University of Memphis
Encyclopedia
The University of Memphis is an American public
research university located in the Normal Station
neighborhood of Memphis
, Tennessee
and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents
system.
With an enrollment of more than 23,000 students, the University of Memphis has 25 Chairs of Excellence and five state-approved Centers of Excellence.
The University maintains the Journalism
and Public Relations
department, Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI), Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
, Loewenberg School of Nursing, FedEx Institute of Technology
and the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology.
The Daily Helmsman, the independent daily newspaper on the campus, in operation since 1925, remains a prominent student organization. In addition, many other student organizations and academic departments, such as the University of Memphis Institute for Egyptian Art and Archaeology, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Moot Court Board, the University of Memphis Advertising Federation and the University of Memphis chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, play an active and involved role in the community, both nationally and internationally.
The University of Memphis attracts most of its undergraduate students from Memphis and West Tennessee, though many current undergraduate and graduate students have come from public and private schools across the southeastern United States as well as from all the other states and about 100 other nations.
Over its history, the University of Memphis has graduated many famous alumni, including U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen
, actor and former U.S. senator Fred D. Thompson, historian of the American South Joe Gray Taylor
, Anfernee Hardaway, NBA and former University of Memphis basketball
player, and DeAngelo Williams
, former All-American college football
running back.
Among its most famous faculty members are Richard Bausch
; Dr. Lorelei Corcoran, Professor of Egyptology
; Dr. Peter J. Brand
, Professor of Egyptology; Rick Bragg
, Pulitzer Prize
winner and Professor of Journalism; Dr. E.W. "Bill" Brody, nationally-published author and Professor of Journalism and Public Relations; Béla Bollobás
, Jabie Hardin Chair Professor of Mathematics; and Dr. Donald R. Franceschetti, Professor of Physics.
The Division of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Memphis provides non-credit instruction to people from all walks of life. Originally established in the 1970s, the non-credit programs include face-to-face short courses, customized training for businesses, and online courses.
(TBR) system, consisting of 18 Board Members. The Board sets Policies and Guidelines that govern all TBR institutions. The Standing Committees of the Board, and some Ad Hoc Committees, meet prior to each Board meeting and include faculty and student representatives. Within this framework, the President of the University of Memphis is the day-to-day administrator of the university.
The University of Memphis today comprises a number of different colleges and schools:
The University of Memphis is host to several centers of advanced research:
The University of Memphis Foundation, founded in 1964, manages the university endowment and accepts, manages and disburses private support to the University.
of the state and one additional school for African-American students. After much bidding and campaigning, the state had to choose between two sites to build the new college for West Tennessee
: Jackson, Tennessee
and Memphis, Tennessee
. Memphis was chosen, one of the main reasons being the proximity of the rail line to the site proposed to build the new college for West Tennessee
. This would allow professors and students to go home and visit their relatives. The other three schools established through the General Education Act are modern-day East Tennessee State University
, Middle Tennessee State University
and Tennessee State University
.
Prior to the establishment of the West Tennessee Normal School pursuant to the General Education Bill, a number of higher education departments existed in Memphis under the banner of the University of Memphis. This earlier University of Memphis was formed in 1909 by adding to an already existing medical school departments of pharmacy, dentistry, and law.
On September 10, 1912, West Tennessee Normal School opened in Memphis; its first president was Seymour A. Mynders. By 1913 all departments of the earlier University of Memphis, except the law school
, had been taken over by the State University. After Mynders' death in 1913, John Willard Brister was chosen to take his place. After Brister's resignation in 1918, Andrew A. Kincannon became president. In 1924, Brister returned to his post as president of the school.
The name changed in 1925 to West Tennessee State Teachers College. In 1931, the campus' first newspaper, The Tiger Rag, was established. In 1939, Richard C. Jones became president of WTSTC. In 1941, the school was changed to Memphis State College, when the college expanded its liberal arts curriculum. In 1943, Dr. Jennings B. Sanders succeeded Jones as president. Three years later, the first alumnus to become president, J. Millard (Jack) Smith, was appointed. In 1951 MSC awarded its first B.A. degrees. In 1957 the school received full University
status, and changed its name accordingly.
In 1959, five years after Brown v. Board of Education
the University admitted its first black students. Because racial segregation
was the norm throughout the South at the time the Memphis State Eight, as they were known, were admitted to Memphis State University, their presence on campus was the focus not only of intense media scrutiny, but severe criticism from much of the local public. Ostensibly for the black students' safety and to maintain an air of calm on the campus, University administrators placed certain restrictions on where and when the black students could be on campus. They were to go only to their classes, not to any of the public places on campus, such as the cafeteria; and they were to leave the campus immediately after they had finished their last class. These limitations were lifted after the novelty of their presence on campus had subsided and the public’s focus on their presence there had lessened, and as more and more black students were admitted to the University. Today, black students make up more than one-third of the campus student body and they participate fully in all campus activities.
Dr. Cecil C. Humphreys became president of MSU, succeeding Smith, in 1960. In 1966, the school began awarding doctoral degrees. Humphreys resigned as MSU president to become the first chancellor of the newly formed State University and Community College System, later renamed the Tennessee Board of Regents. John Richardson was appointed interim president.
In 1973, Dr. Billy Mac Jones became president. Also that year, the Memphis State Tiger men's basketball
team reached the finals of the NCAA tournament, only to fall at the hands of a UCLA team led by future NBA
star Bill Walton
in the championship game in St. Louis, Missouri
. In 1980, Dr. Thomas Carpenter became president of MSU; he was succeeded by Dr. V. Lane Rawlins in 1991. On July 1, 1994, after years of research and surveys, Memphis State University changed its name again, to the University of Memphis – a name change inspired by Ms. Christina Trinh, wife of former president Carpenter.
Dr. Rawlins served for slightly over a decade; Dr. Ralph Faudree filled in as interim president for one year after Rawlins' retirement. In 2002, U of M installed its first female president, Dr. Shirley C. Raines, 62, who remains in office.
Campus planners have significantly increased the amount of green space and the number of walkways over the past several years, while maintaining a focus on the original historic architecture of the campus.
Surrounding the University's main campus are several historic neighborhoods to the north and east, as well as the University District neighborhood and the commercial Highland Strip to the west. Many University of Memphis college students also reside in housing south of the main campus.
style of the University of Virginia
.
Despite gradual expansion of the campus to the west and south, the campus is fairly compact and retains a park-like, tree-lined setting. The farthest distance on campus takes about 25 minutes to walk. According to the most recent master plan, the University is projected to expand and redevelop additional areas one block west of the main campus' current western boundary of Patterson St., making Highland Avenue the "de facto" entrance to the University.
