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The keynote panel “Leading with the Head and the Heart” welcomed a conversation around utilizing data to demonstrate values and increase student success. The three panelists, all college and university presidents, emphasized the benefits of collaborating qualitative and quantitative data to better visualize student populations.   

A value-first approach to student success revitalizes how higher education supports all demographics of students. Valerie Kinloch, president of Johnson C. Smith University, said “When I think of value, I always start with [the questions of] ‘Who are our students and where are our students from? Where are the communities our students are coming to us from?’” 

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The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s, Vice Provost for Student Success Amber Williams and Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas were moderator and featured speaker, respectively, for the panel “Aligning Student and Institutional Definitions of Success.”

Sharing the stage with Brianne Frazier, director of student engagement and success at Arizona State University Online, Jessie Wang, assistant dean of student success and access at East Tennessee State University, and Sharon Duffy, assistant vice president for student success at Emerson College, the panel discussed the results of a survey by TimelyCare stating “three in five college students define success by their GPA.” 

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The final day of the annual Student Success US Conference kicked off with a keynote discussion moderated by Vice Provost for Student Success Amber Williams. 

The session, “The State of Higher Education: Adapting to Evolving Barriers to Success,” examined findings from a study conducted by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup titled “State of Higher Education.” The study measures “the attitude of U.S. adults without a college degree toward education beyond high school.”  

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The University of Tennessee, Knoxville hosted distinguished author, professor, and social scientist Arthur Brooks as a guest virtual speaker on day two of the Student Success US Conference 2024. 

UT Provost John Zomchick served as moderator for the conversation, “The Intersection of Happiness and Success: A Conversation with Arthur Brooks.” The discussion explored the how universities can generate positive environments through value efforts and understanding how social trends affect student well-being.

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The University of Tennessee, Knoxville hosted the annual Student Success US Conference in partnership with Inside Higher Ed and Times Higher Education. The three-day event, which ran October 28-30, brought together higher education professionals from around the country to discuss student success and how to approach the evolving landscape of higher education.

Shortly after opening the conference alongside Inside Higher Ed’s Sara Custer, UT Chancellor Donde Plowman was a featured speaker during “Presidential Panel: Leading with Integrity and Intention” alongside guest speakers Jonathan Koppell, president of Montclair State University, and Harry Williams, president and Chief Executive Officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

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The Division of Student Success (DSS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, welcomes Dr. Sarah Binion and Mr. Kazim Rahman to the University Honors faculty. Dr. Binion and Mr. Rahman join Dr. David Frank as the program’s third full-time faculty hire in the month of October. 

Dr. Sarah Binnion 

Dr. Binion completed her Master of Science degree in forensic science and doctorate in biomedical research at Marshall University and currently serves as research technician and laboratory manager in the Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  

Dr. Binion enhanced her studies with real-world experience at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Marshall University Forensic Science Center in connection with the Huntington Police Department, and Kentucky State Police. 

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Dr. Amber Williams, Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Tennessee, joins WVLT’s Big Orange Kickoff to speak about the division’s strategic initiatives, Big Orange Welcome, Torch Night, Student Success Express, and the Vol Edge. 


The Division of Student Success (DSS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is pleased to introduce Dr. David Frank as the first full-time faculty hire for its University Honors Program.

Entering his new role in August 2025, Dr. Frank will bring insight curated from over a decade of highly rated teaching in various disciplines. He most recently completed six years as a lecturer in the Philosophy Department and complementary work in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology concentration in the Biology Department at the University of Tennessee. 

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The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s annual Discovery Day took place Tuesday, September 24 in John C. Hodges Library. The exhibition featured two floors of undergraduate student researchers presenting their projects to the campus community.

Hosted by UT’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (OURF), campus members and visitors were invited to explore 107 projects presented by 115 student researchers representing eight colleges and 45 different majors.

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Seniors Tyler Myers and Amelya Fox were recently chosen to represent the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the selective and highly competitive Amgen Scholars Program as announced by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship (OURF).

As Amgen Scholars, students conduct hands-on biomedical research in the lab alongside top faculty, participate in seminars and networking events, and take part in symposia with their peers and leading scientists. The program culminates at the University of California, Los Angeles where scholars attend the Amgen Scholars North America Symposium.

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