Roane State Community College

May 2, 2024

Two Roane State students were recently awarded transfer scholarships to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The scholarship recipients are Anna Cox and William “Willie” Phaler, both of whom will graduate as part of Roane State’s Class of 2024 this spring.

Anna Cox will receive her associate of art degree in theatre arts and is also Roane State’s recipient of the 2024 President’s Award, the highest honor the college can bestow on a student.

Willie Phaler, who is part of Roane State’s Middle College Class of 2024, will receive an associate of science degree in general studies.

The scholarships, valued at $1,250 each, were given to Roane State Community College by MTSU as a part of their True-Blue Tour, an appreciation event held in the fall of 2023.

MTSU offers scholarships to institutions attending their True-Blue events, which can then be given to deserving students who are planning to transfer to MTSU after graduation. The one-time scholarship can be used to offset the tuition and fees at MTSU. Roane State’s Advising Resource Center (ARC) selected this year’s recipients.

Anna Cox was nominated for the MTSU Transfer Scholarship by her faculty advisor, Professor Courtney Minton. Minton stated that Cox has gone above and beyond expectations, earning a full 12 credit hours more than required for her degree.

“In addition to her course work, Anna participated in eight theatre productions – four as a cast/crew member for Playmakers productions and four as a director or assistant director for the Roane County Children's Theatre,” Minton said. “The additional activities Anna tackled during her time at Roane State are a testament to her drive and her dreams.”

Cox is planning to major in musical theatre at MTSU. She enrolled in extra music classes offered at Roane State in order to better prepare for transferring into MTSU’s program.

Willie Phaler is a student-athlete and valedictorian at Sunbright School. As a Middle College graduate, he will receive his associate degree from Roane State at the same time as his high school diploma. He is planning to major in sports media journalism at MTSU.

Phaler was also nominated for the transfer scholarship by his faculty advisor, Dr. Matt Waters, who stated that he was impressed by Phaler’s creativity and ambition.

“A leader in our class video projects, [Willie] enthusiastically learns about and practices his skills,” Dr. Waters stated in his nomination. “In fact, he wrote, directed, recorded, and used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit his own short film for the Roane State Film Festival. I am confident he will continue to excel after he transfers to MTSU.”

Information on Roane State’s Advising Resource Center (ARC) can be found online at roanestate.edu/ARC. For questions about the MTSU Transfer Scholarship, please reach out the ARC by emailing advising@roanestate.edu or calling (865) 882-4597.