The sixth annual True Blue Give campaign by Middle Tennessee State University was a huge success, raising more than $670,000 from MTSU alumni and university supporters during the three-day drive.

More than 830 MTSU alumni, faculty and staff, and friends from all over the country came together to pledge $671,474 to support MTSU students, surpassing the campaign goal of $650,000, said Kristen Keene, director of annual giving/special projects for MTSU Development and Advancement Services.

The contributions include more than $36,000 toward student need scholarships and emergency funds, almost $200,000 toward MTSU Athletics and the Blue Raider Athletic Association, and more than $305,000 to academic departments and colleges.

Started in 2018, True Blue Give is a crowdfunding movement created by alumni and friends. Supporters make a gift online or by text during the three-day effort to show their support for current MTSU students by giving to areas on campus with critical needs. 

In a student thank you video posted on You Tube, MTSU junior Peyton Reichenau of Murfreesboro thanked the university “for helping me become the person I am today.”

“I want to thank my professors for not only helping me flourish as a communicator, but as a writer and a researcher and a person,” said Reichenau, who’s majoring in Communication, Culture and Social Influence. (See the full video below.)

Supporters have now raised almost $3 million for scholarships, emergency funds, the student food pantry, academics and athletics during the past six years. This year’s drive was held Feb. 14-16.

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)