MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It is the annual week in the year when Middle Tennessee State University research, scholarly efforts and even music performances take center stage.
Scholars Week 2025 wrapped up Friday, March 21, in the MTSU Student Union Ballroom with the universitywide Scholars Day, completing a week where MTSU colleges in the sciences, Liberal Arts, Media and Entertainment and Education host their own special days, some with guest speakers, poster sessions, creative performances and more.
You could feel the energy and excitement in the room as art, music, experimental vehicles, quantum and many more subjects were the focus of MTSU student research at Friday’s finale.
Watch video highlights from the event below:
‘An outstanding success’
“Scholars Week 2025 was an outstanding success,” said David Butler, vice provost for research and vice president of the College of Graduate Studies. “The high-quality research and creative activities were showcased throughout the day.
“A short walk through the ballroom enabled you to listen to and see excellent examples of the great work that undergraduate and graduate students and their faculty mentors have produced this past year. It is an exciting time for research and creative activities at MTSU, and the 2025 Scholars Week exemplified this energy.”
Event student committee co-chair and poster presenter Ariel Nicastro, 21, a junior physics major from Franklin, said Scholars Week “shows everybody’s working hard on their project and are enthused about their research.”
Katie Medrano, program manager in the MTSU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, said “the turnout was excellent. Students were very excited and faculty very involved. Three wonderful performers (a band, Cade Ortego and the Mood Swings, flute player Olivia Guthier and singer/songwriter Anna Shinholster) were showcased.”
For a Media Arts capstone project, Aaron Rossen, 22, of Columbia, a senior graduating in May, developed a series of podcasts, with “the broad scope that there’s more to Tennessee than country music.” His project earned second-place honors during the College of Media and Entertainment awards segment.
Delaney Reynolds, 22, of Murfreesboro, an environmental science major, took on “Identifying Lung Cancer Risk Areas in Appalachia Utilizing GIS Technology.”
“I’d like to go deeper (with the research) in the future,” said Reynolds, who pursued the topic “from things we’ve discussed in class. It came together in a real-world application and being visual.”
Kevin Bicker, professor in the Department of Chemistry and College of Basic and Applied Sciences associate dean for research, said “it’s always exciting to see diversity across campus.” He mentioned horse science, dyslexia and other programs representing the variety of academic offerings across the campus community.
Judges awarded first- ($150), second- ($100) and third-place ($50) awards in undergraduate and graduate categories in six of the academic colleges. Winners were announced on the Scholars Week website, https://www.mtsu.edu/scholarsweek/.
Butler welcomed participants and commended students’ research efforts in kicking off the awards ceremony.
At the 2022 Scholars Day wrap-up, MTSU announced it had received an R2 designation from the Carnegie Classification, indicating a significant commitment to research and doctoral programs.
Blackman’s presence
Along with the approximately 120 MTSU undergraduate and graduate poster presenters, 11 Blackman High School seniors were invited to experience MTSU Scholars Day and showcase their research.
MTSU has a special partnership with the Blackman Collegiate Academy. Freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior participants in the academy collaborate with university faculty and visit campus every fall and spring semester as MTSU recruits them to be future Blue Raiders. They also are part of the MTSU Undergraduate Research Center’s Ready to SOAR program.
— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)
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