The University of the South
The University of the South (Sewanee) is a private nonprofit Episcopal-affiliated liberal arts university and seminary in Sewanee, Tennessee, serving undergraduate, graduate theological, and transfer students through three academic units on a 13,000-acre campus with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1857
- HeadquartersSewanee, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The University of the South does
The University of the South, commonly known as Sewanee, is a private nonprofit liberal arts university and Episcopal-affiliated seminary founded in 1857 and located on a 13,000-acre Domain in Sewanee, Tennessee. The institution operates three core academic units — the College of Arts and Sciences (undergraduate), the School of Theology (graduate seminary), and the School of Letters (graduate humanities) — offering 38 majors, 44 minors, and three certificates with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Its core technology stack consists of standard higher-education systems, specifically the Brightspace Learning Management System for course delivery, Banner Self-Service for student information and registration, and standard productivity tooling (Gmail); a faculty-developed Virtual Reality Crystal Structure Application represents the most notable proprietary technology investment and is targeted at improving spatial reasoning for geology students, including neurodiverse learners.
Sewanee's revenue is generated from four streams: tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate programs (College of Arts and Sciences and School of Theology), recurring donations and philanthropy through the Sewanee Fund and planned giving programs, auxiliary services (19 on-campus residence halls, dining facilities, and the University Bookstore), and event/facility rentals (weddings at All Saints' Chapel, the Stars on the Mountain Gala, conferences, and Sewanee Inn accommodations). Its primary customer segments are undergraduate students, graduate theological students, transfer students, alumni, and parents/families. The institution differentiates through the Sewanee Pledge, which guarantees funding for summer internships or research fellowships, a tuition-free semester of study abroad across 200+ programs on all seven continents, and graduation in four years (with a fifth year free if not achieved).
Distribution is executed primarily through direct enrollment via the sewanee.edu admissions portal, regional admission counselor outreach, campus visits and tours (on-site and virtual), and the Sewanee Club regional alumni event network. Marketing channels include the university website, social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr), the Sewanee Sessions video series for admitted students, email newsletters, and earned media coverage in outlets such as Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, and The Princeton Review. Sewanee does not publicly disclose tuition pricing or financial figures, and operates with no parent company, no subsidiaries outside its three academic units, and no external controlling entity.
The University of the South firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The University of the South
- Legal name
- The University of the South
- Website
- https://new.sewanee.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1857
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- The University of the South (Sewanee) is a private nonprofit Episcopal-affiliated liberal arts university and seminary in Sewanee, Tennessee, serving undergraduate, graduate theological, and transfer students through three academic units on a 13,000-acre campus with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The University of the South industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH)
Keywords
Where The University of the South is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sewanee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The University of the South business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Theology programs
- Donations and Philanthropy: The Sewanee Fund and planned giving programs generate donations from alumni, parents, and supporters. The university hosts donor recognition events including the Benefactors' Brunch and various giving societies.
- Auxiliary Services: Revenue from on-campus housing (19 residence halls), dining services (McClurg Dining Hall, Stirling's Coffee House, Cup & Gown Cafe), and the University Bookstore
- Events and Facilities Rental: Revenue from hosting events including the Stars on the Mountain Gala, weddings at All Saints' Chapel, and conference services. The university also offers accommodations through the Sewanee Inn and rental properties.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
The University of the South product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of the South is a private liberal arts college and Episcopal-affiliated seminary that delivers undergraduate and graduate education through the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Theology, and the School of Letters, offering 38 majors and 44 minors on a 13,000-acre residential campus. Its flagship value promise, the Sewanee Pledge, guarantees funding for a summer internship or research fellowship, a semester of study abroad at no additional tuition, and graduation within four years. Auxiliary offerings include on-campus housing in 19 residence halls, dining services, a working University Farm, and a Domain used as a living laboratory.
Product overview
The University of the South (Sewanee) is an educational institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Theology, and School of Letters. The university's core educational offerings include 38 majors, 44 minors, and 3 certificates. Key programs include the Sewanee Pledge (guaranteed internship funding, study abroad, and four-year graduation), undergraduate research opportunities, the First Year Experience program, the Writing Center, Career Readiness services, and the Domain (13,000-acre living laboratory campus). The institution does not offer commercial technology products or SaaS offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Program Four-year residential undergraduate liberal arts degree program offering 38 majors and 44 minors across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and arts, delivered through the College of Arts and Sciences to traditional college-age students.
- School of Theology Graduate Program Graduate seminary education program within the Episcopal tradition, providing theological training and ministry preparation for graduate students pursuing ordination and ministerial careers.
- School of Letters Graduate Program Graduate program in letters and humanities offered through the School of Letters at The University of the South.
