Fall 2025 Commencement at MTSU

Murphy Athletic Center

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Saturday, Dec. 13

Time: 9 a.m. Central

Degrees will be conferred to graduates in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences and College of Education.  This includes all master’s, doctoral and undergraduate degree candidates for these academic colleges.

Speaker:

Dr. Chris Whaley

Dr. Chris Whaley is an MTSU alumnus and the fifth president of Roane State Community College, which has more than 4,700 students across nine locations. Whaley is also an alumnus of Roane State, as well as the University of Tennessee. Previously, he served as vice president of student learning; dean of social science, business, and education; and program director of Paralegal Studies at Roane State, where he has taught since 1997. Whaley earned his associate degree at Roane State, his bachelor’s at MTSU, and his J.D. at the University of Tennessee College of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee and has been a Rule 31 civil mediator.

Time: 2 p.m. Central

Degrees will be conferred to graduates in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Scott Borchetta College of Liberal Arts and College of Media and Entertainment. and University College. This includes all master’s, doctoral and undergraduate degree candidates for these academic colleges.

Speaker:

Brady Cooper

Brady Cooper is senior pastor at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, where he has served for 27 years. Cooper is widely respected for his faith-driven leadership, his passion for mentoring the next generation of leaders, and his gift for helping people connect the timeless truths of Scripture to everyday life. A native of Murfreesboro, Cooper graduated from Riverdale High School in 1988 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies and ministry from Belmont University in 1993, where he was a four-year letterman on the baseball team. He continued his education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he earned his Master of Divinity.

Stacks of diploma covers await Middle Tennessee State University Class of 2025 spring graduates inside Murphy Center on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. MTSU’s fall commencement ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 13. (MTSU file photo by J. Intintoli)

PLEASE NOTE: Clear bag policy in effect at Murphy Center

For those attending commencement ceremonies in person, please note that a clear bag policy is in effect at Murphy Center as follows: Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC may not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″. Gallon ziploc bags are allowed. Small clutch purses no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ will also be allowed in addition to a clear bag

More information for ALL students receiving degrees is available here.

WATCH LIVE:

MTSU’s Fall 2025 commencement ceremonies will air live via streaming video at www.mtsu.edu/live, https://facebook.com/mtsublueraiders and http://mtsu.edu/trueblueTV  and on local cable channels at http://mtsu.edu/trueblueTV.

You also can click on the photo above to watch the livestreams. The streams will begin about 15 minutes before the ceremony starts.

GRADUATION MISC.:

Complete news coverage, including a video and photos, from MTSU’s summer 2025 commencement ceremony is available here. Fall commencement coverage will be posted after the ceremony.

After receiving the final list of graduates from the Registrar’s Office, the Office of News and Media Relations routes that list through the Merit student achievement platform for publication of all graduates on MTSU’s Merit page and creation of news releases that are distributed to the hometown media for U.S.-based students. Graduates will also be notified via email when their commencement achievement is posted to Merit, and the achievement can then be shared by graduates to their social media accounts as they choose.

Merit is available to all enrolled MTSU students and is still accessible by students after graduation to share post-graduation achievements. Learn more about Merit.

Middle Tennessee State University graduate David M. Cowan is hooded by his major professor, Kevin Krahenbuhl, upon receiving his doctoral degree in education during the summer 2025 commencement ceremony held Saturday, Aug. 9, inside Murphy Center on campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. At far left is MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. Fall 2025 commencement ceremonies will be held Dec. 13. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)