Murfreesboro teenager Hannah Johnson had applied to Middle Tennessee State University and received her acceptance letter after arriving home from school Monday, Sept. 9, one day before she and nearly 80 Blackman Collegiate Academy seniors visited her hometown university.

“My parents (Scott and Kelly Johnson) are both MTSU alumni. I’m pretty certain I’ll be coming to MTSU,” said Johnson, while she and Blackman High classmate Grace Diehl collaborated on a science- and math-related 20-minute project to build a whirlybird, or paper helicopter, during an MTeach math and science education session led Tuesday, Sept. 10, by program coordinator Sally Millsap, herself a Blackman alumna.

As an extra-large caricature of former Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist looms in the background, Donna Baker, university archivist in the Albert Gore Research Center on the MTSU campus, tells Blackman Collegiate Academy seniors about the various types of archiving is performed at the center. The Blackman High students visited MTSU Tuesday, Sept. 10. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Started in 2015, the collegiate academy includes a special partnership between MTSU and Blackman, allowing eligible juniors and seniors to take up to six hours of university courses taught at Blackman by MTSU instructors at no cost. The dual-enrollment credits will count on high school and college transcripts.

Johnson said Millsap’s task was “very creative. It’s hands-on and I’m a hands-on person.”

Alysa Jones and Sam Chumney, who both said they are considering MTSU, joined seven others in watching associate professor Kristi Shamburger’s theatre and dance class practice in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building.

Blackman Collegiate Academy seniors, seated right, watch and listen Tuesday, Sept. 10, as MTSU associate professor Kristi Shamburger’s theatre and dance students perform a song, “Doors,” the opening song by Richard Maltby and David Shire in the musical, “Closer Than Ever,” which they will perform Dec. 5 in Tucker Theatre. Blackman High students made their first collegiate academy visit of the 2019-20 academic year. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

“It looks really fun. It’s very involved,” Jones said. “You get to do different parts. It’s not just one person. It’s more of an ensemble.”

Chumney said he “had a blast watching it and they seemed to have a blast performing, too. I really like the music. It looks like a lot of fun.”

University archivist Donna Baker showed the students a small sample and unique collections in the Albert Gore Research Center.

Creative writing, concrete, recording industry, media relations, real estate and agriculture were among the 20 classes available to the Blackman students.

As an extra-large caricature of former Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist looms in the background, Donna Baker, university archivist in the Albert Gore Research Center on the MTSU campus, tells Blackman Collegiate Academy seniors about the various types of archiving performed at the center. The Blackman High students visited MTSU Tuesday, Sept. 10. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)