Flanking the original area of campus to the east are the areas of major research for the life sciences and Engineering departments, including J.R. Smith Hall, the Life Sciences building and the Herff College of Engineering complex, as well as the Education department, residing in E.C. Ball Hall. The Ned R. McWherter Library, a state-of-the art library facility and one of the premier research libraries of the Mid-South United States, takes up the eastern part of the campus adjacent to Dunavant Plaza and Emeriti Grove.
The northwestern area of the main campus includes the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the Fogelman Executive Center (a major conference center for regional executives visiting the University), and the FedEx Institute of Technology, a major research contributor in the areas of Supply Chain Management, nanotechnology, robotics and intelligent systems. Originally, in the north end of the campus, Norriswood Avenue was the northern boundary and was an actual street that ran through the campus. The campus expanded into this area in the late 1960s & early 1970s.
The western edge and southwest corner include Johnson Hall (comprising the Geography and Geology departments), Patterson Hall (housing the English department), Wilder Tower, Greek Row and the bulk of the University of Memphis residence halls. As the University presses ahead with its planned expansion, many more facilities, pedestrian access and green space will also be created with the renovation and development of the currently-residential block east of Patterson Street in the University District neighborhood.
also operates its main training facility on the Park Avenue Campus.
Future plans include a regulation indoor soccer stadium and track facility, capable of hosting large-scale NCAA Division I track-and-field meets.
The graduate and family housing units are located at Park Avenue, 1 miles (1.6 km) from the main university campus. The complex has 150 housing units. Residents are zoned to Memphis City Schools
. The zoned schools are Sherwood Elementary School, Colonial Middle School, and White Station High School
.
sits adjacent to downtown courts, and the financial and administrative center of the city.
campus in Jackson, Tennessee, a town of 60,000 located approximately 80 miles east of Memphis. Known as the Lambuth Campus, the historic campus includes several classroom buildings, dormitories, library, and athletic facilities. The University plans to expand program offerings at the Lambuth Campus over the next several years and hopes to eventually have 1,000 students enrolled there.
The Green Campus Initiative works to develop and implement a strategic plan to achieve the goals of the APUPCC. Successful events and projects include the May 2009 2nd Annual E-Recycling Day, resulting in 155 tons of electronic items collected, and the Tiger Initiative for Gardening in Urban Settings (TIGUrS), a fruit and vegetable gardening initiative across campus.
In April 2008, the student-run Environmental Action Club ran a Green Power Campaign to promote a student referendum to add a “Green Fee” to tuition payments to fund clean, renewable energy and other campus sustainability projects. The referendum passed with a 69% student approval rate. The university is now purchasing renewable energy through the TVA
’s Green Power Switch program and offsetting 10% of current energy use. It is now the 2nd largest green power purchaser in the entire TVA distribution region.
In February 2009, the TERRA (Technologically and Environmentally Responsive Residential Architecture) sustainable design demonstration house was completed. The TERRA house will serve as a studio for which architecture and design students to design “green” housing within urban areas, as well as serve as a demonstration house open for tours and serving as a educational tool for the community.
Memphis received a grade of "C" on the 2009 Campus Sustainability Report Card published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. Only 34 schools earned a higher grade.
of the University of Memphis. The editorially independent student newspaper of the University publishes 55,000 copies a day, four days a week, and employs a paid staff of more than 30 which includes an editorial team of six, more than 20 staff writers, photographers, copy editors, and other staff members during the Fall and Spring semesters. The paper publishes at decreased intervals during the summer semester (May through August) and has significantly fewer staff writers during the summer.
The publication is part of a tradition which began in 1931 as The Tiger Rag, a protest newspaper. Since that time, the newspaper has been continuously published by University of Memphis students. Even during World War II when paper and other resources were scarce, the newspaper published as a newsletter posted on bulletin boards around campus.
The name of the newspaper was changed to The Helmsman in 1972, and became The Daily Helmsman in 1981, when the newspaper began publishing four days a week.
The Helmsman has won many honors over the years for reporting, photography and design, including awards given by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Columbia University and the Southeastern Journalism Conference. Helmsman alumni have gone on to jobs at many prestigious news organizations, such as The New York Times
, Rolling Stone magazine, and Southern Living magazine, among others.
for The University of Memphis has been a live bengal tiger
. During this time, the University has hosted three successive tigers, known respectively as TOM I, TOM II, and TOM III. The university also displays a costumed tiger mascot, known affectionately as Pouncer.
TOM III, the current Tiger mascot, attends all Tiger Football home games, and he can also be found at many other University events throughout the year as a powerful and majestic symbol of Tigers Athletics. TOM III travels in style in a custom-designed, climate-controlled trailer, always with police escort. TOM III has spent his life housed and cared for in private facilities provided and maintained by the Highland Hundred Tiger Guard, an alumni booster organization. With a price tag of over $300,000, raised entirely by the Tiger Guard, the habitat was widely regarded as the finest private facility in the nation, surpassing that of many zoos. In this comfortable home, TOM II matured into a magnificent animal weighing more than 500 pounds. As one of only two Universities in America with a live tiger mascot, The University of Memphis is unique in its Tiger Tradition. After being diagnosed with mouth cancer, TOM II was euthanized on October 15, 2008, at the age of 17. The team of veterinarians who oversaw TOM II decided this was necessary to ensure he did not suffer due to his illness.
The football booster group, The Highland Hundred, quickly found a suitable replacement for their beloved mascot in the Tiger cub TOMIII, who now proudly serves the University and its fans.
After the final game of the 1914 season, there was a student parade. During this event, several University students shouted, "We fight like Tigers!" The nickname was born. As time passed, the nickname "Tigers" was increasingly used, particularly in campus publications, but did not catch on with the newspapers downtown. They continued to use "the Blue and Gray" when referring to the University.
Under Coach Lester Barnard in 1922, Memphis's football team gave a ring of truth to that old student yell about Tigers. The team adopted a motto – "Every Man a Tiger" – and went on to score 174 points while allowing its opponents just 29 points. The Tiger nickname continued on with students and alumni, eventually being adopted as the official nickname for the University of Memphis in 1939.
and convocation
, and athletic games are: “Go! Tigers! Go!” the University of Memphis Tigers’ fight song
. The fight song was written by Tom Ferguson, former Director of Bands at Memphis State University during the 1960s.
, a Native American
heritage site and museum. Officially known as the T. O. Fuller State Park
, the location includes a museum, an important archeological sites.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
research university located in the Normal Station
Normal Station, Memphis
Normal Station is a neighborhood in East Memphis, Tennessee, anchored by the University of Memphis, formerly Memphis State University, and originally called West Tennessee State Normal School. It is bordered by the University of Memphis to the north, Audubon Park to the east, Park Avenue and the...
neighborhood of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents
Tennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents is one of the two systems of public higher education in Tennessee. The TBR was authorized by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly passed in 1972...
system.
