University of Tennessee Southern


The University of Tennessee Southern is a public university in Pulaski, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1870, it was a private institution for over 150 years until joining the University of Tennessee System in 2021. It was renamed and became the first new primary campus in the University of Tennessee System in over 50 years. The name University of Tennessee Southern was chosen because the campus serves the 13 counties of southern Middle Tennessee.

History

UT Southern was originally founded as Martin Methodist College in 1870. The college was named for Thomas Martin, former mayor of Pulaski, who left in his will an endowment of $30,000 to establish a college for the education of the white girls and women of Giles County. It is sometimes suggested that Martin did so in fulfilment of a promise to his daughter Victoria, who died at the age of twenty. In 1938, the college became coeducational. Originally founded as a whites-only institution, in 1966 it became racially integrated. The college was originally named Martin Female College until 1908, when its name was changed to Martin College. Then, in April 1986, it became Martin Methodist College after becoming a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church. In July 2021, the campus was purchased by the University of Tennessee System and was converted to a public four-year institution.
Recently, the University of Tennessee Southern launched a new Entrepreneur Center, funded by grants from Launch Tennessee and in partnership with the University of Tennessee System. The name of the center is the NOVA Entrepreneur Center and it is focused on launching businesses, economic development, and community flourishing in Southern Middle Tennessee.

Athletics

The UT Southern athletic teams are called the Firehawks. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, primarily competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference on its second stint since the 2023–24 academic year. The Firehawks had previously competed as members of the SSAC on its first tenure from 2013–14 to 2019–20, until briefly joining the Mid-South Conference from 2020–21 to 2022–23. They also competed in the TranSouth Athletic Conference from 1996–97 to 2012–13, and in the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1986–87 to 1995–96.
UT Southern competes in 19 intercollegiate varsity teams: men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Competitive cheerleading and competitive clay target shooting are offered as a co-ed sports. Former sports included men's and women's bowling.
Athletic teams at UT Southern have won 12 national championships: