Nearly 700 MTSU students to celebrate degrees at summer commencement
Ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at Murphy Center; also livestreamed
Middle Tennessee State University will celebrate nearly 700 new graduates during its Summer 2026 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 8, as family, friends and supporters gather inside Murphy Center to honor the university's newest Blue Raider alumni.
The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. in Hale Arena at Murphy Center and is open to the public. It will also be livestreamed on the MTSU website, the university's Facebook page and True Blue TV.
A total of 692 students are expected to receive degrees, including 473 undergraduate students and 219 graduate students. Among the graduate recipients are 182 master's degree candidates, 16 education specialist graduates, 21 doctoral candidates and two students earning graduate certificates.
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will deliver congratulatory remarks, while keynote speaker Michael P. Federici, professor and former chair of the Department of Global and Political Affairs, will address graduates. Federici also recently completed his term as president of the MTSU Faculty Senate.
An accomplished political scholar, Federici has authored six books, including The Political Philosophy of Alexander Hamilton, and has participated in more than 1,000 interviews with regional, national and international media outlets throughout his career.
Graduates representing the College of Graduate Studies, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Jones College of Business, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts and University College will receive degrees during the ceremony.
With this commencement, MTSU will have awarded more than 195,330 degrees since the university was founded in 1911.
Ceremony Information
The commencement ceremony is expected to last approximately two hours, and graduates are required to remain for the entire event.
The university will provide closed captioning for livestreams and American Sign Language interpretation during the ceremony. Live coverage begins approximately 15 minutes before the ceremony starts.
Visitors should be aware that Murphy Center's clear bag policy will be in effect. Parking information, seating maps, driving directions and additional commencement details are available on the MTSU commencement website.
Looking Ahead
The university's 2026-27 academic year begins Aug. 24, with University Convocation scheduled for Aug. 22. The event will welcome the incoming Class of 2030 and transfer students and will feature author Edward J. Larson, whose book Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters serves as MTSU's summer reading selection. The convocation will also be streamed live through MTSU's online platforms.
