Knoxville, TN (WOKI / news.utk.edu) – A historic $130 million investment by alumni Dee and Jimmy Haslam will bolster student success and faculty recruitment at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and its Haslam College of Business while strengthening the role of the university as a leader in higher education.
“We are honored to make this investment in UT and the Haslam College of Business,” said Dee and Jimmy Haslam in a joint statement. “The university is experiencing extraordinary momentum, and we are proud to help elevate its national reputation, attract world-class faculty and support the next generation of leaders — all while keeping the best and brightest here in Tennessee.”
The largest portion of the investment — $100 million — will be earmarked for the Haslam College of Business to attract distinguished faculty and further enhance its student success initiatives, graduate student scholarships and undergraduate honors program. The college’s undergraduate student population is the largest at UT, accounting for more than 30% of the university’s total undergraduate enrollment.
This latest investment builds on the commitment to UT long established by Dee and Jimmy Haslam, whose lifetime giving now totals over $195 million.
“When I shared with Dee and Jimmy our vision to take UT to the next level, they immediately saw the possibilities in our aspirations,” said Chancellor Donde Plowman. “I am grateful for their counsel, their vision and their generosity. This historic investment will help fuel our high standard of excellence and grow the impact our university has on the people and communities we serve across Tennessee and beyond.”
Doubling down on student success
The Haslams’ investment doubles down on UT’s nationally renowned student success initiatives and will enhance the partnership between UT’s Division of Student Success and the Haslam College of Business to ensure that every student in the college has the resources and support they need to graduate and enter the workforce prepared.
“At the Haslam College of Business, we focus on attracting and educating high-quality motivated students, recruiting faculty who are the leaders in their fields, and bringing them together in world-class programs and facilities. We expand horizons by supporting learning and building leadership capabilities,” said Dean Stephen L. Mangum. “Excellence attracts, and this investment will further enhance our ability to deliver on commitments to quality and relevance through research, learning and expanded opportunities.”
Since its founding in 2019, the Division of Student Success has steadily advanced student outcomes university-wide by focusing on each student’s unique strengths and goals. More than 92.4% of first-year students from last year returned for their sophomore year, up six points since 2019. Growing retention rates contributed to historic enrollment growth and a 40% increase in the number of UT graduates over the same period.
“This investment allows us to dream without limits,” said Amber Williams, senior vice provost for student success and chief honors officer. “It unites the Haslam College of Business and the Division of Student Success to attract, develop and graduate prepared and talented students in one of the strongest workforce pipelines in the country. Together we are building a national model that will set the standard for years to come. I could not be more grateful to Dee and Jimmy for their investment and trust in us.”
The division provides tailored support that helps all students at UT grow as leaders, scholars and professionals.
Supporting UT’s rise in research, innovation and discovery
The remaining $30 million of the historic investment will be directed to a campus-wide effort to recruit world-renowned faculty across academic disciplines, supporting UT’s continued rise as a leader in research, innovation and discovery.
The university has built momentum with successes in areas ranging from nuclear energy to cancer treatments and the future of computing.
This investment in students and faculty will benefit UT and the entire state of Tennessee by helping to ensure that students taught by the best faculty are joining the state’s workforce.
“My time as a student at UT and the relationships I built with my professors had a profound impact on my life and helped prepare me for the opportunities I’ve received throughout my career,” said fellow alumnus Peyton Manning. “I am grateful to Dee and Jimmy Haslam for sharing that passion and ensuring future Volunteers have that same opportunity for a transformative student experience. We are so lucky to have leaders like them who love this university deeply and who give so freely of their time and their generosity. I have never been more confident in or excited about the future of my alma mater.”
A history of investing in the university and community
The Haslams are both Knoxville natives who believe in giving back to their communities and the university that helped shape them. They have generously supported multiple areas of the university including athletics, scholarships, and many individual colleges and programs. Most notably, they contributed to the endowment that resulted in the Haslam College of Business becoming UT’s first named college.
“The University of Tennessee has always held a meaningful place in our lives, and we are truly honored to give back to an institution that has given us so much,” they said.
“This historic investment reflects the very best of the Volunteer spirit — a belief in our students, our faculty and the power of the University of Tennessee to change lives,” said Brian Broyles, senior vice chancellor for advancement. “It is because of visionary partners like Dee and Jimmy that we are able to dream big and create impact that will be felt for generations to come. We are profoundly grateful for Dee and Jimmy’s extraordinary generosity and continued partnership.”
About Dee and Jimmy Haslam
Dee Haslam earned a degree in education in 1986. An Emmy Award-winning TV producer, she was the CEO of RIVR Media Companies until 2018 and is currently an executive producer with RIVR Media.
After attending UT, Jimmy Haslam began his career at Pilot Corporation. Named CEO in 1996, he grew Pilot into the largest travel center company and the fifth-largest private company in the United States. He was chairman of the board for Pilot Company from 2020 to 2023 and CEO from 1996 to 2020. Currently he is executive chairman of Gate City Energy.
Dee and Jimmy hold the positions of CEO and chairman, respectively, as the managing partners of the Haslam Sports Group, whose portfolio includes ownership of the Cleveland Browns, a controlling interest in the Milwaukee Bucks, the role of investor-operators of the two-time (2020, 2023) MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew, the NWSL Columbus team and an investment in the WNBA.
The Haslams have always been committed to the Knoxville community and are dedicated to positively impacting the region. In 2020, the Haslam family donated $35 million to Knoxville’s Lakeshore Park to improve baseball fields, soccer fields and other amenities outlined in the park’s master plan. In December 2019, the Haslams helped open the doors to the Haslam-Sansom Ministry Complex in the city’s Lonsdale community.
The Haslams follow their central belief of active engagement through time, effort, strategy, metrics and investment. With a primary focus on education and youth sports, they are consistently committed to creating sustainable and meaningful change.
About the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been shaping leaders, changemakers and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to the Volunteers — more than 40,000 students and 10,000 employees who uphold the university’s tradition of leadership and service. UT Knoxville offers more than 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
