News & Notes | UTK named Tennessee’s top public university
Sammy Lowdermilk named permanent President and CEO of The Enterprise Center.
From Knoxville:
Forbes Magazine’s America’s Top Colleges ranking has again named the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee’s top public university. The publication’s annual list showcases institutions that produce successful, high-earning, and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds with less student debt.
UTK’s rankings show significant gains since last year’s list. The university rose six spots to 56th among all public universities, climbed 10 spots to 94th among research universities, and rose 12 spots to 130th overall out of 500 public and private institutions.
“These rankings highlight not only the strength of our academic programs but also our commitment to preparing graduates who thrive professionally and contribute meaningfully to their communities,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. “UT’s recognition as Tennessee’s top public university by Forbes is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our UT community and our commitment to serve our state.”
The rankings are based on factors including graduation and retention rates and return on investment. Forbes also considers academic success, evaluating the scholastic performance of each school based on its number of national award winners and Ph.D. graduates.
During the past year, Forbes has named UTK to its inaugural list of America’s Dream Employers and recognized the university as one of the nation’s best employers for new graduates and one of Tennessee’s top three employers.
The Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and FirstBank are hosting an event on October 28 that is described as writing “Yes – Worthy” loan applications.
To register for the event held at First Bank, 5537 Kingston Pike, click here.
During the 90-minute event held over a lunch that is provided, attendees will:
- Understand what lenders look for when evaluating applications;
- Create a simple checklist of the financial documents, numbers, and details that make or break an application;
- Discover common red flags that cause loan denials;
- Practice key sections of a strong application; and
- Leave with a clear next step, whether you’re applying tomorrow or planning ahead for future financing.
From Chattanooga:
Two recent announcements have been made by The Enterprise Center in Chattanooga.
First, Sammy Lowdermilk, who was named Interim President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) nearly a year ago, has been named the permanent top executive of the organization after action by the nonprofit organization’s board of directors that occurred last week. He joined The Enterprise Center’s Tech Goes Home (TGH) in 2015, and began serving as TGH program director in 2017 before being named Interim President and CEO since January of this year.
“Sammy has demonstrated a deep commitment to not only the work of Tech Goes Home and The Enterprise Center but to serving people in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and the state of Tennessee,” said Dan Ryan, Board Chair of The Enterprise Center. “He understands the value of strong partnerships in furthering our work in digital opportunity, as well as the role of supporting businesses and employees in adopting advanced digital technologies. The Enterprise Center is building on more than two decades of impact in preparing our neighbors to thrive today and for the future. Sammy has been a crucial part of that impact for the past ten years, and the board is confident in his leadership to advance this organization into the next decade.”
The Enterprise Center, the nonprofit economic development partner of the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County with a legacy of local impact, announces it will become an anchor tenant of the recently renovated Lupton Building in November 2025, moving from its current location in the Edney Building.
About the move, Lowdermilk said, “Many Chattanoogans and people from around the region have gotten to know The Enterprise Center through Floor Five. It has been a space for anyone to build a project and grow a community, and we’re excited to build off that success just a block away in the Lupton Building.”
From Across Tennessee:
The Volunteer State is among those jurisdictions least affected by the federal government shutdown. That’s according to a recent report from WalletHub, the personal financial website.
To determine the states most affected by the 2025 shutdown, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across five key metrics. They range from each state’s share of federal jobs to federal contract dollars per capita to national park access.
Not surprisingly, three of the top six were the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. What might surprise readers is that Tennessee ranked #34 on the list.
The full list can be found here.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!