14-city fall recruiting True Blue Tour launches Sept. 13 at MTSU

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee awards prospective student Jonathan Eskobar a $15,000 scholarship while his parents, Maria and Saulramos Eskobar, look on during the kickoff event for the university’s True Blue Tour at the Student Union Building on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

For four decades, Middle Tennessee State University’s Admissions team, advisors and administrators have crisscrossed Tennessee by bus, pursuing outstanding students at special events — and later Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia cities were added to the mix.

It was branded as the True Blue Tour in 2012 and the popularity grew as MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee’s exciting scholarship drawings, other prizes, T-shirts, food, information about nearly 300 programs and more caught prospective students’ attention.

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee shares remarks from the podium, addressing prospective students and their parents attending the Rutherford County True Blue Tour recruiting event in August 2022 in the Student Union Ballroom. McPhee, Provost Mark Byrnes, college deans, advisors and other staff will kick off the new tour year at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, in the same ballroom. Events are free. (MTSU file photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

The tour begins this week, kicking off Wednesday, Sept. 13, with the Rutherford County/Middle Tennessee, starting at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. Admissions will court counselors and community college staff during a 12:30 p.m. luncheon.

The tour features 6 to 8 p.m. receptions to meet students and their parents and 12:30 p.m. luncheons to engage counselors and community college staff. All events are free and walkups are welcome, though Admissions staff encourage people to RSVP in advance.

The Tennessee visits will include Williamson County (Sept. 25), Clarksville (Sept. 28), Nashville (Oct. 3), Johnson City (Oct. 24), Knoxville (Oct. 25), Chattanooga (Nov. 2), Memphis (Nov. 8) and Jackson (Nov. 9).

Out-of-state trips will include Lexington (Oct. 17) and Louisville (Oct. 18) and Birmingham (Nov. 15) and Huntsville(Nov. 16).

McPhee recently announced the Wednesday, Nov. 1, Atlanta, Georgia, event “will focus on our College of Media and Entertainment and include a ‘family reunion’ as we invite alumni in the region who are professionals in the news and entertainment industries to meet prospective students, showcasing the tangible outcomes of the MTSU experience.”

Dr. Laurie Witherow, associate vice provost for Admissions and Enrollment Services — Dr. Laurie Witherow

“The True Blue Tour is our opportunity to bring MTSU to students and families across Tennessee and some of our neighboring states,” said Laurie Witherow, interim vice provost for Enrollment Services. “We’re hoping lots of folks will meet us in their neighborhoods and then return the visit by coming to campus for a tour or a True Blue Preview event.”

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president — Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Looking forward to the fall tour stops, McPhee said “it truly is one of my favorite times of the year. I not only enjoy meeting prospective students and their parents, but it gives us the opportunity to engage with counselors and community college staff, many of whom come every year to discover what’s new at MTSU and also connect with alumni in the area.”

Witherow said faculty, deans, the president, advisors and other staff “will be on hand to talk about what makes MTSU great, our students, and the bright futures they craft at MTSU. If you want to teach, help, build, fly, create or serve, we can get you where you’re going.”

True Blue Preview

This fall, MTSU will hold free True Blue Preview events Saturday, Sept. 30, and Saturday, Nov. 4. Hundreds of prospective students attend to receive a hands-on view of all the campus has to offer.