country in 2022.

The Milken Family Foundation created the award and prize money 35 years ago to recognize early and midcareer teachers for their already-impressive achievements and the promise of their future accomplishments.

Brooks, a Murfreesboro native, started teaching in 2016 at Black Fox Elementary after graduating with an MTSU degree in Early Childhood Education. She will graduate with her Administration and Supervision master’s degree from the University in spring 2023.

Hallstedt transferred to MTSU after a move from Michigan and earned his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on social studies in 2013.

MTSU ONLINE

With a distinguished 20-year history of high-quality distance education, MTSU Online continues to support our faculty and to serve students through the creation, design, and delivery of effective and engaging online and blended learning environments.

And when Newsweek named MTSU to its “Top Online Colleges” list in 2022, our University was the only institution in Tennessee recognized.

We’ve built one of the largest adult degree programs in Tennessee. At MTSU, we provide access to undergraduate and graduate programs for students who might not be able to pursue traditional attendance paths. This includes online instruction.

This past calendar year, MTSU Online set records for total online enrollment, number of online courses, number of student credit hours online (57,720), and number of online degree programs.

These record numbers are a credit to our faculty who have been willing to serve our students in new and innovative ways. This is also a credit to our MTSU Online staff and instructional designers as they assist and coach faculty toward high-quality online teaching and learning environments.

Two years ago, in response to student demand, MTSU Online began an initiative to increase the number of completely online degrees. Thanks to the hard work of our faculty, staff, and administrators, we have increased from 16 to 32 completely online degrees.

Our goal is to ensure MTSU is ready and available to provide an education for every student who is seeking to learn, regardless of their geographic location. In 2022 alone, MTSU Online funded 29 full-time temporary instructors for 18 departments across campus. These instructors are trained in online teaching and give significant help to departments that are serving online students.

A key distinction this year has been our significant expansion of peer mentoring for faculty around online teaching. Through our expanded online faculty mentor program, dozens of faculty members have engaged in individual and group activities as they learn about and investigate best practices in online teaching.

We support faculty through a range of services such as course design help, faculty training workshops, individual consultations, and extensive web-based resources. Our three instructional designers (IDs) are key resources for faculty as they develop and deliver classes online. In 2022, our IDs helped design 102 new online courses and redesign an additional 70 courses. MTSU now has a portfolio of more than 750 well-designed online courses to contribute to student access and success.

In terms of student support, MTSU Online provides personal assistance to hundreds of students via phone, email, and videoconference meetings. Live and online tutoring is a popular service we offer, as well as advising help, counseling services, and assistance navigating the online course environment.

We’ve

one of the largest adult degree programs in Tennessee.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FIRST

MTSU’s new Physician Assistant Studies, graduate program had been a decade in the making, and the University marked the occasion with a grand opening event May 13.

Held in the lobby of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building on campus, the celebration included a ribbon-cutting and tour of the new lab space.

It’s the only public program in middle Tennessee.

Successful candidates in the 27-month program will earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies.

Physician assistants are licensed to diagnose and treat illness and disease, prescribe medication, and perform procedures. They work in collaboration with licensed physicians in a variety of settings, including hospitals and clinics.

Physician assistant (PA) is one of the fastest-growing occupational sectors in the Midstate, with a growth rate of 42% and with one-third of all PA positions in Tennessee located in the Metro Nashville area.

SUPPORT FOR FREE SPEECH

In May 2022, internet entrepreneur Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, and his philanthropic foundation presented a second $25,000 gift to help the MTSU Free Speech Center expand its programs and services.

Craig Newmark Philanthropies, known for funding Newmark's longtime support of journalism initiatives, said MTSU’s Free Speech Center, which works to educate the public about the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment, “plays a serious role” in preserving democracy.

The nonpartisan public policy center, based in MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment, serves myriad audiences but focuses

on high schools and colleges across the country to build students’ understanding of the First Amendment’s guarantees of free speech, press, religion, assembly, and petitioning the government.

The Newmark organization previously invested in the center’s work with a $25,000 gift to the Free Speech Center in October 2020.

AMERICAN IDOL

In advance of her appearance in the season finale of American Idol, MTSU alumna Hunter Wolkonowski went home to Winchester, Tennessee, Tuesday, on May 17 to bask in the love and support of her fellow Franklin Countians.

Popularly known as HunterGirl, the 23-year-old country singer-songwriter would eventually finish second in the talent competition program.

Wolkonowski, who graduated from MTSU in spring 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in the Department of Recording Industry’s Music Business program, took a songwriting class from Odie Blackmon, an associate Recording Industry professor, in 2019. Blackmon presented her with an honorary professorship from her alma mater during the celebration of her Idol success outside the Oldham Theatre on the public square of her hometown.

RESEARCH

As a publicly supported institution of higher learning, we take our role to serve the state of Tennessee very seriously, which includes preparing undergraduate and graduate students to enter the workforce well educated and skilled. However, this role also involves conducting research and creative activities that produce knowledge, information, data, technologies, know-how, and other outcomes that are disseminated from MTSU to the whole state to help improve the economy, services, and quality of life for all Tennesseans.

In March 2022, we celebrated our advancement to an R2–high research activity doctoral university designation in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This elite status places us among a select group of only 3% of institutions nationwide to earn the R2 designation. The MTSU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is building the foundation to expand the research enterprise at MTSU, including supporting wider participation and increased dollar amounts in grants brought to the University. These activities continue to provide our students with ever-expanding opportunities to participate in research projects, and many of these projects impact our community in significant ways.

