MTSU normally drives hundreds of miles across Tennessee and major cities in three states to recruit several thousand prospective students and court their counselors on its annual True Blue Tour.

Things are not totally back to normal because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, academic deans, advisers and other campus leaders will be meeting and greeting and interacting with high school and transfer students virtually this fall.

MTSU admissions recruiter October Henson, right, will co-host the upcoming Virtual True Blue Tour events with Office of Admissions colleague Tony Strode. They will interact with respective high school and transfer students and their parents. (MTSU file photo by Andy Heidt)

The university has scheduled four Virtual True Blue Tour events — for East, Middle and West Tennessee and the finale for any out-of-state students — instead of taking MTSU on the road as it has done for about 25 years to personally engage with prospective students.

Registration is required. The Virtual True Blue Tours, which will be open to registered guests only and not to the general public, will be delivered on MTSU Livestream.

The dates include:

• 6:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Oct. 14, for the Middle Tennessee region.

•6:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Oct. 21, for West Tennessee

• 5:30 p.m. CDT Monday, Oct. 26, for East Tennessee.

• 5:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Oct. 28, for out of state students.

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Linda Olsen

“This undergraduate recruiting season, out of respect and concern for our prospective students, guests and the MTSU family, we will not travel across the state and region for the True Blue Tour for the first time in decades,” McPhee said.

“But I still look forward to connecting virtually with the many bright scholars considering joining the Blue Raider family next academic year and look forward to the day when we can get back on the road to personally share the MTSU story,” he added.

Linda Olsen, director of undergraduate admissions, said for anyone who has ever attended a True Blue Tour event, “we promise our first-ever virtual event will hold the same excitement, with a few surprises as well. This will be an opportunity to see what’s new at MTSU. Come and see what MTSU has to offer for your future.”

Tony Strode

October Henson

The remote sessions will be co-hosted by October Henson, interim assistant director of freshman recruitment, and Tony Strode, transfer enrollment coordinator.

Prospective students will hear from admissions counselors, current students and McPhee. Henson and Strode will introduce the campus video.

“True Blue Tour is a great opportunity to get to know MTSU better,” Henson said. “We will share more about campus, the admissions process, scholarships and so much more.”

Students who attend remotely will be sent a T-shirt and other materials. For registered students, there will also be drawings for prizes every 10 minutes. A grand prize also will be awarded.

Guided daily campus tours and self-guided tours are available, as well as some guided Saturday tours. For more information, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/, email admissions at admissions@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-2233.

MTSU has more than 300 combined undergraduate and graduate programs for prospective students to consider.

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