MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s Center for Student Coaching and Success is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a new speaker series designed to connect students with accomplished professionals and their stories of personal and professional growth.

Program host Andrew Oppmann, vice president for marketing and communications, spoke with Colby Jubenville, director of the Center for Student Coaching and Success, and Monty Criswell, a Grammy- and CMA-nominated songwriter, performer, cancer survivor and author, about the center’s history and the inspiration behind the new series.

Established with an initial investment from MTSU Board of Trustees member John Floyd, the center provides individual and group coaching focused on talent development. Jubenville said his approach begins with helping students understand their own stories so they can recognize opportunities for growth and shape their futures.

A new $250,000 gift from Midstate businessman Eric Blankenship, co-owner of Gallatin-based All Access Coach Leasing, will support the center’s daily operations and establish the “Hell of a View” Speaker Series, which will welcome Criswell as its inaugural speaker in Spring 2027.

Criswell, who has worked as a professional songwriter for more than 30 years, shared how his experience performing and writing music led to the creation of “Hell of a View,” recorded by country artist Eric Church with Criswell and songwriter Casey Beathard. The song reached No. 1, earned double-platinum certification and received nominations for Single of the Year and Song of the Year at the CMA Awards.

Criswell also discussed his 2023 colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment, describing the experience as a dividing line in his life. Following successful chemotherapy and surgery, he began developing a story about resilience, hope and the human experience. Those themes will shape his presentation at MTSU, which he plans to divide into three parts: his journey into songwriting, his experience with cancer and the lessons learned through adversity.

Through the speaker series, Jubenville hopes to create meaningful connections among students, faculty and community members while giving attendees opportunities to learn from people who have navigated different paths to success.

More information about the Center for Student Coaching and Success within the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences is available at cbhssuccess.mtsu.edu. Criswell’s book, “Two Weeks at a Time,” is available through Amplify Publishing Group and his website.

You can watch the segment below:

Ways to watch, listen

• “Out of the Blue” is available anytime on the university’s YouTube channel, the True Blue TV channel, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

• It also airs on Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 daily at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sundays; WKRN+ at 7 p.m. Thursdays and noon Sundays; WNPX “The Spot – Nashville 28” at 4:30 a.m. on Saturdays; and streamed on the MTSU Jazz Network through WMOT.org at 7 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month; and on other cable outlets in Middle Tennessee, so check local listings.

• It is also available as a podcast on iTunes and Google Play and as individual interview segments on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/453hxg3.

Watch previous episodes of “Out of the Blue” at https://mtsunews.com/out-of-the-blue.

— Karli Sutton ([email protected])