David Van Vactor came to Knoxville in 1947 as head of UT’s new Fine Arts Department and conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Under his direction, the orchestra experienced a period of growth and technical polish and made its first professional recording for the CRI label. The Fine Arts Department, including both music and art, … Continued

Charles F. Vanderford joined the university’s agriculture faculty in 1889. Prior to joining UT, he had served (1860–65) in the Confederate army. As a member of the 45th Tennessee Infantry, he was severely wounded twice. He then joined the ordnance department, where he was elevated from captain to major in 1865. Later, he farmed in … Continued

John Somers VanGilder, class of 1912, a wealthy philanthropist who, for many years, lived at New York’s Plaza Hotel, gave UT a valuable collection of art objects and historical items in 1956. Possibly the most valuable single object was an oil portrait of Charles Kemble, painted by George H. Harlow (1787–1819). Kemble was an eminent … Continued

The Varsity Inn was the Gibbs Hall dining facility. While many students believed that the cafeteria was open only to student athletes, any student could eat there for lunch or dinner, and there was a Varsity Inn meal plan. The cafeteria was known for having more unique food choices than other cafeterias on campus. The … Continued

Varsity Visit was begun in 1950 as an event for high school members of the Future Farmers of America and the Future Homemakers of America to acquaint students with the university in general, and especially with the programs of the College of Agriculture and programs from the former College of Home Economics now within the … Continued

One of the four Memphis Research Centers of Excellence designated in 2001 by President Wade Gilley, this center proposed to better define the risk factors, diagnosis, and evaluation for vascular disease through multidisciplinary collaborations of UT Memphis researchers and those at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Veteran’s Medical Center in Memphis, and the University … Continued

In 1998 the Volunteer Athletics Scholarship Fund (now Tennessee Fund) began its sponsorship of the official UT Pep Club, folding it into the Athletics Department framework by charging a membership fee and providing services and benefits—among them establishing points that counted toward season ticket priority following graduation. In 2004 the opportunities provided by membership were … Continued

Dr. Verplanck joined the faculty of the Department of Psychology in 1963 as head of the department and served in that capacity for 10 years. He continued his academic career in the department until his retirement in 1981. A specialist in the fields of perception, learning, and research methods, he brought the department national recognition … Continued

Knoxvillian Jake Vest, columnist for the Orlando Sentinel entered the university in 1968, got drafted, served a tour of duty in Korea, and then returned to UT. While at UT, he drew a comic strip for the Daily Beacon and now is the nationally syndicated cartoonist who draws “That’s Jake.” In 1990 he published his … Continued

In its third annual participation in the National Day of Remembrance and Roll Call in 2013, the Task Force in Support of Student Veterans coordinated a daylong ceremony honoring veterans. The event was hosted in collaboration with the UT Libraries, the Student Veteran Advisory Group, the Office of Veterans Affairs, the Center for War and … Continued