Historic Knoxville College

04/24/2026

Dear KC Family and Friends,

This is a reminder to join us today for the State of Knoxville College Address, where Dr. Dasha Lundy will share important updates on the college’s progress, priorities, and the path forward.

🗓 Tomorrow, April 25th, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM (EST)
💻 Virtual (Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81114680046?pwd=CAVKUUDCDmrxOqZMzXj6yDbsurE84Y.1 )

We encourage you to be present for this important moment of connection and transparency.

We look forward to having you with us.

— Knoxville College

03/05/2026

📣 The latest Knoxville College Presidential Newsletter is out now.

In this week’s message, Dr. Dasha Lundy offers a transparent look at where the college stands and the work ahead to protect the future of Knoxville College.

Here are a few highlights from this week’s update:

🔎 A candid look at the financial realities currently facing the college
🏛️ An explanation of the secured loan agreement tied to campus land and revenue
📚 Why understanding KC’s history matters as decisions are made for the future
✊🏾 Reflections on the legacy of Knoxville College during Black History Month
👩🏾‍🎓 Honoring the women who have shaped the institution during Women’s History Month
🤝 A call for alumni, supporters, and friends to help invest in KC’s future

Transparency. Stewardship. Forward movement.

📖 Read the full message here:
https://mailchi.mp/36e04269d04e/from-our-past-to-our-future-updates-from-the-hill

If we do not understand how we arrived here, we will repeat the same decisions and expect a different outcome. That is not faith. That is dysfunction.

02/28/2026

A recent opinion piece in The Tennessean highlights a growing conversation in Tennessee about expanding three-year degree pathways to reduce student debt and better align higher education with workforce demand.

At Knoxville College, we believe higher education must continue to evolve. Affordability, accelerated pathways, workforce alignment, and innovation are essential for today’s students.

Three-year degrees and stackable credentials create an opportunity to rethink the traditional model while helping students graduate with less debt and stronger career preparation.

The future of higher education is being shaped now. Knoxville College is committed to being part of that solution.

As tuition climbs and skepticism grows, three‑year degree pathways offer an innovative solution for students and employers alike.

02/27/2026

Land Ownership….

We’ve lost 90% of our farmland in the last century; not from lack of effort, but from lack of institutional protection.

What if HBCUs built our own Forest Service to protect land, resolve heirs’ property issues, manage timber, access carbon markets, and create generational wealth?

Land is leverage.
Land is legacy.

This article challenges us to think bigger.

African Americans own land in 42 states, yet no national institution exists to protect that land, manage it, or convert it into generational wealth. That absence has been catastrophic. White land-g…

02/26/2026

Knoxville College is seeking mission-aligned partner organizations to collaborate on the Lilly Endowment Exploring Christian Practices Initiative.

This national grant opportunity supports creative, community-based expressions of Christian practices that foster spiritual growth, healing, leadership formation, and community renewal across diverse populations.

As a historic institution founded in 1875 and rooted in faith, education, and service, Knoxville College is positioned to convene partners who want to design meaningful, practice-based experiences that strengthen both individuals and communities.

We are especially interested in organizations passionate about:

• Community formation and reconciliation
• Stewardship and economic empowerment
• Intergenerational faith engagement
• Creative arts and theological reflection
• Rest, retreat, and healing spaces
• Service-centered leadership development

Important Dates:
• Letter of Interest due March 25, 2026
• Full Proposal due May 18, 2026

If your organization is interested in collaborating on a submission, please message us directly or email [email protected] no later than March 15th to allow time for coordination and planning.

02/24/2026

Thank you, Tennessee Titans, for highlighting Knoxville College! 💙

02/15/2026

Thank you Wesley House Community Center for highlighting us. ❤️

02/08/2026

📣 Knoxville College Weekly Update | Black History Month Edition

This week at Knoxville College, we reflect on legacy, look ahead to the future, and continue the work of keeping our historic institution strong and moving forward.

🖤 A Message from Alumni Affairs
In honor of Black History Month, Michael Rodgers from the Office of Alumni Affairs shares a powerful reminder that Knoxville College is not just a historic institution — it is a living HBCU legacy rooted in resilience, education, and community impact. From educating formerly enslaved individuals to producing generations of leaders and change agents, KC’s story remains deeply connected to the broader story of Black history in America.

📅 Save the Date: Homecoming 2026
Mark your calendars now — Knoxville College Homecoming will take place October 8–11, 2026. We look forward to welcoming alumni, friends, and supporters back to campus for a powerful weekend of fellowship, celebration, and reconnection. More details to come soon.

❤️ Supporting the Ongoing Work of Knoxville College
As Knoxville College continues its journey of revitalization and renewal, community support remains vital to sustaining operations, programming, and the student experience. Every act of support helps keep this historic institution alive and moving forward for the next generation.

📬 The full weekly newsletter has been sent via email to our community. Be sure to check your inbox to read more and stay connected with everything happening at Knoxville College - or read the full newsletter here:
https://mailchi.mp/48f9bb84958e/black-history-month-reflections-homecoming-2026-supporting-our-future

01/21/2026

Today we extend our deepest condolences to Jim Haslam and the entire Haslam family as they celebrate the life of Mrs. Natalie Haslam.

We hold the Haslam family in prayer and reflection, honoring a life marked by love, generosity, and quiet impact. Natalie’s legacy lives on not only through her family, but through the countless lives touched by the values they have embodied for decades.

The Haslam family has long been instrumental in supporting Knoxville College during some of its most challenging seasons. That support mattered. It provided stability, opportunity, and hope at a time when hope was needed most. We remain deeply grateful for that partnership and the spirit of stewardship that made it possible.

May peace, comfort, and love surround the Haslam family today. May Natalie’s life continue to speak through the good that endures.

01/20/2026

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Knoxville,
1960.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Knoxville on Memorial Day, 1960, as the commencement speaker at Knoxville College. At the time, he was the 31-year-old co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, only becoming nationally famous.

His vision for equality and love is the foundation for millions of people in the United States into actions against racism, to end poverty, and for peace. One of our favorite quotes from Dr. King is "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend".