MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Adding two new Midstate cities to the mix, Middle Tennessee State University will soon embark on its annual True Blue Tour across the state, this year visiting 14 cities for 15 events, including two separate stops in Nashville.
Visits to Cookeville on Thursday, Sept. 18, and Gallatin on Thursday, Oct. 23, will be a first-time venture for the recruiting team led by President Sidney A. McPhee. The tour begins Tuesday, Sept. 16, in Shelbyville.
From Memphis to Johnson City and Clarksville to Chattanooga, MTSU admissions staff, university deans, academic advisors and others engage prospective students and their parents in hopes the teenagers and transfer students become future Blue Raiders. It includes visits to Nashville on Sept. 29 and Oct. 28.
The university awarded more than $1.18 million in scholarships during last year’s tour to entice them — and many accepted and are enrolled this fall.
It’s the fourth decade of MTSU administrators and staff traveling by bus and car to recruit students with 6 p.m. receptions and school counselors and community college staff with 12:30 p.m. luncheons at all but two of the 15 stops.
All events are free and walkups are welcome, though admissions staff encourage people to RSVP in advance at https://mtsu.edu/rsvp.
“We bring our university to the communities to let students know how important they are,” McPhee said of the tour, which he considers “one of his favorite times of the year.”
Laurie Witherow, vice provost for Enrollment Management, said MTSU goes “on the road to visit potential students all across the state and region. We hope this first look at what MTSU has to offer will encourage students to return the favor with a trip to Murfreesboro to tour or attend one of our campus events.
“We love to see prospective students and families on campus and are very proud of our student-guided tour program. The campus is beautiful, and we’re sure students will find a second home here when they come to campus.”
Prospective students are welcome to attend Saturday True Blue Preview recruiting events, scheduled for Sept. 13, Nov. 1 and Feb. 28, 2026. To register for the free events in advance, go to www.mtsu.edu/rsvp. MTSU also offers daily campus tours. For information, call 615-898-5670 or email admissions@mtsu.edu.
MTSU and its 550-acre campus offer more than 300 undergraduate and graduate degree majors and concentrations, including nationally ranked programs. Visit https://www.mtsu.edu/search-program/ to discover the opportunities.
The 2025 True Blue Tour schedule
- Sept. 16 — Blue Ribbon Circle Club, 1110 N. Evans St., Shelbyville
- Sept. 18 — Leslie Town Centre, 1 W. 1st St., Cookeville
- Sept. 23 — Farm Bureau Exposition Center, 904 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon
- Sept. 25 — The Chattanoogan Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, 1201 Broad St., Chattanooga
- *Sept. 29 — 14Tenn, 1410 51st Ave. North, Nashville
- Oct. 2 — Wilma Rudolph Event Center, 8 Champions Way, Clarksville
- *Oct. 15 — Carnegie Hotel, 1216 W. State of Franklin Road, Johnson City
- Oct. 16 — Bridgewater Place, 205 Bridgewater Road, Knoxville
- Oct. 23 —Grasslands Golf Course, 1445 Foxland Blvd., Gallatin
- Oct. 28 — Gaylord Springs Golf Links, 18 Springhouse Lane, Nashville
- Oct. 30 — The Westin Huntsville, 6800 Governors West NW, Huntsville
- Nov. 4— FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms, 415 Great View Drive E., Suite 103, Memphis
- Nov. 5 — Jackson Country Club, 31 Jackson Country Club Lane, Jackson, Tennessee
- Nov. 11 — MTSU Student Union Ballroom, 1768 MTSU, Murfreesboro
- Nov. 13 — Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, 700 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin
* 6 p.m. student events only; all others will feature 12:30 p.m. counselor/community college luncheons and 6 p.m. student receptions.
— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)
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