A BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF FORMER TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT JAMES A. HEFNER

Positioned Tennessee State University as a premier institution of higher learning.

Kicked off the university’s first-ever “Students Matter Most” capital campaign in 2001.

Occupied the Thomas and Patricia Frist Chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship, a $1.2 million endowed chair at Tennessee State University.

Established the $1.5 million Chair of Excellence in Banking and Financial Services in the College of Business, and a $1.5 million Samuel P. Massey Chair of Environmental Sciences.

Renovated nearly every building on the institution’s main and downtown campuses, and supervised the construction of eight new buildings including the Floyd-Payne Campus Center, the McWherter Administration Building and the Performing Arts Building.

Dedicated the TSU Olympic Plaza featuring a more than 45-foot tall sculpture entitled, “The Olympian,” honoring the university’s 58 Olympians and their 30 medals – 16 gold, eight silver and six bronze.

Increased the TSU endowment from $500,000 to more than $25 million (through fund-raising and settling a federal Consent Decree).

Established two of the nation’s top honor societies, Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi, at Tennessee State University.

Fostered total enrollment growth at the university to an all-time high of 9,100 students.

Led growth in research from $7 million at the time he arrived at TSU to more than $41 million in 2004, positioning TSU with the highest research productivity among all Tennessee Board of Regents institutions.

During his presidency, Tennessee State University was listed in S. News & World Report’s “Guide to America’s Best Colleges” for 11 consecutive years (1994-2005).

From 1991-2004, TSU won two OVC championships in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, and four OVC Championships in women’s track.Department of Media Relations
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