It Just Means More for Southeastern Conference Universities.
The strength of the SEC goes far beyond athletic competition. SEC campuses are engaged in impactful work that drives innovation, supports economic growth, responds to pressing societal needs and improves scientific outcomes. Through academic excellence, research and collaboration, SEC universities have established global influence while preparing students and leaders to make a lasting difference.
SEC universities bring together Leading Minds and Rising Stars
SEC faculty are leaders in their fields, frequently sought after by renowned organizations.
SEC faculty are recognized for their pivotal work by numerous organizations.
SEC students pursue new opportunities with prestigious scholarships.
The SEC's collective impact extends beyond campuses.
Through groundbreaking research, community engagement, and innovative solutions to societal challenges, SEC institutions are making a transformative difference in the world.
Student Development
SEC start up
In a continued commitment to academic excellence and achievement, the Southeastern Conference expanded its support of business and innovation programming with SEC Start Up – a newly created student-athlete pitch competition, designed to foster entrepreneurship.
SEC MBA Case Competition
The SEC MBA Case Competition provides an opportunity for SEC business schools to showcase their students’ skills at solving simulated, real-world problems that cover the spectrum of business disciplines.
SEC Student Pitch Competition
The SEC Student Pitch Competition provides a showcase for young entrepreneurs as each university representative competes against one another with their innovative business ideas.
SEC Faculty Travel Program
Since its inception in 2012, the SEC Faculty Travel Program provides faculty with opportunities to conduct research, present lectures, exchange ideas and deliver artistic performances with their Conference colleagues.
Past research collaborations have ranged from robotic software to reading comprehension and Down Syndrome to research on meteorites. Travel endeavors have also included musical recitals from solo artists and ensembles. In 2019 the University of Kentucky’s Brass Quintet traveled to multiple campuses.
Dr. Renã Robinson, a past recipient from Vanderbilt University, said the program assisted in a $2.04 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support underrepresented minority faculty in biomedical research.
University of Alabama researchers and assistant professors Drs. Lawrence Cappello and Katherine Chiou are working to address the post-secondary educational experience. They utilized the program to visit three SEC institutions and explore how artificial intelligence solutions could revive classroom interactions.
SEC Artificial Intelligence Consortium
The Southeastern Conference and its member universities are spearheading initiatives that bring artificial intelligence to the classroom and support workforce development training.
The Conference has developed artificial intelligence programming through the SEC AI Consortium, including an AI in Sports Panel during the 2024 SEC Football Media Days. The panel explored AI’s impact on sports by covering generative AI, prospect management, marketing and more.
Since its inception, the Conference and its member universities have organized numerous AI initiatives that include the virtual SEC Generative AI Forum and Teaching with AI in the SEC, an online course that provides tangible resources for integrating AI into teaching instruction.
Community impact
University of Alabama
• The University of Alabama is a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students, a distinction UA has earned nine times in the last 11 years.
• The Capstone College of Nursing aims to double enrollment and graduate more than 550 new nurses every year through its on-campus bachelor's program to combat the state's nursing shortage.
• The University of Alabama McCollough Institute for Pre-Medical Scholars program once again celebrated a class earning 100% acceptance rate for medical and graduate school.
• The University of Alabama research enterprise marked 10 years of continuous growth in fiscal year 2024, with gains in overall funding, new awards and the number of proposals submitted.
• The U.S. Geological Survey opened the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility on the UA campus near the NOAA National Water Center, providing a trifecta of opportunity for advancing water science and technology.
University of Arkansas
• The University of Arkansas is positioned to lead the U.S. semiconductor economy with the nation’s only open-access silicon carbide facility. This single site enables chips to move seamlessly from developmental research to prototyping, testing and fabrication, accelerating workforce development and advancing technologies in fields such as healthcare, the military, computing and transportation.
• Design students and faculty at the University of Arkansas are pioneering affordable housing prototypes using Arkansas-sourced timber. By combining advanced wood technologies like cross-laminated timber with innovative design, they’re developing sustainable, cost-effective housing models that can be scaled nationwide.
• The University of Arkansas partners with local police, embedding social workers to support people with mental health needs. The program eases officers’ workloads, boosts retention and has become a model for departments across Arkansas.
