New Year, New Degree? Why Tennessee Adults Are Leveling Up with Vols Online

Forget the gym membership—this year's real glow-up is going digital.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This season, skip the holiday reruns and profile a University of Tennessee, Knoxville Vols Online student who's made a resolution that has real impact. Across the state, they're earning college degrees, advancing their careers, and creating better communities—without pausing work or family life.

With over 80 fully online degrees and certificates, Vols Online is built for adults balancing busy schedules and challenges. Tennessee businesses face skill gaps, but unfinished degrees or inflexible schedules sideline many students. Vols Online bridges this gap with flexible, high-quality academics and strong support.

With 35+ years of distance learning expertise, Vols Online pairs a UT degree's prestige with true flexibility: one-on-one student support, career services, and a community of over 260,000 Volunteer alumni. With a wide range of programs, including business, information sciences, social work, and (coming in 2026) majors in Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence, Public Health, and Retail, the options are both practical and inspiring, opening doors to careers with growing demand for skilled professionals.

The real story? It's local. It's the single mom in Johnson City finishing assignments after bedtime, the cancer survivor in Nashville logging in between treatments, and the retiree in Memphis finally crossing "earn my degree" off the bucket list. Their reasons are unique, but the path is proven.

Aaron Young, a 2024 Vols Online grad from Tazewell, TN, shares: "The structuring of the degree and Vols Online granted me unmatched academic freedom without sacrificing the hallmark excellence expected of a University of Tennessee program."

Why spotlight Vols Online now?

• Over 80 fully online degree and certificate programs taught by renowned UT faculty
  
  
• Flexible, self-paced courses and dedicated coaches—study when and where life allows
  
  
• More than 35 years of online learning innovation
  
  
• An active alumni network and career placement support to help close Tennessee's skills gaps

Want a standout New Year's story? Visit volsonline.utk.edu or email Perrin Anderson at [email protected] for interviews, student stories, and data for your next feature.

About Vols Online
Vols Online brings the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's academic excellence to working adults - helping Volunteers skill up, step up, and set the pace for Tennessee's next chapter.

SOURCE The University of Tennessee