Haslam College of Business - UT Haslam Receives Prestigious Freeman Award

The Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recently accepted a major honor from the highly regarded Freeman Foundation, which works to strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Asia.

The Freeman Foundation awarded Haslam an institutional grant totaling $84,000 to distribute in 2026, through its International Programs and Study Abroad office (IPSA), in support of student internships in Asia. Students selected for Freeman Asia Internship Awards will be awarded a minimum of $5,000 to support internships abroad.

Receiving the institutional award is a rare and noteworthy accomplishment for a college: To be awarded a Freeman Foundation institutional grant, schools must be invited to apply and then participate in a rigorous application process. Fewer than 35 institutions across the U.S. have been awarded grants to date.

An Exceptional Opportunity

Sara Easler, assistant dean for International Programs and Partnerships, called the grant a tremendous, impactful honor.

“We are deeply grateful to the Freeman Foundation for choosing Haslam to receive this grant,” Easler said. “This award will enable more students to intern in Asia, fostering broader perspectives of other cultures while learning about other countries’ economies. Given the already strong connections between UT and several Asian nations, as well as the significant direct foreign investment in Tennessee by corporations like Bridgestone, Nissan, LG and Denso, this funding provides an extraordinary opportunity for UT students to immerse themselves in Asian business practices. These internships will help forge even deeper ties among the U.S., Tennessee and the countries of Asia.”

Easler and the IPSA team hope to work with the Freeman Foundation to establish an annual renewal of the grant.

About the Freeman Foundation

The Freeman Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in Stowe, Vermont, that fosters stronger bonds between the U.S. and East Asia. It supports educational programs, cultural exchanges and environmental initiatives, including Freeman-ASIA internships. The foundation was created in 1978 by Mansfield Freeman, co-founder of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). AIG is an American multinational finance and insurance corporation with operations in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions.

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Contact:

Scott McNutt, business writer/publicist, rmcnutt4@utk.edu