With an enrollment of more than 23,000 students, the University of Memphis has 25 Chairs of Excellence and five state-approved Centers of Excellence.
The University maintains the Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and Public Relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
department, Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI), Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is an American Bar Association accredited law school and is the only law school in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has been associated with the University of Memphis since the law school's formation in 1962. The school was named in honor of...
, Loewenberg School of Nursing, FedEx Institute of Technology
FedEx Institute of Technology
The FedEx Institute of Technology is at the University of Memphis. Founded November 19, 2003, under the leadership of James M. Phillips the Institute was designed to bridge the gap between industry and academic research. The Institute is wholly a part of the University of Memphis operating within...
and the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology.
Institution
A faculty of approximately 900 professors serves about 15,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students.The Daily Helmsman, the independent daily newspaper on the campus, in operation since 1925, remains a prominent student organization. In addition, many other student organizations and academic departments, such as the University of Memphis Institute for Egyptian Art and Archaeology, the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Moot Court Board, the University of Memphis Advertising Federation and the University of Memphis chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, play an active and involved role in the community, both nationally and internationally.
The University of Memphis attracts most of its undergraduate students from Memphis and West Tennessee, though many current undergraduate and graduate students have come from public and private schools across the southeastern United States as well as from all the other states and about 100 other nations.
Over its history, the University of Memphis has graduated many famous alumni, including U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen
Steve Cohen
Stephen Ira Cohen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Tennessee's 9th district includes almost three-fourths of Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee's first Jewish congressman....
, actor and former U.S. senator Fred D. Thompson, historian of the American South Joe Gray Taylor
Joe Gray Taylor
Joe Gray Taylor was a historian of the American South who published fifteen essays and eight books, including Louisiana: a Bicentennial History...
, Anfernee Hardaway, NBA and former University of Memphis basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, and DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
, former All-American college football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back.
Among its most famous faculty members are Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch is an American novelist and short story writer, and Moss Chair of Excellence in English at the University of Memphis. He has written eleven novels, eight short story collections, and one volume of poetry and prose....
; Dr. Lorelei Corcoran, Professor of Egyptology
Egyptology
Egyptology is the study of ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end of its native religious practices in the AD 4th century. A practitioner of the discipline is an “Egyptologist”...
; Dr. Peter J. Brand
Peter J. Brand
Peter James Brand is a Canadian Egyptologist from Toronto, Ontario. He is also a naturalized American citizen. He completed his PhD in 1998 at the University of Toronto with his dissertation The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis...
, Professor of Egyptology; Rick Bragg
Rick Bragg
Rick Bragg is an American author and journalist known for his non-fiction books, especially those on his family in Alabama...
, Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner and Professor of Journalism; Dr. E.W. "Bill" Brody, nationally-published author and Professor of Journalism and Public Relations; Béla Bollobás
Béla Bollobás
Béla Bollobás FRS is a Hungarian-born British mathematician who has worked in various areas of mathematics, including functional analysis, combinatorics, graph theory and percolation. As a student, he took part in the first three International Mathematical Olympiads, winning two gold medals...
, Jabie Hardin Chair Professor of Mathematics; and Dr. Donald R. Franceschetti, Professor of Physics.
The Division of Professional and Continuing Education at the University of Memphis
Organization
The University of Memphis is governed by the Tennessee Board of RegentsTennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents is one of the two systems of public higher education in Tennessee. The TBR was authorized by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly passed in 1972...
(TBR) system, consisting of 18 Board Members. The Board sets Policies and Guidelines that govern all TBR institutions. The Standing Committees of the Board, and some Ad Hoc Committees, meet prior to each Board meeting and include faculty and student representatives. Within this framework, the President of the University of Memphis is the day-to-day administrator of the university.
The University of Memphis today comprises a number of different colleges and schools:
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Fogelman College of Business and Economics
- College of Communication and Fine Arts
- College of Education
- Herff College of Engineering
- University College
- Loewenberg School of Nursing
- School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
- Cecil C. Humphreys School of LawCecil C. Humphreys School of LawThe University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is an American Bar Association accredited law school and is the only law school in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has been associated with the University of Memphis since the law school's formation in 1962. The school was named in honor of...
- Graduate School
- School of Public Health
- Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music
The University of Memphis is host to several centers of advanced research:
- FedEx Institute of TechnologyFedEx Institute of TechnologyThe FedEx Institute of Technology is at the University of Memphis. Founded November 19, 2003, under the leadership of James M. Phillips the Institute was designed to bridge the gap between industry and academic research. The Institute is wholly a part of the University of Memphis operating within...
- Center for Earthquake Research and Information
- Institute for Intelligent Systems
- Advanced Distributed Learning Workforce Co-LabAdvanced Distributed Learning Workforce Co-LabThe Advanced Distributed Learning Workforce Co-Lab was founded in 2003 under a joint agreement between the US Department of Defense and the University of Memphis FedEx Institute of Technology. Under the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative, the lab was originally founded and directed by Eric...
The University of Memphis Foundation, founded in 1964, manages the university endowment and accepts, manages and disburses private support to the University.
History
In 1909, the Tennessee Legislature enacted the General Education Bill. This bill stated that three colleges be established within each grand divisionGrand Divisions (Tennessee)
The Grand Divisions are geographic, cultural, and legally recognized regions, each constituting roughly one-third of the State of Tennessee. The Grand Divisions are represented prominently by the three stars on the flag of Tennessee...
of the state and one additional school for African-American students. After much bidding and campaigning, the state had to choose between two sites to build the new college for West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
: Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area...
and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Memphis was chosen, one of the main reasons being the proximity of the rail line to the site proposed to build the new college for West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
. This would allow professors and students to go home and visit their relatives. The other three schools established through the General Education Act are modern-day East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
, Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
and Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
.
Prior to the establishment of the West Tennessee Normal School pursuant to the General Education Bill, a number of higher education departments existed in Memphis under the banner of the University of Memphis. This earlier University of Memphis was formed in 1909 by adding to an already existing medical school departments of pharmacy, dentistry, and law.
On September 10, 1912, West Tennessee Normal School opened in Memphis; its first president was Seymour A. Mynders. By 1913 all departments of the earlier University of Memphis, except the law school
Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is an American Bar Association accredited law school and is the only law school in Memphis, Tennessee. The school has been associated with the University of Memphis since the law school's formation in 1962. The school was named in honor of...
, had been taken over by the State University. After Mynders' death in 1913, John Willard Brister was chosen to take his place. After Brister's resignation in 1918, Andrew A. Kincannon became president. In 1924, Brister returned to his post as president of the school.
The name changed in 1925 to West Tennessee State Teachers College. In 1931, the campus' first newspaper, The Tiger Rag, was established. In 1939, Richard C. Jones became president of WTSTC. In 1941, the school was changed to Memphis State College, when the college expanded its liberal arts curriculum. In 1943, Dr. Jennings B. Sanders succeeded Jones as president. Three years later, the first alumnus to become president, J. Millard (Jack) Smith, was appointed. In 1951 MSC awarded its first B.A. degrees. In 1957 the school received full University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
status, and changed its name accordingly.