- The Sewanee Pledge Institutional guarantee program for incoming undergraduates that provides funding for a summer internship or research fellowship, a semester of study abroad at no additional tuition cost, and a four-year graduation guarantee (with an additional tuition-free year if not completed in four years).
- Study Abroad Programs 200+ approved study-abroad programs across all seven continents, including Antarctica, coordinated through the Office of Global Citizenship. Covered at no additional tuition cost for undergraduates via the Sewanee Pledge.
- Events and Facilities Rental (Weddings, Conferences, Stars on the Mountain Gala) Event hosting services including weddings at All Saints' Chapel, the Stars on the Mountain Gala, and conference services. Includes accommodations through the Sewanee Inn and rental properties on campus.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97-98% of graduates are employed, in graduate school, or participating in a fellowship or service commitment within six months of graduation
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The University of the South
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The University of the South technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The University of the South partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- The Sewanee InnminorPreferred accommodation partner for university events including the Stars on the Mountain Gala. Gala booking code SDG624 available for attendees.
- Edgeworth InnminorPreferred accommodation partner for university events. Contact Dede Clements at (931) 980-0677 for gala bookings.
- DeloitteminorHalim Labi, C'23, Sewanee politics graduate, currently works as an analyst at Deloitte. Sewanee graduates are recruited by leading companies and organizations for internships.
Scale indicators21 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The University of the South competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Washington and Lee University: Highly-selective small residential liberal arts college with similar undergraduate-focused mission, low student-faculty ratio, strong outcomes, and comparable price-point. Closest direct peer in size, culture, and academic profile.
- Furman University: Private residential liberal arts university in Greenville, SC, with similar academic profile, outcomes emphasis, and Southeast recruitment footprint. Direct competitor in same price tier and applicant market.
- University of Richmond: Private liberal arts-focused university in Virginia with similar academic culture, outcomes orientation, and residential college model. Competes for high-achieving East Coast and Southern applicants.
- Davidson College: Highly-selective residential liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Comparable size, academic profile, outcomes orientation, and tuition-tier competitor in the same Southern recruitment market.
- Wofford College: Small, residential, Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college in Spartanburg, SC. Competes for the same Southeast high-achieving liberal arts applicants at a similar size and price tier.
- Hendrix College: Small, residential liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church in Conway, AR. Shares religiously-affiliated liberal arts model and competes for Southern liberal arts-bound students.
- Centre College: Small, residential liberal arts college in Danville, KY, with a similar outcomes culture and Southeastern applicant base. Competes directly for the same high-achieving liberal-arts candidate.
- Rhodes College: Small, residential, religiously-affiliated (Presbyterian) liberal arts college in Memphis, TN. Directly competes for the same Southeast applicant pool and shares the small-college honors tradition and outcomes narrative.
Broad incumbents
- Vanderbilt University: Larger, research-intensive private university in Nashville, TN, that competes with Sewanee for high-achieving Tennessee and regional applicants. Same broader Southeast recruitment footprint but at a much larger scale and broader academic portfolio.
- Emory University: Larger private research university in Atlanta that draws from the same Southeastern high-achiever pool. Competes indirectly with Sewanee for Episcopal-affiliated families and similarly credentialed applicants, but at a different scale and academic model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The University of the South social profiles
Digital presenceThe University of the South compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The University of the South financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The University of the South leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The University of the South subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
The University of the South funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The University of the South M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The University of the South
What does The University of the South do?
The University of the South is a private liberal arts college and Episcopal-affiliated seminary that delivers undergraduate and graduate education through the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Theology, and the School of Letters, offering 38 majors and 44 minors on a 13,000-acre residential campus. Its flagship value promise, the Sewanee Pledge, guarantees funding for a summer internship or research fellowship, a semester of study abroad at no additional tuition, and graduation within four years. Auxiliary offerings include on-campus housing in 19 residence halls, dining services, a working University Farm, and a Domain used as a living laboratory.
Is The University of the South a public or private company?
The University of the South is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The University of the South founded?
The University of the South was founded in 1857. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is The University of the South based?
The University of the South is headquartered in Sewanee, United States, in the North America region.
How does The University of the South make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropy, auxiliary Services and events and Facilities Rental.
Who are The University of the South's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Washington and Lee University, Furman University, University of Richmond, Davidson College, Wofford College, Hendrix College, Centre College and Rhodes College. Broad incumbents are Vanderbilt University and Emory University.
Does The University of the South have an API?
No public API is recorded for The University of the South.
What industry is The University of the South in?
The University of the South's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAF, Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges, with a secondary code of EDAHACAH, Residential Liberal Arts Colleges. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.