Tennessee
University of Tennessee chancellor calls on land-grant universities to lead
Donde Plowman wants state flagship universities to seize the moment and take the lead in the national conversation about higher education.
“No one is better positioned than the land-grant universities to remind people why higher education matters,” she said.
Plowman, chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has led the state’s flagship land-grant research university since 2019. She was the guest speaker Thursday for the 2024 James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lecture at The Ohio State University.
The lecture honors former Board of Trustees member Jim Patterson and supports his mission for a vibrant university fulfilling its land-grant mission in an ever-changing world. The lecture brings to campus a prominent figure to speak to the range of challenges facing land-grant institutions.
Plowman said the challenge universities face now is a sharp decline in confidence in higher education.
“I hear the criticisms, you hear the criticisms. It’s usually the same three things: Universities are elitist, and they’re out of touch. Degrees are unattainable. They’re unaffordable, and they’re really not worth it anyway,” she said. “We spend our time on esoteric research for academic journals instead of for the … everyday people in the states we serve.”
Plowman said despite this, land-grant universities have a chance to change the narrative because of their connection to their communities. It begins with the more than 160-year-old mission started with the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862 and the clear mandate of education, discovery and community engagement, she said.
Land-grant universities, often through county extension services, have built up deep and decades-long relationships and trust in the community.
“Finally, it’s a sense of pride and promise that the state’s land-grant university actually belongs to everyone. It’s the people’s university,” she said. “Ask the people in your communities what they think about higher education, and there’s a decent chance they’ll scoff at you. Ask them what they think about The Ohio State University, and they will beam at you.
“Volunteers is synonymous with Tennesseans. Buckeyes is just another word for Ohioans. That kind of identity and pride is enviable. These advantages are unique to land grants. They provide us opportunities to rise above the criticism we hear about the value of higher education.”
At Tennessee, Plowman is working to put her words into practice. She has overseen a 19% increase in enrollment, even as enrollment has dropped dramatically at many other universities. The university has also set new records in student retention, alumni giving, state support and research expenditures.
Plowman said land-grant universities need to continue to make college an affordable option for students and their families. They need to make sure students are completing their degrees and leaving with applicable skills and workforce-ready knowledge.
She said land-grant universities also lead with applied research.
“It’s how we learn about problems and then leverage our expertise and capabilities to solve them – from University of Tennessee faculty helping locate hidden graves with forensic anthropology to using AI to detect sepsis sooner,” she said.“From Ohio State, it’s faculty building better prosthetics for amputees, to developing new technology to detect wildfires. The discoveries we make improve the lives of Volunteers and Buckeyes and people everywhere.”
Land-grant universities were created by law to deliver a practical education to everyday citizens and to democratize knowledge, Plowman said. Now is the time to keep that commitment and act as leaders in higher education.
“The leadership that Ohioans need from you, Ohio State, looks different than the leadership that Tennesseans need from the University of Tennessee,” she said. “But whatever it looks like, this is the time to be ourselves, unapologetically ourselves. To respond to the criticisms … because this is the moment for land-grant universities to step up and change the narrative.”
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The University of Tennessee, Knoxville will celebrate its biggest graduating class yet later this month.
The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System announced Thursday that approximately 9,000 graduates will be honored across 10 commencement ceremonies from May 14-17.
Tennessee’s student population has grown significantly in recent years, with total enrollment topping 40,000 for the first time for the fall 2025 semester. In 2020, Tennessee’s enrollment was 30,000.
UT had a record-number of first-year applications from the class of 2029 with nearly 63,000 and received 5,300 transfer applications, the most ever.
Two new residents halls opened prior to the fall 2025 semester and the university plans to build new residence halls to replace North Carrick, South Carrick and Reese Hall. Following the recent demolition of Melrose Hall, a 116,000-square-foot student success is expected to open during the Fall 2027 semester.
Ceremonies will take place at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center with the exception of the College of Veterinary Medicine Ceremony, which will take place at the Alumni Memorial Building auditorium. Visit the commencement website for scheduling details, and parking information.
State troopers remove people from the Tennessee House gallery on Thursday during a special session of the state legislature to redraw congressional voting maps.
George Walker IV/AP
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George Walker IV/AP
Tennessee Republicans have passed a new congressional map that would crack Memphis’ Shelby County into three different districts, in an effort to eliminate the state’s lone remaining Democratic-held seat.
Currently, Tennessee is represented by eight Republicans and one Democrat.
The district that includes Memphis is majority Black, and Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee called a special legislative session to consider a new congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court last week weakened the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination in redistricting.
Thursday’s legislative votes came amid protests at the state capitol, and after a walkout by Democrats.
State Rep. Justin Pearson, a Memphis Democrat, called the new district maps “racist tools of white supremacy” in House testimony.
Tennessee GOP lawmakers defended the new map, saying their goal is partisan, to send an all-Republican delegation to Washington, D.C.
President Trump has urged Tennessee and other GOP-led states to redraw their maps before this fall’s midterm elections, as part of his mid-decade redistricting push. Earlier Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Lee signed a bill that repealed a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting.
Republican lawmakers in other southern states, including Louisiana and Alabama, are moving to eliminate other majority-Black, Democratic-held districts in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision.
Before last week’s ruling, Republicans likely held a narrow lead in mid-decade redistricting — creating districts they can more easily flip to their side — by a few seats over Democratic counter-efforts. Now that lead could double, to perhaps six or seven seats. And that’s if a pro-Democratic redistricting measure approved by voters in Virginia holds up in state court.
With reporting by WPLN’s Marianna Bacallao
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 6, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 6 drawing
18-27-51-65-68, Powerball: 05, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from May 6 drawing
03-06-07-18-49, Star Ball: 10, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from May 6 drawing
Morning: 5-2-1, Wild: 2
Midday: 7-4-9, Wild: 9
Evening: 3-4-6, Wild: 9
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from May 6 drawing
Morning: 2-3-3-2, Wild: 9
Midday: 4-8-8-6, Wild: 6
Evening: 9-7-9-6, Wild: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from May 6 drawing
09-12-16-18-36
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from May 6 drawing
16-18-27-30-33, Bonus: 01
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 6 drawing
04-21-36-48-69, Powerball: 05
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 6 drawing
06-18-30-32-43, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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