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At True Blue Tour, East TN students planning a fut...

At True Blue Tour, East TN students planning a future with MTSU

JOHNSON CITY and KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — High school seniors Carter Nagy of Elizabethton, Tennessee, and Ashley Gaetz of Clinton, Tennessee, have added Middle Tennessee State University to their future plans for 2024 — and Nagy’s even fast-forwarding his strategy by 10 months.

They were among the dozens of high school prospects attending the annual True Blue Tour student receptions in Johnson City and Knoxville recently.

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee addresses the audience of prospective high school and transfer students attending the annual True Blue Tour recruiting event Oct. 24 at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City, Tenn. Through a drawing, he awarded five scholarships during the two-hour event. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)
Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee addresses the audience of prospective high school and transfer students attending the annual True Blue Tour recruiting event Oct. 24 at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City, Tenn. Through a drawing, he awarded five scholarships during the two-hour event. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

The tour includes 14 stops across Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama. Led by President Sidney A. McPhee, Provost Mark Byrnes and college deans, the recruiting events help prospective high school and transfer students engage with MTSU staff to learn more about the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, university.

MTSU also hosts midday luncheons at most Tennessee stops, where McPhee and staff court counselors and community college staff, boosted this year by McPhee launching a scholarship where he presents each school represented with a scholarship they can award to one or more of their students.

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president
Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

At tour events, McPhee emphasizes to prospective students, parents, counselors and others that “students are our No. 1 priority … MTSU is an economical choice … smaller class sizes … (300) quality academic programs … and caring faculty and staff.”

Tony Strode, undergraduate recruitment director, shares about the Dec. 1 deadline to apply in order to obtain guaranteed scholarships if they meet the requirements, scholarship information and more.

A member of the Middle Tennessee State University True Blue 100 as a freshman in the 2019-20 academic year at Hall High School, Nathan Morgan, left, reviews Admissions Office recruiting material as his father, Robert Morgan, observes during the annual MTSU True Blue Tour event Oct. 24 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. Each year, MTSU staff identify the top 100 freshmen scholars in Tennessee. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)
A member of the Middle Tennessee State University True Blue 100 as a freshman in the 2019-20 academic year at Hall High School, Nathan Morgan, left, reviews Admissions Office recruiting material as his father, Robert Morgan, observes during the annual MTSU True Blue Tour event Oct. 24 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. Each year, MTSU staff identify the top 100 freshmen scholars in Tennessee. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

A change of heart

Nagy, a 4.0 GPA student who’s a whiz with graphics, photography and design, was considering another school … until he learned he could be a part of MT football’s recruiting efforts now. He began assisting remotely in October and plans to visit and attend the 41st annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces game Saturday, Nov. 11, between the Blue Raiders and FIU.

Carter Nagy, Elizabethton High School senior
Carter Nagy

“I create graphics to send to recruits and to share on social media pages,” Nagy said. “Our goal is to grab the attention of recruits and to give a better idea of MTSU’s football program and the great things it has to offer.”

Erik Bartlett, MTSU director of football video, said Nagy’s “work is pretty impressive.”

At the Johnson City event held at the Carnegie Hotel, Nagy’s name was drawn for a $2,000 scholarship. McPhee upped it to $3,000 after Nagy and his mother, Sara Dunford, shared his story.

Judy Fletcher, a college and career adviser at Elizabethton High, said she plans to give part of the $2,500 scholarship she received for students to Nagy, her student worker “and an outstanding and talented young man.”

Johnson City, Tenn., Science Hill High School junior Parker Tebbe, left, and her mother, Erin Tebbe, discuss the prospective student’s interest with Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee Oct. 24 during the university’s True Blue Tour visit to Northeast Tennessee. The event was held at the Carnegie Hotel and drew dozens of potential students wanting to learn more about MTSU’s 300-plus academic programs. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)
Johnson City, Tenn., Science Hill High School junior Parker Tebbe, left, and her mother, Erin Tebbe, discuss the prospective student’s interest with Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee Oct. 24 during the university’s True Blue Tour visit to Northeast Tennessee. The event was held at the Carnegie Hotel and drew dozens of potential students wanting to learn more about MTSU’s 300-plus academic programs. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

Discovering flight

Life changed for Gaetz, 17, also carrying a 4.0 GPA, at age 14 when her mother, Kelli Gaetz, died. “I’ve been able to overcome it in my own ways,” said Ashley Gaetz. She discovered a love of flying and airplanes a year later to go with her involvement in the Clinton Air Force Junior ROTC.

Ashley Gaetz, Clinton High School senior
Ashley Gaetz

Gaetz took an MTSU daily campus tour Oct. 6 and met and heard MTSU Aerospace Chair Chaminda Prelis at the Knoxville event. “He encouraged me, but he was talking to a lot of people at once,” she said, adding the Delta Propel and Southwest Airlines Destination 225° agreements the university has with industry partners sound appealing.

“What I want to do in life is become a pilot,” Gaetz said. “MTSU is one one of the best aviation colleges in the region. I don’t want to attend a private aviation college because I want to be able to be around peers who are pursuing different paths in their life.”

Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee addresses the audience of prospective high school and transfer students attending the annual True Blue Tour recruiting event Oct. 25 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. Through a drawing, he awarded multiple scholarships as students learned about housing, the Honors College and met with representatives from the various MTSU colleges. (MTSU photo by Andrew Oppmann)
Middle Tennessee State University President Sidney A. McPhee addresses the audience of prospective high school and transfer students attending the annual True Blue Tour recruiting event Oct. 25 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. Through a drawing, he awarded multiple scholarships as students learned about housing, the Honors College and met with representatives from the various MTSU colleges. (MTSU photo by Andrew Oppmann)

Up next

The True Blue Tour heads to Chattanooga, Tennessee, Thursday, Nov. 2, for a student reception (6 p.m. EST) and luncheon (12:30 p.m. EST) for counselors and community college staff, both at the The Chattanoogan Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, 1201 Broad St.

The Atlanta, Georgia, portion of the tour will feature the College of Media and Entertainment and its highly regarded programs, including the Departments of Recording Industry and Media Arts. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 1, starting at The Westin Atlanta Perimeter North, 7 Concourse Parkway NE.

Ryleigh Brown, left, a senior at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., learns about scholarship opportunities and more and receives a lanyard from Meredith Wright, enrollment coordinator for the Middle Tennessee State University Admissions Office Oct. 24 during the university’s True Blue Tour recruiting event at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)
Ryleigh Brown, left, a senior at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., learns about scholarship opportunities and more and receives a lanyard from Meredith Wright, enrollment coordinator for the Middle Tennessee State University Admissions Office Oct. 24 during the university’s True Blue Tour recruiting event at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)

Those wanting to attend should RSVP for any future stop at https://www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/special-events.php,though walkups to the event are also welcome. 

MTSU will hold a True Blue Preview event on campus starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Student Union and conducts daily campus tours. Email admissions@mtsu.edu, text 615-645-2646 or call 615-898-5670 for more information.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Shown posing with Middle Tennessee State University mascot Lightning, center, best friends and West High School students Nadia Johnson, left, and Ariyana Benoit were among the scholarship recipients attending the MTSU True Blue Tour event Oct. 24 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)
Shown posing with Middle Tennessee State University mascot Lightning, center, best friends and West High School students Nadia Johnson, left, and Ariyana Benoit were among the scholarship recipients attending the MTSU True Blue Tour event Oct. 24 at The Foundry On the Fair Site in Knoxville, Tenn. (MTSU photo by Randy Weiler)


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