On Leadership: Plowman Interviews Dee and Jimmy Haslam on Giving Back
Chancellor Plowman talked with UT Alumni Dee and Jimmy Haslam to discuss engaged community leadership and how to create a meaningful impact.

Chancellor Plowman talked with UT Alumni Dee and Jimmy Haslam to discuss engaged community leadership and how to create a meaningful impact.

UT reached new heights in research and philanthropy this summer, creating more opportunities for our students and impact on our state.

Last year we decided to start treating world-class faculty hires like recruiting a head football coach. The hiring initiative has been an overwhelming success. So far, eight preeminent faculty have accepted invitations to join us and they are bringing expertise in fields critical to Tennessee and the nation.

UT’s turfgrass research has received global recognition for its role in creating the high-performing pitches for FIFA World Cup 26. Yet no one stands to benefit more from this research than the state of Tennessee.

This week, we celebrate a new milestone in our drive toward excellence thanks to the extraordinary generosity of alumni Dee and Jimmy Haslam.

Chancellor Donde Plowman sat down with Stuart McWhorter, deputy governor and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, to talk about fostering trust and creating opportunity for the state of Tennessee.

We are taking bold steps toward our priorities of cultivating an unparalleled Volunteer experience, conducting high-impact research that improves lives, and serving as a beacon for athletics leadership on and off the field.


Chancellor Donde Plowman recently joined the Innovators podcast to discuss how public research universities can navigate challenges in the higher education landscape.