Photos and story by Destiny Mizell / Contributing Writer
Music and excitement radiated from the Student Union Commons at Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday. This resulted from Connection Point’s “Meet Murfreesboro” event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Meet Murfreesboro” is an engaging event for students both new and pre-existing to have the opportunity of seeing what kind of businesses, restaurants, churches and the like surround their beloved school. It is the one day that MTSU students can taste the city life of Murfreesboro without the travel.
After checking in with their MT event passes and being granted a pin for attendance, students were greeted with popular music and over 15 tables filled with free goodies (including food) and information regarding the establishments.
Restaurants like Marco’s Pizza and Dominoes advertised not only career opportunities but also reminded students of their proximity to campus for an easy, tasty bite. Marco’s Pizza was marketed by giving out free pizza, and Dominoes had some fun favors.
“Pizza is essentially the college food group. We are super close to campus, and the food is quick and good,” the Dominoes representative explained, “We are always looking for new hires as well.”
Marco’s Pizza went on to explain that they have great pay with flexible hours for college students.
A table for the McGuire True Blue Educational Program also offered job opportunities. The MTBEProgram is a relatively new program that grants students who work at McDonald’s aid in their tuition.
The MTBEProgram shared, “We offer tuition assistance to employees through the McGuire Educational Program, which covers up to six hours of education each semester which really gives students a great drive in both fields.”
Not only were students offered career options, but “Meet Murfreesboro” also catered to students’ adult lives. Companies like Xfinity, Cricket and State Farm were there to help students who live on their own now get on their feet.
Xfinity offered cable and service. Cricket offered affordable phone services. When asked why MTSU students should be interested, State Farm emphasized that their main reason for attending was sharing their renters’ insurance policy since so many college students rent their residences.
While working and “adulting” options are crucial for a Meet Murfreesboro event, so are businesses that allow students to find themselves and have fun!
The Great Escape marketed themselves by offering free stickers, CDs, movies, gaming cards, 45’s, magazines and comics. Pop culture is quite a common interest for young people. So with the free pop culture paraphernalia, The Great Escape’s table had lots of traffic.
“We have records, CD’s, posters for your dorm or apartment, and so much more. College kids love pop culture, so we like to make it a point to come and show our stuff!” the business’ representative beamed.
Fitness is another shared interest of MTSU’s students. The CycleBar is a cycling studio located on The Avenue. On their table, goodies and a coupon for anyone’s first session for free were given to all who were interested.
A student at MTSU was working the table as well. She expressed, “It works for me as a student because I love that you have the commitment of the class. You can go to the Rec Center on campus whenever you want, but you sign yourself up and have to show up for this class. Another thing I love about it is that it doesn’t even feel like a workout, and it’s super close to campus.”
Commitment is a significant component in what keeps students stable. Faith options and events surrounding that were offered to those who are religious and those who would like to be involved with a church.
The Avenue Church had a large table with bracelets and a plethora of stickers and flyers. Their representative explained, “We are a new church in Murfreesboro, and we love college students. One thing that makes us stand out is all of our events that we do, like iPad giveaways, college trivia night and the Escape Game.”
Another church, The People of Hope Church, gave out flyers and hand sanitizers conveniently connected to each other. The representative shared, “I feel what attracts college kids most is the fact that we are so welcoming. We are honest and understand that no one is perfect…a big theme of ours is acceptance.”
MTSU is a diverse campus with thousands of students. Therefore, acceptance is a prioritized component of campus life, and The People of Hope Church really amplified that.
Many diverse establishments attended (like MMC, which works closely with Blue Raiders Football) this Connection Point event. Murfreesboro has lots to offer, and some students may not always know what to look for when exploring.
“Meet Murfreesboro” is a significant event- especially for those who have never really visited campus before enrolling.
A freshman, Alex McClain, explained that she really enjoyed the event. “It’s pretty nice. I’ve only been to Murfreesboro a time or two before this, so it’s cool to see what all is around here.”
“Meet Murfreesboro” is all about how the city around campus and those at MTSU connect for the student’s interests, career options, insurance, medical options, insurance, faith, hobbies and so much more. It is all about loving the students.
To contact News Editor Toriana Williams, email newseditor@mtsusidelines.com.
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