University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd to Visit High Schools in West Tennessee Oct. 2 to Highlight the Value of Higher Education

UT System
September 30, 2025
UT System President Randy Boyd speaking at Bradley Central to a group of students.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd will visit Crockett County and South Gibson County high schools on Thursday, Oct. 2, to speak with students about college opportunities and the value of higher education.

The visits conclude Boyd’s “Find Your Future” high school tour, a fall initiative that brought him to 11 high schools and allowed him to speak to around 3,500 students across Tennessee about how a UT degree can transform lives.

“Higher education gives students the freedom to dream bigger,” Boyd said. “A UT degree can change their lives. With affordable tuition, ample scholarships and aid, and five universities across the state, there’s a place in the UT System for every student. These visits are about inspiring young people and showing that a UT degree benefits us all — ourselves, our communities, our state and, most importantly, our future.”

Thursday, Oct. 2, visit schedule:

  • Crockett County High School — 9:45–10:15 a.m. CT, 402 TN-88, Alamo, TN
  • South Gibson County High School — 11–11:25 a.m. CT, 1000 Hornet Dr, Medina, TN

At each stop, students will hear personal stories and encouragement from Boyd, UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman and a recent UT graduate.

“UT Martin is known for its small class sizes and supportive environment where students feel connected with their professors, classmates and community,” Freeman said. “We want to show future educators, entrepreneurs and agricultural leaders how UT Martin can prepare them for success.”

Boyd will also emphasize the UT System’s commitment to affordability. More than half of UT students graduate debt free, a reality made possible through financial aid programs and scholarships like UT Promise, which assists with tuition and mandatory fees for eligible Tennessee residents.

To learn more about how UT System campuses build future success, visit tennessee.edu.

About the University of Tennessee System

The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin and Memphis; the UT Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service. The UT System manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle partnership; enrolls

nearly 65,000 students statewide; produces about 14,000 new graduates every year; and represents almost 497,000 alumni around the world.