The University of Tennessee Creamery is a relatively new, but delicious, way to teach students about the real-world experience awaiting them.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Students inside the Food Science building at the University of Tennessee are churning out ice cream made in the same place.
Behind every gallon made is an idea conceptualized by students, made by students, marketed by students and scooped up by customers from, you guessed it, the students.
“They get to learn about the different emulsifiers and different things that go into the produce that help make that ice cream a lot smoother,” said Nathan Miller, manager of the University of Tennessee Creamery.
According to Miller, the UT Creamery started as an idea about 8 years ago, but started production about a year ago.
“We wanted to provide the students with experiential learning,” Miller said. “We wanted to be able to let them take hands-on learning, and book learning, they learn from class and apply critical thinking and we decided to utilize ice cream as our mode to be able to teach the students that. We could have done it with bicycles, not too many people want to ride bicycles on campus with these hills, but they love to eat ice cream, though.”
Inside the Food Science building on campus, workers look more like a Chemistry class with lab coats, measuring tools and weights. The flavors start with a cream base and then flavoring is added.
The student develop their own concoctions and name them based on things many University of Tennessee students are familiar with: The Sheriff, inspired by Peyton Manning, Smokey’s strawberry kisses, Torchbearer Chocolate, Mint Champion Chip and of course, Go Big Orange.
The Ice Cream is sold at a number of places on campus, including the University of Tennessee Creamery, which is located at 2712 Neyland Drive, near Kingston Pike. Inside the Ice Cream Shop is Vol-inspired merchandise, also designed by students in the Rocky Top Institute of Retail.
The University of Tennessee Creamery is open Monday through Sunday from Noon to 7 p.m. They’re closed on Sundays.
