MTSU wraps 13-city True Blue Tour with $1M-plus in scholarships awarded to prospective students

SHELBYVILLE and LEBANON, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University wrapped up another successful True Blue Tour with more than $1.17 million in scholarships given out to prospective students, school guidance counselors and community college advisors during the three-month, 13-city recruitment effort to draw new students to the Murfreesboro campus.

Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU President — Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

The last two stops were new for the annual tour, when MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and a team of university staff roll out the blue carpet to showcase all that MTSU has to offer — over 350 undergraduate and graduate degree majors and concentrations, nationally ranked student programming and $300 million in current construction on the 550-acre campus located in the heart of Middle Tennessee.

On Monday, Nov. 18, university faculty and staff visited school counselors and prospective students from Bedford County and surrounding areas at the Blue Ribbon Circle event center in Shelbyville, with city Mayor Randy Carroll as a special guest. On Thursday, Nov. 21, MTSU made its final stop at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon in Wilson County.

“We bring our university to the communities to let you know how important you are,” McPhee told the hundreds who came to both events.

Sidney A. McPhee, left, president of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gives a $2,500 scholarship to Franklin County High School senior Molli Hyde, who is joined by her mother, Brandi Curtis, and cousin Anna Grace Elliott, far right, at the MTSU True Blue Tour student recruitment event held Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon. (MTSU photo by Cat Curtis Murphy)

Franklin County High School senior Molli Hyde was brought to tears Thursday night during the True Blue Tour stop in Lebanon. The 17-year-old, who walked away with a $1,500 scholarship, choked up as she talked about her reason for enrolling in MTSU’s renowned nursing program — one of the top 15 programs in the nation.

“My 22-year-old sister has epilepsy,” said Hyde, who keeps a close watch on her sister because of the debilitating condition. Their mother, Brandi Curtis, said her youngest daughter is “a mother hen,” which gives her a good foundation to care for others as a nurse.

Hyde was one of 20 students to receive scholarships from McPhee during the final tour stops, with a grand total of $284,300 given out over the past three months on the three-state tour.

Sidney A. McPhee, left, president of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gives a $2,500 scholarship to Coffee County High School senior Kayden Nelson, who is joined by her mother, Melissa Nelson, right, at the MTSU True Blue Tour student recruitment event held Monday, Nov. 18, at the Blue Ribbon Circle in Shelbyville. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Seniors like 17-year-old Kayden Nelson from Coffee County High School in Manchester and Dakota Christian from Moore County High School in Lynchburg have both already been accepted to MTSU, ahead of the Dec. 1 deadline for guaranteed MTSU scholarships.

Prospective students for the 2025-26 academic year must have a complete application on file with the MTSU Admissions Office by Sunday, Dec. 1, to be considered for an academic merit guaranteed scholarship, ranging from $3,500 to $8,000 per year for four years based on ACT scores and GPA.

Christian, a 4.0 student who earned a perfect ACT score of 36, is eyeing the coveted Honors College Buchanan Fellowship, the university’s top academic award, as he plans his future in medicine.

“There are a lot of opportunities here,” said Christian, who attended the event in Shelbyville with his father and MTSU alumnus, TJ Christian.

Nelson is looking at a career in special education as a behavioral psychologist and talked extensively with College of Behavioral and Health Sciences Dean Peter Grandjean about potential degree pathways.

Jonell Hinsey, associate vice provost in the Office of Student Success at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., talks with Margaret Anne Anderson, senior class counselor at Shelbyville Central High School, at the MTSU True Blue Tour counselors luncheon held Monday, Nov. 18, at the Blue Ribbon Circle in Shelbyville. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Sidney A. McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., talks to high school guidance counselors attending a luncheon as part of the True Blue Tour student recruitment event held Monday, Nov. 18, at the Blue Ribbon Circle in Shelbyville, Tenn. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

“I want to work with children to help them,” Nelson said. “But I also know I could go into industrial organizational psychology and walk out and get a job on the spot.”

Attending college so close to home is a big draw for Melissa Nelson, who has also done her homework on what MTSU has to offer her eldest daughter.

“I’ve been really impressed with what I’ve seen on all of our campus tours,” Melissa Nelson said, “and they offer a lot of assistance.”

The Nelsons got an even bigger boost when McPhee awarded the Coffee County senior one of 10 scholarships that evening.

Andrea Farr is happy her 17-year-old son, Mt. Juliet High School senior Ryan Farr, is planning on attending nearby MTSU for an aerospace degree.

“It’s close to home, it’s affordable and the MTSU community has been very encouraging and welcoming to us. They’ve really reached out to Ryan and given him a lot of opportunities to learn about different things — a lot more than other schools,” said Andrea Farr, whose son is looking to become a professional pilot and also has interest in the unmanned aircraft systems program.

Mikael Brooks, a senior at Green Hill High School in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, plans on studying audio production at MTSU.

“The audio production … is one of the best in the country and it’s very convenient,” said Brooks, who has done his homework on the renowned Department of Recording Industry audio engineering program.

More than a 100 guidance counselors and community college advisors were awarded $2,500 scholarships to give to their students for a total of $887,000 overall. And this year, each counselor and advisor was gifted a 50% discount incentive to take a graduate course at MTSU.

“Quality people, quality academic programs, the best facilities … make MTSU a complete package,” McPhee said.

For those who missed one of the 13 True Blue Tour stops in 2024, MTSU will also offer True Blue Preview visits in 2025 on Feb. 8 and March 22. On Feb. 22, MTSU will host a new Admitted Student Day, which gives future Blue Raiders a time to meet with advisors and faculty to get a head start on orientation to learn about academic programs.

To register, go to https://www.mtsu.edu/rsvp.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)