Story perspectives

Haslam Family Donates $130 M to UT Knoxville Business School

6/4/2026

Summary

Haslam Funds Business

Jimmy and Dee Haslam invested $130 million in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earmarking $100 million for the Haslam College of Business to hire faculty, expand scholarships and grow honors program.
Governor Bill Lee said the gift expands student opportunity and strengthens Tennessee’s workforce pipeline.
Their UT contributions total $195 million, including a $35 million Lakeshore Park gift in 2020 and the 2008 naming of the college after Jimmy Haslam’s father, James (Jim) Haslam.

Summary

Haslam Funds AI

The Haslam family allocated $30 million of their $130 million gift to hire scholars in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and nuclear science.
They set aside $50 million as matching funds to spur additional donors.
UT System President Randy Boyd announced a separate donation that will name the new Haslam College of Business building after him.
Senior Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brian Broyles said the campaign seeks world-renowned faculty and a stronger Tennessee talent pipeline.

Summary

Haslam Expands Support

Haslam College of Business and UT’s Division of Student Success will use a gift to expand support for business students.
Dean Stephen L. Mangum said the investment will boost research, learning and opportunities at the college, aiming to create a national model for workforce pipelines and graduate preparation.
Amber Williams reported a 92.4% first-year retention rate, up six points since 2019, and a 40% rise in UT graduates.

History

Historical Context

Sam Walton’s family sparked a new era of state-level philanthropy when the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation pledged $50 million to the University of Arkansas in October 1998, creating the Walton College of Business and representing 12 % of Arkansas’s private higher-education endowment. The model inspired later gifts such as Jimmy Haslam’s pledge to the University of Tennessee, prompting Governor Bill Lee to promote donor-matched workforce pipelines.

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Haslam Funds Business

Jimmy and Dee Haslam invested $130 million in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earmarking $100 million for the Haslam College of Business to hire faculty, expand scholarships and grow honors program.
Governor Bill Lee said the gift expands student opportunity and strengthens Tennessee’s workforce pipeline.
Their UT contributions total $195 million, including a $35 million Lakeshore Park gift in 2020 and the 2008 naming of the college after Jimmy Haslam’s father, James (Jim) Haslam.

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