Tennessee Tech, Cookeville community invited to celebrate Spirit Days 2026
Tennessee Tech University will once again welcome students back to Tennessee’s College Town with the return of Spirit Days 2026, beginning July 27 and continuing through Sept. 8.
The annual celebration highlights the strong partnership between Tech and the Cookeville community through giveaways, campus activities and special opportunities to support Tech’s Golden Eagle Perk Partners — local businesses that offer discounts or other benefits to Tech students, faculty and staff. Community members are also encouraged to show their Golden Eagle pride by displaying free yard signs and wearing purple and gold throughout the celebration.
This year’s Spirit Days theme is “Game On, Golden Eagles!” Inspired by the opening of Tech’s new West Side of Tucker Stadium, the theme celebrates an exciting new era of campus spirit and invites the campus and community to rally around the Golden Eagles during one of the most anticipated years in university history.
To help the community celebrate, beginning on July 27, free Tech yard signs will be available while supplies last at the Crawford Alumni Center inside the Varsity Building and the University Bookstore inside the Roaden University Center. Signs will also be available for pickup at the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce in the Leslie Town Centre.
“Spirit Days are a celebration of the people, businesses and organizations that make Cookeville Tennessee’s College Town,” said Bobbie Maynard, associate vice president for communications and marketing. “This year’s ‘Game On, Golden Eagles!’ theme reflects the excitement surrounding our new stadium and the tremendous spirit that exists throughout Cookeville and the Upper Cumberland. We encourage everyone to join us by displaying a yard sign, wearing purple and gold, supporting our Perk Partners and helping us welcome students back to campus.”
As part of Spirit Days, Golden Eagle Perk Partners will participate in the annual Connect with Cookeville local business fair during Tech’s Week of Welcome activities. The event provides new and returning students an opportunity to connect with local businesses, organizations and community resources while learning more about what Cookeville has to offer.
“There is no better way to introduce students to the Cookeville community than through Connect with Cookeville,” said Maynard. “The event allows students to discover local businesses, services and opportunities while giving our business partners a chance to build relationships with the Tech community. It is one of our favorite Week of Welcome traditions.”
There is no cost to become a Golden Eagle Perk Partner, and new businesses are accepted throughout the year. A list of current Perk Partners and their offers is available at www.tntech.edu/perkpartners.
Tennessee Tech is ranked the top public university in Tennessee by Money.com and recognized as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report. The university offers more than 265 programs of study, and Tech graduates leave with the least debt among Tennessee’s public universities. Based on total cost and alumni earnings, Tech also provides the highest return on investment among public universities in the state, according to PayScale.
Learn more about Spirit Days at www.tntech.edu/spiritdays.