In 1959, five years after Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
the University admitted its first black students. Because racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
was the norm throughout the South at the time the Memphis State Eight, as they were known, were admitted to Memphis State University, their presence on campus was the focus not only of intense media scrutiny, but severe criticism from much of the local public. Ostensibly for the black students' safety and to maintain an air of calm on the campus, University administrators placed certain restrictions on where and when the black students could be on campus. They were to go only to their classes, not to any of the public places on campus, such as the cafeteria; and they were to leave the campus immediately after they had finished their last class. These limitations were lifted after the novelty of their presence on campus had subsided and the public’s focus on their presence there had lessened, and as more and more black students were admitted to the University. Today, black students make up more than one-third of the campus student body and they participate fully in all campus activities.
Dr. Cecil C. Humphreys became president of MSU, succeeding Smith, in 1960. In 1966, the school began awarding doctoral degrees. Humphreys resigned as MSU president to become the first chancellor of the newly formed State University and Community College System, later renamed the Tennessee Board of Regents. John Richardson was appointed interim president.
In 1973, Dr. Billy Mac Jones became president. Also that year, the Memphis State Tiger men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team reached the finals of the NCAA tournament, only to fall at the hands of a UCLA team led by future NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
star Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
in the championship game in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. In 1980, Dr. Thomas Carpenter became president of MSU; he was succeeded by Dr. V. Lane Rawlins in 1991. On July 1, 1994, after years of research and surveys, Memphis State University changed its name again, to the University of Memphis – a name change inspired by Ms. Christina Trinh, wife of former president Carpenter.
Dr. Rawlins served for slightly over a decade; Dr. Ralph Faudree filled in as interim president for one year after Rawlins' retirement. In 2002, U of M installed its first female president, Dr. Shirley C. Raines, 62, who remains in office.
Campus
The University of Memphis campus is located approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown in the University District neighborhood of east Memphis. It has an area of 1160 acres (4.7 km²), although this figure does not include the law school in the former United States federal customshouse in downtown Memphis, which opened in January 2010. The historical core of campus encompasses approximately 30 acres (121,405.8 m²). The University of Memphis is located geographically at 35.11908°N 89.93778°W.Campus planners have significantly increased the amount of green space and the number of walkways over the past several years, while maintaining a focus on the original historic architecture of the campus.
Surrounding the University's main campus are several historic neighborhoods to the north and east, as well as the University District neighborhood and the commercial Highland Strip to the west. Many University of Memphis college students also reside in housing south of the main campus.
Layout
The University of Memphis campus is set out in a rectilinear format, planned as a geometric design similar to the JeffersonianThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
style of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
Despite gradual expansion of the campus to the west and south, the campus is fairly compact and retains a park-like, tree-lined setting. The farthest distance on campus takes about 25 minutes to walk. According to the most recent master plan, the University is projected to expand and redevelop additional areas one block west of the main campus' current western boundary of Patterson St., making Highland Avenue the "de facto" entrance to the University.
Main campus
The center of the main campus comprises buildings that made up the original campus. The first college buildings, including Scates Hall, Manning Hall, and the Administration Building, were erected in the early 1900s. This section stretches from Deloach Avenue south to the end of the main campus at Walker Avenue, with most buildings surrounding the Alumni Mall and Student Plaza. The majority of the buildings of the arts and humanities departments, as well as those of the Physics and Astronomy departments of the College of Arts and Science, are located in the original areas of campus.Flanking the original area of campus to the east are the areas of major research for the life sciences and Engineering departments, including J.R. Smith Hall, the Life Sciences building and the Herff College of Engineering complex, as well as the Education department, residing in E.C. Ball Hall. The Ned R. McWherter Library, a state-of-the art library facility and one of the premier research libraries of the Mid-South United States, takes up the eastern part of the campus adjacent to Dunavant Plaza and Emeriti Grove.
The northwestern area of the main campus includes the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the Fogelman Executive Center (a major conference center for regional executives visiting the University), and the FedEx Institute of Technology, a major research contributor in the areas of Supply Chain Management, nanotechnology, robotics and intelligent systems. Originally, in the north end of the campus, Norriswood Avenue was the northern boundary and was an actual street that ran through the campus. The campus expanded into this area in the late 1960s & early 1970s.
The western edge and southwest corner include Johnson Hall (comprising the Geography and Geology departments), Patterson Hall (housing the English department), Wilder Tower, Greek Row and the bulk of the University of Memphis residence halls. As the University presses ahead with its planned expansion, many more facilities, pedestrian access and green space will also be created with the renovation and development of the currently-residential block east of Patterson Street in the University District neighborhood.
Park Avenue Campus
Directly south of the main campus along the corner of Park Avenue and Getwell Road sits the Park Avenue Campus. The Park Avenue Campus is home not only to various intramural athletics programs and facilities, but also to various research facilities, classrooms and the Speech and Audiology Pathology Center. The Defense Contract Audit AgencyDefense Contract Audit Agency
The Defense Contract Audit Agency , under the authority, direction, and control of the United States Under Secretary of Defense , is responsible for performing all contract audits for the United States Department of Defense , and providing accounting and financial advisory services regarding...
also operates its main training facility on the Park Avenue Campus.
Future plans include a regulation indoor soccer stadium and track facility, capable of hosting large-scale NCAA Division I track-and-field meets.
The graduate and family housing units are located at Park Avenue, 1 miles (1.6 km) from the main university campus. The complex has 150 housing units. Residents are zoned to Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools is the school district operating public schools in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. Its headquarters are in the Francis E. Coe Administration Building...
. The zoned schools are Sherwood Elementary School, Colonial Middle School, and White Station High School
White Station High School
White Station High School is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee, United States .White Station High is a member of the Memphis City Schools system. White Station is recognized as one of the best high schools in Memphis, as well as in all of Tennessee...
.
Downtown Law School Campus
In 2010, the University of Memphis, School of Law law school was moved permanently from the main campus to a newly renovated downtown campus. The new law school campusUniversity of Memphis, School of Law campus
The University of Memphis, School of Law building is a 5-story former federal building, located in downtown Memphis. As of 2010, the building is owned entirely by the University of Memphis and houses its law school. It is located at the corner of Front Street and Madison Avenue...
sits adjacent to downtown courts, and the financial and administrative center of the city.
