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East Tennessee State University is once again the recipient of substantial state support, as the Tennessee General Assembly and Gov. Bill Lee have included tens of millions of dollars for ETSU in the recently passed 2025-26 budget.

The allocations include $53.4 million to complete Phase II of the Brown Hall renovation, $3 million for critical scientific equipment at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine, and $5 million for improvements at the ETSU/Eastman Valleybrook campus. The budget also includes $3.5 million to repair and maintain facilities across campus.

“We are incredibly grateful to Gov. Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for their continued investment in our students, our research, our employees and our mission,” said ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. “This funding is not only a commitment to higher education but a powerful affirmation of ETSU’s role as the flagship institution of Appalachia – a university driving progress in science, health care and economic development across our region.”

Brown Hall has been ETSU’s central science building for over half a century.

The ongoing renovation project modernizes labs and classrooms to support the university’s growing enrollment and evolving research needs. Phase I, already underway, was funded at nearly $48 million. Phase II funding ensures the full transformation of the facility into a 21st-century hub for the university’s biology, chemistry, and physics and astronomy departments.

“Long before ETSU students make lifesaving decisions at a patient’s bedside or conduct breakthrough research, they build a foundation in spaces like Brown Hall,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “This investment will ensure they have access to the equipment and learning environments they need to succeed.”

In addition to the Brown Hall funding, the state has committed $3 million to replace aging equipment at the Quillen College of Medicine, bolstering ETSU’s mission to train rural health care providers and serve as a top-ranked producer of physicians for health professional shortage areas.

Quillen recently ranked No. 2 in the nation for underserved care in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Medical School Rankings and was named one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation for primary care.

ETSU/Eastman Valleybrook is a research and development complex that is ideally suited to become a state-of-the-art research and development hub for synthetic biology and bioindustrial manufacturing. Located on Pickens Road in Kingsport, it consists of some 144 acres; a 72,000-square-foot research, wet lab and office complex; and 30,000 square feet of warehouse space. This infrastructure is poised to support breakthrough innovations in sustainable materials, alternative proteins and more. With its strategic location and growing client interest, Valleybrook positions Northeast Tennessee as a rising leader in the global bioeconomy.

“These are not just budget line items – they are investments in our students’ futures and the well-being of our communities,” said Noland. “Every dollar helps ensure that ETSU continues to be a driver of progress and opportunity in East Tennessee and beyond.”

The news comes as ETSU celebrates numerous accolades and milestones, including:

• A second consecutive winner of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship.

• Gold status in the 2025-26 Military Friendly® School rankings – one of only 32 large public institutions nationwide to earn such a designation.

• Top-level honors for online master’s programs in Tennessee.

“We have long known that at ETSU, students don’t have to choose between affordability and excellence,” said Noland. “Generous state support is part of the reason for that.”