[134] Kentucky students discover MTSU programs, reduced fee options

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Prospective Middle Tennessee State University student Grayson Thurman came to the university’s True Blue Tour event in Louisville, Kentucky, from Frankfort, the state capital. Others came from Fairdale, Shelbyville and other local communities.

Clayton Karsner, 16 drove to Bowling Green with his mother and father, Ramona and Steve Karsner, from about two hours away in Danville. Others came to Bowling Green from other adjacent counties and from Gallatin and Greenbrier, Tennessee.

They came from near and far to learn about the higher education opportunities available to them at MTSU. In addition to Kentucky, the tour visits Atlanta, Georgia, and Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama, and seven Tennessee cities from Memphis to Johnson City. MTSU hosts student receptions and counselor luncheons.

“We appreciate you all coming here (to Louisville),” said Amy Medley, a counselor at duPont Manual High School, and mother of Jackson Medley, 16, a sophomore at Christian Academy of Louisville, whom she brought to the student reception. Her son is interested in the Department of Aerospace professional pilot program.

In both Louisville and Bowling Green, Peter Cunningham, vice provost for academic programs, shared about the Regional Scholars Program and Academic Common Market for qualifying students from the Bluegrass State.

Academic Common Market programs available to Kentucky students include aerospace’s unmanned aircraft systems (drones), Concrete Industry Management, animation and recording industry’s audio production, commercial songwriting and music business.

Students interested in these programs, which are not offered at Kentucky colleges or universities, may qualify for in-state tuition at MTSU.

The Regional Scholars Program allows select Kentucky students living within 250 miles of the Murfreesboro campus and meeting specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate (about 48 percent) as well as qualify for freshman academic merit scholarships.

 For more on the Academic Common Market, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/acm/. To learn more about the Regional Scholars Program, visit

http://www.mtsu.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/regional-scholars.php.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Linda Olsen, undergraduate recruitment director, also promoted the Saturday, Nov. 4, Fall Preview Day and Dec. 1 deadline to apply and be considered for major scholarships.