Peyton Manning Joins Faculty at the University of Tennessee as ‘Professor of Practice’
Credit: Image Credit: Icon Sports Wire / Getty Images- Peyton Manning will join the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information starting this fall.
- Manning will partner with faculty and teach several topics, including sports reporting, video production, and public speaking.
- Manning graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1997 with a degree in speech communication.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville announced that NFL Hall of Famer, sports commentator, and media personality Peyton Manning will be joining the faculty at the College of Communication and Information starting this fall.
The University of Tennessee (UT) alum will join as a professor of practice, a non-tenured track position that is appointed because of skills or knowledge gathered in nonacademic careers, such as the NFL.
In Manning’s case, he will speak to students as a “featured expert” about sports reporting, video production and performance, leadership and communication, and public speaking, according to the university.
“There is no other ambassador for our college and university like Peyton Manning, and we are proud to welcome him to the college’s faculty,” Joseph Mazer, dean of the College of Communication and Information, said in a press release.
“Peyton is a true Volunteer, and I look forward to our students gaining invaluable knowledge from him as we continue to prepare the next generation of communication and information leaders.”
Manning graduated from UT in 1997 with a degree in speech communication while playing quarterback on the university’s football team, leading the Volunteers to a Southeastern Conference championship during his senior year.
Manning’s NFL career spanned 18 seasons. He played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos and won two Super Bowls before retiring in 2015. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2021.
Manning has also hosted and produced several shows for ESPN and NBC, as well as appearing in commercials, television shows, and movies. In 2020, he launched his own entertainment company, Omaha Productions.
“My time as a student in the College of Communication and Information was a foundational experience during which I learned critical skills and messaging techniques that I continue to put to use almost daily,” Manning said in the school’s release.
“I look forward to working with the college’s talented faculty and directly with students in an effort to ensure they are well prepared for their future careers.”
This is not the first time Manning has given back to his alma mater. In 1998, he created the Peyton Manning Scholarship, which has benefited over 50 students since its creation, according to the university.
Additionally, in 2018, he donated $1 million to establish the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment, named after the former director of the School of Communication Studies who was Manning’s former professor and academic advisor.
He also offers internships through Omaha Productions to UT students studying journalism and media.