‘It Takes a Volunteer’: UT Chancellor Shares Bold Vision, Announces $3.5B Campaign

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Chancellor Donde Plowman announced the launch of the transformational “It Takes a Volunteer” fundraising campaign as part of her eighth annual Flagship Address Sept. 18, inviting the Volunteer community to invest in the future of the university and state.

Plowman also highlighted the university’s remarkable momentum and her vision for building on its achievements to set bolder goals and position UT as an innovative leader in higher education.

“Our greatness as a university isn’t defined by our own accomplishments,” she said. “Our greatness is defined by the difference we make for others — the problems we solve, the opportunities we create, the impact we have. This campaign is our chance to harness that spirit and multiply it.”

Introducing Plowman, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick said, “We have set our sights on ambitious goals that will build a better future for all. Lighting the way toward that future is a leader made for this moment — one who sees beyond limitations, who acts boldly and creatively and who always keeps the people we serve at the center of everything we do.”

Investing in lasting impact

With a goal of raising $3.5 billion by 2030, the campaign seeks to garner philanthropic support to create an unparalleled student experience, advance research that improves lives and help the university lead the way in college athletics. This is the second university-wide comprehensive campaign for the flagship campus.

“As the state’s land-grant university, we have a responsibility to deliver an exceptional educational experience that creates a lasting impact on the communities we serve,” Plowman said. “With the launch of this campaign, I hope others will join us in supporting this important work.”

Generous donors from across the country have already turned their Volunteer spirit into action, contributing more than $2.1 billion toward the $3.5 billion goal since July 2020.

The total raised to date includes landmark giving from supporters including alumni Dee and Jimmy Haslam, who made a $130 million investment in the Haslam College of Business and faculty support across campus in June. The Haslams serve as co-chairs of the campaign’s executive committee.

“We care deeply about how the university continues to grow, because it has such an impact on the region and the state,” Dee and Jimmy Haslam stated in a recent conversation with the chancellor as part of her “On Leadership” video series. “We are excited about the vision that Chancellor Plowman has laid out for the university, and we hope fellow Volunteers will join us in making this the most successful fundraising campaign in Tennessee history.”

The theme “It Takes a Volunteer” is inspired by the Volunteer creed: “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.” The campaign invites the Volunteer community to invest in the people, programs and places that will shape UT’s future by stepping forward and lighting the way for others.

“Being a Volunteer isn’t just a tradition — it’s a way of leading with courage, serving with compassion and showing up for one another,” said Brian Broyles, senior vice chancellor for advancement. “It’s special to launch a campaign focused on the essence of what it means to be a Volunteer: lighting the way for others and creating a better future in our communities.”

Elevating three strategic priorities

Philanthropic support made through the campaign will help strengthen the university’s land-grant mission, elevating three key strategic priorities to leave a lasting impact on the state and the world:

Creating an unparalleled student experience

Buoyed by its reputation for creating an exceptional student experience, UT is attracting, enrolling and graduating more students than ever, preparing them for meaningful careers and contributing to the state’s workforce. High national rankings, robust online offerings and strong honors programs showcase the university’s commitment to achieving excellence, expanding educational pathways and drawing top talent from Tennessee and beyond.

UT continues to invest in infrastructure to enhance the campus experience, with new campus housing and buildings under construction including Randy Boyd Hall, the Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building and the Student Success Center.

With the support of donors through the campaign, UT plans to build on its momentum and further enhance the student experience. Campaign priorities include expanding scholarship support to strengthen the university’s land-grant mission, creating more leadership-development opportunities that carry the Volunteer spirit beyond campus, investing in honors experiences and programming that help keep top students in Tennessee, and increasing hands-on learning and career networks that prepare graduates to enter the workforce ready to succeed.

Advancing research that improves lives

With increasing lab space, investment in innovation districts, applications for high-dollar grants, productive partnerships, and aggressive recruitment of preeminent scholars, UT’s research impact continues to expand. The university’s turfgrass research was on the global stage at FIFA World Cup 26, ensuring the safety and playability of all 16 pitches at stadiums in three countries. In recent months the National Science Foundation has awarded grants to three UT-led projects, supporting faculty who are building a national AI research infrastructure, accelerating new materials discovery and transforming Tennessee’s underused farmland.

Campaign investments will help accelerate discovery and innovation, ensuring that UT leads the way in attracting nationally renowned researchers and educators and delivering important solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, including healthcare breakthroughs that matter to the people of Tennessee and energy solutions that will help secure the future of our planet and communities.

Leading the way in college athletics

In recent years, UT’s athletics department has distinguished itself as the nation’s best. Plowman highlighted the program’s achievements, including seven UT teams finishing in the top 10 last year in polls or postseason play.

“I don’t believe you can build sustainable success on the field without building a culture that prioritizes integrity, student-athletes and fans,” she said.

With that culture as a foundation, work begins this month on the 865 Neyland entertainment district — a project set to transform the area surrounding Neyland Stadium and Food City Center into a vibrant year-round destination for students, fans, residents and visitors.

The campaign will elevate the student-athlete experience, setting a standard for developing champions who excel in every arena of life. It will help expand programming that develops the character, leadership skills and career readiness of student-athletes; enhance the fan experience and deepen community engagement; and modernize facilities and training centers.

Plowman concluded her address by recognizing the collaborative work and dedication of faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners who continually commit their time, talent and gifts to make a difference at UT, across Tennessee and beyond.

A full recording and transcript of Plowman’s Flagship Address will be available on the chancellor’s website.

About the ‘It Takes a Volunteer’ campaign

The “It Takes a Volunteer” campaign invites alumni, donors and friends to invest in the people and ideas that will shape the future of Tennessee and beyond. With a $3.5 billion goal, the campaign is helping the university create an unparalleled student experience, advance research that improves lives and lead the way in college athletics.

Rooted in UT’s Volunteer spirit and land-grant mission, the campaign is creating a lasting impact on the communities it serves. By investing in people, programs and opportunities across UT, supporters are helping prepare tomorrow’s leaders, accelerate discoveries and innovation, strengthen communities, and build a stronger Tennessee and a better world.