MTSU doubled its proposals for National Science Foundation funding July 1–Dec. 31, 2022, with more than $10 million in proposed projects thus far in fiscal year 2023 (over the first six months in fiscal year 2022).

External funding proposals increased by approximately 39% in the current fiscal year as compared with the first two quarters of last fiscal year.

The ORSP is currently managing a grant portfolio of just over $59 million in external funding for fiscal year 2023.

Much of our research output emanates from our Graduate Studies program and faculty-student collaborations.

Highlights of our Graduate Studies efforts in 2022 included the launch of our Physician Assistant Studies master’s program, which included an inaugural cohort of 30 diverse students (19 of whom are from Tennessee) who aim to serve rural communities where high-quality health care is not currently available. Their impact on the Midstate region and beyond will be significant. The program—the first public PA program in middle Tennessee—is unique in the state, offering the lowest tuition, an innovative curriculum, and a commitment to admitting 30% of its students from diverse backgrounds.

MTSU also launched an M.S. in Data Science. The success of our Data Science graduate certificate program led us to offer a master’s program in this important field that is in high demand across the state. Students who have already received certificates may take the remaining courses to obtain their M.S. degrees. (A Ph.D. in Computational and Data Science is also available.)

The University also created a stand-alone M.S. in Supply Chain Management at a time when supply chain disruptions, product shortages, and delivery delays continue making headlines.

This elite status places us among a select group of only 3% of institutions nationwide to earn the R2 designation.

MTSU MOURNS FREEMAN

MTSU Board of Trustees member Darrell Freeman Sr. passed away June 28.

Trustee Freeman, who held two MTSU degrees, will be remembered for his passion and advocacy for creating opportunities for others, as well as his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit.

He was one of MTSU’s brightest stars, and his light shined through his many accomplishments: a first-generation college graduate; a trail-blazing businessman who created his own IT company, Zycron, that, over 25 years, became a multimillion-dollar business that he sold, then used those resources to help aspiring Black entrepreneurs overcome obstacles and find success in business; a private pilot, who lent his services and aircraft for international relief missions; and so much more.

Trustee Freeman’s energy and devotion to help disadvantaged and underserved students find a path forward in education and business was front and center in his work as the first vice chair of MTSU’s Board of Trustees, as well as his two terms as chair of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

His service to his alma mater, as a role model, donor, volunteer, and leader, leaves a legacy that will inspire our students and our community for generations.

IN MEMORIAM

Alumnus and Board of Trustees member Joey Jacobs died on Saturday, Jan. 14.

We will never forget the tremendous impact and accomplishments of Trustee Jacobs, a strong advocate and supporter of his alma mater and a mentor and role model to the students of our Jennings A. Jones College of Business. Athletics Director Chris Massaro called Jacobs a cornerstone of our Build Blue Campaign and a key reason for its success.

Jacobs was honored in 2013 with MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award in recognition of his tenure as chairman and CEO of Psychiatric Solutions Inc. He also established the Joey A. Jacobs Chair of Excellence in Accountancy in the Jones College, which provides a national and international presence for MTSU in the field of accounting.

For decades, Jacobs was a leading figure in Nashville's globally recognized healthcare industry. After launching his career at HCA, he served as the architect behind two billion-dollar behavioral health companies. Jacobs was also part of the pivotal minority ownership group that kept the Nashville Predators professional hockey club in Music City.

GOING DEEPER

What can an associate professor of psychology contribute to a project about agriculture education in high schools? The U.S. Department of Agriculture provided Ying Jin with a $450,000 grant to find out.

Jin, along with Chaney Mosley, an assistant professor of Agricultural Education in the School of Agriculture, and Song Cui, an associate professor who specializes in digital agriculture, will use the federal stipend to develop a three-year institute to bring high school agriculture teachers together for professional development.

The teachers are steeping themselves in “deeper learning” instructional and assessment practices, which concentrate on developing students’ competencies, including critical thinking, complex problem-solving, communication and collaboration skills, and an academic mindset.

Some 500 K–12 schools nationwide have adopted this concept.

The teachers received their initial training the week of June 6 and continued designing a project over the summer to implement in their high school classrooms in the new academic year.

TAKING STOCK

MTSU’s stock horse team won the program’s first-ever Division 1 national championship at the American Stock Horse Association Collegiate and National Show in Sweetwater, Texas—defeating Texas Tech University to earn the national title. The team’s coach is Horse Science faculty member Andrea Rego.

Eight MTSU students competed in the ASHA event held in the Nolan County Coliseum, capturing eight individual national awards and the coveted national title.

That same month, MTSU riders earned the Division 2 Reserve Champion national title at the Hughes Ranch Traders National Intercollegiate Ranch and Stock Horse National Championship in Amarillo, Texas.

The Hughes Ranch Trailers-sponsored event featured 115 riders from 14 colleges and universities from seven states. MTSU carried six riders to this event, each competing for individual awards plus national champion and Reserve Champion team honors.

PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships with private-sector entities demonstrate MTSU’s ability to be responsive to the economic and educational needs of our state, further enhancing our value as a major contributor to Tennessee’s growing economy. University partnerships and publicservice initiatives also support our educational efforts and provide students with the breadth and relevance of experience needed to be successful both in college and eventually in the professional workplace.

Here is a look at some of MTSU’s top partnerships in 2022:

MTSU, its Aerospace Department, and Delta Air Lines celebrated a fourth anniversary of their partnership in 2022 with a very special occasion: recognizing alumnus Colton Gray as the first graduate of Delta’s Propel pilot program. A 2018 MTSU graduate, Gray, 29, of Lebanon, began training in 2022 to fly for Delta as part of an accelerated program to fill a growing industry need for aviators. Gray applied early, has flown three years with Republic Airways, and became the first Propel pilot for Delta, which has partnerships with only 15 aviation schools nationwide, including MTSU. Four years ago, MTSU was among the first eight universities to enter the partnership with Delta to encourage qualified Professional

Pilot majors to pursue a defined, accelerated path allowing candidates to earn their flight certifications, build their experience, and meet all requirements to become a Delta pilot in 42 months or less.

