State & National News

PHOTO: UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. smiles during a light moment in the UT Martin 125th anniversary celebration kickoff ceremony held Oct. 10, 2025, in the university’s Boling University Center. UTM Faculty Senate President Dr. Sandy Mehlhorn is shown to his left. Freeman and other university representatives will make a statewide 125th anniversary tour in April to promote and celebrate the milestone. Representatives from the University of Tennessee at Martin will ma

When Jay Michael Martin Jr. was a boy, one of his heroes was actor LeVar Burton, whom he watched on the PBS series “Reading Rainbow.” After going through a life of hardships and mental anguish, Martin surfaced and became a local PBS host himself, moving to the national stage during PBS pledge events and emulating his boyhood hero. Martin was the guest speaker Feb. 3 in the first event of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s ENTICE Series, which takes place through Tuesday,

The University of Tennessee at Martin has installed new crosswalk lights and pedestrian signs on Mount Pelia Road to support safer and more predictable crossing behavior for pedestrians. Mount Pelia Road provides access to multiple high-traffic campus buildings, including the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center and the Boling University Center. Following a review of foot traffic and roadway conditions that impact visibility and driver awareness, the decision to enhance safety measur

Spring semester enrollment at the University of Tennessee at Martin will reach approximately 7,550 students, a more than 6% increase over spring 2025. The enrollment news was announced during the winter meeting of the UT Martin Advisory Board held Jan. 23 in the Boling University Center. The enrollment news was among several reports and updates provided to board members by university staff and UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman. The meeting also marked board chair Art Sparks

Registration for the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Summer Orientation And Registration (SOAR) sessions will open online Sunday, Feb. 1. SOAR is a required one-day orientation event designed to introduce first-year students to UT Martin and ease their transition into college life. During these sessions, first-year students will have a chance to become acquainted with UT Martin’s campus culture, learn about curriculum and campus resources, and register for classes. Studen

Students who have been accepted to attend the University of Tennessee at Martin in the fall 2026 semester have a chance to meet faculty members in their chosen field of study, speak with representatives from the UT Martin offices of financial aid and housing, and learn more about college life from the UTM Center for Student Engagement. The UTM Office of Undergraduate Admissions has planned several receptions that are designed with future Skyhawks in mind. There are six Future

Applications are now open for admission into the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks Achieving In Life (SAIL) program for students with intellectual disabilities for the fall 2026 semester, which begins Aug. 24. The SAIL program was created last June and is funded through a Tennessee Believes grant provided through the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging. The program provides access to the college experience for students with intellectual disabilities age 18 t

Registration for the University of Tennessee at Martin’s WestStar Elevate: A Summit for Growth and Leadership program presented by PATH Company is now open through Friday, Jan. 23. The theme of the summit is “For the Love of Leadership and Community.” The WestStar Elevate Summit – formerly called the WestStar Working Women’s Conference – is a part of the WestStar Leadership Program marking its 28th annual event. It will be held Friday, Feb. 6, in the Boling University Center

The University of Tennessee at Martin’s annual Civil Rights Conference is being rebranded with a new name. The annual event – which will be held this year from Feb. 3 through March 10 – is marking its 26th year. The conference has been given the name “Evolving Narratives: Tennessee Initiative for Civic Engagement,” or ENTICE. Begun in 2001, the event has brought several nationally-known speakers, historical figures, celebrities and witnesses of history to the UT Martin campus

Dr. Matthew R. Bice has been appointed as the new dean of the University of Tennessee at Martin College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences. The announcement was made Jan. 5 in an email from UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman to UTM faculty and staff. Bice’s official start date will be announced later. Bice is currently the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas. He previously held academic and administrative pos

Four double-digit scorers guided the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball squad to another big victory this evening as the Skyhawks defeated Bradley by a 78-67 margin at Carver Arena. As a result, UT Martin is now 3-0 for just the second time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1992) – also starting the 2020-21 campaign with three consecutive victories. The Skyhawk defense was the story as UT Martin held the Braves – who won 28 games and advanced to the Nation

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin competed throughout today against the No. 2 ranked team in the nation but the Skyhawks fell by a 15-4 margin to South Carolina at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex. UT Martin accounted for two victories in reining, one win (plus a tie) in flat and one triumph in horsemanship. Five career-high scores were set today by the Skyhawks, four of which came during the flat event. Abby Tibbits registered her team-best third vi

Six sport management students at the University of Tennessee at Martin, accompanied by Dr. Dexter Davis, professor of sport management, worked at two National Football League games in early October in London. The students were in England Oct. 1-13 and not only worked at NFL games but also had the chance to tour other sports venues and learn more about international sport cultures. This was the second such trip for UT Martin students; Davis brought a group last fall to work at

The much-anticipated Pat Summitt Heritage Classic featuring the University of Tennessee at Martin and University of Tennessee women's basketball teams is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 9 in the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. The game seeks to honor the legendary Pat Summitt by bringing together the school where she played and the school she coached at, at the place that helped launch her amazing career in basketball and on the court which bears her name. Ticket Information This ev

The University of Tennessee at Martin, in conjunction with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the University of Tennessee Southern, is the recipient of one of three mobile health units hitting the road as a part of the University of Tennessee System Grand Challenge Grant. According to the UT System website, the Grand Challenge Grant Program is an investment made by the UT System to fund transformative projects that improve the quality of life for Tennessean

MONTICELLO, Ark. – Dodging inclement weather in the area, the University of Tennessee at Martin men's and women's squads completed its scheduled rodeo at Arkansas-Monticello with each team bringing home a top-five finish. The Skyhawk cowboys managed a season-high tally in points for the second straight week, producing 350 points to place fourth in the standings behind winner Missouri Valley College (790 points). The UT Martin cowgirls finished fifth with 105 points as Murray

PHOTO: UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. speaks at a joint media conference Aug. 29 with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the 25th Judicial District of Tennessee regarding the investigation case file in the death of Pauline Pusser. Shown in the background of the media conference are (l-r) TBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Parson, TBI Assistant Director Josh Melton, Special Counsel Amy Weirich, District Attorney General Mark Davidson of the 25th Judicial

Weakley County Mayor Jake Bynum will become UT Martin’s new chief of staff effective May 1, 2024.

PULASKI – UT System President Randy Boyd announced his interest to continue serving as the University’s president during the UT Board of Trustee meeting held today at UT Southern. Boyd, who joined the UT System as interim president in November 2018 and was named its 26th president in 2020, initially committed to serve five years. At today’s meeting, he expressed to the board that he wants to complete what he calls “the greatest decade in UT history.” The UT Board of Trustees

Students in college or planning to attend college need to know that the FAFSA has changed and is now available for the 2024-25 school year.