Tennessee Technological University

First established as the University of Dixie in 1909, Tennessee Technological University has grown into a flourishing, internationally recognized university, known for its emphasis on engineering, science, and sophisticated technology. Nestled in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains in Cookeville, Tennessee, TTU has a remarkable history and has triumphed over many obstacles and changes in the last century. In the early 1900s, the institute enrolled high school students as well as college students and operated this way for several years. In 1915, the school became Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and in 1927, TPI awarded its first college degrees and closed the high school program. In 1965, President Everett Derryberry implemented the school’s final name change. Tennessee Technological University, containing over 200 black-and-white images, explores the school’s unique history, from its birth in 1909 to its present-day success as a top-rated university with more than 8,500 students. Commemorated here are the ambitious and determined series of presidents and faculty members responsible for the school’s ultimate success; the noteworthy alumni—including an astronaut, Fortune 500 CEOs, and world-renowned researchers; the athletes responsible for the school’s history of trophies and championships; and many others who have molded TTU into the outstanding institution it is today.