Campaign for Tennessee

Planning for the ambitious $1 billion development campaign for the combined units of UT began in 2003 and 2004, and the campaign began quietly in 2005. By the time of the April 17, 2008, lavish campaign kickoff celebration at Thompson-Boling Arena, over $700 million had already been raised. The 2008 celebration marked the public phase of the seven-year campaign. The goal for UT Knoxville was $610 million. On June 23, 2010, the development office announced that the original goal of $1 billion raised had been reached and that a total of $1,023,331,880 had been raised. The designated gift, which put the campaign over the top, was a gift to the College of Business from Charles Anderson, CEO of Anderson Media and a UT Trustee, and his wife, Moll. UT also announced that the campaign would continue through its announced ending date (December 2011).