Honors Logo Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors College Building


1970 - 1979


President M.G. Scarlett
President M.G. Scarlett ('69-'78)


Typical 1973 Classroom
Typical 1973 MTSU Classroom



Typical Honors Classroom circa 1970s


Midlander Article
Midlander Excerpt
Midlander 3
Excerpt from The Midlander


Wooden Chairs
Empty Classroom, Old Desks


1980 Library card files
Writing Papers 70s and 80s


Peck Hall
Peck Hall AKA = New Classrom Building


Library Card Files
Researching Papers 70s and 80s


Honors Bio
Honors Electron Microscope, '79


Study then
Studying Then


Honors Classroom
Typical Honors Classroom


Outside Class
Class Outside Peck Hall


Campus Resident
Permanent Campus Resident


Madrigal Dinner, '79
Honors Madrigal Dinner, '79


President Sam Ingram
President Sam Ingram ('79-'89)

University Honors College
Pictorial Timeline
1970 - 1979
Dr. June (Martin) McCash

1973  Establishment of the Honors Program at MTSU.

President M. G. Scarlett appointed Dr. June Hall (Martin) McCash from the English Department as the founding director of the program. (President M.G. Scarlett, left / Dr. June (Martin) McCash, right)

Support for the program came from the first Honors Council.

Honors goals and guidelines were developed.

Faculty Firesides were instituted.

First Honors Thesis



The first (History) Honors thesis, "Charles Stuart Parnell: His Background, His Politics, His Fall, His Legacy, 1879-1891," was written by Mary I. Wilgus.



The Drawing/Tom Jackson Bldg.



The first office space was in the Drawing (now Tom Jackson) Building. (right)




Less than a decade after MTSC had acquired University status (1965), foundations had been set for MTSU to become the first public university in Tennessee to found an honors college.

First University Honors graduate

1974  First student graduated with University Honors, Paul W. Martin, Jr. (Finance) Thesis: "An Analysis of Federal Reserve Membership Trends, 1960-1973."

First honors newsletter, Honors in Perspective, issued.

NCHC logo

Honors Council members attended the National Collegiate Honors Council Convention.

Sample of Honors Theses from the year 1974.

Thesis 1974  Thesis 1974

1975  Samples of Honors Theses from the year 1975.

Thesis 1975 Thesis 1975
Thesis 1975 Thesis 1975

Thesis 1975

1976  The Honors Program required a thesis for graduation.

Keathley University Center
The Honors Program moved to offices in Keathley University Center. The Offices became Debra Hollingsworthknown as the Honors Center. (left)



The first Honors Student Advisory Council was established. (Members of the council later became part of the first Honors Board of Visitors.) (Right: Debra (Hollinsworth) Hopkins, Student) Advisory Council)


Sample of Honors Theses from the year 1976.

Thesis 1976 Thesis 1976

Thesis 1976 Thesis 1976

1977  Samples of Honors Theses from the year 1977.

Thesis 1977 Thesis 1977

Thesis 1977  Thesis 1977

1978  Honors program requirements were revised to include three options (tracks) for graduation with University Honors.

TN Collegiate Honors CouncilMTSU hosted second annual meeting of the Tennessee Honors Council.

Thesis 1978



Sample of Honors Theses from the year 1978.




TN Collegiate Honors Council


New Classroom Building



1979  MTSU hosted the Tennessee Collegiate Honors Council. (Above)

Honors Program offices transferred to New Classroom Building (Peck Hall). (Right: NCB)

Sample of Honors Theses from the year 1979.

Thesis 1979 Thesis 1979


June McCash







The founding Director
of the University Honors Program!!


Dr. June M. McCash






Honors in the 80s      Honors in the 90s     Honors in the 00s     Honors in the 10s

Honors Seal

Images of thesis topics created by Georgia Dennis.
All due apologies to the student authors for any misrepresentations of their topic or intent.