KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
plans to open a recruiting office in Nashville next year to reach more top students, especially minorities, from Middle Tennessee.
Kathy Keebler, UT’s senior associate director of admissions, said the facility will help UT-Knoxville become more visible and accessible to students, parents and counselors from Middle Tennessee.
“When you’re in a commepetive marekt it helps to be right thers in the cities, to develop better relationships with the students, p[arents and the entire community,’ Keebler said.
Tennessee’s colleges and universities are making progress toward desegregation goals established 15 years ago, Keebler said. The percentage of black students in the incoming freshman class has risen from 4.6 percent in 1995 to 8 percent this year, she said.
From 1995 to 1998, Nashville area students accounted for 6
percent of UT’s more than 3,800 freshmen a year and 6 percent of
its approximately 300 black freshmen a year. The numbers for the
Memphis area were 10 and 32, respectively. The university has had a
recruiting office there for over 20 years.