MTSU and the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America renewed a partnership allowing prospective students from the council, which serves 37 middle Tennessee counties and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to attend events on campus and seek faculty mentors for activities and merit badges. About 20,000 youths and their families participate in programs conducted by the Nashville-based council, which is consistently among the nation’s fastest-growing.

A team of around 25 Recording Industry, Media Arts, and Journalism students helped produce content at this year’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival under the guidance of MTSU faculty and staff. Students in Media Arts and Recording Industry were scheduled to do only two concerts for Bonnaroo’s Other Stage for Hulu, one of the world’s largest streaming services. But Bonnaroo and Hulu executives were so impressed by MTSU’s work that they upped it to 11 concerts from the Other Stage, in addition to the 10 recorded performances at the Who Stage.

Amazon announced a partnership with more than 140 universities and colleges, including MTSU, to provide fully paid tuition for more than 750,000 hourly Amazon workers. Amazon’s $1.2 billion investment to this Career Choice program is expected to aid more than 300,000 employees by 2025.

MTSU’s School of Concrete and Construction Management reconnected with the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix for the second year of their continuing partnership. MTSU worked with the Grand Prix in its inaugural year to develop a special lighter weight and more durable mix for the concrete barriers around the track, as well as concrete pads along pit row.

MTSU continues to be a university of choice to serve corporate entities. In the past year, corporate partnerships have been signed with McGuire Management Group, owner of 20 McDonald’s restaurants in the region; Rich Foods; Chick-fil-A Murfreesboro; and Chickfil-A Melrose Place, Nashville.

“ MTSU continues to be a university of choice to serve corporate entities.

RETURN TO WORLD’S LARGEST AVIATION GATHERING

MTSU’s Department of Aerospace returned to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the world’s largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts, showcasing its recent investments in new training aircraft and the state’s recent decision to invest $62 million for a new flight training campus.

Students and instructors arrived July 24 at EAA AirVenture, a massive, weeklong aerospace celebration that attracts more than 10,000 aircraft to Oshkosh each year.

In addition to reconnecting with alumni, University administrators met with employers, including Delta, FedEx, Endeavor Air, and Republic Airlines. They also visited MTSU aerospace industry partners, including Diamond Aircraft, Piper Aircraft, and Garman flight navigation systems. And they connected with the Civil Air Patrol, the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and a partner with MTSU’s Department of Aerospace since 2014.

DATA SCIENCE MASTER’S PROGRAM LAUNCH

Data science and artificial intelligence will be key powers to develop technology and change the world in the future, according to Qiang Wu, director of MTSU’s new Data Science master’s program and professor. Having just graduated its first cohort of undergraduate degrees in the spring, MTSU launched the new master’s program—the first cohort started in fall 2022—to teach students advanced data science skills so that they are even more competitive when entering this burgeoning and innovative industry.

The creation of the master’s program along with the University’s already-existing graduate certificate, doctoral, and year-old undergraduate Data Science programs reflects the growing market demand for data science professionals.

The Bureau of Labor’s employment statistics project an increase in Tennessee’s data science-related employment growth greater than the national average. In addition, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission has been working with postsecondary institutions to increase the number of computer science and data analytics degrees.

REDUCING TEXTBOOK COSTS

The rising costs of textbooks have been a topic of conversation for years, but a group of MTSU faculty and staff is making it their mission to make course materials more affordable and, in turn, keep students on track to earn their degrees.

MTSU leaders have been using grant money to make required materials cost as little as possible using open educational resources (OER). Since 2019, that group has used $100,000 of grant funds through the Tennessee Board of Regents to save 2,500-plus students more than $150,000.

OER is defined as teaching, learning, and research materials that are either in the public domain or licensed in a manner that provides everyone with free and perpetual permission to retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute.

Erica Stone, an assistant professor of English and OER steering committee member, studied a segment of the MTSU student population and found that 42% of the students surveyed either had delayed access to their traditional study materials or were never able to afford them at all.

The students surveyed also said they had to prioritize what textbooks they bought, sometimes forgoing a book for an elective or a General Education course and instead spending the money on a textbook for a class in their major.

To combat costs, MTSU faculty members are using information already available free to the public or writing and publishing their own materials. In total, more than 70 faculty members in 25 different courses used OER in the most recent academic year.

MTSU’s James E. Walker Library is also shouldering significant responsibility in making these resources available for more students.

Buy the Book

$

100,000 awarded from the Tennessee Board of Regents

74 faculty 25 courses

2,450 students impacted by grant-funded OER adoption, adaptation, or creation

$

154,000 saved in textbook costs across Fall 2021 & Spring 2022 semesters

“

We are incredibly grateful for the support and for the evergrowing sense of shared purpose and the palpable momentum that moves this great University forward.

ADVANCEMENT

For universities such as MTSU that have a higher percentage of first-generation college students who rely more on scholarships to complete their educations, I have consistently emphasized that gifts from our alumni and friends have become essential to our success.

Supporters of the University have clearly heard that message. MTSU boasted a record fundraising year for 2021–22, bringing in more than $17.2 million in private donations to support the University’s educational mission. This represented a 50% increase over 2021. And it was easily the biggest fundraising year the University has ever had—more than $3 million above our previous record year.