Lambuth Campus
In 2011, The University of Memphis began offering undergraduate and graduate programs on the former Lambuth UniversityLambuth University
Lambuth University was a liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee. It was supported by the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lambuth's athletic teams participated in the NAIA's TranSouth and Mid-South Conferences...
campus in Jackson, Tennessee, a town of 60,000 located approximately 80 miles east of Memphis. Known as the Lambuth Campus, the historic campus includes several classroom buildings, dormitories, library, and athletic facilities. The University plans to expand program offerings at the Lambuth Campus over the next several years and hopes to eventually have 1,000 students enrolled there.
Environmentalism
In 2007, President Shirley Raines signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), which requires that the University become carbon neutral in the coming years.The Green Campus Initiative works to develop and implement a strategic plan to achieve the goals of the APUPCC. Successful events and projects include the May 2009 2nd Annual E-Recycling Day, resulting in 155 tons of electronic items collected, and the Tiger Initiative for Gardening in Urban Settings (TIGUrS), a fruit and vegetable gardening initiative across campus.
In April 2008, the student-run Environmental Action Club ran a Green Power Campaign to promote a student referendum to add a “Green Fee” to tuition payments to fund clean, renewable energy and other campus sustainability projects. The referendum passed with a 69% student approval rate. The university is now purchasing renewable energy through the TVA
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
’s Green Power Switch program and offsetting 10% of current energy use. It is now the 2nd largest green power purchaser in the entire TVA distribution region.
In February 2009, the TERRA (Technologically and Environmentally Responsive Residential Architecture) sustainable design demonstration house was completed. The TERRA house will serve as a studio for which architecture and design students to design “green” housing within urban areas, as well as serve as a demonstration house open for tours and serving as a educational tool for the community.
Memphis received a grade of "C" on the 2009 Campus Sustainability Report Card published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. Only 34 schools earned a higher grade.
The Daily Helmsman
The Daily Helmsman is the student newspaperStudent newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
of the University of Memphis. The editorially independent student newspaper of the University publishes 55,000 copies a day, four days a week, and employs a paid staff of more than 30 which includes an editorial team of six, more than 20 staff writers, photographers, copy editors, and other staff members during the Fall and Spring semesters. The paper publishes at decreased intervals during the summer semester (May through August) and has significantly fewer staff writers during the summer.
The publication is part of a tradition which began in 1931 as The Tiger Rag, a protest newspaper. Since that time, the newspaper has been continuously published by University of Memphis students. Even during World War II when paper and other resources were scarce, the newspaper published as a newsletter posted on bulletin boards around campus.
The name of the newspaper was changed to The Helmsman in 1972, and became The Daily Helmsman in 1981, when the newspaper began publishing four days a week.
The Helmsman has won many honors over the years for reporting, photography and design, including awards given by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Columbia University and the Southeastern Journalism Conference. Helmsman alumni have gone on to jobs at many prestigious news organizations, such as The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Rolling Stone magazine, and Southern Living magazine, among others.
Religious Organizations
Numerous religious centers are located on the campus, including the Wesley Foundation (a United Methodist student center), the Baptist Student Center, the University Catholic Center and Catholic Student Center, Barth House Episcopal Student Center, Reformed University Fellowship, the Christian Student Center (a Church of Christ-supported center), and Memphis Hillel. Numerous other religious clubs of various faiths also exist on campus, which meet in various locations.Fraternities
- Alpha Kappa PsiAlpha Kappa PsiΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
- Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
- Alpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
- Kappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
- Kappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
- Kappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
- Lambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
- Omega Psi PhiOmega Psi PhiOmega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
- Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
- Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma DeltaThe international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
- Phi Mu Alpha
- Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
- Pi Kappa PhiPi Kappa PhiPi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina...
- Sigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
- Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
- Sigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
- Zeta Beta TauZeta Beta TauZeta Beta Tau was founded in 1898 as the nation's first Jewish fraternity, although it is no longer sectarian. Today the merged Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood is one of the largest, numbering over 140,000 initiated Brothers, and over 90 chapter locations.-Founding:The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was...
- Kappa SigmaKappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
Sororities
- Alpha Delta PiAlpha Delta PiAlpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
- Alpha Gamma DeltaAlpha Gamma DeltaAlpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
- Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
- Delta GammaDelta GammaDelta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
- Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
- Kappa DeltaKappa DeltaKappa Delta was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School , in Farmville, Virginia. It is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university...
- Phi MuPhi MuPhi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
- Pi Beta PhiPi Beta PhiPi Beta Phi is an international fraternity for women founded as I.C. Sorosis on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Its headquarters are located in Town and Country, Missouri, and there are 134 active chapters and over 330 alumnae organizations across the United States and...
- Sigma Alpha IotaSigma Alpha IotaSigma Alpha Iota , International Music Fraternity for Women. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its members and the general public...
*professional female fraternity - Sigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma RhoSigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Butler University on November 12, 1922, by seven school teachers in Indianapolis, Indiana...
- Tau Beta SigmaTau Beta SigmaTau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
- Zeta Phi BetaZeta Phi BetaZeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
Traditions
The University of Memphis has accumulated numerous traditions over its long history as the flagship public research university within the Tennessee Board of Regents system.Mighty Sound of the South
The Mighty Sound of the South Band is the University's band. The band performs at Memphis Tigers football games as a marching band and at Tigers basketball games as a pep band. As one of the oldest institutions at the University, the Band partakes in many of the game day traditions. The MSS performs more than any other student ensemble on campus, and for approximately 350,000 fans each fall. The MSS is featured at nearly every campus-wide event, ranging from Freshman Convocation to the Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally. The band has been featured on the nationally syndicated "Mike & Mandy" Radio Show, and is a star attraction at the Bandmaster's Championship, a high school marching band contest administered by The University of Memphis Band Alumni Chapter. Members of the MSS represent all academic disciplines across campus, and historically has been open to all students via audition.Mascot
For over 30 years, the sideline mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for The University of Memphis has been a live bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
. During this time, the University has hosted three successive tigers, known respectively as TOM I, TOM II, and TOM III. The university also displays a costumed tiger mascot, known affectionately as Pouncer.
TOM III, the current Tiger mascot, attends all Tiger Football home games, and he can also be found at many other University events throughout the year as a powerful and majestic symbol of Tigers Athletics. TOM III travels in style in a custom-designed, climate-controlled trailer, always with police escort. TOM III has spent his life housed and cared for in private facilities provided and maintained by the Highland Hundred Tiger Guard, an alumni booster organization. With a price tag of over $300,000, raised entirely by the Tiger Guard, the habitat was widely regarded as the finest private facility in the nation, surpassing that of many zoos. In this comfortable home, TOM II matured into a magnificent animal weighing more than 500 pounds. As one of only two Universities in America with a live tiger mascot, The University of Memphis is unique in its Tiger Tradition. After being diagnosed with mouth cancer, TOM II was euthanized on October 15, 2008, at the age of 17. The team of veterinarians who oversaw TOM II decided this was necessary to ensure he did not suffer due to his illness.
