Murfreesboro, TN - At Middle Tennessee State University, the fall Buchanan Lecture Series is in full swing, and it’s drawing students and community members alike into a thought-provoking journey through “Spaces and Places.” Held every Monday afternoon through November 17, 2025 in the Simmons Amphitheater on Blue Raider Drive, the series is part of the Honors College curriculum and open to the public.

Nearly 50 Honors students are enrolled in the class, which explores how space and place shape meaning across disciplines—from literature and astronomy to religion, philosophy, and historical preservation. Philip Phillips, associate dean of the Honors College, says the series challenges students to think deeply about how environments influence identity, memory, and community.

For junior Kylee Thompson, an audio production major from Knoxville, the lectures have sparked new ways of thinking. “We’ve gotten some interesting perspectives so far—how do you collect memories and where do you keep memories, and how spaces resonate with different people,” she said.

The series kicked off with a lecture by William E. Engel from the University of the South, and upcoming talks will feature MTSU faculty like Rebekka King and Alisa Hass. Topics range from sacred rituals in secular spaces to how public areas can help reduce heat exposure and improve community health.

Beyond the Classroom students have taken part in activities like reading the Constitution aloud outside the Honors Building and attending a Constitution Week lecture by David Brooks, a New York Times columnist and PBS contributor.

The series honors James M. Buchanan, a Rutherford County native and MTSU alumnus who won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 1986. His legacy lives on in a program that continues to challenge and inspire the next generation of thinkers right here in Murfreesboro.