Winter 2023

In Tennessee, we find ourselves faced with seemingly intractable problems—ones that are large scale, complex and can lead to difficult futures for Tennesseans and their children. The University of Tennessee System selected three of these to address: K-12 education needs, substance misuse and rural community decline. We call these Grand Challenges.

In this issue, you’ll discover more about the challenges and what UT is already doing to address them. Will you join us? It will take experts from a myriad of areas working in concert to straighten what has been snarled.

Mike Mayfield, owner of Mayfield Angus Farm, speaks to members of the Regional Leadership cohort.

Changing The Narrative

How can rural communities find success when dialogue about them shoves them into pre-constructed boxes? The Turner Center for Rural…

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Breaking Barriers

Nobody wants to talk about money. But, according to the UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences team, everybody needs to…

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Sreedhar Upendram (middle) demonstrates using a hot spot for broadband to James Mingie, a research associate, left, and graduate student Amrit Shrestha.

No One-Size Solution

What would life today be like without the internet? For many rural Tennesseans, the experience isn’t one that needs imagination—it’s…

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UT President Randy Boyd reads You Can't Buy a Dinosaur with a Dime to children during a Money Week class about financial literacy. Photo By Sam Thomas

UT Tackles Challenges

The UT System, with its statewide presence, people, expertise, resources and influence, is uniquely positioned to tackle grand challenges.

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Former Tennessee Governors Host a New Podcast Series

The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy launched You Might Be Right, a new podcast series hosted by…

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UTS Special Education Students Spread Fire

UT Southern students studying to teach special education developed the FIRE (Fostering Inclusion through Resource Efforts) resource fair for disability…

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UTIA Establishes New School of Natural Resources

The Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries (FWF) will be named the School of Natural Resources.

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