News

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…
UT’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs to establish the Howard H. Baker Jr Award for Public Service

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) is proud to announce the establishment of the Howard H. Baker Jr. Award for Public Service. This prestigious new honor recognizes an exceptional young national leader whose work embodies a deep commitment to public service, meaningful civic…
UT’s Institute of American Civics to host 125 teachers for TN Civics Academy

In a major initiative to strengthen civic education across the state, the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee will host the Tennessee Civics Academy, a two-day professional development workshop welcoming 125 high school teachers from 85 schools across 36 counties. Held in Knoxville on June 24 and 25, the program will immerse…
IAC’s Busch’s “The Comeback” Details National Election

Marking more than 30 years of insightful political analysis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Professor and Institute of American Civics Associate Director Andrew E. Busch and co-author John J. Pitney Jr. offer a definitive account of the 2024 election in their newly released book, The Comeback (Bloomsbury, 2025). “The election of 2024 was both highly unusual…
Shuler and Stowers Join the Baker School’s Board of Directors

Knoxville, TN – Former Congressman Heath Shuler and Knoxville philanthropist Liz Stowers have joined the board of the Howard H. Baker, Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School), each serving five-year terms. Shuler, a native of Swain County, North Carolina, attended UT from 1991-1993 before entering the NFL draft and playing in…
Is Public Education in Crisis? – with Jeb Bush, John White, and Rahm Emanuel

Is public education in crisis? In recent years, our schools have faced unprecedented challenges from the pandemic and teacher shortages to debates over curriculum and student mental health. Test scores are down, and US students are falling behind their international peers. In this final episode of Season Six, our hosts, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen…