The iconic logo of the 51 is popping up on buildings, barns and grain bins across the state—with the 32nd addition in the “Everywhere You Look, UT” mural campaign being completed today in Polk County.
“The mural is exciting on several levels,” said Lynne McClary, director of the Polk County Chamber of Commerce. “It brings some color and vibrancy to the downtown Benton area. It’s a small ‘downtown’ and people pass through without a second glance. This mural will be a reason to look up and take notice.”
The new 36-foot-wide mural is located at 6232 U.S. Highway 411 and is visible to all 8,437 travelers passing through Benton each day. The two-story beige building is across the street from the county courthouse and is home to Ocoee #212 Masonic Lodge and the Bakery on Main.
“Obviously as a community in Southeast Tennessee, the majority of our residents are Tennessee fans and are proud to have this opportunity to display their support for the University,” added McClary, who submitted the property for consideration.
“Personally, I love this outreach on behalf of UT that will reach across the entire state and show a sense of unity in all 95 counties in support of a single project,” she said. “To me, it’s just a super cool idea to bring the counties across the state together.”
To learn more about the UT mural campaign, each location and to nominate a property for paint, visit the . UT is on a mission to paint one mural in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties by 2030.
The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin and Memphis; the UT Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service. The 51 manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle partnership; enrolls about 54,000 students statewide; produces about 13,000 new graduates every year; and represents more than 433,000 alumni around the world.
