▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁so ▁too ▁did ▁its ▁impress ive ▁ro ster ▁of ▁al umn i ▁who ▁emb od ied ▁the ▁school ' s ▁charge : ▁" Enter ▁to ▁learn , ▁go ▁forth ▁to ▁serve ." ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁when ▁President ▁H ale ▁retired ▁following ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁at ▁the ▁school ' s ▁hel m , ▁an ▁al umn us ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁succeed ▁him . ▁ ▁Walter ▁S . ▁Davis ▁( 1 9 4 3 - 1 9 6 8 ) ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁Walter ▁S . ▁Davis ▁led ▁Tennessee ▁State ▁through ▁an ▁era ▁of ▁trem end ous ▁growth ▁in ▁academ ics , ▁facilities ▁and ▁world wide ▁recognition . ▁Tennessee ▁Agricult ural ▁and ▁Indust rial ▁State ▁College ▁achieved ▁university ▁status ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁and ▁the ▁Tennessee ▁Board ▁of ▁Education ▁elev ated ▁the ▁university ▁to ▁a ▁full - f led ged ▁land - gr ant ▁university ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁Under ▁Davis ' s ▁leadership , ▁ 2 4 ▁new ▁buildings ▁were ▁constructed ▁on ▁the ▁campus . ▁During ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁athlet es ▁from ▁Tennessee ▁State ▁commanded ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁nation ▁and ▁the ▁world ▁by ▁winning ▁national ▁champion ships ▁in ▁football , ▁basketball ▁and ▁sw imming , ▁and ▁national ▁titles ▁and ▁Olympic ▁med als ▁in ▁track ▁and ▁field . ▁ ▁Andrew ▁P