Volume 78/Number 4
Fall 1998
Tennessee Alumnus
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Philip Conn's career has taken him to many states, but now he's back in Tennessee as chancellor of UT Martin.
By Joe Lofaro
Dr. Philip Conn has come home to Tennessee.
The new chancellor of UT Martin grew up in Cleveland, Tennessee, and graduated from Bradley Central High School there. He has a master's degree from UT Knoxville and is part of the only "brother act" in Tennessee university administration: his brother, Paul, is president of Lee University in Cleveland.
"Returning to Tennessee is exciting for me," Conn says. "When you grow up in a state-all the way from studying Tennessee history and geography in school to just knowing the state, its culture, its politics, its people–all of those things are deep–seated in your psyche. So coming home to Tennessee not only feels natural to me, it's as if my career has made a full cycle and I'm back in a different role in the state where I got started."
Conn came to UTM from Dickinson State University in North Dakota, where he was president for four years. Before that he spent 10 years as vice president for university advancement at Central Missouri State University. From 1977 to 1984, he was a vice president at Morehead State University in Kentucky.
At Dickinson State, Conn earned a stellar reputation and brought national recognition to the school. The Bismarck Tribune called Conn "a tough act to follow" and credited him with strengthening DSU "in every important area: curriculum, faculty, enrollment, student life, physical plant and grounds, alumni giving, image."
Dr. Margaret Perry, who retired last January after 12 years as UT Martin chancellor, and Acting Chancellor Nick Dunagan left a campus loaded with accomplished faculty, staff, and students, Conn says.
"I am of the impression that things at the University of Tennessee at Martin are in great shape in terms of the progress of the institution in recent years and in terms of the systems working well."
Conn plans to initiate the same aggressive recruiting efforts at UT Martin that he did at Dickinson State, but he realizes UTM's enrollment has climbed yearly and impressive gains already have been made.
"I think it's important to be vigorous and outwardly oriented in trying to attract students who are ideal for UT Martin," he says.
He considers the geographic location of UT Martin ideal with regard to his experiences, interests, and contacts.
"The two states that I have come to embrace other than Tennessee in my career are Kentucky, where I spent many years professionally, and Missouri, where I spent 10 years at Central Missouri State. The thing about Martin that is ideal, from my perspective, is that it is the part of Tennessee where Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee come together, and I have great contacts in those states.
"I'll be comfortable making forays into Paducah and Caruthersville to try to recruit a student or two, as I will anywhere else."
In addition to working on recruiting, Conn is a big believer in personal visibility; visiting people; media relations; and good publications.
His wife, Donna, will be his partner in working for UTM.
"We always have been a team when it comes to serving a university. I consider her to be my major asset. She will do tremendous work for the institution. I view her as my partner from start to finish."
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