MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — More than 30 years after Doug Jernigan graduated from Middle Tennessee State University’s Recording Industry program, his son Joseph followed in his footsteps thanks to the Academic Common Market and graduated with a degree in media management this spring.

Joseph, a drummer who plays with four bands, is from Meridian, Mississippi. When it came time for him to choose a college, he knew exactly where he wanted to go — his dad’s alma mater.

“I (knew) I wanted to attend a university that had a recognized College of Media and Entertainment as MTSU does,” he explained of his decision to become True Blue. “I knew I could major in an area of interest and would not have to pay out-of-state tuition (because of the Academic Common Market).

The Academic Common Market, or ACM, is a tuition savings program that allows residents of participating states to qualify for in-state tuition for unique academic majors not offered in their home state. Learn more at https://acm.mtsu.edu/. 

Decades before him, Joseph’s father, Doug, attended MTSU as a nontraditional student and took advantage of the Academic Common Market.

“I already had a bachelor’s in business administration from Mississippi State University and worked in retail management for several years,” he explained.

Wanting to further his college career and major in a different subject of interest, Doug found MTSU while researching universities.

“I didn’t have a lot of money to pay for returning to college, (but) then I discovered the Recording Industry Management program at MTSU, and it was a major included in the Academic Common Market since I was from Mississippi,” Doug said.

With the in-state tuition benefits offered by the ACM, Doug majored in recording industry management with a business emphasis and graduated in 1991.

Fast-forward three decades, Doug was back on MTSU’s campus, this time with his son, who took advantage of the same tuition savings program that had helped him so many years before.

“We knew that MTSU would be a good fit for Joseph. It only took one campus visit and he was excited to be going to his dad’s alma mater,” Doug said.

When it came time to decide on a major, Joseph took a slightly different route than his father, majoring in media management.

“He felt that with his experience and outlook for a career that media management was more of a fit for him, and he could add other classes of interest within the College of Media and Entertainment,” his dad explained.

Joseph said when he came to MTSU from his Mississippi hometown, he didn’t know anyone but quickly found his place in the classroom and made new friends.

“One of my professors that made my experience great was Dr. Roger Heinrich,” Joseph said. Heinrich is a professor in the Department of Media Arts.

“He welcomed me in and made his lectures fun, which I had never experienced before. Then it wasn’t long that I made new friends from other places with similar interests and goals as I (have).”

Following spring commencement in early May, Joseph plans to return to Meridian, Mississippi, and find a job that fits his interests, experience and education. He also plans to continue to play drums and grow as a drummer.

When asked what he would tell someone considering a program in MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment, he enthusiastically gave his approval.

“MTSU is a great choice,” he said. “You not only get classroom instruction, but you also have great opportunities outside the classroom and interactions with other students with like interests and goals along with hands-on experiences.”

For more information about MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment, visit https://media.mtsu.edu/.

—    DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)