Here are some highlights:

• 20% increase in donor participation

• 7,600 donors (almost 1,000 more than the previous year)

• increase in giving for almost every academic college

• more than double the donations for the College of Liberal Arts in the past year

• record $8.9 million in cash gifts and 300% year-over-year growth for MTSU Athletics during the 2022 fiscal year as it launched its Build Blue campaign to upgrade athletics facilities

Considering the impacts of COVID, inflation, and a volatile stock market, the fact that MTSU was able to reach such a remarkable milestone is a testament to the dedication of our supporters, as well as the excellent work of MTSU’s University Advancement staff.

One example of the Blue Raider faithful’s willingness to invest in the people and programs that make MTSU special is our annual True Blue Give. For three straight days, we encourage people to make a gift online or by text investing in their favorite college, department, or program and its people, elevating our programs and transforming our University.

Helping shepherd all those fundraising dollars is the MTSU Foundation, managed by a volunteer Board of Trustees to oversee all private gifts to the University.

To say the least, we are incredibly grateful for the support and for the ever-growing sense of shared purpose and the palpable momentum that moves this great University forward.

The bottom line is that our ongoing fundraising is having a transformative effect on programs and students across campus.

MTSU BLUE ZOO

Blue Zoo President Sawyer Roberts and Vice President Coby Marlow beamed with pride as the giant Blue Zoo banner was again unfurled inside Floyd Stadium—a sight that would occur numerous times throughout the fall of 2022 when the Blue Raider football team took the field at home.

About 300 enthusiastic students from the Office of Student Success’ Scholars Academy and STAR early arrival programs gathered in the student section inside Floyd in August as Roberts and Marlow, as leaders of the campus athletics booster group, directed them on how to unfurl the banner as the MTSU fight song blared from the stadium speakers.

Head football coach Rick Stockstill, joined by his recently named team captains for the unveiling, thanked the students for

attending and encouraged them to support all the University athletic teams with their passion and energy.

Membership in the Blue Zoo, which revived as a student organization in 2019, is free— all students have to do is sit in the student section at Blue Raider games.

MTSU football player Jordan Ferguson, a defensive end, was among the five captains who stopped by the Zoo kickoff with their head coach to thank the students and encourage them to turn out for the games. Joining him were wide receiver Yusuf Ali, quarterback Chase Cunningham, wide receiver Jaylin Lane, and defensive tackle Ja’Kerrius Wyatt.

TOP FACULTY HONOR

The “self-talk” going through MTSU Psychology professor Tom Brinthaupt’s mind was clear on his face as he walked among his applauding colleagues Thursday, August 18, to accept the University’s highest teaching honor.

Brinthaupt, who’s spent 32 years in MTSU’s Department of Psychology in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, specializes in “self-talk,” or the internal conversations we have with ourselves.

Now an internationally recognized expert on the phenomenon, he was the 2022 recipient of the MTSU Foundation’s Career Achievement Award.

Brinthaupt accepted his award in MTSU’s Tucker Theatre, the traditional site for the Fall Faculty Meeting held as each new academic year begins.

TRUE BLUE TOUR

MTSU’s admissions team, top administrators, and campus partners launched another True Blue Tour, crisscrossing Tennessee and bordering states Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia to recruit prospective students.

Kicking off Aug. 17 in Murfreesboro with the Rutherford County student reception on campus in the Student Union Ballroom, the tour eventually travelled to eight other Tennessee cities—plus Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama; Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky; and Atlanta—to share about academic

programs, financial aid, guaranteed scholarships, housing, and more.

By going on the road each year to personally meet with these prospective students and their families, MTSU hopes to reinforce how much we want them to become members of our evergrowing Blue Raider family.

The University also awards prizes and scholarships at the events.

SPECIAL EVENTS

“The Judds: Love Is Alive–The Final Concert,” filmed in November 2022 at MTSU’s Murphy Center for a TV special this March, was filled with True Blue full-circle moments. Headliner Wynonna Judd made a historic homecoming to the venue that re-created the 1991 farewell concert with her late mother, Naomi, as Blue Raider community members past and present worked shoulder-to-shoulder to make the star-studded event come together.

More than 50 student workers and more than 20 alumni behind the scenes were involved in the production. A team of 21 Media Arts students worked from MTSU’s Mobile Production Lab, a 40-foot rolling studio with a high-definition control room and seven cameras, to livestream student-fronted red carpet coverage aired across multiple True Blue TV platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire; on NewsChannel 5+; and on Facebook. Sixteen more students worked as paid production assistants for CMT, one of the producers of the event along with Sandbox Productions.

In addition to Wynonna Judd, the concert featured her musical friends and current tourmates Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, and Martina McBride, in a tribute to Naomi Judd. In front

of the camera, MTSU’s Middle Tennessee News student-produced multimedia news outlet supplied the talent who interviewed country music icons like seasoned pros. More Journalism and Strategic Media students were on hand to cover the event for studentrun Sidelines and WMTS radio outlets. Students even represented the University on stage—45 choral students accompanied Judd on “Love Can Build a Bridge” to close out the show.

Earlier in the year, in April 2022, Grammynominated Jack Harlow—fresh off an appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine—performed at Murphy Center in a concert exclusive to MTSU students, faculty/staff, and their guests. A Video Display Technology class supplied the video wall and ran it for the Harlow concert. The students were entrusted by Harlow’s management team to execute the show for the 7,000 people in attendance. This event was sponsored by MTSU Signature Events, a joint committee of members from Student Government Association, SPARE, and McGuire Entertainment.