• Arkansas accounts for about half of the nation’s rice production, but fields often sit empty in winter months when the fields are flooded for duck hunting. Researchers at the University of Arkansas are exploring stocking these ‘ponds’ with fish combining aquaculture and rice production for potential economic and environmental benefits.
• Partnering with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Arkansas is expanding its seismic testing capabilities to improve the resilience of buildings and bridges against earthquakes. Using advanced equipment for large-scale simulations and controlled lab testing, researchers are working to develop cost-effective solutions to strengthen infrastructure safety nationwide.
Auburn University
• Auburn’s Electronics Packaging Research Institute is a national leader in developing 3D printed or additively manufactured flexible electronic components.
• The National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence and its collaborators in NASA’s RAMPT program (Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology) were designated as the 2024 NASA Invention of the Year for their groundbreaking work on 3D printing of liquid fuel rocket motors.
• Auburn’s College of Education and University Outreach launched a new Rural Teacher Fellowship Program that aims to address a shortage of teachers in rural areas of Alabama.
• Auburn’s Mass Timber Collaborative is committed to equipping the next generation of architects, engineers and builders with the technology, knowledge and skills needed to lead the charge in mass timber construction while establishing strategic partnerships with industry leaders, policymakers and local communities to raise awareness and deliver knowledge about mass timber to foster its adoption across Alabama and beyond.
• Auburn’s Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station will lead research to protect and restore water resources, conserve coastal habitats and marine life, and strengthening the sustainability and resilience of Gulf Coast communities.
University of Florida
• UF recorded $1.33 billion in annual research spending in 2025.
• More than 1,390 UF alumni have served in the U.S. Peace Corps since 1961.
• UF secured 20 acres and $300 million in total support to launch a new campus in Jacksonville that includes the Florida Semiconductor Institute.
• UF/IFAS provides 2 million consultations to Florida farmers every year, helping support the state’s 2.5 million agricultural jobs.
• UF-incubated startups have led to $25 billion in economic impact and UF-licensed companies have created 10,000 Florida jobs.
University of Georgia
• In 2024, the University of Georgia generated a record $8.4 billion economic impact on its home state, representing the combined overall impact of the university’s teaching, research, and service activities.
• For the third consecutive year, the University of Georgia ranked No. 1 among U.S. universities for number of commercial products brought to market by industry partners based on university research. In fiscal year 2024 alone, UGA industry partners and startups developed 69 new products from research, a university record.
• Already the top NIH-funded public university without a medical school, UGA is launching its own School of Medicine to expand research and increase the number of doctors in Georgia.
• The University of Georgia ranks as one of the nation’s top 3 producers of Rhodes Scholars over the past 30 years among U.S. public universities.
• UGA is one of just nine public institutions in the U.S. with a six-year graduation rate of 90% or higher, and 95% of UGA graduates are employed or continuing their education within six months.
University of Kentucky
• UK is leading a $20 million, five-year CLIMBS project with eight regional institutions funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal is to protect Kentucky from extreme weather events, using big-data to enhance prediction and bolster community-level disaster response.
• Through UK Invests, a first-of-its kind program in the country, the University of Kentucky is investing in students to build a foundation of financial literacy and healthy habits by depositing money into their brokerage accounts.
• The University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a National Institutes of Health Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). One of the first 10 centers designated by the NIH’s National Institute on Aging in 1985, UK has developed a vigorous program in the clinical, neuropathological, educational and research aspects of Alzheimer’s disease.
• The Materials Science Research Priority Area at the University of Kentucky seeds innovation in medicine and manufacturing, fuels solutions in the automotive and aerospace industries, and leans on the expertise of critical materials researchers.
• Free, evidence-based suicide prevention workshops are provided to community agencies serving veterans where the University of Kentucky empowers professionals and community members with the knowledge to recognize warning signs, respond effectively and connect veterans to vital resources — demonstrating a proactive commitment to supporting those navigating mental health challenges.
Louisiana State University
• The National Security Agency designated LSU a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, its most selective designation.
• LSU is leading a transformative $7 million NSF-funded E RISE project to convert agricultural waste like sugarcane bagasse into liquid biofuels—creating jobs, new markets for farmers, and sustainable energy solutions for Louisiana’s economy.
