Boyd announces Plowman as new UT Knoxville chancellor

University of Tennessee Interim President Randy Boyd announced in an email this week that Donde Plowman is the ninth chancellor for the Knoxville campus. This announcement comes nearly a year following the exit of former UTK Chancellor Beverly Davenport.

Plowman is currently serving as the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prior to her role in Nebraska, Plowman worked for the university by leading the management department in the Haslam College of Business from 2007-2010.

“I could not be more thrilled to return to this great university, which is so important to the vitality of the state of Tennessee,” Plowman said. “To lead this campus, and help the students, faculty and staff realize their dreams for UT Knoxville, is the greatest honor of my life and I can’t wait to get started.”

Plowman earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Additionally, she earned her master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of North Texas. Furthermore, she earned her doctorate in strategic management from the University of Texas at Austin.

Plowman has earned a multitude of awards while at Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2015, the Lincoln Journal Star presented Plowman with the Inspire Awards’ “Woman of the Year” award. Additionally, the Lincoln Journal Star listed Plowman as one of the 30 most influential women in Lincoln on two separate occasions. In 2016, the Nebraska-Lincoln University Board of Trustees presented Plowman with the Noddle Distinguished Development Service Award due to her exceptional fundraising efforts as the Dean of the College of Business.

On May 3, the UT Board of Trustees will hold a meeting in the Student Union’s executive dining room, 377A. The board will introduce Plowman as the new chancellor at 9 a.m. UT will live stream this event.

Plowman is set to start her position on July 1, 2019 with official approval still pending.

Edited by Kaitlin Flippo and Ciera Noe

Featured image courtesy of Donde Plowman’s Twitter page