The MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences has something in store for aspiring scientists wanting to make a recruiting visit to the Middle Tennessee State University campus.

In-person CBAS Science Saturdays will take place at 9 and 11 a.m. Jan. 30 and Feb. 20. The recruiting events are a collaboration between the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and the Office of Admissions.

Wearing masks and social distancing because of COVID-19, prospective MTSU students and their parents listen to guide Tito Hernandez as they take one of the daily guided campus tours offered earlier this fall at the Blue Horseshoe near Peck Hall. The MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences has two scheduled CBAS Science Saturdays set for Jan. 30 and Feb. 20. (MTSU file photo by J. Intintoli)

Dr. Bud Fischer

Dean Bud Fischer said the CBAS Science Saturday scheduled for Jan. 9 has been canceled. The decision is based on Gov. Bill Lee’s recent executive order to limit indoor attendance to groups of 10 because of COVID-19 until at least Jan. 19. The Jan. 30 and Feb. 20 events are subject to change, based on any new state or university mandates.

To register, go here to learn about CBAS Science Saturdays and other admissions events. Space is limited to one student, one guest and one calendar date per registration. Some prospective students have received personal invitations, which guide them through the event registration process.

Because of COVID-19 health precautions as MTSU follows state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, masks are required and group sizes will be limited to allow for social distancing.

The objective: Bring prospective high school and transfer students to MTSU, meeting Fischer, faculty and department chairs and showing off the facilities — Science Building, Wiser-Patten Science Hall, Davis Science Building, Kirksey Old Main, Business and Aerospace Building and Voorhies Engineering Technology — and the vast potential they may hold for these future scientists.

Jennifer Danylo

“The visits are focused on academics and facilities — two very important things for students to hear, see and understand when making this important decision (choosing a college),” said Jennifer Danylo, advising manager for the college and adviser for the School of Concrete and Construction Management.

With COVID forcing the cancellation of in-person preview days in the fall, departments “were looking for an opportunity to connect with prospective students in order to talk about our programs, show off all that is innovative in our departments, discuss ongoing research, show off facilities and more,” Danylo said.

The college hosted two CBAS Science Saturdays for 40 prospective students in the fall, “trying to get as many students as possible on to campus (as COVID restrictions would allow) before the Dec. 1 scholarship deadline,” Danylo said.

Some were students already admitted for the fall 2021 semester; other invitees were students whose names and ACT scores were provided by admissions.

When students arrive on campus, they receive some admissions materials, are paired with the appropriate department representative and head to the various science facilities. They spend about an hour and a half with the area(s) they are interested in and can visit with up to two departments on the date of their visit.

Danylo expects representatives of the MTeach program to be present as well. A collaboration between the Colleges of Education and Basic and Applied Sciences, MTeach is a teacher preparation program focusing on middle and high school mathematics, agriculture and science teaching.

Participating MTSU departments and schools include Aerospace, Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Concrete and Construction Management, Engineering Technology, Geosciences, Mathematical Sciences and Physics and Astronomy.

 —Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)