Emily Fisher, 17, right, a Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences senior, and others learn about MTSU College of Education program offerings from university advisers Alicia Abney and Bryanna Licciardi Oct. 4 during the True Blue Tour visit at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
photo by Rob Janson
MTSU College of Education Dean Lana Seivers, right, shows prospective student Ashlyn Powers, 17, of Ooltewah, printed material for educational programs she might consider as her parents, Angie and Ron Powers watch. Their meeting occurred Oct. 4 during the True Blue Tour recruiting event at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
photo by Randy Weiler
Chattanooga State Community College sophomore Austin Alderholt, right, discusses the opportunities the MTSU Electronic Media Communications mobile truck has for students with Marc Parrish, EMC director of engineering, Oct. 4 during the university’s True Blue Tour stop in Chattanooga.
photo by Randy Weiler
Part of the large turnout for the MTSU True Blue Tour stop in Chattanooga, the first leg of the 11-city visits across the state and the Southeast to recruit prospective students
photo by Randy Weiler
A number of future Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders walked through the doors of the Chattanooga Convention Center as prospective students attending the university’s True Blue Tour student reception Oct. 4.
Two of them stood out.
In fact, Grace Academy senior Ashlyn Powers and Chattanooga State Community College Student Government Association President Austin Alderholt oozed with excitement as they attended. They knew the acceptance of their respective applications to attend the Murfreesboro university are nearly a reality.
The annual True Blue Tour, an 11-city stop by the university across the state and Southeast, takes MTSU on the road as administrators, academic officials and admissions staff entertain students, their families and area counselors and community college personnel with separate events. In Chattanooga, 145 students and 326 total guests attended.
Exiting the $1.7 million College of Media and Entertainment mobile production truck after a personal tour from Marc Parrish, Electronic Media Communications director of engineering, Mr. Alderholt said “this thing is amazing” when asked his thoughts about it.
Mr. Alderholt, 19, of Ringgold, who has served as managing editor of Chattanooga State’s student newspaper, plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism.
He credits Angela McClister, a Chattanooga State media technologies faculty member, mentor and MTSU alumna as the reason for continuing to chase his higher education dream in Murfreesboro. Plus, after visiting the John Bragg Media and Entertainment Building, he “fell in love with it.”
The Tennessee Transfer Pathway will allow Mr. Alderholt to attend MTSU with in-state tuition. A musician, he also spent time with School of Music lecturer Chris Combest during the recruiting event.
Ms. Powers, 17, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, is head-over-heels with the College of Education as she plans an elementary education path.
“Since I was little, I always liked kids,” she said. “I teach children at church. … As I’ve been looking at other colleges, I was really impressed with the (MTSU) education department and know all the things they teach will prepare me to be a teacher.”
Ms. Powers, who scored a 30 on her ACT, plans to submit her final paperwork to be considered for a Buchanan Fellowship during a campus visit Friday, Oct. 14. The scholarship is the largest a student can receive and is administered by the Honors College. It is named in honor Dr. James M. Buchanan, a Nobel Prize-winning alumnus.
Advisers in Media and Entertainment, education Dean Lana Seivers and Linda Olsen, first-year director of undergraduate recruitment, are impressed with the prospects of Powers, Alderholt and others being a part of MTSU.
The True Blue Tour travels to Atlanta Wednesday, Oct. 5, for counselor/community college staff luncheon and student reception.