• LSU’s Center for Internal Auditing (now the Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management) was the world’s first university-based internal auditing training program and has served as the model for numerous universities.
• LSU created a multidisciplinary Center of Research Excellence for the Study of Invasive Species, which causes $120 billion in damage in the U.S each year, to develop effective strategies for prevention, early detection, control, and mitigation of invasive species’ impacts.
• The LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station, located in Chase, Louisiana, is the only research station in the United States solely dedicated to sweet potato research and development.
University of Mississippi
• The University of Mississippi is one of only 15 institutions worldwide to join NextGenAI, a $50 million OpenAI-backed initiative designed to advance artificial intelligence research and education.
• Over 14 years, University of Mississippi students have raised more than $2.3 million to support the state’s only children’s hospital through the annual RebelTHON dance-a-thon.
• The University of Mississippi Medical Center opened its new Burn Center care unit, one of only a handful of burn centers nationwide to be created in the past two decades.
• Established 60 years ago, the University of Mississippi’s Center for Air and Space Law pioneered air law, space law, and drone law and continues to uphold global legal excellence in scholarship and research in the fields.
• Ole Miss is launching the Early Learning and Evaluation Center to provide critical services for children with developmental delays and autism and to strengthen early childhood support statewide.
Mississippi State University
• As one of the state’s leading research university, Mississippi State University is a core economic driver—generating a $3.9 billion economic impact annually, according to a recent study.
• The National Science Foundation has ranked MSU in the nation’s top 5% for agriculture for over two decades.
• Through numerous research initiatives to strengthen global food security, MSU extensively supports Mississippi’s $8 billion agriculture industry.
• The national First Destination Survey shows MSU graduates experience a 95% success rate for employment or pursuit of advanced degrees after graduation.
• Mississippi State is one of the first universities in the country to establish multidisciplined degrees and certifications to build AI, apply AI and construct its physical infrastructure.
University of Missouri
• Mizzou is home to MURR, the largest university research reactor in the U.S., which is the sole producer of four radioisotopes used for life-saving cancer therapies, and is now partnering with a consortium to build a new state-of-the-art reactor, NextGen MURR, to meet growing demands.
• Mizzou is establishing the Energy Innovation Center, which will bring together engineers, physicians, computer scientists, chemists and biochemists to tackle the world’s toughest energy challenges.
• More than 95% of recent graduates see successful career outcomes or continue their education within six months of earning a degree.
• Through the innovations and ideals of the University of Missouri, MU Extension improves lives, businesses and communities by solving Missouri’s grand challenges around agricultural growth and stewardship, economic opportunity, educational access, and health and well-being. MU Extension has a presence in every Missouri county and the city of St. Louis.
• Mizzou is home to the Missouri Method, which focuses on learning through hands-on experience. For example, students in the Missouri School of Journalism learn to be reporters, producers and anchors for a real-world audience at KOMU-TV, an NBC affiliate and the nation’s only university-owned commercial television station.
University of Oklahoma
• OU has expanded AI-driven innovation and furthered a commitment to providing students with a leading AI education by hiring its first university-wide Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
• The OU Health Campus achieved a new Carnegie Classification for its research enterprise and medical school program from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, placing it among the top 2% of U.S. medical schools and centers nationwide.
• As Oklahoma’s only NCI-designated cancer center, OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center represents the gold standard of cancer care and research conducting a wide range of clinical trials, including Phase I trials, in which promising new medications are given to cancer patients for the first time.
• OU is fueling the state’s workforce by expanding critical programs in aviation and health care, including doubling the number of nursing graduates and increasing enrollment in the M.D. program by 42% over five years.
• Two OU researchers, Rodney Tweten, Ph.D., and Jizhong “Joe” Zhou, Ph.D., have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors a scientist can receive. OU is the only university in Oklahoma with representation in the organization, and this marks the first time two OU faculty members have been elected in the same year.
University of South Carolina
• From next-generation semiconductors to advanced composite manufacturing, USC researchers are helping to shape the future of manufacturing.
• The University of South Carolina ranks among the Top 100 patent-producing universities in the world.
• The University of South Carolina is developing the state’s first comprehensive facility dedicated to brain and nervous system disorders.