Murphy Center is perhaps the most important, and the most meaningful, place on our campus. It is there where so many memories were created and

where we celebrated events, happenings, ceremonies, and activities that became milestones in the lives of so many.

Opened in December 1972 and affectionately known as “The Glass House” for its unmistakable four walls of glass exterior, Murphy has been a campus anchor as home to MTSU men’s and women’s basketball, as well as the venue of choice for countless University and high school graduation ceremonies, concerts, state basketball championships, and other special events.

During its concert heyday, Murphy Center hosted five Elvis performances. Other music icons such as Elton John, The Who, Stevie Wonder, the Beach Boys, the Eagles, and Johnny Cash performed there.

That Judd and Harlow held concerts in 2022 offers strong proof that Murphy Center is alive and well as a destination concert venue.

“ Murphy Center is alive and well as a destination concert venue.

CONSTITUTION DAY

The MTSU community again spoke the words that ordained and established America during the annual Constitution Week observance September 13–15. September 17 marked Constitution Day, the 235th anniversary of the signing of the document in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the public gathered daily beginning September 13, at sites across campus for 75-minute-long readings of the Constitution.

The University’s traditional outdoor public readings of the historic American document were coordinated by the MTSU chapter of the American Democracy Project. Volunteers walked up, joined the line of readers, and took their turn reading a brief section of the Constitution aloud.

UNIVERSITY OF OPPORTUNITIES

MTSU again made the U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national list for Top Performers in Social Mobility for its efforts to help disadvantaged students reach their educational goals.

U.S. News announced its 2022–23 evaluations of 1,500 colleges and universities, ranking MTSU at No. 82 for social mobility, No. 156 for Top Public Schools, No. 130 for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (at schools where doctorates are not offered), No. 206 in Nursing, and No. 247 in Business. The University also was ranked No. 299 among the top National Universities.

MTSU, which first made U.S. News’ Top 100 in Social Mobility in 2020, devotes considerable efforts to serve first-generation and underrepresented college students. We recently launched a new push, called MT Tuition Free, to help qualified students determine pathways that could eliminate or greatly reduce their tuition costs.

9/11 REMEMBRANCE

Greg Mays, director of Homeland Security at the Tennessee Department of Safety, helped MTSU commemorate the 21st anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack by the extremist group al-Qaida, as MTSU hosted the eighth annual 9/11 Remembrance on campus.

The event was held September 11, in the Tom H. Jackson Building’s Cantrell Hall. It was hosted by the

Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center, which assists more than 1,100 student veterans and family members seeking degrees, pursuing careers, or needing help with Veteran Affairs benefits.

A retired U.S. Secret Service agent and a U.S. Navy veteran, Mays was the guest speaker for the ceremony. He shared memories as part of then-Vice President Dick Cheney’s Secret Service detail in the aftermath.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

MTSU is determined to remain a top destination for international students in the U.S. We have a welcoming, friendly international student atmosphere where all students are respected, valued, and appreciated. Given these factors, we can expect to see continued growth in our international student numbers for years to come.

International students are returning to the United States after a significant drop during the pandemic. Open Doors 2022 data reveals that international students studying across the U.S. during the 2021–22 academic year supported more than 335,000 jobs and contributed $33.8 billion to the U.S. economy—a $5.5 billion increase in economic activity compared to the prior academic year. At the Tennessee District 4 state level, 855 international students contributed more than $28.6 million, which supported 282 jobs.

For the Fall 2022 semester alone, MTSU enrolled 167 new international students. This represented an increase of 9.15% from the previous fall intake. Saudi Arabia has consistently been a top sender of students to MTSU and currently contributes 115 international students. Displacing China, Nigeria represents the second-largest international student population with 52. This figure represents a 25% increase from the previous fall.

To compete for international students in a very competitive market, MTSU International Affairs has instituted a new comprehensive international student recruitment plan with a worldwide approach to recruiting. Through virtual fairs, on-site college fairs, international school visits, a network of international agents, webinars, institutional partnerships, and social media, MTSU has reached nearly 100,000 prospective students.

The Blue Raider image is present throughout the world on nearly every continent. Our product is popular and attractive.

In addition, in 2022, five professors representing four MTSU colleges joined the MTSU vice provost for international affairs, Robert Summers, in traveling to South America with a goal of boosting student and faculty educational partnerships online. With specialties ranging from Fermentation Science to Information Technology to Interior Design to Journalism to Social Work, faculty members spent two weeks in Argentina and Peru visiting with university peers abroad.

One of the most valuable, yet most difficult to quantify, contributions for international enrollments are the longterm bonds developed between U.S. students and students from around the globe, along with invaluable campus diversity enrichment. The greatest benefit, however, of our higher education system is the American value system that it inculcates, embracing the open exchange of ideas, critical inquiry, and freedom of expression. International students who come here for their educations take these values back to their countries, and the world is a better place for it.

Study abroad also has made a big comeback. During the last academic year, MTSU sent 265 of its students overseas. Thirty MTSU faculty-led programs took 221 students to 22 countries. And we offered a record level of scholarships and funding: more than $400,000 in 2021–22 alone! On average, each student received a $2,000 MTSU scholarship to support education abroad.

We can expect to see continued growth in our international student numbers for years to come.

TEACHER APPRECIATION PARTY

When the MTSU College of Education committee that partners with local school districts brainstormed with Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City Schools about ways to give back and support the teachers who help mentor the college’s future educators, they decided on a very public, party-style thank you.

After months of planning and preparation, about 70 local teachers arrived on campus to enjoy the college’s inaugural Teacher Appreciation event.

