(NASHVILLE)  On Friday Middle Tennessee State University turned to a Nashville distillery to provide personal-sized bottles of hand sanitizer for students returning to its on-campus residence halls when classes resume in late January.

Big Machine Distillery, with locations in Nashville and Lynnville, Tennessee, produces premium, handcrafted spirits led by a signature vodka and also produces hand sanitizer that is sold nationwide. It provided MTSU with 6,000 50-milliliter bottles at a reduced rate, each branded with a special label featuring the Lightning mascot.

There was a brief outdoor ceremony at the Big Machine Tavern in Nashville proclaiming the start of a partnership in which the distillery’s affiliated independent music label could provide future opportunities for students in the university’s College of Media and Entertainment.

A short video recap can be viewed at https://youtu.be/Bxgo_jq_7Ts.

The spirits maker is associated with Nashville-based Big Machine Label Group, which has been called the number one independent record label in the world, according to Billboard magazine. It is home to such top artists as Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year Thomas Rhett, ACM Decade Award winners Florida Georgia Line and Grammy winning chart-toppers Tim McGraw, Lady A, Sugarland, Sheryl Crow, and more.

MTSU Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel said, “We’re thankful to develop this partnership with Big Machine Distillery, which is providing needed sanitizer for use by our students as the university continues navigating the challenges of this pandemic. And the possibilities for expanded hands-on learning and networking opportunities through the Big Machine Label Group can only deepen the university's ties within Music City.”

Keel’s college includes the Department of Recording Industry that, for the seventh straight year, was included on Billboard’s list of the country’s top music programs.

Keel, who previously chaired the department, said connecting with companies such as Big Machine is critical in exposing MTSU students to real-world professionals who can share expertise about an industry that can’t truly be replicated in a classroom setting alone.

Big Machine Label Group President and CEO Scott Borchetta noted, “Beverly and I share the same interests and goals when it comes to education and making sure educational institutions provide a safe arena for students to do their best work. Partnering with MTSU is a natural fit for our brand and our label’s relationship with the college.”

Discussions between MTSU and Big Machine began in earnest late last year, after Keel connected Borchetta and his team with MTSU administrators seeking a supply of hand sanitizer for the about 1,600 students returning to campus for the start of the spring semester. Any additional bottles, as well as thousands of MT STRONG face masks, will be made available to additional students after classes resume Jan. 25, 2021.