We work to ensure that all students who attend MTSU get the individual attention and support they need to graduate. We call this student success and even have a cabinet-level office devoted to it. Here are the most recent updates.
Behavior Change for Good Initiative
The Behavior Change for Good Initiative (BCFG) at the University of Pennsylvania is designed to increase college persistence and boost academic performance. BCFG partnered with MTSU and 28 additional large U.S. universities to offer the Starter Kit program to their incoming students for the 2025鈥�26 academic year. Starting in mid-April 2025, incoming first-year MTSU students were invited to complete the Starter Kit program, which was included in their pre-orientation modules in the learning management system. Starter Kit was developed to identify what helps students succeed in college. To evaluate the effectiveness of eight interventions designed to improve student outcomes, students were randomly assigned to one of nine versions of the Starter Kit program, including a business-as-usual version to which the eight interventions will be compared. All versions included an initial online activity and follow-up text messages throughout the fall term.
A total of 2,530 MTSU students started the initial online activity and participated in the program. Students answered three questions about their transition to MTSU:
- How academically prepared do you feel for your first term at MTSU? Options ranged from 1 (Not at all prepared) to 7 (Extremely prepared). Students generally felt 鈥淩easonably prepared鈥� for their first term, reporting an average score of 4.09 out of 7. A preliminary analysis shows that first-generation students reported a lower average score (3.88) than their non-first-generation peers (4.27).
- When you think about MTSU, how often, if ever, do you wonder: 鈥淢aybe I won鈥檛 belong here?鈥� Options ranged from 1 (Never) to 7 (Extremely often). Students generally reported these feelings 鈥淣ot very often,鈥� with an average score of 2.86 out of 7. A preliminary analysis shows no difference between first-generation and non-first-generation students on this question.
- How confident are you that you will be able to succeed at MTSU? Options ranged from 1 (Not at all confident) to 7 (Extremely confident). Students generally felt 鈥淨uite confident鈥� about their ability to succeed, reporting an average score of 5.07 out of 7. A preliminary analysis shows that first-generation students reported a lower average score (4.95) than their non-first-generation peers (5.16).
Scholars Academy
Over 170 students had been accepted into the 2026 Scholars Academy cohort by June. Interest in the program continued to grow during the summer, driven in part by participation in the New to Blue Orientation sessions. The program continued to accept students who demonstrated a need for additional support and would benefit from participation in the Scholars Academy.
The Scholars Academy had 148 students in the Fall 2025 cohort, and 142 (95.9%) students returned in Spring 2026.
During March 20鈥�21, the Scholars Academy hosted a retreat and training for 22 peer mentors and five coordinators for a powerful time of connection, preparation, and purpose. The sessions included team building and meaningful discussions to develop outreach plans and prepare for our peer-led sessions for the Summer Institute.
Scholars Academy students also participated in the Career Development Center Etiquette Dinner, an event designed to teach students how to navigate business engagements professionally. The experience includes a networking reception and seated dinner, guided by industry professionals, with instruction along the way.
Learning Support
The Office of Student Success (OSS) partnered with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities through its Reimagining the Professoriate initiative to conduct a comprehensive review of learning support programs. By examining where and how support services are deployed, MTSU is working to scale and refine high-impact practices, particularly in gateway courses with historically high DFW (grade D/grade F/withdrawal) rates.
The Learning Assistant (LA) program at MTSU experienced significant growth and demonstrated clear success during the 2025鈥�26 academic year after being institutionalized through the OSS. As a direct result of documented outcomes, the OSS expanded the program to 20 LAs in Fall 2025 and 24 LAs in Spring 2026 with plans for continued growth. Learning assistants support sections of introductory Biology and Chemistry courses, as well as Essentials of Mathematics.
LA-supported sections of General Biology I and General Chemistry I have shown lower DFW rates compared to sections without learning assistants, with particularly strong gains in General Biology I (20% with LAs vs. 37% without). Importantly, the program narrowed gaps between first-generation and continuing-generation students in both courses. Student surveys and reflections indicate that learning assistants positively impact students’ sense of belonging and science identity, providing encouragement, clarity, and relatable role models that foster confidence and persistence. Faculty working with LAs consistently implemented evidence-based teaching practices, supported by structured LA-student interactions each class period. The program has generated increased faculty demand, high student interest, and measurable student success, positioning the LA program as a sustainable, high-impact initiative for student learning and belonging at MTSU.
Student experiences further underscore the impact of these initiatives. Participants consistently highlight the value of Supplemental Instruction (SI) programs and LA support in building confidence, deepening understanding, and fostering meaningful academic connections.
Academic Advising
Academic advising remains one of the most important touchpoints in the student experience at MTSU, serving as a critical component of student retention, persistence, and degree completion.
From May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026, college advisors engaged with 16,369 unique students, representing approximately 88.7% of the University’s undergraduate student population. During that same period, advisors conducted more than 46,000 advising appointments.
These interactions provided students with opportunities to discuss academic planning, degree progression, registration, career aspirations, campus resources, and strategies for overcoming challenges that may impact their success. Academic advisors achieved a remarkable 95% completion rate for advising summary reports, ensuring that students received clear documentation of recommendations, next steps, and resources discussed during appointments.
Adult Degree Completion Program
Targeted outreach to adult learners across the region continued through partnership with EAB. Early indicators show sustained growth in inquiries from adult learners, reinforcing the effectiveness of a more coordinated, data-informed recruitment strategy.
With the University鈥檚 transition from D2L to Canvas, our Adult Learner Orientation was redesigned to provide a more well-rounded experience that students can review throughout their time at MTSU.
Corporate Partnerships
MTSU鈥檚 Corporate Education Partnerships continue to make a measurable impact on workforce development. A total of 52 corporate-affiliated students completed a bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degree during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters. With more than 150 employees earning degrees since the creation of these education agreements, these opportunities are helping employers strengthen talent retention while creating meaningful pathways for career advancement among working adults in our community.
Prior Learning Assessment
MTSU鈥檚 Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program remains a powerful tool for adult learners, with 103 students participating in the PLA class during the 2025鈥�26 academic year, turning real-world experience into academic progress.
PLA continues to play a critical role in reducing time-to-degree. By allowing students to earn an average of 24 credit hours through documented experience, PLA removes barriers and helps adult learners translate real-world expertise into academic progress.
Dual Enrollment
Since the creation of the Dual Enrollment (DE) Office in 2015, MTSU has served more than 12,000 dual enrollment students. In the Spring 2026 term, MTSU offered 136 dual enrollment sections, with 18 different departments offering DE courses.
The office is planning new Aerospace partnerships with Creekwood High School in Dickson County and Liberty Creek High School in Sumner County, both set to offer multiple Aerospace courses. Additional course offerings also will be found at Grace Christian Academy in Franklin, which is adding a foreign language course (Spanish), as well as Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, which will offer Introduction to Business (BCED 1400) for the first time.
Experiential Learning (EXL)
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Experiential Learning Scholars Program continues to significantly contribute to student achievement and University graduation goals. During the 2025鈥�26 academic year, there were 430 faculty members offering 1,472 sections of EXL-designated courses across all nine colleges. Enrollment in EXL classes totaled 21,782 over the year, with almost 200 students earning the EXL Scholar Graduation Distinction. This represents an increase of nearly 300 course sections and 2,000 students over offerings throughout the previous year.
In addition, EXL students contributed approximately $16 million to the local community through service projects, totaling nearly $171 million in contributions to the community since the program began.