Rodney Harmon was UT’s first African American varsity tennis player in 1980. In his single season at UT, he and Mel Purcell won UT’s first NCAA doubles national title.

Michelle Taylor became the first African American scholarship athlete in volleyball in 1978.

Chris Winston became UT’s first varsity wrestler in 1974, the first winning season for the varsity team. Wrestling was dropped as an intercollegiate varsity sport in 1981.

Dr. Clifton Woods III, who had previously served as interim provost, was appointed vice president for research by Chancellor Loren Crabtree in January 2004. He served until becoming associate to the chancellor in August 2006.

UT President Lamar Alexander announced in January 1989 the appointment of Dr. Michael Nettles to the newly created position of vice president for assessment. Nettles held the bachelor’s degree from UT and two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Iowa State. He came to UT from the Educational Testing Service in Princeton where he was … Continued

The Claxton Education Building, in service in 1957, was the first UT building to be totally air-conditioned. The first completely air-conditioned residence hall was Bill Gibbs Hall in 1962.

UT’s first airplane, acquired in 1965, was an Areo Commander, which seated six people and was acquired as a gift-purchase. The plane crashed in 1978.

The first All Sing (University Sing) winners were Pi Kappa Alpha and Delta Delta Delta in 1932.

In its last year as the Orange and White biweekly newspaper (1964–65), the student newspaper attained a long-sought goal: an All American rating from the Collegiate Press Association. David Hall was first term editor, and Linda Leftwich Newton was the second term editor.

Godspell, the musical based on the Gospel of St. Matthew, became the first all-student production in UT history in 1974–75.