Started in 1986, the Tennessee Scholars Program, like the Chancellor’s Honors Program, was instituted to recruit outstanding students to UT. Scholars participated in their own seminars and received preferential registration for courses. They worked one-on-one with a faculty member to produce a senior project of scholarly and/or creative significance, and they received their choice of … Continued

As early as 1921, Protestant denominations and the YMCA proposed a Chair of Religious Education at UT. In 1926 excuses from compulsory UT chapel were given to students who attended the Bible study courses taught by Dr. Harvey C. Brown, associate pastor of Church Street Methodist Church. In 1928 ministers and laymen from 10 Protestant … Continued

In 1943 a plant patent was granted to the UT Agricultural Experiment Station for the Tennessee Shipper Strawberry, developed by the Experiment Station.  The variety was noted for its ability to withstand injury from shipping and for its large size and high yield.

In spring 1951 an independent, general collegiate magazine that developed from the regular chapter letter of the UT chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity made its debut at a cost of 25 cents. The editor, business manager, and art director of the Tennessee Shootin’ Iron were former or current members of the student newspaper (Orange … Continued

Since 1960 the university has had gift clubs and recognition societies that acknowledge donors to the institution. The Tennessee Society was established in 1992 to recognize individuals who donate $2,500 annually for 10 years or who make an outright gift of $25,000. Lifetime giving—excluding gifts to the Athletics Department—may be counted toward membership.

The award of the largest National Science Foundation grant in Tennessee’s history was announced on September 9, 2010. Through the Research Infrastructure Improvement Program, the NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Tennessee received $20 million over five years. UT is the lead institution, and $10 million was designated for UT Knoxville. The grant … Continued

The Volunteer State Solar Initiative, a comprehensive solar energy and economic development program focusing on job creation, education, renewable power production, and technology commercialization was formally announced in May 2009 by Governor Bredesen and consisted of two entities: the Tennessee Solar Institute, a UT system entity located on the Knoxville campus, and the West Tennessee … Continued

Formed in 2009 with five members, the Tennessee Speech and Debate Society revives the long tradition of debating begun with the early debating societies Philomathesian and Chi Delta. The Tennessee Speech and Debate Society won the state championship (Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association) in 2012. It placed second in the national championship competition (International Public Debate … Continued

In 1997 Governor Don Sundquist named UT Professor Sidney Jumper as Tennessee State Geographer. Jumper was a cofounder of the Tennessee Geographic Alliance.

The Tennessee State School Bond Authority was created in 1965 as a corporate governmental agency and instrumentality of the State of Tennessee. It issues bonds and notes that provide funds for loans to state institutions of higher education. Projects financed through the TSSBA are generally limited to those facilities that generate a designated revenue stream. … Continued