MTSU forges partnership with the Grammy Museum

LOS ANGELES — MTSU wrapped up its trip to Southern California and the Grammys in February by announcing an educational partnership with the Grammy Museum, one the nation’s top educational venues devoted to the music industry.

President Sidney A. McPhee, who accompanied College of Media and Entertainment faculty and staff to Los Angeles for events before the 59^th Grammy Awards, applauded the partnership as a true win-win for the university and the museum.

“We are proud to become the tenth university in the nation to become a Grammy Museum affiliate,” McPhee said. “This collaboration will allow MTSU to collaborate on research and use the museum as a teaching tool for our students.”

Bob Santelli, the museum’s executive director, said MTSU and the nine other educational affiliates are invited “to engage in a unique resource-sharing opportunity.”

The museum in downtown Los Angeles occupies four floors of “cutting-edge exhibits, interactive experiences and films provide a one-of-a-kind visitor experience — engaging, educational, celebratory and inspirational,” according to its website.

McPhee credited and thanked Stacy Merida, an assistant professor of music business and faculty adviser to the student-run Match Records, for connecting the university and the museum and requesting the affiliate status. MTSU is the only university affiliate in Tennessee.

Also Sunday, McPhee, along with Dean Ken Paulson and Beverly Keel, chair of the Department of Recording Industry, welcomed alumni of Leadership Music, an annual educational program for music industry leaders, at a reception immediately before the Grammy telecast.

Debbie Linn, Leadership Music’s executive director, recognized Paulson and Keel as program alumni. Also, she said, “Our alumni enjoy meeting with President McPhee. … We are happy they have made our event an integral part of MTSU’s annual trip to Southern California.”

This year was the fourth time McPhee, Paulson and Keel have brought a delegation to the Grammys to underscore MTSU’s industry ties and celebrate its alumni receiving award nominations.