News

UT Student Named 2026 Truman Scholar

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, junior Julia Dieter of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, has been selected as a 2026 Truman Scholar. The prestigious award recognizes students with outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector and academic excellence. Chosen from more than 780 candidates nationwide, Dieter is one of 55 students…
Stazyk joins Baker School, Scheb set to retire

Since joining the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in January, Dr. Edmund Stazyk has been serving as associate dean for academic affairs at the Howard H. Baker, Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, working alongside Dr. John Scheb as the school completes a leadership transition this spring. Scheb, a longtime faculty member in UTK’s Political Science department, joined the Baker School in 2023 to help establish its…
Dr. Krista Wiegand Receives Fulbright Specialist Award to the Philippines at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University

The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board awarded Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs Director Krista Wiegand a Fulbright Specialist Program award to complete a project in the Philippines at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU). Wiegand will spend the next month completing a project that aims to exchange…
Oklahoma City Mayor Receives Inaugural Howard H. Baker Jr. Award for Public Service

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs announced Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt as the inaugural recipient of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Award for Public Service at its annual gala on Nov. 14. Created as a tribute to Baker’s enduring legacy, the award recognizes an exceptional rising national leader whose work embodies…
US Department of Education Awards Over $2 Million to UT’s Institute of American Civics

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded over $2 million to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Institute of American Civics through the department’s American History and Civics Seminars Program. “We are deeply honored to receive this significant investment from the U.S. Department of Education,” said Josh Dunn, executive director of the IAC. “This support will allow us…
Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs Awarded Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Grant to Host Japan-U.S. Diplomacy Academy

Knoxville, TN (Nov. 3, 2025) – The Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs (NSFA) at the University of Tennessee’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs has received a grant from the Japan-United States Friendship Commission (JUSFC) to host a Japan- U.S. Diplomacy Academy in Knoxville in the spring. NSFA will work in partnership with the University’s Japanese Studies program and the Center…
Baker “Life Through the Lens” Student Photography Contest Winners Announced

October 24, 2025 The University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs is proud to announce the winners of the Howard Baker “Life Through the Lens” Student Photography Contest. The competition is part of the Baker School’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of Senator Howard H. Baker Jr.’s birth…
University of Tennessee’s Baker School to Celebrate Legacy of Senator Howard H. Baker Jr. with Centennial Events

Knoxville, TN (October 2, 2025) – The University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs will host a series of commemorative events honoring the centennial of Senator Howard H. Baker Jr.’s birth. The celebrations, taking place in October and November, will pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy…
Baker Student Julia Dieter Appointed as Student Representative to THEC

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has appointed University of Tennessee junior Julia Dieter, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, as the student representative on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Dieter is pursuing an undergraduate degree in public affairs from the Howard H. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and is part of the Chancellor’s Honors Program.…
The Baker School Welcomes Nine New Faculty

The Baker School Welcomes Nine New Faculty Knoxville, TN (August 21) — The University of Tennessee Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) welcomed nine new faculty members this month, strengthening its mission to prepare the next generation of public problem solvers. These new additions bring a wide spectrum…