Middle Tennessee State University Names Media College After Big Machine Founder Scott Borchetta

Middle Tennessee State University has renamed its College of Media and Entertainment the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment, in honor of the founder/chairman/CEO of Big Machine Label Group.

A ceremony commemorating the change is being held Tuesday (Aug. 25) at MTSU’s Bragg Media and Entertainment Building on the Murfreesboro, Tennessee, campus. Borchetta; his wife, Sandi; executives from Big Machine Label Group and the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix; members of the Nashville music community; and MTSU students and faculty are expected to be in attendance.

“I am humbled and profoundly grateful to have MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment bear my name,” Borchetta told Billboard. “The opportunity that this school affords to its students didn’t exist for me through college education in the 1980s, so it is an honor to now be part of building those bridges for young minds. My goal is to inspire others and give back, betting on the creativity of students who dedicate themselves to the entertainment field. The Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment represents the next generation of innovators and creators, whose bold ideas will transform the media landscape.”

Borchetta’s ongoing support of the College of Media and Entertainment over the years has helped fund technological upgrades as well as student experiences, including trips to the Grammy Awards.

“As one of Music City’s leading entrepreneurs and visionaries, Scott Borchetta has earned the reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and forward-thinking leaders,” MTSU president Sidney A. McPhee said in a statement, adding, “We are here to publicly recognize what happens when one’s vision and passion combine with dedication and hard work.”

Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel called Borchetta the school’s “secret weapon,” thanks to his support. “I can’t overestimate how important this is to the life and history of the college,” Keel said. “This propels us to international acclaim because Scott’s name is recognized and respected around the world. By partnering with Scott, we are exposing our students to cutting-edge ideas and perspectives.”

In addition to the broad support Borchetta has provided, Keel cited very specific additions and improvements his backing has funded, including hiring a strategic communications specialist and sponsoring the Southern Oasis Film Festival.

The renaming has been several years in the making, with initial conversations between Keel and Borchetta first taking place in late 2020. The pandemic put everything on hold, and the decision was made to hold the announcement to time it with Big Machine’s 20th anniversary this year.

Borchetta and his wife have a long history of philanthropy, including partnering with Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital to launch a neonatal intensive care unit wing, The Big Machine Neighborhood, as well as the Music Has Value fund that supports music in schools and music therapy.

The College of Media and Entertainment has been a perennial entry on Billboard’s annual list of top music business schools. Artist alumni include Chris Young, HARDY, Lady A’s Hillary Scott, Mitchell Tenpenny, Evanescence’s Amy Lee and Daisha McBride, while music executives who attended include Kane Brown’s manager Martha Earls and publishing head Kent Earls, Big Machine Publishing’s Mike Molinar, Jason Aldean’s manager Chris Parr and Riley Green’s manager Daniel Miller.