Staff decked out the Tennessee Ballroom in the James Union Building with colorful lights, tables adorned in True Blue tablecloths and topped with inspirational quotes, a photo booth, a display of MTSU-themed blankets and cookies for attendees to take home, two tables full of giveaway items, two more tables laden with food and drink, and a stage complete with big blue star lights.

TOP MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOL

MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry—and the College of Media and Entertainment that houses it—marked an eighth year on Billboard’s international list of top music business schools, once again earning acclaim for the program’s diversity, depth, and longevity.

In the article “Billboard’s 2022 Top Music Business Schools Revealed,” the magazine stated that “opportunities abound” for students’ professional development, thanks to participation in events like Bonnaroo and the CMA Music Festival, the presence of an active on-campus music venue in the Chris Young Café, and a student-run record label, Match Records.

MTSU has been on Billboard’s best music business schools lists since 2013. The magazine has published seven such lists since then, plus this year’s; it skipped a 2015 compilation and didn’t publish one for 2021 because of the pandemic.

Its alphabetical listing of 38 schools in the Oct. 8 print and Oct. 11 online editions also included long-recognized programs at Berklee College of Music, New York University, and the University of California, Los Angeles.

BLUE RAIDER HOMECOMING

It was a perfect MTSU homecoming— good weather, an awesome parade, great tailgating food, a new homecoming king and queen, recognition of the 2022–23 MTSU alumni award winners, lots of student and alumni involvement, and much more.

Thousands of alumni and True Blue supporters descended upon campus, whether for tailgating with family and friends, lining East Main Street and Middle Tennessee Boulevard to parade watch, or cheering on the football team inside Floyd Stadium.

The parade featured dozens of entries, including floats, huge concrete trucks, candy for children, and the alumni award recipients, while the Band of Blue and Lightning Dance Team entertained spectators.

Carson Wright and Summer LesterJones were crowned king and queen, respectively.

Nearly 30 Golden Raiders—members of the Class of 1972 and older— attended a special event that included a campus tour, lunch, and receiving a commemorative pin and diploma.

“

We help any military-connected person in need.

MILITARY

MTSU has a long tradition of aiding veterans in their transitions from military to civilian life. The MTSU Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center constitutes the largest and most comprehensive veterans and military family center at a university in Tennessee. Here are a few updates from this important center:

• In 2022, we had a wonderful Veterans Impact Celebration featuring Holly Thompson and Keni Thomas, a 9/11 Remembrance, and an Artist Reception, in addition to all of our academic events.

• Once again in 2022, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix joined three other iconic Nashville institutions—the Grand Ole Opry, the Nashville Predators, and the Nashville Sounds—in support of the Daniels Center and the more than 1,100 militaryconnected students at MTSU seeking academic success and quality employment.

• The Grand Ole Opry hosted the Opry Salute the Troops show again in 2022. Performer and former MTSU student Craig Morgan closed out the show. During the previous year’s Salute show, MTSU alum Chris Young gave a shoutout to MTSU from the stage.

• The Nashville Sounds baseball club held an online auction of game-used Military Appreciation jerseys to benefit the Daniels Center.

• The Daniels Center took center stage—or center ice, if you will—during the Nashville Predators Military Appreciation Night in 2022. Fifty student veterans attended the NHL game between the Predators and visiting Dallas Stars in Bridgestone Arena. As part of the Predators’ Military Appreciation Week, another 75 student veterans received tickets for a future game.

• The Daniels Center made its presence known at the Nashville Superspeedway on June 24, 2022, as the NASCAR world turned its attention to Nashville. The MTSU center has formed a partnership with the superspeedway in Gladeville and with Rackley Roofing, the sponsor of that night’s truck race.

• The Daniels Center has additional partnerships with Nashville Soccer Club, a professional club in Major League Soccer.

These types of events with these types of partners not only provide entertainment for our veterans and military-connected students but also bring awareness to the Daniels Center and the assistance that it provides veterans and their families, regardless of whether they attend MTSU. That’s right—veterans do not need to be MTSU students to be assisted by the Daniels Center. We help any military-connected person in need. And the help we provide does not have be school-related. We are constantly helping people get connected to Veterans Affairs, maximize their benefits, and find jobs and housing.

CHARITABLE GIVING CAMPAIGN

With a theme this year of “Make a Difference,” MTSU’s 2022–23 Employee Charitable Giving Campaign raised a record-setting amount of almost $145,000 pledged, beating the $142,500 campaign goal.

The University’s 830 faculty and staff participants once again rose to the occasion and demonstrated their True Blue spirit of giving with pledges totaling $144,906.

Even as inflationary pressures impacted society, MTSU employees showed what good neighbors they are and committed to share their financial resources with area nonprofit organizations that do such great work in supporting those in need.

Participants can designate gifts to 140-plus organizations from a list of 10 independent charities and three federated groups of charities.

MT ENGAGE

The MT Engage program, launched in 2016 as part of the University’s second Quality Enhancement Plan, is designed to support students’ academic engagement in their courses through investing in faculty development and promoting high-impact teaching practices to better support students from all backgrounds.

More specifically, MT Engage invites students to explore connections across different learning experiences and to reflect on the knowledge and skills they are gaining at MTSU so they are equipped to take that knowledge forward into their future careers and civic lives.

MT Engage courses include active learning practices, such as assignments that are problem-based or collaborative or involve undergraduate research, and help students reflect on their learning by documenting their ongoing growth in an ePortfolio. Currently, 336 courses are certified.

In November, MTSU made the program a permanent component of the University’s education delivery program.

MTSU STUDENTS REACH MED SCHOOL

The first four MTSU undergraduates successfully advanced in a special partnership with Meharry Medical College School of Medicine.