• South Carolina operates a statewide Brain Health Network to help residents who suffer from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
• Both of USC’s medical schools (Columbia and Greenville) are ranked by U.S. News & World Report for the number of graduates serving in medically underserved areas.
University of Tennessee
• Evolving industries have new needs, and UT is answering the call by offering customizable degrees and programs in fields like AI and applied engineering.
• UT is addressing critical health care workforce shortages in rural communities across Tennessee using a grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to expand access, strengthen pipelines and prepare more Tennesseans for careers in health care.
• UT turfgrass experts have been tapped by FIFA to develop and maintain the best, safest, and most consistent pitches for FIFA World Cup 26—the most watched sporting event in the world.
• UT is a national leader in personalized approaches to student success, with year-over-year record increases in first-year students returned for their sophomore year.
• The Chancellor’s Innovation Fund supports faculty research, providing a pathway to commercialize technology and bolster Tennessee’s entrepreneurship pipeline.
the University of Texas at austin
• UT Austin is launching an academic medical center, a digitally enabled, patient-centered health system that connects a state-of-the-art hospital and cancer center with the University’s leading academic and research expertise to bring world-class care to Central Texas.
• A pioneering leader in energy and exploration, UT Austin is advancing all areas of energy through its combination of research expertise, industry partnerships and resource stewardship. In 2025, UT played a pivotal role in developing the first university-based molten-salt research reactor.
• UT launched the Texas Institute for Electronics to accelerate U.S. semiconductor R&D and workforce development, building an open-access hub for microelectronics prototyping and 3D heterogeneous integration in partnership with the Department of Defense and industry leaders.
• Through the UT-led Texas Advanced Computing Center, the University now has the most AI computing power in academia, equipping students, faculty and researchers with the tools needed to make discoveries that offer profound benefits to society in such areas as health care, drug development, materials and national security.
• UT Austin launched the Texas Quantum Institute in 2025, complementing its NSF-funded Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials and the Center for Space Research’s NASA Quantum Pathways Institute to advance energy-efficient electronics, secure communications and quantum sensing.
Texas A&M University
• Recognized for innovation that serves a greater purpose, Texas A&M was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company—showing how we harness creativity for good. The only university to make the list.
• For the good of patients and families everywhere, Texas A&M’s groundbreaking Alzheimer’s nasal spray therapy has been awarded a World Changing Idea by Fast Company, as it may help reduce the onset of the disease. Together, we stand for healthier communities.
• Each year, Aggies come together for The Big Event, the largest one-day student-run service project in the nation—uniting in selfless service to celebrate community and show the world what it truly means to stand for the good of others.
• Together with industry partners, Texas A&M is training Aggies for the maritime industry. Texas A&M is home to one of six maritime academies in the country. This is part of our mission and purpose as a land, sea, and space grant university.
• Texas A&M was recognized as a Brand That Matters by Fast Company for aligning its purpose with measurable action. From large-scale student service to research that addresses pressing societal challenges, the university consistently translates its values into impact for communities across Texas and beyond.
Vanderbilt University
• Since 2019, Vanderbilt researchers and their innovations generated 32 startups, 402 patents and $258 million in revenue (and counting).
• Recently, Vanderbilt officially established its first campus outside of Nashville: Vanderbilt University–New York City, creating a pipeline to one of the world’s metropolitan capitals when it welcomes students in the fall of 2026.
• More than 50,000 people work for Vanderbilt or Vanderbilt University Medical Center, making Vanderbilt the largest private employer in the Nashville area and the second-largest private employer in Tennessee.
• Last year, more than 1,000 Vanderbilt students spent time learning abroad as part of the university’s goal of educating global citizens.
• Last year, Vanderbilt student-athletes contributed 2,141 hours of community service.
Since 2011, the Southeastern Conference has supported the teaching, research and service mission of its member universities through a variety of programs and activities.
From faculty leadership development and integrating artificial intelligence in teaching to career preparation and supporting entrepreneurship for students, the SEC’s academic initiatives reinforce each university’s commitment to impacting its entire campus community.
Dr. LeNá Powe McDonald, Associate Commissioner for Academic Relations lmcdonald@sec.org
Whitney Tarpy, Associate Director for Academic Programming and Communications, wtarpy@sec.org
Foster Parks, Administrative Assistant for Academic Relations, fparks@sec.org