APSU to host the Ron & Andrea Morton Family Track Naming on Sept. 9
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University will host the Ron and Andrea Morton Family Track Naming at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, at Fortera Stadium on the APSU campus. The naming celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the track, which is located inside Fortera Stadium.
“This honor is well deserved for Ron and Andrea Morton,” APSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison said. “They have been faithful friends of this University and our athletics department for many years now. We appreciate their dedication to the success of our student-athletes.”
Ronald L. Morton is a 1970 graduate of the APSU College of Behavioral and Health Sciences and a former student-athlete for the APSU Track and Field team. In his freshman year, he set a school record for the three mile and was named the school’s “Leading Runner” by the APSU newspaper, The All State.
After graduation, Morton worked as a basketball coach and physical education teacher in Tunisia through the Peace Corps. He is now the owner of the largest number of H&R Block franchises in the country, with offices in South Carolina and others scattered across Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana.
In 2012, Ron and his wife, Andrea, established the Ronald L. Morton Scholarship for student-athletes who are majoring in business and have established their community involvement and entrepreneurial ambitions. In 2020, the couple made a transformational monetary commitment to the APSU Department of Athletics for the APSU Track and Field, Cross Country and Men’s Basketball teams, as well as athletic scholarships and the department as a whole.
“Alumni like Ron Morton have helped shape Austin Peay into the unique institution we know today,” APSU Vice President for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy Kris Phillips said. “His professional success is impressive, and it has enabled Ron and Andrea to make impactful gifts that will contribute to a bright future for Austin Peay and its students for years to come. We hope that their continued investment in his alma mater will inspire his fellow alumni to give back.”
Through their generosity, Ron and Andrea’s gift will continue to support APSU student-athlete success and help to further the “Total Gov Concept.”
“Our campus community is strengthened through the involvement of people like Ron and Andrea Morton,” APSU President Mike Licari said. “We are proud to commemorate their support with this naming that will serve as a reminder of their generosity for years to come.”
To RSVP by Sept. 2, visit alumni.apsu.edu/mortonnaming22.
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