As of November, the students had completed their first three years of study in prescribed undergraduate premedical school curriculum and were five months into four years of medical school study.

It’s all part of the Medical School Early Acceptance Program (MSEAP), a collaboration between MTSU’s

College of Basic and Applied Sciences and Meharry that launched with generous state support in 2018.

The program intends to increase the number of primary care physicians serving medically underserved populations as well as alleviate health care disparities in rural Tennessee.

Four other students are now in their third year of the program at MTSU. Eight are in their second year and four in their first, for a total of 20 program participants.

studies and

Maria Hite, left, of La Vergne; Claire Ritter of Nashville; Pierce Creighton of Lascassas; and Kirolos Michael of Brentwood are the first group from MTSU to complete their initial undergrad pre-med

head to Meharry Medical College’s School of Medicine.

“

It was the program’s firstever win against a team ranked in the AP Top 25.

ATHLETICS

MTSU’s NCAA Graduation Success Rate (a four-year measure of freshmen and athletic transfers who entered the University as freshmen) set a new school record in 2021–22 at 94%. It’s the ninth straight year MTSU has either equaled or set a school record. The Blue Raiders ranked second out of the 14 teams in Conference USA, trailing only private institution Rice (95). MTSU had six programs (men’s basketball, men’s tennis, men’s cross country and track, women’s golf, soccer, and volleyball) score a perfect 100. The Blue Raiders’ score of 95 in football tied for fifth nationally (Northwestern 97, Boston College 97, Florida 96, Vanderbilt 96, MTSU 95, Duke 95) and led the way in Conference USA.

Here are some additional MTSU athletics stats:

Spring 2022

• 210 of 328 (64%) of all student-athletes had a 3.0 or higher GPA

• 135 (41%) of all student-athletes made the Dean’s List by earning a 3.5 or higher GPA

• 53 (16%) of all student-athletes had a perfect 4.0 GPA

• 11 of 15 teams had a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher

• Tennis had the highest men’s team GPA: 3.85

• Golf had the highest women’s team GPA: 3.89

• Semester GPA for all student-athletes: 3.067

• Cumulative GPA for all studentathletes: 3.130

Fall 2022

• 221 of 341 (65%) of all student-athletes had a 3.0 or higher GPA

• 147 (43%) of all student-athletes made the Dean’s List by earning a 3.5 GPA or higher

• 59 (17%) of all student-athletes had a perfect 4.0 GPA

• 13 of 15 teams had a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher

• Golf had the highest men’s team GPA: 3.59

• Basketball had the highest women’s team GPA: 3.71

• Semester GPA for all student-athletes: 3.178

• Cumulative GPA for all studentathletes: 3.143

Now, for two select athletic achievements in 2022:

The Blue Raider football team upset the No. 25-ranked University of Miami 45-31 on September 24, at Hard Rock Stadium in a game MTSU controlled wire to wire. It was the program’s first-ever win against a team ranked in the AP Top 25. The Blue Raiders finished the regular season with a record of 7-5, which resulted in an invitation to the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl in Honolulu on Christmas Eve 2022. In that game, MTSU fought and clawed back into the game, securing a 25-23 victory over San Diego State.

The MTSU women’s basketball team dominated then No. 18-ranked Louisville on their way to a 67-49 win in Murphy Center on December 4. The victory marked the Lady Raiders’ first win over a ranked opponent since Dec. 28, 2011, when MTSU knocked off No. 6 Kentucky 70-58 at Murphy Center. In March 2022, the Lady Raiders made it to the semifinals of the WNIT basketball tournament, hosting a home game in Murphy Center against Seton Hall.

TWO NEW MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMS PROPOSED

MTSU’s Board of Trustees approved the development of two new master’s degree programs in Legal Studies and in Occupational Innovation and Effectiveness.

Board members meeting Dec. 13 agreed that the Legal Studies degree would be designed for midlevel professionals working in detail-oriented fields—such as banking and financial services, entrepreneurship, consulting, entertainment—who are seeking formal knowledge related to contract formation, litigation, and employment law, as well as other upper-level specialized materials.

Once developed, it would be offered through a partnership with the Nashville School of Law, the College of Media and Entertainment, and the Jennings A. Jones College of Business.

The Occupational Innovation and Effectiveness degree would be offered online through University College during six-week terms each semester, allowing flexibility for professionals who may want to take one class at a time while earning multiple credits during the span of a traditional 16-week semester.

Once it is developed, students would select three 9-hour focus areas from a variety of options such as leadership, analytics, diversity in the workplace, and other workplace topics.

The degrees, once formulated, require approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Scholar Program

FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP PLACEMENT

As a graduate student in the Master of Arts in International Affairs program, Esra Biala brings a special perspective to the Blue Raider campus.

From Tripoli, the capital of Libya in North Africa, she is from an indigenous group of people there called Amazigh that has their own language called Tifinagh.

Biala won a prestigious Fulbright Foreign Student Program award and chose to use her scholarship to study at MTSU, the program offering qualifying graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad the opportunity to study and conduct research in the U.S.

MTSU appealed to Biala because the International Affairs master’s program offers course options with different and nuanced perspectives.

Biala is the Department of Political Science and International Relations’ first incoming Fulbright scholar. Since 2000, however, the department has had the highest number of outgoing Fulbright scholars of any department on campus: seven, so far.

JOYS OF THE SEASON

MTSU’s College of Liberal Arts presented its 2022 edition of Joys of the Season, the annual holiday-themed arts showcase, on TV and online.

Premiering Dec. 5 on MTSU’s True Blue TV and the University’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, the 30-minute program served as a special edition of the University’s monthly TV magazine show, Out of the Blue.

