Media arts graduating senior named MTSU’s first PKP Graduate Scholar recipient

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Honors Buchanan Transfer Fellow and video and film production senior Brian Maxwell has been named the first Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Scholar recipient at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 246 Graduate Scholar Award was introduced this year and will be presented annually to an MTSU Phi Kappa Phi member with a 3.75 GPA or higher and who will be attending graduate school at the university. The scholarship is a one-time award valued at $1,000.

David Foote, left, president of the MTSU Chapter 246 of Phi Kappa Phi and a management professor in the Jones College of Business, and Philip E. Phillips, right, immediate past president of the Chapter and MTSU Honors College associate dean, present the 2024 PKP Graduate Scholar Award to video and film production major Brian Maxwell, center, an Honors Buchanan Transfer Fellow. (MTSU photo by Robin E. Lee)

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

Brian Maxwell, MTSU Honors Transfer Fellow (MTSU photo by Robin E. Lee) — Brian Maxwell

“Both inside and outside the classroom, Brian demonstrates his commitment to the love of learning and exemplifies Phi Kappa Phi’s core values of excellence, community, service, and inclusiveness,” said Philip E. Phillips, immediate past president of MTSU’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter and associate dean of the Honors College. “We are confident that our inaugural recipient will make the most of this award and excel in his graduate studies at MTSU.

Phillips, a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Board of Directors, added that “we hope that this new annual award will continue to advance the mission of Phi Kappa Phi on our campus.”

“I am so grateful to Phi Kappa Phi, MTSU, the Honors College, and everyone involved for this amazing financial gift,” said Maxwell, a Smyrna resident who will graduate with Honors distinction this spring. “It truly means a lot and will make a difference for the future of my education. … I’m not going to Disneyland; I’m going to grad school!”

Maxwell will be pursuing a master’s degree in media and communication at MTSU.

Previously, Maxwell was highlighted for his thesis work at the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center. He has also participated in a weeklong interdisciplinary course on campus, known as the Institute of Leadership Excellence; and he spoke at the Honors Buchanan Transfer student initiation ceremony at the annual Honors Board of Visitors luncheon last fall.

“It doesn’t surprise me to hear Brian Maxwell has been selected as the first recipient of this award,” said Leland Gregory, media arts lecturer in the College of Media and Entertainment, and Maxwell’s Honors thesis advisor. “Brian is multitalented writer, born leader, director, wrestler, and is gifted with a passion for learning and helping others learn.

“Of all the people I have known in my increasingly long life, Brian is unique. Saying it simply — I love this man and I am proud to call him a friend.”

About PKP

Chapter 246 of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi was established in 1987. Since inception, the chapter has initiated more than 4,800 members. The primary objective of Phi Kappa Phi is the recognition and encouragement of superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. By drawing its membership from all fields of study within the academic institution, Phi Kappa Phi also serves as a unifying force in higher education. The MTSU Chapter was awarded ‘platinum’ distinction for the fifth time from the National Phi Kappa Phi office in 2023.

— Robin E. Lee (Robin.E.Lee@mtsu.edu)