NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Thanks to a national grant, Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Liberal Arts has launched “The True Blue Character Blueprint: Building Character Education at MTSU,” a campuswide effort that builds on MTSU’s longstanding True Blue values through a more intentional approach to character development.

Leah Tolbert Lyons, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and principal investigator for the project, and College of Liberal Arts associate dean and project co-principal investigator, Rehab (Rubie) Ghazal, joined WKRN-TV host Stephanie Langston for the Friday, Oct. 9, “MTSU on 2” segment.  

The one-year grant will help bring together faculty, staff and students for conversations that define character and integrate into the curriculum.

“We are thrilled to be in position to facilitate this conversation on our campus. Character development and character formation are a vital part of the human experience, which is central to the disciplines housed in the College of Liberal Arts,” said Lyons.

“What excites me most is that this grant will allow us to build upon and bring together the excellent character education work already underway at MTSU,” Ghazal added.

Watch the full segment below.

Using the university’s True Blue Pledge as a springboard, True Blue Character will help define character and support the first steps in beginning a conversation about character.

“MTSU is such a relational campus; it is only right that we develop a common language and a common understanding of the values we hold as a community,” Lyons explained.

Ghazal said the grant’s impact will benefit everyone on campus, including students, faculty and staff.

“This grant connects the True Blue Pledge with our academic identity, drawing on input from faculty, staff, and students through learning communities, guest speaker lectures, book clubs, and fireside chats,” Ghazal said.

Besides serving the campus, Lyons said multiple events are planned that are open to the community, including “Leadership and Public Service Past, Present and Future: A conversation with Senators Lamar Alexander and Bill Frist,” an event on Oct. 19 at the Tucker Theatre located on MTSU’s campus at 615 Champion Way.

“We hope that every member of our MTSU community will participate in this endeavor to more fully express what it means to be True Blue,” Lyons said.

To learn more about the True Blue Character Blueprint, visit https://liberalarts.mtsu.edu/ and click on the True Blue Character logo.

— DeAnn Hays ([email protected])