TSU High Achieving Freshman Sets Sight on National Exposure, Engineering Entrepreneurship

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Kennedy Marie McCurry is aiming high. The incoming freshman wants to be known as one of the best softball players of all time, and to own an architectural engineering firm. She believes TSU is the best place to prepare her for success.

“My goal in life is to eventually play in the National Pro Fastpitch League for a couple years and then move on to owning my own architectural firm,” says McCurry, an architectural engineering major, who will play softball for TSU.

Kennedy Marie McCurry

A Gallatin, Tennessee, native, McCurry says she is no stranger to TSU. Her father, Dr. Charles McCurry, is a longtime professor of electrical engineering at the university.

“I have been around TSU almost all my life,” says the 18-year-old. “My dad was a really strong influence on me. He really pushed me toward TSU. Also, I really like the softball team, and I always knew I wanted to do something in architectural engineering. And I know that TSU has a very strong engineering program. So all signs pointed toward TSU.”

Kennedy comes to TSU with outstanding academic and athletic credentials. She enters the university with a near 3.7 grade point average, and 28 on the ACT.  At Beech High School, where she graduated last May, she was a star player on the softball team. She was twice named to the All-District Team, she made the district tournament team and earned MVP. She played on the Middle Tennessee All-State Team her sophomore year, and was named to the MaxPreps All-American Second Team her senior year.

“I have always wanted to play D-I softball. I am proud to bring my educational and athletic skills to TSU,” she says. “I chose to attend Tennessee State University because of its rich heritage, sports legacy and nationally ranked College of Engineering.”

Kennedy could not have chosen TSU at a better time. She is among a new recruit of high achievers the university targets to attract the best and brightest students, since TSU raised its admission standards about two years ago.



Saying, “TSU is no longer a school of last resort,” President Glenda Glover in 2016 announced sweeping changes that raised admission standards to attract better students. Minimum requirements for incoming freshmen went up from a 2.25 GPA to 2.5, while the ACT score remained at 19.

““Excellence remains our top priority, but we can’t be the school of last resort,” Glover said.

For Kennedy, she says TSU’s emphasis on producing well-rounded students was another attraction.

“TSU had already laid the foundation to help me get a quality education by engaging me in activities to prepare me for my college work even before classes started,” she says.

Last summer, Kennedy was among 11 high school graduating seniors who participated in the Engineering Concepts Institute in the College of Engineering at TSU. ECI is a four-week pre-college, residential program intended to prepare participants for academic success in the mathematical sciences or engineering disciplines.

“ECI also helped me to make new friends. I am excited and looking forward to the many more accomplishments I plan to have at TSU,” says Kennedy.

For more information on the engineering program at TSU, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/engineering/