University Advancement

The Campaign for Tennessee Tech University

A strong academic reputation, second to none, has been the hallmark of a Tennessee Tech education from the beginning. Today, there are more than 10,000 reasons to invest in Tennessee Tech. Our students and faculty are the driving force of this university. All the credit for what Tech is today goes to the people who have studied, worked and supported us in from our founding.

Focusing on scholarships will give Tennessee Tech the ability to recruit the best and the brightest students and prepare young minds to enter a changing workforce. In this focus area, we will place emphasis on:

• Undergraduate and graduate excellence scholarships
• Non-traditional student scholarships
• Deans’ scholars program to link students with successful alumni
• Study-abroad scholarships

While the university offers more than 550 different scholarships, only one in three students receives an academic scholarship to Tennessee Tech. By increasing the amount of academic, need-based, nontraditional, undergraduate, graduate and study abroad scholarship support available for students, we can continue to recruit and retain the type of student Tennessee Tech can be proud to graduate and provide an education to students who would otherwise not be able to afford one.

Donor Recognition and Impact

Tennessee Tech University donors change lives. From a scholarship that helps a student in financial need, to the opportunity to meet an inspirational entrepreneur and television star, to professional development opportunities that prepare a graduate to succeed in the workforce, donor support makes it possible. Click here to read about some of the many students whose college experience has been shaped by generous Tennessee Tech donors.

More than 100 years ago, a group of visionaries brought our university into being. Today, we call upon all whose lives have been improved by their Tennessee Tech experience to help pave the way to future success. This includes modernizing the campus infrastructure to improve the student experience and bringing a new focus on distinction to campus facilities. These initiatives include:

• Construction of a new science building
• Expansion of athletics facilities including renovations to the football stadium and golf course
• Upgrades and renovations to classroom, teaching and laboratory spaces

New Science Building

Occupying 150,000-square-feet of space, the new science building, once completed, will be the largest academic building on campus. The building will house the chemistry department and a portion of the biology department.

There will also be labs for Earth sciences, physics and environmental sciences. In keeping with the university’s master plan, the building will be located immediately north of the Capital Quad residence halls on the site of a current parking lot. It will be the key feature of a future east-west academic mall.

Faculty see new building as difference maker for student opportunity

The new laboratory sciences building at Tennessee Tech will create collaborative spaces unlike any that have ever existed at Tech, allowing faculty and students to interact and work together in an unprecedented way. “The more often you are able to bump into one another and talk in the hall or an instrument room, the more likely people are to come up with ideas on how to collaborate, and the students, of course, would benefit from that,” Chemistry Chairperson, Jeff Boles said. “Spaces like that simply don’t exist right now. Sometimes space and opportunity are linked.”

By creating spaces that students see as both inviting and exciting, Boles sees the building as a game changer for the student experience. “If just the way it is designed coupled with the activities that we carry out inside that building increases their self-confidence and their courage to get involved, that’s going to be a great thing.” As Tennessee Tech puts more focus on research, Boles also sees the new facility as an opportunity to encourage an energy for research on campus.

“We already plan activities to break down the barrier between new students and faculty and encourage them to get involved in undergraduate research,” Boles said. “I hope that in the new building, those barriers are easier to break down and that students will feel a much greater invitation to get involved with everything that goes on. “I see that building becoming a home away from home for students, where they can get their needs met to reach their goals.”

Follow the link here for more details about the New Science Building.

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New Fitness Center

With its prominent location, the new Fitness Center is designed to be the new campus “front door” attracting prospective students while serving current students and faculty. The design fosters an inviting environment for wellness by creating spaces that combine independent and group recreation together to meet the needs of all users. Fitness and weight spaces will provide state-of-the-art equipment, including a climbing wall, in a dynamic two-level space, as well as racquetball courts.

Gym courts will feature spectator viewing and pre-game gathering spaces for drop-in play, scheduled leagues and intramural events. A Multipurpose Activity Court will allow access to indoor sports, while the indoor leisure pool will create more opportunities for social interaction. Lap lanes will be provided for exercise and programmed activities, and a whirlpool will invite relaxation and socializing.

Follow the link here for more details about the New Fitness Center.

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Jere Whitson Hall Renovation

Renovations to Jere Whitson Hall will transform the historic building into the campus visitor and welcome center, as well as serve as a one-stop shop for students. The renovated space will include the following offices: admissions, financial aid, advisement, academic services, records and registration and military and veteran affairs.

Consolidation of these offices into one space will make it much easier on students who need assistance, and well as providing important navigation help for incoming students and their families. Additionally, the Backdoor Playhouse will take up space in the entire basement.

Follow th link here for more details about Jere Whitson.

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Golf Course

The Golden Eagle Golf Club, donated to the university by Lanny Dunn, is an 18-hole course with a 6,600 yard, par 70 layout that offers four sets of tees, providing unique challenges for every level of play. An exclusive opportunity for the university, the golf course expands ways for Tech students to have hands-on experiences that make their degrees distinctive, such as for turfgrass management and food system administration.

Improvements to the course include potential property acquisitions to expand the footprint in order to host championship tournaments, as well as renovations to the club house and grounds.

 

Follow the link here for more details about the Golf Course.

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Poultry Science Center & Food Science Center

For the past year, the College of Agriculture and Human Ecology has been formulating plans for the new Poultry Science Center and Food Science Center. The new poultry houses and food science building will benefit student education as well as industry needs by incorporating research projects relevant to the continued success of the industry.

This project has been awarded a $2.07 million grant from the state and substantial funding from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, along with $20,000 from a corporate sponsor among other generous corporate supporters and private benefactors has been provided.

