Spring 2026 Commencement at MTSU

Murphy Athletic Center

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Friday, May 8

Time: 3 p.m. Central

Degrees will be conferred on graduates from the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and University College. This includes all master’s, doctoral and undergraduate degree candidates for these academic colleges.

Speaker:

Dawn White

Dawn White, MTSU alumna, is in her second term serving in the Tennessee State Senate, representing District 13 and currently chairing the Senate Education Committee while also serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee. She served three terms as the state representative for District 37. For seven years, White worked as a teacher in Murfreesboro City Schools at Black Fox Elementary before becoming a small-business owner for a decade, until the company was sold in 2015. White earned her bachelor’s, master’s and Ed.S. degrees at MTSU.

Saturday, May 9

Time: 9 a.m. Central

Degrees will be conferred on graduates from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts. This includes all master’s, doctoral and undergraduate degree candidates for these academic colleges.

Speaker:

Stuart McWhorter

Stuart C. McWhorter is the deputy governor and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. A top advisor to Gov. Bill Lee who manages the day-to-day operations of TNECD, McWhorter spearheads efforts to recruit new businesses to the state, support existing companies in their expansions, create greater opportunity across rural Tennessee, and help the state’s small business and entrepreneurial ecosystem grow. He was appointed deputy governor in October 2025 and has served as TNECD commissioner since July 2022.

Time: 2 p.m. Central

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

Speaker:

Scott Borchetta

Scott Borchetta is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Big Machine Records, home to superstars including Rascal Flatts, Riley Green, The Band Perry, Lady A, and emerging artists Jack Wharff Band, Mackenzie Carpenter, Cole Goodwin, Marfa, Greylan, and more. He has led the charge on more than 226 million albums sold by Big Machine artists in addition to sending more than 265 singles to No. 1 on the country, pop and rock charts. Most recently, MTSU unveiled the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment, renaming the world-renowned institution in honor of Borchetta’s ongoing commitment to provide state-of-the-art technology and hands-on training to its students.

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 spring 2026 commencement ceremonies will be held Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9. (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 Spring 2026 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 can also 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 fall 2025 commencement ceremony is available here. Spring 2026 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)