A Busy Weekend Is Approaching For Tennessee Tech University

Derryberry Hall, administrative building for Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee. http://www.tntech.edu/univadv/support/images/Derryberry.jpg

Tennessee Tech University, a well-accredited university settled in Cookeville, Tennessee, will be a busy place this coming weekend as it hosts four different events.

The action starts Thursday as the campus will be the host to the 2008 SAE Baja East race, which is a competition featuring small off-road cars built by engineering students by participating universities. I understand that there will be nearly 100 teams from eight countries participating in the TTU race. With that, 1,000 people are expected to participate, excluding countless spectators. The competition will last through Saturday.

On Friday, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, Tennessee Congressmen Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro and Lincoln Davis of Pall Mall, as well as other dignitaries, students, faculty and local residents are all expected to be a part of the groundbreaking of Ray Morris Hall, home to Tennessee Tech's new proposed Millard Oakley STEM Center. This will be the hub of the university's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments for the future. The groundbreaking is scheduled for 3 PM at Seventh Street and Stadium Drive.

Saturday is scheduled to be the largest commencement in university history. Nearly 1,200 students are to receive their degrees in a ceremony scheduled for 10 AM. Tech is to host another dignitary at this time, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee, who is the third-highest ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate. He is to address the spring graduates of the university. This is to take place at the Eblen Center.

Also on Saturday, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles baseball team is scheduled to host the Murray State Racers for a doubleheader. The action on the diamond has a planned starting time of 2 PM.

On Saturday alone, three events will be taking place. As such, parking is expected to be a major concern to tackle. A shuttle bus will run from needed areas to help calm the parking issues.

You can expect this writer to be a part of the action, as he is an active part of the university as a student, an extra-curricular organization leader, and a worker with the school's sports information department.

Article on this weekend's action from the Tennessee Tech Public Affairs Department.