MTSU Scholars Academy successfully acclimates new students to campus life

Middle Tennessee State University mascot Lightning, second from right, mingles with a family dropping off their daughter, Amaya Harris, to MTSU and its Scholars Academy program on Sunday, Aug. 10, at Tucker Theatre on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Addi Andara and Chris Collins joined nearly 150 of their fellow Middle Tennessee State University first-year students in obtaining a jump-start in their college careers by being part of the almost two-week 2025 Scholars Academy.

“This is setting me up for success in the long run,” said Andara, 18, of San Francisco, California, who plans to be a commercial songwriting major bitten by the music bug about 18 months ago. “We are getting a lot more of the (campus) resources. You can tell the teachers and faculty care about us. They want us to have the best experience possible.”

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee, second from right, visits with freshman human resources management major Gabrielle “Gabby” Profit, second from left, of Arlington, Tenn., and her parents, mom Kristie Profit, left, and dad, Horace Profit, during the welcome event for Scholars Academy participants on Aug. 10 in Tucker Theater on campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Scholars Academy helps the students to navigate and prepare them for the start of the fall semester. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

All participants were a part of the annual Scholars Academy Freshman Summer Institute — an early arrival program driven by the Office of Student Success — helping these bright teens from all across Tennessee better navigate their MTSU classes for the 2025-26 academic year that’s now underway.

Scholars Academy is a freshman year experience program — with two transfers joining this year — designed to serve all students, emphasizing the needs of first-generation and any student who would benefit from enhanced support, by providing them with a quality education in a supportive learning environment. MTSU faculty and staff, along with 22 peer mentors, bolster the students’ experiences.

For Collins, 18, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a double major in mechatronics engineering and audio production, Scholars Academy was “a great event. It led straight to connections — vibes, energy and feeling welcomed. It was like getting an extra touchdown before the start of school.”

Michelle Arnold, associate vice provost for Student Success, said many participants in this year’s Aug. 10-20 institute “needed the support and resources that will benefit them as they transition to the first day of class (and beyond).”

New Scholars Academy Director Blake Petty said they “continue to have a great institute and had great collaboration across campus. Over 35 different offices, staff, faculty members, deans and external partners (campus departments, Chick-fil-A and city of Murfreesboro) were able to present to our Scholars Academy students.

“Our Scholars Academy students start their first year with a broad lens of the services and opportunities that are available to them while they are at MTSU. They consistently provide feedback that they are well above their peers in their knowledge of campus and their ability to succeed and graduate.”

Petty said Scholars Academy students “average over an 85% retention from their first year to second year and a 95% persistence rate last year.”

The crowd attending the opening welcome event for the start of the Scholars Academy program at Middle Tennessee State University listens as former Student Government Association President Michai Mosby offers words of encouragement inside Tucker Theatre on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Sunday, Aug. 10. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

The students also learned about resources with MT One Stop, Career Center, MT Dining, MT Engage and nutrition education, plus learning about all of MTSU’s colleges and meeting deans and advisors.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, Provost Mark Byrnes and Student Government Association President R.J. Ware welcomed students. Ware gave a small SGA presentation and invited them to participate in Freshman Council.

Former SGA President Michai Mosby offered words of encouragement. He is Student Trustee on the MTSU Board of Trustees.

Rick Sluder is vice provost of Student Success and dean for University College. The Student Success office is located in Peck Hall, Room 142.

For more information, call 615-494-8650 or visit https://scholarsacademy.mtsu.edu.

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