The show repeated on True Blue TV throughout December and also aired on NewsChannel 5+ in the Nashville market and on stations in at least 17 states. The Nashville Public Library also featured the MTSU holiday program on its YouTube channel.

Joys of the Season DECEMBER

Performances included “Carol of the Bells” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by the School of Music’s MTSU Chamber Orchestra, and “One Sweet Little Baby” by the premier singers of the MTSU Schola Cantorum. MTSU Dance students performed “Whimsical Candy Cane Swirls” from The Nutcracker ballet. MTSU Theatre students performed “We Need a Little Christmas” from the Tony-winning Broadway musical Mame. The Soparano/Alto Chorale sang an arrangement of “The Christmas Song.” And the MTSU Steel Pan Ensemble, representing the School of Music’s Instrumental Performance program, played “Sleigh Bells.”

GRADUATION

MTSU produced more than 5,000 “ready to work” graduates in 2022.

At the first of two spring Commencement ceremonies, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Edward Davis told the newly minted graduates that “nothing should hold back the size and shape of your dreams. It is our talent for imagination and creativity that make us humans.”

In the second ceremony, speaker Christine Karbowiak, vice chair of MTSU’s Board of Trustees and a retired top Bridgestone Americas executive, praised the graduates’ ability to rise to unprecedented challenges and still focus on life-changing opportunities.

In all, 2,474 graduates received degrees in the spring.

More than 850 members of MTSU’s Class of 2022 celebrated their degrees in August. And at the end of the fall semester, another 1,698 graduates accepted their degrees.

Fall Commencement speaker Ronald Roberts, a two-time MTSU alumnus and managing partner for the global marketing agency Finn Partners, said graduates can learn from and use all their experiences as they venture into their lives’ next phase.

He told the graduates to keep their ABCs in mind, saying A is “a foundation of a lot of powerful

things—a dream, a vision, a victory, a loss, a family, a friend, and for each of you, a degree.”

B can stand for “because,” he said, since it’s “the reason or cause” for their actions. And C brings the “crazy.”

“Part of Webster’s defines ‘crazy’ as ‘very enthusiastic or eager; with great energy, intensity,’ ” explained Roberts, who has served MTSU in roles ranging from handling University public relations and teaching to leading the MTSU Alumni Association to the current presidency of the MTSU Foundation. “In many instances, embedded in your ‘crazy’ is ‘courage,’ ‘confidence,’ ‘charisma,’ and ‘caring.’ ”

Fellow Commencement speaker Doug Kreulen, president and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, encouraged graduates to keep chasing their dreams while acknowledging the reality of life off campus.

“You are selling your talent, knowledge, skills, and experience to your future employer,” he said. “Don’t ever quit. Don’t ever give up on yourself. And don’t be afraid to fail.”

The total number of MTSU degrees earned since its 1911 founding is more than 178,200.

MTSU is truly a university of opportunities.

MTSU is truly a university of opportunities.

CONCLUSION

The University recently passed its fifth-year review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). MTSU has been accredited by SACSCOC since 1928. MTSU will apply for reaffirmation of accreditation, including a new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), in 2026.

Part of MTSU’s current QEP is the MT Engage program geared toward getting students fully immersed in the classroom experience. MT Engage was made a permanent part of the University’s QEP in 2022. The program would not be possible without the support of faculty and staff. Faculty can get a course MT Engage certified—on a completely voluntary basis.

With programs like these, students get a truly wonderful education at MTSU. Importantly, they do so at a great value. MTSU’s Board of Trustees voted in June 2022 to keep tuition and program services fees flat for the 2022–23 academic year. A full-time, in-state undergraduate student taking 15 credit hours in both the fall and spring semesters will pay $7,704 in tuition and $1,888 in program service fees, for a total of $9,592 this academic year. MTSU’s tuition was already the lowest of the state’s three major universities. Our decision to hold it flat for this academic year, plus recent increases in the state’s HOPE Lottery Scholarship, means that many students can attend our University at no cost.

Thank you for taking time to read this President’s Annual Report to stakeholders. I am so thankful for your support of this great University. True Blue!

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, President

HEADCOUNT, STUDENT CREDIT HOURS, & FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY SUMMARY: FALL 2022

HEADCOUNT, STUDENT CREDIT HOURS, AND FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY SUMMARY: FALL 2022

HEADCOUNT, STUDENT CREDIT HOURS, & FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY SUMMARY:

HEADCOUNT, STUDENT CREDIT HOURS, & FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY SUMMARY:

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS BY COLLEGE: FALL 2022

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS BY COLLEGE: FALL 2022

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS BY COLLEGE: FALL 2022

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS BY COLLEGE: FALL 2022

SNAPSHOT OF FALL 2022 STUDENT BODY

SNAPSHOT OF FALL 2022 STUDENT BODY

Total Headcount: 20,086

Total Headcount: 20,086

THE DOLLARS AND CENTS

Editors

Drew Ruble and Jimmy Hart

Contributing Editors

Nancy Broden and Carol Stuart

Director of Creative Marketing Solutions and Visual Services

Kara Hooper

University Photographers

Andy Heidt, J. Intintoli, James Cessna, Cat Curtis Murphy

Designer

Sherry Wiser George

200 Copies Printed at CMS-Printing

1222-0923 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs, and activities sponsored by MTSU. The Interim Assistant to the President for Institutional Equity and Compliance has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and can be reached at Cope Administration Building 116, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132; Christy.Sigler@mtsu.edu; or 615-898-2185. The MTSU policy on non-discrimination can be found at mtsu.edu/iec.