Thomas W. Humes became president of East Tennessee University in 1865. During his term, in 1879, the legislature changed the institution’s name to the University of Tennessee. He resigned the presidency in 1883. Humes was an 1830 graduate of East Tennessee College, the forerunner of East Tennessee University and UT.

James D. Hoskins was UT’s 14th president. He earned UT degrees in 1891, 1893, and 1897.

Nathan W. Dougherty (1909) was dean of the UT College of Engineering at Knoxville from 1940 to 1956 and chairman of the UT Athletic Council from 1917 to 1956. He was a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Burgin Estel Dossett (1922) was president of East Tennessee State University from 1949 to 1968.

Lawrence G. Derthick (1930) was U.S. commissioner of education from 1956 to 1961.

Cleveland Leon Dennard (1964) was president of Atlanta University from 1977 to 1983, and president of the Technological Institute of Washington from 1976 to 1977. He was chief operating officer of the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change and was the 1972 Washingtonian of the Year.

William D. Carnes, an 1842 graduate of East Tennessee University (UT’s predecessor), was UT president from 1858 to 1860.

Alan Mims Thomason attended UT in Knoxville from 1926 to 1931. He was president, general manager, and director of United Press International from 1962 to 1972.

Art Stolnitz (1952) was executive vice president for business and financial affairs of Lorimar Television and of Warner Brothers Television. He was also a television producer.

McGregor Smith (1921) was president and chairman of Florida Power and Light Company and a director of the Federal Reserve Board (Atlanta) from 1958 to 1966.