SEYMOUR, Tenn. – A new Everywhere You Look, UT mural is underway on a pharmacy in Sevier County owned by Rob Bullington (UTHSC ’04), thanks to a generous donation from UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy alumna and UT Board of Trustees member Shanea McKinney (UTHSC ’08).
“Supporting the mural in Sevier County is more than symbolic — it’s sentimental. My mother’s family is from this area, and I have cherished memories of summers in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Dollywood,” McKinney said. “To now play a small part in honoring this community through UT feels like a full circle moment. It’s a reminder that the UT System doesn’t just educate — it uplifts, it connects and it endures.”
The mural in Sevier County will be seen by an estimated 11,760 drivers daily. It marks the 66th mural to be painted in the statewide campaign and the 60th county to receive a mural. UT plays an important role in Sevier County’s economic development through local investment and alumni impact. In 2024, total UT expenditures in the county amounted to $22.6 million. It is also home to 3,389 UT alumni.
Rob Bullington, the owner of Eagle Den Discount Drug, where the mural is being painted, has firsthand experience with how the UT System can lead to a fulfilling career. Growing up, Bullington dreamed of becoming a pharmacist, and today, he credits the UT System for preparing him for success in his field.
“It was the connections I made here in Knoxville that empowered me and allowed me to get to UTHSC in Memphis,” Bullington said. “So, it is a warm and fuzzy feeling for me because I really, really think UT made me who I am as a professional, as a pharmacist.”
Bullington owns nine local pharmacies across Tennessee and North Georgia. He submitted multiple locations for a mural. To him, branding his pharmacy with the UT emblem is symbolic of his journey and a way to inspire others who drive by.
“To me, it shows that I’m going to give back to our community,” Bullington said. “I want the Bullington name to be associated with, not only our drug stores but that UT mural. I want them to see that I do support UT and that I want them to know that, hey, we’re right here in UT’s backyard. We need to support this University.”
When Bullington submitted his pharmacy for mural consideration, it created the perfect opportunity for McKinney to get involved in the Everywhere You Look, UT campaign — something she had hoped to do since the campaign’s inception. Without a property of her own to offer, she volunteered to support the campaign by funding a mural if the right fit could be found.
“As a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where I earned my doctorate of pharmacy, the UT System provided the knowledge, the confidence and the purpose to serve others. Growing up in East Tennessee, I never could have imagined the doors that UT would open — not just professionally, but in how it has allowed me to give back to the very communities that raised me,” McKinney said.
Her generosity reflects the strong connections within the UT System. Bullington noted how meaningful it was that two fellow UTHSC alumni — who hadn’t met before — could support the same goal of giving back to the University that shaped them.
“I love this and this is something that, I think, man down the road, I hope I can do the same thing,” Bullington said.
UT System President Randy Boyd said the mural represents the spirit of the campaign and the power of UT alumni joining together to give back.
“This mural is more than just a logo on a wall. It’s a reminder of opportunity and the way UT supports and serves our communities,” Boyd said. “Shanea and Rob’s story is exactly what we hope for all UT alumni: that they leave with the tools to succeed and a desire to give back.”
Bullington also stays connected to UT by serving on the UT Pharmacy alumni board. Through that role, he continues to engage with fellow graduates and give back to his alma mater.
“I’ve been on it for a couple of years and being able to serve on it and being able to share my love of pharmacy in the UT System is basically why I did it. I wanted to share what UT gave to me,” he said.
Reflecting on the mural campaign as a whole, both McKinney and Bullington are inspired by the mural’s message and its impact on Tennesseans.
“That’s why I’ve been deeply moved by the Everywhere You Look, UT campaign from the very beginning. To see murals in all 95 counties isn’t just about branding — it’s about belonging. It’s about planting seeds of possibility in the minds of young Tennesseans, offering hope to adults seeking a new path and connecting alumni like me to the places and people that have made us who we are today. For me, the UT System isn’t just where I went to school — UT has been the foundation of a meaningful life,” McKinney said.
“I think it’s an honor to have a mural,” Bullington said. “And as far as UT, I believe in everything they’re doing, not just pharmacy and sports, but leadership, different organizations and different pathways to people’s careers. I hope that our younger generation realizes the importance of this University and the connections that are made throughout the state.”
To learn more about the Everywhere You Look, UT mural in Sevier County or to submit a location for consideration, visit the campaign website.
