It’s been worth the wait and the work! MTSU’s Centennial Blue Tie Gala is tonight, Sept. 9, celebrating 100 years of excellence in education.

A 6 p.m. reception will be followed by a 7:30 p.m. dinner and dancing at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center.

Touted as a “once in a lifetime” event, the sold-out Blue Tie Gala will feature welcoming remarks at 7:40 p.m. from MTSU alumnus and former state legislator John Hood, long known as “Mister MTSU” and master of ceremonies for the gala.

John Hood

Hood will introduce Chancellor John Morgan of the Tennessee Board of Regents, for his comments, and then Cui Pengfei, chairman of the board of trustees of Hangzhou Normal University, will speak on behalf of a delegation of MTSU’s partners in international education that also includes representatives from Hunan Normal University, Northwest Normal University and China Agricultural University in China.

Following prerecorded special greetings from Gov. Bill Haslam and a videotape celebrating the University’s 100-year “Traditions of Excellence,” MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee is scheduled to address the gala gathering.

The MTSU School of Music will provide entertainment for the reception and dinner. Super T and the Tyler Smith Revue will provide dance music and surprises, and a wine reception and cash bar will be part of the festivities.

Attendees also will be able to purchase copies of the new 176-page Centennial book, Traditions of Excellence: Celebrating the Centennial of Middle Tennessee State University, written by MTSU alumna and recent University retiree Suma M. Clark.

Other MTSU events planned this first Centennial weekend include:

• the grand opening ceremony for MTSU’s new College of Education Building
at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 (call 615-898-2874 for more info);
• the Middle Tenneseee Invitational volleyball tournament in Alumni Memorial Gym, featuring the Blue Raider women versus Tulsa at 10 a.m. and Cal-Poly at 5 p.m. Saturday;
• the MTSU men’s tennis Pro-Am Tournament, beginning at noon on courts nine through 16 of the MTSU Tennis Courts;
• MTSU football vs. Georgia Tech at
6 p.m. Saturday in Floyd Stadium; and
• MTSU women’s soccer vs. Alabama A&M at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Dean Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.

For more information on MTSU’s 100 years of pride, tradition and excellence in education, please visit the University’s Centennial website at www.mtsu.edu/centennial. A special collection of “Centennial Moments” videos that chronicle moments in MTSU history is available at www.mtsu.edu/centennial/video_history.shtml.

For more details on the athletic events on campus this weekend, visit www.goblueraiders.com.