The football booster group, The Highland Hundred, quickly found a suitable replacement for their beloved mascot in the Tiger cub TOMIII, who now proudly serves the University and its fans.
Nickname
When the University of Memphis first fielded a football team in the fall of 1912, no one had selected a nickname for the squad. Early references to the football team tabbed them only as the Blue and Gray Warriors.After the final game of the 1914 season, there was a student parade. During this event, several University students shouted, "We fight like Tigers!" The nickname was born. As time passed, the nickname "Tigers" was increasingly used, particularly in campus publications, but did not catch on with the newspapers downtown. They continued to use "the Blue and Gray" when referring to the University.
Under Coach Lester Barnard in 1922, Memphis's football team gave a ring of truth to that old student yell about Tigers. The team adopted a motto – "Every Man a Tiger" – and went on to score 174 points while allowing its opponents just 29 points. The Tiger nickname continued on with students and alumni, eventually being adopted as the official nickname for the University of Memphis in 1939.
Song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencementGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
and convocation
Convocation
A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....
, and athletic games are: “Go! Tigers! Go!” the University of Memphis Tigers’ fight song
Fight song
A fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...
. The fight song was written by Tom Ferguson, former Director of Bands at Memphis State University during the 1960s.
Tennessee Governor's School for International Studies
The Governor's School for International Studies, abbreviated GSIS, is an academic summer program for gifted junior and senior high school students in Tennessee. It is a selective program located at the University of Memphis in which students study two Political Science, a foreign language, and an elective of their choice from the International Studies curriculum. The students, upon finishing the four week term, gain six hours of college credit which may be transferred to any Tennessee Board of Regents School.Chucalissa Indian Village
U of M also operates the Chucalissa Indian VillageT. O. Fuller State Park
T.O. Fuller State Park is a state park in the city of Memphis in West Tennessee. It consists of 1,138 acres of mostly forest located in South Memphis on Mitchell Road. It is the only state park within the city limits and is one of the few locations within the city suitable for wildlife.The park is...
, a Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
heritage site and museum. Officially known as the T. O. Fuller State Park
T. O. Fuller State Park
T.O. Fuller State Park is a state park in the city of Memphis in West Tennessee. It consists of 1,138 acres of mostly forest located in South Memphis on Mitchell Road. It is the only state park within the city limits and is one of the few locations within the city suitable for wildlife.The park is...
, the location includes a museum, an important archeological sites.
List of presidents
- Seymour A. Mynders (1912–1913)
- John Willard Brister (1913–1918)
- Andrew A. Kincannon (1918–1924)
- John Willard Brister (1924–1939)
- Richard C. Jones (1939–1943)
- Jennings B. Sanders (1943–1946)
- J. Millard (Jack) Smith (1946–1960)
- Cecil C(larence) Humphreys (1960–1972)
- John Richardson (1972–1973) interim
- Billy Mac Jones (1973–1980)
- Thomas G. CarpenterThomas G. CarpenterThomas Glenn Carpenter is an American retired educator and university administrator. He was the founding President of the University of North Florida , serving from 1969–1980, and a President of Memphis State University from 1980–1991. The University of North Florida's Thomas G...
(1980–1991) - V. Lane RawlinsV. Lane RawlinsVeldon Lane Rawlins is the President of the University of North Texas. On November 9, 2010, Rawlins sent an email notification announcing "with sincere enthusiasm and commitment that I agree to be sole finalist in UNT's search for its next president." He is the former President of Washington...
(1991–2000) - Ralph FaudreeRalph FaudreeRalph Jasper Faudree is a mathematician, a professor of mathematics and the provost of the University of Memphis.Faudree was born in Durant, Oklahoma. He did his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma Baptist University, graduating in 1961, and received his Ph.D. in 1964 from Purdue University under...
(2000–2001) interim - Shirley C. Raines (2001–present)
Government, public service, and public policy
- Steve CohenSteve CohenStephen Ira Cohen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Tennessee's 9th district includes almost three-fourths of Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee's first Jewish congressman....
, United States Congressman, 9th District of Tennessee - William Duane BentonWilliam Duane BentonWilliam Duane Benton is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.- Eighth Circuit nomination :...
, Judge, Supreme Court of MissouriSupreme Court of MissouriThe Supreme Court of Missouri is the highest court in the state of Missouri. It was established in 1820, and is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Missouri voters have approved changes in the state's constitution to give the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction- the sole legal power to hear -... - Carol ChumneyCarol ChumneyCarol J. Chumney is a Tennessee politician, legislator, and was an unsuccessful candidate to become mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. She also held the fifth seat on the Memphis City Council.- Biography :...
– Tennessee politician - Robert Clement – Former U.S. CongressmanUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
- Bernice Donald – JudgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, United States district courtUnited States district courtThe United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States... - Major Jon S. JacksonJon S. JacksonArmy Lieutenant Colonel Jon S. Jackson is a military trial lawyer in the United States Army Reserve. He is currently representing 9/11 suspect Mustafa Ahmed Al-Hawsawi at the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay. During the arraignment of the 9/11 accused, Jackson accused the alleged mastermind...
, Lawyer 9/11 case - W.W. Herenton – Former Mayor, City of Memphis
- Jim Kyle – Tennessee State Senator and Democratic Leader of the Tennessee Senate
- Steve McDanielSteve McDanielSteve McDaniel is a Republican Party Representative from the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Biography:Steve McDaniel was born on October 20, 1951. He attended Jackson State Community College, and graduated from the University of Memphis in 1973...
, Deputy Speaker in the Tennessee House of RepresentativesTennessee House of RepresentativesThe Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:... - Major General Spurgeon NeelSpurgeon NeelMajor General Spurgeon Neel, MD, was a United States Army physician who pioneered the development of aeromedical evacuation of battlefield casualties.-Early life:...
– Pioneer in aeromedical evacuationAeromedical evacuationAeromedical Evacuation usually refers to specialized medical transportation units in the United States Air Force. Within the U.S. Air Force, AE is coordinated by Air Mobility Command located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois... - Fred ThompsonFred Dalton ThompsonFred Dalton Thompson , is an American politician, actor, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, and radio host. He served as a Republican U.S...
– ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and former U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Major General Thomas L. Carter – former Military Attache to President Regan
Literature, arts, sciences, and media
- Dixie CarterDixie CarterDixie Virginia Carter was an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role as Julia Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
– Actress - Kellye Cash – Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1987 - Eric Jerome DickeyEric Jerome DickeyEric Jerome Dickey is a New York Times best-selling American author best known for his novels about contemporary African-American life...
– Author - John Dye – Actor
- Johanna EdwardsJohanna EdwardsJohanna Edwards is a bestselling American novelist and award-winning entertainment journalist. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Edwards graduated magna cum laude from the University of Memphis with a degree in journalism in 2001. While living and working in London, England, she decided to shift her...
