MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - All Access Coach Leasing pledged $250,000 to support the Center for Student Coaching and Success at Middle Tennessee State University. The major donation funds daily operations for the center and establishes a new speaker series launching in January.
Company co-owner Eric Blankenship announced the pledge on Tuesday (October 6th) in the second-floor atrium of the Miller Education Center on Bell Street. Blankenship met Center Director Colby Jubenville on an airplane roughly a decade ago, starting a mentorship and business relationship that eventually led to this contribution.
Following the announcement, Blankenship joined Jubenville, MTSU Trustee and Ole South Properties founder John Floyd, and championship-winning MTSU men's tennis coach Jimmy Borendame for a live coaching session and Q&A with students. Blankenship detailed his path from arriving in Nashville to pursue music to building a tour bus company that now employs 117 people across build, mechanical, paint, interior repair, and laundry operations. He later made his Grand Ole Opry debut in April 2025.
The center operates within the MTSU College of Behavioral and Health Sciences under Dean Peter Grandjean. It guides students using the Talent Development Framework, covering emotional intelligence, growth mindset, personal branding, relationships, and industry knowledge. Students accepted into the program participate in peer, one-on-one, group, and online coaching sessions to help them secure employment prior to graduation. Former student Kylie Dykgraaf credited the coaching program for helping her launch her own business, The Confident Athlete Coach LLC, and direct the Illinois Juniors Volleyball Club after graduating in 2022.
The Center for Student Coaching and Success originally opened on February 21st, 2017, with a $1 million pledge from Floyd. Students actively pursuing completion of the coaching program can apply for the John D. Floyd Scholarship through the MTSU portal each spring, with awards ranging from $500 to $3,000.
For more information on the Center for Student Coaching and Success, visit https://cbhssuccess.mtsu.edu. For details on All Access Coach Leasing, visit https://allaccesscoach.com.
