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Tennessee Tech Pride Days are here
It’s that time of year again! Tennessee Tech Pride Days are here and run through September 10, which is the first scheduled home football game where the Golden Eagles will take on Texas A&M-Commerce. Purple and gold yard signs are available that say, “Tennessee Tech Pride” and incorporate the university’s logo and the state’s tri-star symbol.
“Tech Pride Days is about welcoming new and returning students back to campus and the Cookeville community,” said Shanna Muncy, marketing coordinator in Tech’s Office of Communications and Marketing. “We are using a new design this year that incorporates the state’s tri-star logo, which is very popular.”
To help the community celebrate, Tech Pride yard signs are free and available for pick up on campus at the Crawford Alumni Center and at the Campus Information Desk and University Bookstore inside the Roaden University Center. Signs are also available for pick up in the community at the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce in the Leslie Town Centre.
“We encourage all local businesses to participate in Pride Days by creating purple and gold window or lobby displays, have a Tech Pride message on your marquee or have their employees where Tech colors,” said Muncy. “Our students are such a vital part of the Cookeville community, and we want to help businesses celebrate that.”
Pride Partners are local businesses that support the university by offering some form of a yearlong Tech discount to students, faculty and staff. There is no charge or fee to become a Pride Partner, and the discounts are listed on the university’s web site. New Pride Partners are accepted throughout the year. To learn more or to sign up, visit https://www.tntech.edu/pridedays.
In addition, Pride Partners get to participate in an exclusive “Connect with Cookeville” event that is a local business fair held on campus. The event is set for September 8 this year, but businesses must be registered as a Pride Partner, and only the first 50 to sign up are considered for participation.
“Our annual Connect with Cookeville event is very popular with the students,” explained Muncy. “This is a way for students who are new to the university and Cookeville area to get exposed to our local businesses. Many businesses that participate offer free samples and giveaways.”
The university has fully embraced its hometown when it comes to student recruitment, using the tagline “Cookeville, Tennessee’s College Town” in many publications and promotions.
Bobbie Maynard, Tech’s executive director of communications and marketing, said the university is blessed to call Cookeville home.
“Both Cookeville and Tech share a very special and unique relationship,” said Maynard. “We work together for each other’s benefit, and we want to continue to see Cookeville and the surrounding area grow. The quality of life found here is second to none, and we have been showcasing that to our prospective students.
“Last year, we launched an ‘Explore Cookeville’ social media video series, which won an Education Digital Marketing Award, as well as College Town Weekends that promotes local events to our students to get them to stay in Cookeville on the weekends.”
When promoting Cookeville, Maynard said the university showcases many of the outdoor recreation opportunities, as well as all the variety of music, art shopping and local dining experiences.
Tennessee Tech is ranked as the number one public university in the state, according to Money Magazine, as well as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report. The university offers more than 200-plus programs of study, and Tech grads leave with the least debt of all public universities in the state. In fact, based on total cost and alumni earnings, Tech provides students with the highest return on investment for any public university in Tennessee, according to PayScale.
