The Polk family had connections with the university, then a small school of about 80 students; Samuel was its land agent in Tennessee and his cousin William Polk was a trustee.
Obitelj Polk imala je veze na tom sveučilištu koje je tada brojalo tek oko 80-ak studenata; Samuel Polk bio je njihov tadašnji agent za državu Tennessee, a njegov rođak William Polk njihov povjerenik.