East Tennessee State University is a public, state-supported institution of higher learning in Johnson City, Tennessee. The state of Tennessee founded the university as the East Tennessee State Normal School in 1909. The school opened in 1911 as a training facility for teachers. It changed its name several times as it added more programs. It adopted its present name in 1963.
In 1974, the state of Tennessee founded the James H. Quillen College of Medicine due to a shortage of primary-care physicians. In 1988, the College of Medicine combined with the colleges of Nursing and Public and Allied Health to form a Division of Health Sciences within East Tennessee State University.
In addition to its main campus in Johnson City, East Tennessee State operates off-campus centers in Bristol, Elizabethton, Greeneville, and Kingsport. Facilities at the university include the Harry Powell Astronomy Observatory, the Carroll Reece Museum, and the Sherrod Library. The university’s athletic teams are called the Buccaneers. Well-known graduates of East Tennessee State include actors Timothy Busfield and Mark Jacoby and professional golfer Mike Hulbert.
The university’s website at https://www.etsu.edu/ offers additional information.
