NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – For TSU’s incoming freshman, Kennedi Hines, her passion for engineering started at age 7. Now, Hines, a Nashville native, will begin her collegiate journey at Tennessee State University to fulfill her dream of becoming an architectural engineer.
“She has been building, constructing things, and drawing blueprints to scale since she was a little girl,” said Hines’ mother, Brittney Hazley. “So, I knew she had a passion and talent for this.”
Hines, a third-generation legacy student, said she’s excited about the next four years at her new home. She is one of hundreds of first-time freshmen who moved into their dorms starting August 12, as a part of Freshmen Move-in.
“I moved in this week, and seeing how the culture is at TSU has been great,” Hines said. “Being here has brought me out of my shell.”
TSU faculty, staff, and alumni made significant efforts to ensure a seamless integration for new and returning Tigers. Following Freshmen move-in thousands of upperclassmen returned a few days later. All hands were on deck for move-in, including volunteers from corporate partners Amazon, Kroger, and Regions Bank.
Michelle Brown, Amazon’s Public Policy Lead for the state of Tennessee, and a team of Amazon employees arrived to help students and their families unload their cars and move into the freshman dorms.
“We are proud partners of TSU,” Brown said. “We’ve participated in job fairs and various events, so it’s only natural we would be here on the first day of school helping freshmen move in. We’re just excited to kick this off and continue to grow and build with TSU, so thanks for having us.”
Kelly Allen, North Nashville Branch Manager for Regions Bank, said their work with TSU is a natural extension of their commitment. “Our role as a bank and as members of the Nashville community is to proactively find ways to use our time, talents, and resources to make life better in our community,” Allen said. “Regions is a proud supporter of Tennessee State University because of your mission to educate students and your role as a vital economic engine for Middle Tennessee.”
Incoming freshmen like Madison Menifee, a Mass Communications major from Ohio, and Lurenzo Moffett of Indiana, who will be studying architectural engineering, had great move-in experiences with their families as well. Menifee, a first-generation student, said she feels great about her decision to attend TSU after lengthy college tours throughout the year.
“I chose TSU because of the way they welcomed me in,” Menifee said during move-in. “This feels like a family. There’s so much support here. And I chose a HBCU for the cultural aspect.”
Moffett, one of six siblings, is the first to attend a HBCU. “I love the cultural feel here,” he said. “And I look forward to joining campus organizations.”
Dr. Brent Dukhie, Assistant Dean of Student Support, said that the TSU housing staff provided an effective check-in, friendly personnel, and well-run systems that resulted in a seamless move-in experience this year.
“And the support from local churches and companies such as Regions, Amazon, and Kroger has been invaluable. Their partnership has made a tremendous impact on our move-in process, and we’re incredibly grateful for their commitment to our students. This collaboration truly exemplifies the power of community.”
Dukhie added that the goal of move-in is to give new and returning students a strong sense of community and support, while ensuring them a memorable and enriching HBCU experience.
