A great education should prepare students not only for a career but for a meaningful life. Entertainment and the arts inspire us to think differently, work collaboratively and develop discipline while they challenge our creativity and perspectives. Those qualities matter in every profession and every community.
The arts have long held personal meaning because they shape vibrant communities and enrich the lives of the people who call Tennessee home. Whether it is music, the arts or sports, these shared experiences bring people together, defining our state’s character and culture.
This issue of Our Tennessee highlights how those experiences happen every day across the University of Tennessee. One faculty member preserved literary history through discovering lost writings by Virginia Woolf, while another professor explored the story behind one of America’s favorite foods: bacon. Meet students and employees who take their talents from Tennessee stages to Carnegie Hall. See how we draw inspiration from one of our state’s greatest treasures: the outdoors.
At UT, learning and discoveries happen everywhere: in classrooms, labs, stages and along Tennessee’s trails. Creators drive that work as they prepare our students for success and strengthen the communities where they live.
The arts and entertainment industry also plays an important role in our state’s future. It supports tourism, creates jobs and makes Tennessee one of the best places in the country to live, work and raise a family. UT proudly supports that momentum through the talent, creativity and innovation happening across our campuses and institutes.
—Randy Boyd, Knoxville ’79
