MTSU fall Buchanan Lecture Series students engaging in ‘Spaces and Places’ learning

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It’s all about “Spaces and Places” — the theme for the Middle Tennessee State University Honors College fall Buchanan Lecture Series.

Nearly 50 students are attending the class — one that’s examining topics in literature, astronomy, geosciences, religion, philosophy, history, historical preservation and other disciplines through the multifaceted conceptual lenses of ‘space’ and ‘place,’ said Philip Phillips, Honors College associate dean.

Kylee Thompson, a junior Middle Tennessee State University audio production major from Knoxville, Tenn., reads a portion of the U.S. Constitution, as other fall Honors College Buchanan Lecture Series classmates wait to read outside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Building on Monday, Sept. 15. The series, with the theme of “Spaces and Places,” features nine guest speakers sharing a number of topics. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

The lecture series is a class for Honors students each fall and spring and is open to the public. Lectures begin at 3 p.m. every Monday through Nov. 17. An exception will be Oct. 13 (fall break). Lectures are typically held in Simmons Amphitheater, Room 106 in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building, 1737 Blue Raider Drive.

All visitors are requested to use parking meters or obtain a permit from the Parking and Transportation Services office at 205 City View Drive or print a visitor pass at http://bit.ly/4mJxuAX. Visitor permits are $2 per day.

Dr. Philip Phillips, University Honors College associate dean and professor of English — Dr. Philip Phillips

“This interdisciplinary honors lecture series dives into the dynamic relationship between place, space and meaning,” Phillips said. “Throughout the semester, we will consider how individuals, communities and cultures imbue physical and conceptual environments with meaning, grappling with questions of identity, community, power, spirituality and memory.”

Rebekka King, professor in the MTSU Philosophy and Religious Studies Department, will bring “Sacralizing Secular Spaces through Ritual, Sound and Imagination” on Oct. 6. Geosciences Department associate professor Alisa Hass will present “Turning Down the Pressure Cooker: How Public Spaces Can Reduce Inequitable Heat Exposure and Increase Community Health and Resilience” on Oct. 20. Click for the full lineup.

Fall 2025 Middle Tennessee State University Honors College Buchanan Lecture Series participants wait their turn as senior biology major Phillip Dauer, of Spring Hill, Tenn., reads part of the U.S. Constitution outside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Monday, Sept. 15. The fall series theme is “Spaces and Places” and continues until Nov. 17. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

Kylee Thompson, 20, a junior audio production major from Knoxville, said the students “have gotten some interesting perspectives so far — how do you collect memories and where do you keep memories, and how spaces resonate with different people.”

That kick-off lecture featured University of the South professor William E. Engel. MTSU faculty provide the lineup for the rest of the series.

The series is an MT Engage class, fostering a culture of engaged learning by supporting students’ growth as integrative, reflective thinkers.

Lecture series students participated in beyond-the-classroom activities including reading the Constitution outside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building and attending the special lecture by New York Times columnist and PBS contributor David Brooks during Constitution Week.

The series is named for the late MTSU alumnus James M. Buchanan, a Rutherford County native who was awarded the 1986 Nobel Memorial Prize in economic sciences.

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