– Author - Stan FranklinStan FranklinStan Franklin is an American scientist and W. Harry Feinstone Interdisciplinary Research Professor at the and co-director of the Institute of Intelligent Systems. He is the author of Artificial Minds and mental father of IDA and its successor LIDA, both computational implementations of...
– Cognitive scientist - Ellsworth Toohey - Writer
- Clare GrantClare Grant-Career:While at the University of Memphis she met director Craig Brewer who cast her in two indie films in Memphis before casting her in the film Black Snake Moan and later as the lead in his MTV series $5 Cover....
– actress - Barbara Walker Hummel – Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1947 - Michael JeterMichael JeterMichael Jeter was an American actor.- Early life :Michael Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His mother, Virginia , was a housewife...
– Actor - Terry ManningTerry ManningTerry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
– Music Producer - Wink MartindaleWink MartindaleWinston Conrad Martindale , known professionally as Wink Martindale, is an American disc jockey and television game show host.-Radio:...
– Game show host - William SandersonWilliam SandersonWilliam Sanderson is an American character actor.-Early life:Sanderson was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to an elementary school teacher mother and a landscape designer father...
– Actor - Thomas J. Stocker – journalist, magazine editor
- Drew Thomas – Singer/Songwriter
- Pat Kerr Tigrett – FashionFashionFashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
Designer - Paul Edelstein – Artist
- James Busbee – Author
- Kathy BatesKathy BatesKathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
– Actress
Business
- Martin Belz – President of Belz EnterprisesBelz EnterprisesBelz Enterprises is a major American-based developer of hotels, retail, and commercial properties, including shopping malls.Belz operates throughout much of the country. They are most notably known for owning and operating the Peabody Hotels in Memphis, Little Rock, and Orlando...
- William Dunavant – Chairman of Dunavant Enterprises
- G. Douglas Edwards – Retired President of Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.
- J. Kenneth Hazen – President and CEO of CTSI-Global
- Brian Warren - billionaire investor in Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
- R. Brad Martin – Chairman of the Board/CEO, Saks IncorporatedSaks IncorporatedSaks Incorporated , founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998, is headquartered in New York City, New York, and is a Fortune 1000 operator of high-end department stores in the United States under the nameplate Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks evolved from Proffitt's Inc. after Proffitt's changed its name in...
- Kenneth May – CEO of FedEx Kinko's
- James M. PhillipsJames M. PhillipsJames M. Phillips is an American businessman who is Chairman and CEO of NanoMech Inc., a global, leading manufacturer of nano-coatings and nano-lubricants. Prior to that, Phillips served as founding Chairman and CEO of the Luminetx Corporation, a bioscience technology company...
– Chairman and CEO of Luminetx Corporation - William C. Rhodes IIIWilliam C. RhodesWilliam C. Rhodes III is President and Chief Executive Officer of AutoZone, Inc., a Fortune 300 company. He was named to those positions on March 13, 2005, following more than 12 years with the company where he served in a variety of executive-level roles...
– Chairman and CEO of AutoZoneAutoZoneAutoZone is a retailer and distributor of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Originally a division of Memphis-based wholesale grocer Malone & Hyde, the company went under the name Auto Shack...
, Inc. - Nancy Walton—Wal-Mart Billionaire
Athletics
- Dave Anderson – Multiple teams – MLB
- Vincent AskewVincent AskewVincent Jerome Askew is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 1987 NBA Draft...
– Multiple teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Earl BarronEarl BarronEarl Daniel Barron, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association.-Career:...
– NBA - William BedfordWilliam BedfordWilliam Bedford is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 1st round of the 1986 NBA Draft after playing at Memphis State University...
– Multiple teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Brad BenjaminBrad Benjamin-Amateur career:Benjamin was born in Rockford, Illinois. He had a successful amateur career whilst at the University of Memphis. In his freshman year of 2006, he finished tied third in the Conference USA golf championships. The following year he won his first collegiate tournament. In summer 2009,...
- golfer - Isaac BruceIsaac BruceIsaac Isidore Bruce is a retired American football wide receiver. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Memphis....
– San Francisco, St. Louis NFL - Antonio BurksAntonio BurksAntonio Cornell Burks is an American professional basketball player, formerly in NBA. He is 6'0" and 185 lb . Burks played at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, then one year at Hiwassee Junior College in Madisonville, Tennessee before joining the University of Memphis as an...
– NBA - Austin Crenshaw - WNBA
- Rodney CarneyRodney CarneyRodney Dion Carney is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Memphis and was selected in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and shortly afterwards traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.-Early college career:Carney made the Conference USA...
– Golden St. Warriors – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Joey DorseyJoey DorseyRichard Elmer "Joey" Dorsey is an American professional basketball player who plays for Caja Laboral. He played college basketball for the University of Memphis Tigers, where he was an interdisciplinary studies major...
– Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Chris Douglas-RobertsChris Douglas-RobertsChris Douglas-Roberts, also known as CDR is an American basketball player who plays for Virtus Bologna. He played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers.-High school:...
– Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Tyreke EvansTyreke EvansTyreke Jamir Evans is an American professional basketball player with Virtus Roma in Italy. He is also under contract with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association , but is not currently playing with them because of the 2011 NBA lockout...
– Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
- NBA - Larry FinchLarry FinchLarry Finch was a player and coach for the University of Memphis men's basketball team. He is perhaps most famous for leading the Memphis State Tigers to the NCAA men's basketball championship game in 1973 in a heroic loss to the UCLA Bruins, led by Bill Walton.- Playing career :Finch was born in...
– Memphis TAMsMemphis TamsThe Memphis Tams were an American Basketball Association team during the 1972-1973 and 1973-1974 seasons. The team had previously been the New Orleans Buccaneers for three seasons before moving to Memphis, Tennessee where it became the Memphis Pros from 1970 through 1972. The team later became...
– ABA - Stephen GostkowskiStephen GostkowskiStephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
- New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
-NFL - Sylvester GraySylvester GraySylvester "Sly" Gray is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Miami Heat in the 2nd round of the 1988 NBA Draft. A 6'6" forward from Memphis State University, Gray played in only one NBA season.As a member of the Heat during the 1988-89 season, he appeared in...
– Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Anfernee Hardaway – NBA
- Chad HarvilleChad HarvilleChad Ashley Harville is a free agent relief pitcher who most recently played in the majors for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Harville bats and throws right-handed...
– Multiple teams – MLB - Cedric HendersonCedric HendersonCedric Earl Henderson is an American basketball player who played 5 seasons in the NBA.A 6'7" small forward, Henderson starred at the University of Memphis, and was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the 1997 NBA Draft...
– Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Richard Jones – New York Nets – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
- Larry KenonLarry KenonLarry Joe Kenon is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward who had a productive career in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association , Kenon played for the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors and...
