Long-time Director Walt Hitch announces retirement; Dereck Corbin appointed interim director
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. – As of July 1, Dereck Corbin will serve as the interim director of the University of Tennessee Plateau AgResearch and Education Center. Walt Hitch, the center’s director since March 1999, has announced his plan to retire at the end of the year.
Corbin previously served as a research associate at the Center, and Hitch says Corbin’s 14 years of experience made him the obvious choice for the leadership position. “Dereck knows all 2,100 acres of the grounds,” Hitch says. “He’s familiar with the crops and livestock and the UT faculty that use the center’s resources to research ways in which our natural resources can help everyone from the producer to home gardener to consumer.”
One of ten UT AgResearch and Education Centers across the state, the Plateau Center is known for its certified Angus beef cattle as well as commercial fruit and vegetable production. It also has a national reputation for nursery plant research, particularly for roses. Under Hitch’s tutelage, and with the support of the staff of the UT Extension Cumberland County office and the Cumberland County Master Gardeners, the center is home to the Plateau Discovery Gardens, also known as the UT Gardens, Crossville. The site is one of three UT Gardens sites, which together form the State Botanical Garden of Tennessee.
“We are pleased to have Dereck step into this role,” says Hongwei Xin, dean of UT AgResearch. “The Plateau Center is vital to agricultural and natural resources research in that region of the state, and it also serves as a link between the university and the surrounding communities.”
“My time as a research associate here at the Plateau AgResearch and Education Center has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career and has professionally shaped who I am. I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and support I’ve received throughout this journey. The knowledge, relationships and experiences I’ve gained have prepared me for this next chapter,” says Corbin. “As I step into the role of interim director, I do so with excitement, humility and a deep commitment to continuing the Center’s mission. I look forward to building on the strong foundation that has been established, supporting our outstanding team, strengthening partnerships and continuing our commitment to research, education and service that benefits our agricultural community.”
Corbin is a native of Crossville, and earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in plant sciences from UT Knoxville in 2023. He also holds a B.S. in agriculture from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville. As a research associate, he has played a vital role in collecting data for UT scientists as well as helped to plan events, coordinate center tours and more. The Plateau Center annually hosts thousands of visitors, including during educational events such as the Steak and Potatoes Field Day and the Fall Gardeners’ Festival, which this year are held August 20 and August 25, respectively.
For more information about the center, the gardens and events, visit plateau.tennessee.edu.
Hitch will continue to serve in an advisory role until his official retirement date.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.