Murfreesboro, TN - Perhaps the lyrics, "I'll remember always, Graduation Day". Some memories last a lifetime, and 1,600 of those life-long gray matter creations will occur in 9:00AM and 2:00PM separate commencements at MTSU's Murphy Center.

Congratulatory bouquets, balloons, cards and thousands of proud family,friends and supporters were again on full display at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center on Saturday (12/14/2024) as almost 1,600 new alumni crossed the stage of Hale/Earle Arena to accept their degrees during 2024 fall commencement ceremonies.

Planning to apply for medical school in May 2025 in hopes of becoming an OB-GYN someday, graduate Hannah Harris of Kingston was among those accepting degrees during the first of two ceremonies honoring graduate students and undergrads in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, and College of Education.

Harris said she has enjoyed the total MTSU True Blue experience.

“I loved it so much,” said Harris, 21, who earned her bachelor’s in chemistry with minors in biology, psychology and Honors—and 4.0 GPA, graduating summa cum laude.

“I was in the Band of Blue for three years. I made a lot of friends.”

With dual-enrollment credits from Roan State Community College, she entered MTSU as an Honors College Buchanan Fellow(full scholarship), was in Alpha Omega Pi sorority, was a student orientation assistant, Panhellenic recruitment counselor and conducted chemistry and biology research projects.

As for the med school opportunity, Harris said she “will find out where I’ll be in 2026. I’m trying to get a clinical experience. I’ll likely move out of state and experience something else...whatever medical school takes me.”

Encouraging Harris and other graduates in the morning ceremony was alumna and this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Peggy Chabrian, a longtime aviation enthusiast and educator who is the founder of Women in Aviation International and served as its president and CEO for 25 years.

Holding up a framed photo of herself receiving her master’s degree in aerospace education from then MTSU President Sam Ingram in 1980, Chabrian shared how she walked across the Murphy Center stage twice in the same year after earning her bachelor’s in aviation management in spring then taking advantage of scholarships over the summer and fall—along with avery heavy course load—to earn her master’s in aerospace education that fall.

“Many of the things I learned at MTSU were instrumental in my flying experiences, my own university teaching and administration experiences and played a significant part in the formation of the non-profit organization I founded, Women in Aviation International, “ she said.

“MTSU is the special place where the first glow of enthusiasm grew for aviation education.”

Chabrian, who went on to earn her Ed.D. degree from the University of Tennessee in 1985, offered the new graduates a number of tips to effectively navigate their lives beyond the university using the acronym SUCCESS, with “U” referring to the importance of “utilizing” the networking resources the university offers such as the MTSU Alumni Association, Career Development Center, as well as faculty and professional associations.

“These are all networks currently available to you. Use them,” she said. “You may have heard, ‘it’s notjust what you know but who you know that counts.’ And I would add, the most important is ‘who knowsyou?’ ... So get involved.

You may not realize it, but people are watching.

”In congratulatory remarks before Chabrian, McPhee pointed to the significant economic impact that MTSU graduates have on the entire state, with a recent university study showing Blue Raider alumni—70% of graduates remain in the state—contribute over $15.2 billion in business revenue across the state over the course of a year.

“For more than a century, so many have come to MTSU to find purpose and direction and to change the trajectory of their lives for the better,” he said.

“We provide unparalleled opportunities to students from all walks of life.”‘

The afternoon ceremony celebrated graduate students and undergrads in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, College of Liberal Arts, College of Media and Entertainment and University College.

Sharing remarks was alumnus Byron Smith (Class of 1984), managing director of the Mountain Group Partners who began his career in brand management and marketing before eventually moving to Silicon Valley where, as a senior executive at Asurion, he led the company's headquarters relocation to Nashville.

A first-generation college student like many MTSU students, Smith was active during his time on campus in the Honors program, double majoring in economics and political science while being honored as the university’s Outstanding Student in Economics and as a Most Outstanding Senior.