– Multiple Teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Bill Laurie – Billionaire and 1973 NCAA Championship Game starting point guard for Memphis State
- Jerry LawlerJerry LawlerJerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
– Hall of Fame professional wrestler – WWE - Keith LeeKeith LeeKeith Lee is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round of the 1985 NBA Draft later to be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers...
– New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - James Logan – Houston Oilers Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
NFL - Steve MatthewsSteve MatthewsStephen "Steve" Keith Matthews is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Oilers. He played collegiately at Memphis....
- Kansas City Chiefs – NFL - Hank McDowellHank McDowellHank Leigh McDowell is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'9" 210 lb forward and he played collegiately at Memphis State University . He played in the NBA from 1981 to 1987...
– Multiple Teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Mike McKenzie – New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
– NFL - Elliot PerryElliot PerryElliot Lamonte Perry is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.The 6'0" point guard from Memphis State University , was selected with the tenth pick of the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1991 NBA Draft...
– Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Derrick RoseDerrick RoseDerrick Martell Rose is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association ....
– Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Cliff TaylorCliff Taylor (American football)Cliff Taylor is a former running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1974 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. After a year away from the NFL, he played with the Green Bay Packers during the 1976 NFL season.-References:...
– Multiple Teams – NFL - Sam Thomas – All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
– Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand... - Paul Banks - Atlanta Beat (WPS) - Women's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional SoccerWomen's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
- Andre TurnerAndre TurnerAndre Devalle Turner is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. A 5'11", . point guard, he played collegiately at Memphis State University...
– Multiple Teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Dan UgglaDan UgglaDaniel Cooley Uggla is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....
– Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
– MLB - David Vaughn – Multiple Teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
- Dajuan WagnerDajuan WagnerDajuan Marquett Wagner is an American former professional basketball player.Wagner is the son of former University of Louisville and NBA player Milt Wagner...
– Cleveland CavaliersCleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Darius Washington – NBA
- Tamika WhitmoreTamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
– Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
– WNBA - Win WilfongWin WilfongAlva Winfred Wilfong was an American professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard/forward from the University of Memphis, Wilfong played four seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the St. Louis Hawks and Cincinnati Royals. He averaged 6.8 points per game and won a league...
– Cincinnati Royals – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - DeAngelo WilliamsDeAngelo WilliamsDeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...
– Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
- NFL - Shawne WilliamsShawne WilliamsShawne Brian Williams is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks of the NBA...
– New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Francis WinklerFrancis WinklerFrancis Winkler is a former defensive end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1968 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the team.-References:...
– Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
– NFL - Jerome WoodsJerome WoodsJerome Harlan Woods is a retired American football safety who played his entire ten-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs....
– Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
– NFL - Lorenzen WrightLorenzen WrightLorenzen Vern-Gagne Wright was an American professional basketball player.-Early life and college:Raised in Oxford, Mississippi, Wright played all levels of basketball in Memphis – high school, collegiate and professional...
– Multiple Teams – NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... - Wayne YatesWayne YatesWayne Yates is a retired American basketball player and coach. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association and later was a college coach, most notably at Memphis State University .-College playing career:Wayne Yates, a 6'8 center from North Little Rock High School in...
– Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
– NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Notable faculty
- Béla BollobásBéla BollobásBéla Bollobás FRS is a Hungarian-born British mathematician who has worked in various areas of mathematics, including functional analysis, combinatorics, graph theory and percolation. As a student, he took part in the first three International Mathematical Olympiads, winning two gold medals...
– A prominent mathematician who is known for his work in combinatoricsCombinatoricsCombinatorics is a branch of mathematics concerning the study of finite or countable discrete structures. Aspects of combinatorics include counting the structures of a given kind and size , deciding when certain criteria can be met, and constructing and analyzing objects meeting the criteria ,...
. He was Fields MedalFields MedalThe Fields Medal, officially known as International Medal for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics, is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians not over 40 years of age at each International Congress of the International Mathematical Union , a meeting that takes place every four...
winner Timothy Gowers' dissertation advisor. - Paul ErdosPaul ErdosPaul Erdős was a Hungarian mathematician. Erdős published more papers than any other mathematician in history, working with hundreds of collaborators. He worked on problems in combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, classical analysis, approximation theory, set theory, and probability theory...
- With over a thousand articles published, he is arguably the most prolific mathematician in history. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis. - Arthur C. Graesser – A prominent cognitive psychologist, now editor of the Journal of Educational PsychologyJournal of Educational PsychologyThe Journal of Educational Psychology is a peer-reviewed academic journal that was established in 1910 and covers educational psychology. It is published by the American Psychological Association.The editor-in-chief is Arthur Graesser...
. - Ralph FaudreeRalph FaudreeRalph Jasper Faudree is a mathematician, a professor of mathematics and the provost of the University of Memphis.Faudree was born in Durant, Oklahoma. He did his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma Baptist University, graduating in 1961, and received his Ph.D. in 1964 from Purdue University under...
– A prominent mathematician with a focus on Ramsey TheoryRamsey theoryRamsey theory, named after the British mathematician and philosopher Frank P. Ramsey, is a branch of mathematics that studies the conditions under which order must appear...
, he is currently provost of the university. - Stan FranklinStan FranklinStan Franklin is an American scientist and W. Harry Feinstone Interdisciplinary Research Professor at the and co-director of the Institute of Intelligent Systems. He is the author of Artificial Minds and mental father of IDA and its successor LIDA, both computational implementations of...
– A cognitive scientist, Franklin is a leading proponent of artificial consciousnessArtificial consciousnessArtificial consciousness , also known as machine consciousness or synthetic consciousness, is a field related to artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics whose aim is to define that which would have to be synthesized were consciousness to be found in an engineered artifact .Neuroscience...
. - Cecil C. RousseauCecil C. RousseauCecil Clyde Rousseau is a mathematician and author who specializes in graph theory and combinatorics. He is a professor emeritus at The University of Memphis and former chair of the USAMO.Rousseau received his Ph.D...
– A mathematician and author who specializes in graph theoryGraph theoryIn mathematics and computer science, graph theory is the study of graphs, mathematical structures used to model pairwise relations between objects from a certain collection. A "graph" in this context refers to a collection of vertices or 'nodes' and a collection of edges that connect pairs of...
and combinatoricsCombinatoricsCombinatorics is a branch of mathematics concerning the study of finite or countable discrete structures. Aspects of combinatorics include counting the structures of a given kind and size , deciding when certain criteria can be met, and constructing and analyzing objects meeting the criteria ,...
. - Peter J. BrandPeter J. BrandPeter James Brand is a Canadian Egyptologist from Toronto, Ontario. He is also a naturalized American citizen. He completed his PhD in 1998 at the University of Toronto with his dissertation The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis...
, world renowned Egyptologist.