3 minute read
Letter from the Dean
Welcome to the second edition of M&E, the magazine dedicated to the only College of Media and Entertainment in the world. As you will quickly see, it’s been an exceptional year of history-making in CME!
In the following pages, you’ll be transported to our extended reality XR Studio in Bragg, tour our new recording studios and Songwriting Center, travel with student journalists on their annual road trip, and cheer on our MTSU Esports team.
Our cover story features “The Judds: Love is Alive—The Final Concert,” the unforgettable show held at MTSU’s Murphy Center, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
How did this event happen? It all started with an email in October. Leslie Fram, CMT senior vice president and a very close friend, emailed me to see if Murphy Center was available Nov. 1, 2 and/or 3 for a TV show recording. I immediately connected her with Andrew Oppmann, MTSU’s vice president of marketing and communications, who let her know within five minutes that it was available.
At this point, we didn’t even know what the event was. About four days later, we learned on a Zoom call that they were going to have a homecoming event to celebrate the 1991 Judds Farewell Concert, with Wynonna being joined by friends Brandi Carlile, Martina McBride, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, and Kelsea Ballerini. Of course, we were sworn to secrecy! Because of this quick response, and the ability of the Murphy Center team to quickly pivot and put the entire thing together in less than a month, we were able to land this high-profile event and provide hands-on experiences for our students.
While the College of Media and Entertainment has received tremendous credit and attention, this was truly a Universitywide effort. I am so grateful to President Sidney A. McPhee for his overwhelming support in moving mountains to make this happen.
CME Dean Beverly Keel
It was a full-circle moment for so many alumni. For instance, alum Daniel Miller now manages McBride, while alum Nic Dugger was crucial to the production. Alum Cindy Watts covered the event for CMT, and alum Larry McCormack was nearby capturing photographs of history in the making.
I wish you could have seen our students interviewing the artists! They were equal parts nervous and excited. Thanks to our dedicated faculty, they were prepared to step into the spotlight and put their best work on display.
There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the college, which is undergoing a $500,000 renovation. Next year will be a truly transformative chapter in the college’s history, and I am so delighted to be able to share our stories with you. You are an important part of our past, present, and future. Thank you for helping us change our students’ lives and make their dreams come true.
