Since its beginning in 2018, Middle Tennessee State University’s annual True Blue Give has raised over $2.3 million and helped thousands of students. The True Blue Give is a three-day crowdfunding movement created by MTSU alums and friends. “In these three days, we encourage people to make a gift online or by text to invest in their favorite college, department, program, or student organization. The money given by alumni during the True Blue Give is used to support students,” said Kristen Keene, Director of Annual Giving.
Last year, more than 840 MTSU alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends from across the United States came together to give more than $640,000 to help support MTSU by providing scholarships, emergency funds, academic departments, and athletics. “This is what I am most proud of. People can give to anything at the University. We highlight several areas each year, but people can give to anything all over campus. The departments receive those funds directly, and they’re used for all kinds of things from purchasing lab equipment to sending a student on an internship,” Keene explained. MTSU Provost Dr. Mark Brynes added, “True Blue Give is important because it focuses on meeting the needs of our University community and helps support campus programs that directly serve our students.”
In 2020, the School of Nursing provided personal protective equipment to students who were in hospitals and health clinics as part of their clinical rotations. “If you gave to the School of Nursing, you could designate your funds, and it helped purchase PPE for student nurses who had to go out and do clinicals,” Keene said.
Donors also give to scholarship funds in a big way. “They know students need scholarship support. They know we have so many first-generation students, and they may remember they received help through a scholarship or some aid,” Keene said.
This year, the annual giving campaign will highlight student scholarship support, the Center for Fairness, Justice and Equity in the College of Education, and the Band of Blue, to name a few. “Our number one priority is increasing support for student scholarships. Each year over half of our students qualify for financial assistance, and scholarships make it possible for students to realize their academic goals and dreams,” Keene said.
The 2023 True Blue Give will be held February 14-16. To donate, visit mtsu.edu/truebluegive.