MTSU's Kirksey Old Main at night. (Courtesy Shacklett's Photography)

Today, more than 100,000 have completed a similar journey towards earning a diploma – a piece of paper representing the bank of knowledge that will forever be with them.

With enrollment nearing 27,000, Middle Tennessee State University will celebrate its 100^th birthday in September – a grand milestone that will celebrate the university’s history, while implementing a vision for the future.

Times have changed, as has the school’s name, but its core principals and standards will ring true for centuries to come.

According to the MTSU Centennial website, when the college celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 1961, then-president Dr. Quill E. Cope identified five images that he thought the college should strive to reflect: a beautiful campus, excellent instructional program, loyal alumni, friendly student body and faculty, and a peoples’ college meeting diverse area needs.

“This is true at the 100 year mark, as it was at the 50 year mark,” says MTSU spokesman Andrew Oppmann. “That really kind of speaks to how that mission resonated 50 years ago and how it continues to resonate, as well.”

He attributes the growth and success of the university to the consistent fulfillment of its mission of being responsive to the needs of students in the community.

Within the past 10 years, MTSU has added 23 undergraduate and graduate degrees – five of which were Ph.D.s – two colleges, 10 institutes and centers and has earned both the Carnegie Classification and Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

“If you think about our beginnings as a normal school, a teachers college, and see now that we’re offering these amazing programs far beyond our original scope, it really speaks to how this university has adapted to the needs of the community and tried to provide them,” Oppmann continued.

“That helps them grow and prosper. We’re very, very proud of the fact that we are the number one choice for undergraduates in Tennessee. We offer so much opportunity at the undergraduate level that they can find ways to shine here at MTSU that might not be as readily apparent elsewhere.”

He went on to say that the university offers many courses of study, like forensic science, at the undergraduate level, where many other institutions would require students to be at the graduate level.

“We make student success possible, and we provide opportunities that are easy to reach,” Oppmann said.

That isn’t to say that the bar has been lowered for students. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite, he continued.

“Standards have been steadily increasing,” he said, pointing to the state’s Complete College Act, which is making a priority upon the retention and the graduation of students.

“We’ve had to control our growth through our standards. This growth is coming even as our standards are getting tougher.”

As MTSU enters its second century of service, president Dr. Sidney McPhee says the university’s leaders “will maintain our quality, and continue to be good stewards of our resources, by focusing our attention and priorities on three goals: Enhancing academic quality; promoting a student-centered living and learning environment; and leveraging partnerships with business and industry.”

“During our centennial year, you will hear us speak often of MTSU’s pride, tradition and excellence,” he said. “We are indeed proud to be the No. 1 choice of undergraduates in Tennessee and we work every day to continue our tradition of providing an excellent learning environment that is challenging and productive.”

He added that “with the help of our outstanding faculty, many of whom are the leaders in their fields, our academic programs continue to grow and enjoy regional, national, and in some cases, international recognition.”

Beginning as a normal school with 125 students, MTSU now has the largest undergraduate enrollment in the state, and its programs include some that are nationally known, according to the Centennial website.

This 100-year celebration coincides with state budgetary challenges that require a rethinking and repositioning that will affect the entire university community. Given the institution’s propensity for surviving and flourishing even though conditions are far from optimum, it is expected that MTSU’s journey into a second century will bring yet undreamed of accomplishments, the site states.

Celebration
The university will celebrate its 100-year mark with a grand affair on Sept. 9 at Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

"The Blue Tie Gala will be an exquisite event worthy of honoring such a monumental occasion as 100 years of excellence in education," said Michelle Stepp, associate director of alumni relations. "MTSU family and friends will come together in celebration while commemorating their place in MTSU's history and seeing the University into the next 100 years."

While not a fundraising event, any extra funds leftover from the cost will be devoted to the Centennial Scholars program, which was only recently established. Coupled with the existing Buchanan and Presidential Scholar programs, it will provide MTSU students with one of the most competitive scholarship offerings in the region.

“It is a self-funded event,” university spokesman Andrew Oppmann explained. “We were tasked with (creating) a party that covered its own expenses, and that’s what our volunteer leadership has worked really hard to do – make sure that the party pays for itself.”

Each of the 1,200 tickets has been spoken for, and Oppmann confirmed there is a waiting list for any possible openings.