MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University spring graduate Izzy Gutierrez of Nashville is already putting the skills she learned in class and as a student worker to use in her first full-time job as a social/creative manager at Nashville-based Venture Music.

One of the newest alumni from the School of Journalism and Strategic Media in the College of Media and Entertainment, Gutierrez was among the 2,439 graduates celebrated over three ceremonies Friday and Saturday, May 3-4, at MTSU’s spring commencement ceremonies inside Murphy Center.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for my time at MTSU. From the professors, students, staff and opportunities — I’ve gained experience in my field that I will cherish forever,” Gutierrez said. “I didn’t know what being a ‘hard worker’ truly meant until I attended MTSU. It’s the dedication you put into what you love. During my time at MTSU, I took upon every challenge with the willingness to learn, knowing I may fail.” 

That resonates with Recording Industry alumnus and Saturday afternoon keynote speaker Michael Hardy, singer-songwriter who performs professionally as HARDY and shared deeply personal keynote remarks with Gutierrez and her fellow graduates from the College of Media and Entertainment as well as grads from the Jones College of Business and College of Education.

On Friday, graduates of the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences and College of Liberal Arts heard from alumnus and Franklin County Schools Director Cary Holman while state Rep. Bob Freeman shared advice Saturday morning with graduates of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and University College.

Hardy, who at age 33 is believed to be the university’s youngest alumnus to return as a commencement speaker, told graduates “not to be afraid to say yes” when opportunities arise, recounting an opportunity he had several years ago as a young songwriter to collaborate with an up and coming young artist — an artist that would lead to his first No. 1 hit, a record deal, national tours and subsequent No. 1’s opening the door to his career as an artist.

“There is a very big chance that none of that would have happened if I had not said yes to my friend (country music star) Morgan Wallen back in 2016,” he said. “My point is this: Don’t be afraid to say yes to an opportunity just because you don’t think you will see an immediate result. You never know where your successes will come from. … Take a chance on yourself.”

Guiterrez seized her MTSU opportunities, as a freshman joining the Student Voice team in the Marketing and Communications Division where she covered events like commencement, the Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival, the Grand Ole Opry and Blue Raider football and basketball games. She helped grow the university’s social media channels, including more than 1.8 million views on a single reel she created for Instagram, and would go on to win multiple awards, including a Tennessee Association of Broadcasting first place award and a Telly Award for her work with The Judds Final Concert held at the historic Murphy Center.

But Hardy also cautioned graduates not to let their drive for professional success consume their lives to the point where they neglect their loved ones and even themselves trying to be too much of a people pleaser — a track that led him to an emotional breakdown within the past year, causing him to reprioritize things in his life. And that’s when you need the self-awareness “to never be afraid to say no.”

“Stand up for yourself when the time comes, and if your gut is ever telling you to stand up for yourself, go with your gut every single time,” he said. “And when you do that, you gain pride, and when you gain pride, you gain self-confidence, and self-confidence is fuel for success.”

In welcoming remarks at each ceremony, MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee expressed pride in MTSU being “Tennessee’s University of Opportunities,” providing pathways to success to first-generation college students and being a top workforce provider to the Greater Nashville area.

“For more than a century, so many people have come here to find purpose and direction, and to change the trajectory of their lives for the better,” McPhee said. “And by living up to this brand, we also lift up the economy and quality of life in our region and state. I am proud that more than 70% of our graduates remain in the great state of Tennessee, building lives, opening businesses, starting families, and contributing to their communities.”

‘Live a life of impact’

Of the 2,439 graduates celebrated at the three commencement ceremonies, 2,036 were undergraduates and 403 were graduate students, including 366 master’s and 21 education-specialist recipients and 16 doctoral degree-holders. In addition, 29 graduate students received graduate certificates.

One of those graduate students was Rhiannon Overcast, whose matriculation marks not only her graduating with an impressive 4.0 in the College of Education’s Master of Education in Higher Education Administration Supervision program, but the end of six years on the Blue Raider campus.

“I chose to pursue the higher education focus and continue directly from undergraduate to graduate education because my time as an undergrad at MTSU gave me a glimpse into higher education and its possibilities, and I felt drawn to it,” said the Shelbyville native. “Leaving what has come to feel like home can be difficult, but I know that I have an amazing support system of friends and mentors I have gained during my time here at MTSU.”

Overcast left her impression on campus, not only as a student, but as a worker in multiple roles. She worked as a campus tour guide for three years, as an intern for the Tennessee STEM Education Center for a semester and as a graduate assistant for two years under whom she dubbed one of her biggest inspirations, agriculture education professor Chaney Mosley. Overcast said her next steps will be pursuing employment in the college or university setting.