With these new facilities, Tennessee Tech students will learn and ensure the humane handling of animals. Students will also learn about food science and safety, processing, handling and food defense. New construction of a commercial kitchen and meat processing area, will offer the opportunity to develop a much-needed Food Science program. Ultimately, these facilities link the School of Agriculture and School of Human Ecology together to provide comprehensive farm-to-fork training for our students and serve the community by providing important workshops and certifications.

 

J.W. and Lori Bruce

Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Provost

Provost Lori Bruce and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering J.W. Bruce made their first gift to Tennessee Tech not long after joining the President's Cabinet and College of Engineering faculty, respectively.  In addition to making their first gift to Tech, the Bruces also joined the President's Club, a giving society created nearly 40 years ago to recognize the many friends who loyally support the University.  Now, they hope to inspire others to give back through the "I Heart Tech Students" faculty and staff giving campaign.

"We wish every Tennessee Tech employee would give through our faculty and staff giving campaign," they said.  "The amount of the gift is not nearly as important as the act of giving. There is a saying, 'It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it.'  When we give to Tennessee Tech, especially when we support student activities on campus, we are communicating to the students that what they are doing is important to us."

The Bruces say they enjoy working at Tennessee Tech because of the great team atmosphere and because of the students who keep them energized, push them to have fresh perspectives on all aspects of life, and inspire them to make the University the very best.

"Neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college when they graduated high school," said Dr. Lori Bruce.  "So when I was young, they stressed the importance of education and the belief that a university education could help you become whatever you wanted to be in life.  When I was a teenager, my mother earned her bachelor's degree, and I saw firsthand how her education broadened her perspectives of the world and allowed her to have a much more personally-fulfilling and higher-paying job.  Education just opens so many doors of opportunity."

Dr. J.W. Bruce added, "Our undergraduate and graduate educations have enabled us to have careers that we love--careers that have provided us with life experiences that we could never have imagined possible.  We want everyone, especially Tennessee Tech students, to have those same kinds of opportunities and experiences."

The Bruces designated their first gift to support the Tennessee Tech Baja team.  Dr. J.W. Bruce has been the faculty advisor to several student projects and similar competition teams throughout the years and has witnessed firsthand that no matter how well you plan, there are always issues (and the associated expenses) that crop up unexpectedly.

"I vividly remember the times when my teams struggled with where to find the resources to address the unexpected," said Dr. J.W. Bruce.  "It seems that every time, someone stepped up and helped us out, and everything worked out in the end.  We felt this was our opportunity to be that someone to step up and help Tennessee Tech students."

The Tennessee Tech Baja team has a special sentiment to the Bruces.  They met as undergraduates when they were both studying engineering, and they worked on a student design team while dating.  The two spent many hours working side by side designing and building small autonomous vehicles and taking them to competitions. 

Dr. Lori Bruce finds it remarkable that Tech's Baja team started in 1977 in the basement of Brown Hall.  In the 40 years since, Tech's student team has finished in the top ten in more than 80% of the competitions they have entered and have placed 1st 12 times, making them the leading National Champion overall.

Dr. Lori Bruce added, "I have personally visited with the Baja student team and their faculty advisor, and they greatly impressed me with their technical skills, teamwork, tenacity, and competitiveness.  It is no surprise that they build high quality vehicles that win races and bring national prestige to Tennessee Tech."

"Giving is contagious," said the Bruces.  "When we give to Tennessee Tech, it can have a ripple effect of generosity through our community.  We hope that our gift inspires others to give back to our students!  Together, we can help Tennessee Tech move to even greater successes and heights."   

 

If we are to build the Tennessee Tech of tomorrow, we must invest resources to attract the best and brightest faculty to our university. A concerted effort is needed to increase the number of endowed faculty positions or chairs of excellence across the campus. These esteemed faculty positions represent the top leading scholars in their fields of study. Attracting these types of faculty not only raises the university’s profile, but also brings in private and corporate funding for specialized research initiatives.

Just as it is vital to recruit and retain the best students, so too must we recruit and retain faculty who are experts in their fields. We have high expectations that our faculty will teach, lead, research and inspire. Finding those who possess this combination of skills is no easy task. To remain competitive in the research arena, we must act now to raise the necessary funds to establish more of these endowed faculty positions. These investments will enrich Tech's educational experience and help our students better prepare to boldly make their mark in the world.

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Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Gannod is the Harry C. Stonecipher Distinguished Professor and Chair in the Department of Computer Science at Tennessee Tech University. His research interests include Software Engineering, Agile Software Development, Agile Instruction, Enterprise Computing, Mobile Computing, Data Science, Analytics, and Machine Learning. Dr. Gannod received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University in 1998 under the direction of Dr. Betty H.C. Cheng. His industrial experience includes a stint with the Suncorp Group, Unisys Corporation and IBM. His projects have been supported by AFRL, NSF, NASA Langley, NASA IV&V Center, Intel and Motorola (via the Consortium for Embedded Systems), and the Institute for Manufacturing and Enterprise Systems. Prior to joining Tennessee Tech, Dr. Gannod was a professor at Miami University and an assistant professor at Arizona State University. Dr. Gannod’s favorite pastimes include following his favorite sports teams (Detroit Redwings, Detroit Tigers, Michigan State Spartans, and Detroit Pistons) and playing guitar (Taylor, Takamine, and Ibanez guitars).

"It is a great honor to be the Harry C. Stonecipher Professor of Distinction. I feel a sense of responsibility to uphold the legacy of excellence of Tennessee Tech while carrying the banner of innovation and community in service of this great institution. This is a responsibility that I believe all of my colleagues bear; I just have the pleasure of being the steward of the endowment for however long I am called to do so. It is my hope and prayer that I can serve in a manner that makes the Tennessee Tech community proud."