Explore ETSU’s May events: concerts, films, Broadway shows, Commencement, exhibits and more.

As the spring semester comes to a close, East Tennessee State University’s campus features a whirl of activity.

From jazz and Broadway to Commencement celebrations and creative workshops, ETSU’s May calendar is packed with energy, inspiration and community, offering something for every Buccaneer and beyond.

Activities planned at ETSU in May include:

• The Bud Frank Cinema offers a screening on May 1 of “DJ Ahmet,” an award-winning film about a teenage Macedonian boy who finds refuge in music while navigating family and community expectations and his first experience with love.

• Swing, groove and improv take center stage in “Fire in the Engine Room,” the ETSU Jazz Ensemble spring concert, which will be held May 1.

• Family and friends of our ETSU Class of 2026 are invited to celebrate during Commencement activities on Friday and Saturday, May 8-9. Ceremonies for the Quillen College of Medicine and Gatton College of Pharmacy take place May 8, and overall Commencement will be held in two ceremonies on May 9. Here’s what you need to know before you go on May 9. Look for additional information on ETSU channels in the coming days.

• The 2026 Broadway season at the Martin Center for the Arts winds down in May with two spectacular shows: “Shucked” from May 5-7 and “Six” from May 26-28.

• The Martin Center for the Arts will host “Show Me the Paths: A Concert of Light and Hope” by the Symphony of the Mountains with Voices of the Mountains and the Kruger Brothers on May 17.

• If you love listening to podcasts and think of starting one of your own, try the two-day professional development course, “Podcasting for Everyone,” on May 14-15.

• You still have time to see “Wonderlands,” a Reece Museum exhibit of photography by ETSU Professor Tema Stauffer and artifacts from the museum’s collection relating to the cultural history of the southeastern United States. The exhibit closes May 22.

Explore the full ETSU Calendar at etsu.edu/calendar/default.php. See more of how ETSU energizes the region at etsu.edu/our-region.

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