University of Tennessee College of Arts & Sciences

09/01/2026

Shoutout to our Arts and Sciences ambassadors! 🧡

Through their leadership, our ambassadors introduce future Vols to our college while building skills to set them up for success in their own careers.

08/28/2026

In 2009, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Arts and Sciences had the honor of having Dolly Parton deliver an exceptional commencement speech during our ceremony.

Now, over 17 years later, our faculty still have the pleasure of incorporating Parton's history, work, and philanthropy into the courses they teach, including those in Appalachian history.

Thank you, Dolly Parton, for inspiring our students and our faculty to dream more!

Read more about how we teach about Parton's life and legacy: https://bit.ly/4gTWHbg

The classes, along with a documentary about her Imagination Library, immortalize the East Tennessean and her contributions to the world.

08/27/2026

Recent University of Tennessee, Knoxville alum John Humphrey (’26) knew he wanted to be a zookeeper in second grade. Thanks to his ambition and hard work as a student, he landed his dream job as an animal care specialist working with chimpanzees.

His major in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB at UTK), research for his honors thesis, and volunteer work with Zoo Knoxville all gave him the advantage he needed to chase his dreams.

Humphrey's experiences in the UT College of Arts and Sciences prepared him for his new job at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium where he is part of the team that cares for chimpanzees, hippos, African painted dogs, baboons, and a few reptiles.

You don't want to miss Humphrey's incredible story: https://artsci.utk.edu/to-the-zoo/


UT Knoxville Alumni

08/26/2026

This summer, 18 students from across the University of Tennessee, Knoxville traveled abroad to Berlin, Germany to study German culture, urban geography, and sustainability! ✈️

The "Urban Sustainability in Berlin" program offered these students a chance to understand sustainability through environmental, historical, political, social, and cultural lenses.

Students returned home with course credit in UTK Geography and Sustainability and in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC World Languages and Cultures) and with a new perspective on the world.

Learn more about this interdisciplinary study abroad experience: https://artsci.utk.edu/ut-students-see-urban-sustainability-at-work-in-berlin/


UTK Programs Abroad
UTK Division of Global Engagement

08/25/2026

Have you heard? University of Tennessee Department of Theatre alum Tramell Tillman is in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in theaters now!

Check out the GQ article below to learn more about his role in the film ⬇️

In his first ‘Spider-Man’ interview, the ‘Severance’ Emmy winner explains why he stepped off the Severed Floor and into the Marvel Universe—in a part that remained “shrouded in secrecy” even when it was offered to him.

08/24/2026

The first week of classes was a blast! Let's keep the energy high and make this semester unforgettable! 🧡

08/21/2026

Meet University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Microbiology Assistant Professor Sara J. Clasen!

Clasen studies how humans interact with the bacteria that lives in their intestines. Her lab focuses on bacteria considered beneficial to humans that, paradoxically, retain characteristics of pathogens.

She and her team examine host-flagellin dynamics to understand how host responses drive bacterial expression. These interactions are especially relevant in the context of inflammatory bowel disorders.


Office of the Provost, UT Knoxville

08/20/2026

We're always looking for unique ways to engage students in the College of Arts and Sciences!

University of Tennessee Department of History Professor Tore Olsson has found a way to make history approachable to his students by teaching through the lens of popular video games.

In the course HIST 150: "Grand Theft America," he provides an overview of the core social, political, and economic issues that have defined the United States since 1980 through the lens of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) game series.

As an extra surprise, Olsson invited Shawn Fonteno, the main actor from GTA 5, to answer student questions during class in the spring.

Learn more about how our faculty explore history through pop culture: https://artsci.utk.edu/new-class-steals-a-look-at-recent-us-history/


University of Tennessee, Knoxville

08/17/2026

Happy first day of class, Vols! 🎉

08/14/2026

It's almost time, Vols! ⏰ We can't wait to see you on Monday, August 17, for the first day of classes!