As keynote speaker for Friday afternoon’s ceremony, fellow College of Education alumnus Cary Holman jokingly told graduates from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences and College of Liberal Arts that “today is a setup.” 

Now director of the Franklin County School District, Holman noted that the thousands of parents and guardians in attendance were shedding tears of joy — because their purses and wallets would now be a bit fuller: “They are about to cut you off financially … or they’re going to minimize their support,” he said, drawing laughter throughout the arena.

But turning to a more serious point, Holman, who earned his Ed.S. degree from MTSU and was a longtime school administrator in Rutherford County Schools, used the term “True Blue” — focusing on the acronym BLUE — to give graduates directions for the next step in their lives, with B standing for “believing that you have done it.”

“L means live a life full of impact — your actions, your words will either draw or they will deter you,” he said. “U is understand your value. Your experiences, your exposure and your expectations will take you far in life. And then E … expect greatness. You know why? Because you’re educated and you are determined.

“Take the time to appreciate your True Blue journey,” Holman continued, ending with a favorite personal quote to encourage graduates in their next phase of life: “A willing mind desires to see the mountains moved, but a determined mind moves the mountains.”

That might describe Friday graduate Tara Kirkpatrick of Murfreesboro, a 28-year-old mother of three who felt she might be “too late to the game” to go back to college. Although the past two years have brought unique challenges, earning a psychology degree from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences has been worth the effort.

“This moment — graduation — is a representation of all the hard work, challenge and adversity that I have overcome to get here,” said Kirkpatrick, who graduated summa cum laude with honors and distinction to earn a Bachelor of Science in psychology with minors in mental health services, aging studies and university honors. “With tenacity, I have achieved all that I set out to do, and more.”

Kirkpatrick said one of the highlights has been working in the Cognitive Aging Lab, which gave her real-world experience in a research setting and “allowed me to learn new applications of the knowledge that I have and to gain new knowledge, skills and experience.” 

In the fall, Kirkpatrick will begin MTSU’s Clinical Psychology Master’s Program. She was offered a graduate assistantship that will give her hands-on research experience as part of her master’s thesis. 

‘Step to a new beginning’

Alumnus and Tennessee District 56 state Rep. Bob Freeman gave special acknowledgement to the first-generation graduates in keynote remarks at the Saturday morning ceremony to those students exiting the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and University College.

Graduation “is not just a personal achievement, but a collective celebration” for them and their families and supporters, said Freeman, president of Freeman Webb real estate company.

“Each of you sitting here today have faced unique challenges, overcome obstacles and emerged more robust and more resilient because of them,” he said. “Remember, it’s not the fairness of the challenge that defines you, it’s your response to it. … As you stand on the threshold of a new challenge, remember that every challenge is an opportunity in disguise.” 

For Jones College of Business graduate Blake Hill, 22, of Memphis, “graduation means a step to a new beginning.” The marketing major (professional selling focus) and business administration minor admits the next chapter’s “exciting, but kind of scary. You’ve got to get back out there and find out what you want to do for the rest of your life.”  

Hill has taken on numerous challenges, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic his freshman year, being a Blue Raider cheerleader for four years and landing the roles as intramural chair and recruiting chair for the Sigma Pi, where the fraternity’s numbers doubled from 20 to 40 members. He helped a new friend establish Sigma Pi at Coastal Carolina University.

At MTSU, Hill’s excelling in sales meant traveling to contests, reaching the semifinals of the National Collegiate Sales Competition and performing well at others. He was a valued student worker in both the Development and Foundation office and Jones College of Business office. On campus, it was all about “building relationships and meeting great people along the way.”

Hill heads to Memphis following commencement and awaits a second interview with a major company that could lead to his first job.

Freeman told graduates such as Hill that they were “equipped with the knowledge, skills and resilience to face the unknown with confidence and determination.” 

“You’re not just graduates, you are agents of change, equipped to positively impact the world around you. … Your journey doesn’t end here. It’s just the beginning of a new adventure filled with endless possibilities.”

The official spring 2024 commencement program, listing all the graduates by college as well as providing more details on the event and speakers, is available at https://bit.ly/MTSUCommencement-Program-Spring-2024.

With the spring 2024 commencement ceremonies, MTSU has awarded more than 185,491 degrees to its students, including associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degrees, since its 1911 founding as it completes its 113^th academic year this summer.

— Jimmy Hart, Randy Weiler, Stephanie Wagner, Nancy DeGennaro, DeAnn Hays (news@mtsu.edu)