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UT Southern was originally founded as Martin Methodist College in 1870. The college was named for Thomas Martin (1799–1870), former mayor of Pulaski, who left in his will an endowment of $30,000 to establish a college for the education of the white girls and women of Giles County.
The University of Tennessee Southern, founded in 2021, proudly serves as the newest and smallest member of the UT System, joining as the fourth undergraduate campus through the acquisition of Martin Methodist College.
Jul 17, 2020 · Martin Methodist College (MMC) and the University of Tennessee System signed a nonbinding letter of intent on Sept. 11, 2020, the first step in discussions for the small, 150-year-old, private college to join the UT System. MMC officially joined the UT System as UT Southern on July 1, 2021.
UT Southern, formerly named Martin Methodist College, is the fourth undergraduate campus in the UT System. It is the only public, four-year institution of higher education between Chattanooga and Memphis along Tennessee’s southern border.
- 1858-1874: How Martin Methodist College Came to Be
- 1874-1966: Securing The Future of Martin College
- Martin Methodist College Received Accreditation
- Sept. 11, 2020: Nonbinding Letter of Intent Was Signed
- October: MTSU Raises Concerns Over State Funding
- Dec. 9, 2020: Board of Trustees Approves Merger
Victoria Martin, daughter of former Pulaski County Mayor Thomas Martin, died at 20 years old. Thomas Martin promised Victoria he would allocate money in his will to establish a school for young women. In 1870, Thomas Martin died and Martin Female College was born, per his will. The college was incorporated into the Methodist Episcopal Church, run b...
The college saw its first graduating class of four women in 1874, making way for the board of trustees to secure Martin Female College's future. the board bought property, allowing for a women's boarding college and elementary school to grow. The school was renamed Martin College in 1905. It opened its doors to male students in 1938, making it a co...
Martin Methodist College, now affiliated with the Tennessee Conference of he United Methodist Church, received its accreditation as a four-year college. Now, the college has an undergraduate enrollment of 890.
Leaders of the University of Tennessee System and Martin Methodist College signed a nonbinding letter of intent on Sept. 11, signifying the first step in discussions, according to the UT System. This letter of intentformalizes the process of facilitating the discussions between the UT System and Martin Methodist.
Middle Tennessee State University leaders raised concernsin October centered on if "stretching" state funding for the new college was feasible. MTSUpresident Sidney McPhee questioned how an additional public university would impact funding for existing schools. He said his concerns are not related to "competing" for student enrollment. "In a time i...
The boards of the University of Tennessee and Martin Methodist both voted to go forward with the merger. Following the UT Board of Trustees vote on Wednesday, the merger now needs to be approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. Contributing: Monica Kast and Brittany Crocker Daniella Medina is a digital producer for the USA TODAY Network. Follow h...
- Daniella Medina
Jul 1, 2021 · UT Southern began as Martin Female College in 1870 to offer education for women. Thomas Martin of Pulaski, Tennessee, endowed the college to fulfill his daughter, Victoria’s, dying wish to establish a school for women. In 1938, it became a coeducational college along with a new name: Martin College.
Jul 1, 2024 · In the book, authors Mark La Branche, UT Southern chancellor emeritus, and Jennifer Sicking, UT System director of publications and executive editor of Our Tennessee magazine, detail the steps taken to merge Martin Methodist College, a faith-based institution, with the University of Tennessee System.
