Tennessee State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School for Negroes (1912–1925) Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College (1925–1927) Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College (1927–1968) |
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| Motto | Think. Work. Serve |
| Type | Public, historically black land-grant university |
| Established | June 19, 1912 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Academic affiliation
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| Endowment | $91.1 million (2021) |
| President | Dwayne Tucker |
| Provost | Robbie K. Melton (interim) |
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Academic staff
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443 full-time & 169 part-time |
| Students | 8,198 (fall 2023) |
| Undergraduates | 6,765 (fall 2023) |
| Location |
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United States
36°10′00″N 86°49′50″W / 36.16667°N 86.83056°W |
| Campus | Large city, 903 acres (365 ha) |
| Colors | Blue and white |
| Nickname | Tigers and Lady Tigers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I – OVC |
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Tennessee State University Historic District
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| Location | 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Architect | Marr & Holman, et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000677 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 1996 |
Tennessee State University (also known as Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public university in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a historically black university, meaning it was founded to provide education for African American students. TSU was started in 1912 and is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.
TSU offers many different study programs. Students can earn 41 bachelor's degrees, 23 master's degrees, and eight doctoral degrees. The university is known for its strong research programs.
Contents
History of Tennessee State University
How TSU Began
Tennessee State University first opened its doors in 1912. It was called the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal School for Negroes. The official opening ceremony happened on January 16, 1913.
Over the years, the school's name changed a few times. In 1925, it became the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College. Then, in 1927, it was renamed the Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College.
Growth and Development
In 1941, the state of Tennessee decided to improve the college's education programs. Just three years later, in 1944, the first master's degrees were given out. By 1946, the college was fully approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This meant its programs met high quality standards.
The university grew a lot when Walter S. Davis was president from 1943 to 1968. During this time, many new buildings were constructed. The school also started its graduate programs and added several new schools.
In 1968, the college officially became Tennessee State University. Later, in 1979, another university, the University of Tennessee at Nashville, joined with Tennessee State.
Recent Milestones
In 2022, Tennessee State University received a huge amount of money from the state government. They were given $250 million to improve buildings and academic programs. This was the largest single investment ever made into a historically black university in the United States.
In 2023, a very famous graduate of TSU, Oprah Winfrey, gave the speech at the graduation ceremony. It was her first time speaking at a TSU commencement.
In March 2024, the Governor of Tennessee made some changes to the university's leadership. He appointed new members to the school's board of trustees. This was done to help the university continue to be a leading institution.
Tennessee State University has 10 different schools and colleges. It has grown steadily since it started. It is the only public university in Nashville. Its health science program is one of the largest in the country.
Campus Life at TSU
Exploring the Campus
The main campus of Tennessee State University is about 500 acres (2.0 km2) in size. It has more than 65 buildings. The campus is located in a neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU's main campus has the most land of any college campus in Nashville.
There is also another campus, called the Avon Williams campus. It is located downtown, close to Nashville's business and government buildings.
Student Housing
Tennessee State offers places for students to live on campus. There are dorms and two apartment buildings for older students. Some of the dorms include Wilson Hall, Watson Hall, Eppse Hall, Boyd Hall, Rudolph Hall, and Hale Hall. The Ford Complex and New Residence Complex are the apartment buildings.
Academics and Learning
University Accreditation
Tennessee State University is officially approved by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). This means the university meets high standards for education. It can award associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. TSU is also known as a university with "high research activity."
Schools and Colleges
The university is organized into several different schools and colleges, each focusing on different subjects:
- College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Sciences
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Life and Physical Sciences
- College of Public Service
- University Honors College
- School of Graduate and Professional Studies
Some of TSU's programs have special accreditations. For example, the College of Business is approved by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The psychology program is approved by the American Psychological Association. Engineering programs are approved by ABET or NAIT. The Master of Public Health program was approved in 2015 by CEPH.
Student Life and Activities
Sports and Athletics
Tennessee State University has many sports teams for both men and women. They compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. TSU is part of the NCAA's NCAA Division I and plays in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The school's teams are called the Tigers and Lady Tigers. TSU has rivalries with Tennessee Tech and Kentucky State University.
Student Groups
There are more than 60 student organizations at TSU. These groups include the Student Government Association, the famous Aristocrat of Bands (AOB), and many Greek-lettered organizations (fraternities and sororities).
Notable People from TSU
Famous Faculty
- Michael Harris, a scholar in public policy.
- Millicent Lownes-Jackson
Well-Known Alumni
Many successful people have graduated from Tennessee State University.
Aviation
- U. L. "Rip" Gooch: A commercial pilot with over 20,000 hours of flying. He was also a flight instructor.
Civil Rights
- Xernona Clayton: A civil rights activist.
- U. L. "Rip" Gooch: Also a civil rights activist.
Education
- Glenda Glover: The eighth president of Tennessee State University.
- Sylvia Lyons Render: An English professor and curator at the Library of Congress.
- Andrew P. Torrence: The third president of Tennessee State University.
Entertainment
- Jimmy Blanton: A jazz musician.
- Young Buck: A hip hop star.
- Moses Gunn: An actor.
- Oprah Winfrey: A famous talk show host, actress, and businesswoman.
Politics
- James Clayborne, Jr.: A member of the Illinois Senate.
- Harold Ford, Sr.: A member of the U.S. Congress.
- Mark Funkhouser: A former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.
- Thelma Harper: A member of the Tennessee Senate.
Science and Technology
- Dorothy McClendon: An American microbiologist who found ways to protect stored goods.
- Dorothy J. Phillips: An American chemist and director at the American Chemical Society.
- Jesse Russell: An electrical engineer and pioneer in wireless communications.
- Angie Jones: A software engineer with many patented inventions.
Sports
- Dick Barnett: An NBA basketball player.
- Ralph Boston: An Olympic athlete and three-time medal winner in long jump.
- Chandra Cheeseborough: An Olympic runner who won gold and silver medals.
- Richard Dent: An NFL football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Claude Humphrey: An NFL football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Ed "Too Tall" Jones: An NFL football player.
- Madeline Manning: An Olympic runner and gold medalist.
- Anthony Mason: An NBA basketball player.
- Edith McGuire: An Olympic runner who won gold and two silver medals.
- Wilma Rudolph: An Olympic runner and the first woman of color to win three gold medals in one Olympics.
- Wyomia Tyus: An Olympic runner and the first person to win the 100m Olympic title twice.
See also
- List of Tennessee State University presidents
- Southern Heritage Classic
- From the Rough
