University of Tennessee Knoxville breaks ground on new Student Success Building

The University of Tennessee Knoxville has broken ground on its new Student Success Building. The building will serve as a connection hub for students, both interpersonally and with the resources the university offers to assist students with academic success and career readiness. The university has been on a mission to increase its student success rates, and was even the host of the Student Success US 2024 conference last year, which was attended by more than 200 institutions across the country. The new Student Success Building is expected to open in 2027.

According to an article on the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s website, Amber Williams, who serves as the university’s Vice Provost for Student Success, was quoted as saying of the new addition to the campus, “While our new Student Success Building will be a beautiful addition to our campus, it’s what will be on the inside of the building that matters most. It is the physical symbol of the investment we are making and the belief we have in the potential of every student – an investment that will propel UT to even greater academic heights.”

Williams added, “Our new Student Success Building represents the future of how we learn, grow and achieve at UT. It will be a place of radical collaboration, where inquiry, academic support, strengths coaching and curiosity collide, creating a powerful synergy to elevate every student’s experience.”

The building will be located next to the John C. Hodges Library along the Johnson-Ward Pedestrian Walkway. It will replace the current Melrose Hall. At 119,000 square feet, the building will have ample room to accommodate all of the student success-related resources the university offers. Housed within the Student Success Building will be the Academic Success Center, University Honors and First-Year Experience offices, Veterans Success Center and Veteran Benefits Administration, the Vol Study Center, the UT Success Academy, Student Disability Services, and Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. Additionally, the building will feature classrooms, student lounges, and common areas.

To promote calmness and well being, the building will feature aesthetic choices like a green roof, a timber pavilion, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

For more information about the University of Tennessee Knoxville, visit the school’s website.