Cindy, left, Rachel and Thomas Leach of Pinson, Tenn., attended the MTSU “True Blue Tour” student reception Oct. 22 at the Jackson Country Club. Rachel Leach is a freshman at Jackson State Community College, where her mother works in information technology, and she plans to transfer to MTSU in fall 2014 to study speech pathology. (MTSU photos by News and Media Relations)

JACKSON, Tenn. — Jackson State Community College freshman Rachel Leach and alumnus Christopher “Chris” Mugabi can’t wait to continue their college careers at MTSU in 2014.

Leach, 18, of Pinson, Tenn., is on fire for MTSU, and has been ever since her senior year at Chester County High School. For the Oct. 22 MTSU “True Blue Tour” visit to Jackson, Tenn., she wore an MTSU sweatshirt and exhibited a special glow any time MTSU was mentioned.

Jackson was the final stop on the six-city statewide tour in which MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, top administrators and key personnel take to the road to recruit prospective students.

“I’m so excited about MTSU,” Leach said while enjoying the “True Blue Tour” festivities at the Jackson Country Club with her parents, Cindy and Thomas Leach.

“We hear a lot about it (MTSU),” her father said. “She’s ready to go.”

MTSU having a speech pathology program and many student activities — especially Blue Raider football games and the Baptist Student Union — is why she is so gung-ho about coming to MTSU next fall.

Elizabeth Smith, coordinator of the MTSU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, mapped out a path and told Leach that she could transfer to MTSU with 41 credit hours, and that’s what she plans to do.

“I’m so excited. I’m counting the days,” Leach said.

Mugabi, 25, of Jackson, Tenn., is a native of Uganda who graduated from Jackson State in May. He’s just as passionate about coming to Murfreesboro and MTSU.

“MTSU has tremendous diversity and multicultural events,” he said. “I’d like to enroll myself in a bigger place, with opportunities where I can express myself.”

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, left, visits with May 2013 Jackson State Community College graduate Chris Mugabi at the “True Blue Tour” event Oct. 22 at the Jackson Country Club. Mugabi said he plans to transfer to MTSU next fall and will study computer information systems and minor in business administration.

At Jackson State, Mugabi was Student Government Association president. He met and became friends with former MTSU SGA President Coby Sherlock, who “recommended I come (to MTSU),” Mugabi said.

“I look at education as a priority for my life,” Mugabi said, adding that he plans to study computer information systems and earn a minor in business administration.

Mugabi said he wants to get involved with the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.

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