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Campaign for Tennessee T.A.G. (Thank a Giver) Day
Take a self-guided tour of the campus on Friday, April 20, as we celebrate the successful conclusion of the Campaign for Tennessee. See how your support and thousands of other gifts have impacted our students, faculty, and programs.
The entire UT family thanks you for your Big Orange spirit and enthusiastic support of our Big Ideas.
We’ve added a special layer to our interactive campus map as a quick visual reference of the scope and impact of campaign gifts here in Knoxville.
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Eastern Promise
The United States’ relationship with the Middle East has the potential to change greatly in the years to come, and the next generation of American diplomats, scholars, and citizens should better understand this complex region. To that end, UT is creating a new Arabic studies program to give students in-depth instruction about the Middle East.
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Hokes and Jokes
During his storied career, printmaker Beauvais Lyons has done some incredible things. By the age of 25, he had documented two previously unknown civilizations. Later, he worked on the reconstruction of an ancient temple, helped to bring the bones of a centaur to the university, and discovered a few new hybrid animals.
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A Match Made in Hess Hall
It’s almost straight out of a Hollywood romance movie: After decades without seeing each other, a piece of paper reunites two UT sweethearts, and the two alumni return to campus for a one-of-a-kind wedding.
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Alumni Memories: Nancy Ann DeParle
This commencement week, notable alumni share their favorite memories from their time on Rocky Top. Nancy-Ann DeParle, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the administration of President Obama and former health czar, says her favorite times were football game days but not for the reason you would expect.
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Giving Smokey a Helping Paw
Tennessee’s favorite four-legged mascot—along with other animals with orthopedic health needs—has been getting the royal treatment, thanks to the internationally recognized rehabilitation program at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine.
Alumni Resources
Alumni Publications
Giving
Alumni & Friends
The meaningful connections we make in college don’t lie dormant in the 363 days between Homecomings.
Throughout the year, events like the Big Orange Tailgate Tour, the Tennessee Apprentice Program, Alumni Summer College, and alumni tours to places like southern France and Antarctica help UT alumni stay linked to their alma mater and each other.
Staying connected is easy to do when UT alumni are present in nearly every career field and many countries around the world. Vols hold leadership positions in companies like PepsiCo North American Foods and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and have served in other prestigious positions, including as deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama and as a justice of the Tennessee State Supreme Court. Alums can be found in Mexico, France, Jordan, Germany, and many other countries.
The shrinking job market has led to an excess of qualified candidates for nearly every open position; now more than ever, personal networking is essential for individuals looking to begin or advance their careers. UT has developed several devices to help alumni connect with fellow alums in their fields, including a job search tool informing alumni about openings listing fellow UT alumni as contacts, and an online database with information about alumni in various career fields; conversely, UT alums looking to hire can use these sites to find any fellow Vols who fit their desired candidate profile. In addition, the Alumni Association offers regional career fairs, industry-specific networking events, and career-counseling services.
To find fellow alumni in your area, keep up to date with the latest reunions and other alumni events, and find out how you can contribute to ensuring future Vols have the best academic and career resources, visit volsconnect.com.
We get by with a lot of help from our friends.
Ongoing private support from a global network of alumni and friends helps to advance our best programs, attract the most talented faculty, and support our brightest students.
More than 75,000 alumni and friends have contributed more than $860 million to the Campaign for Tennessee, the most ambitious fundraising effort in university history. The campaign concluded in 2011 with $1.3 billion dollars raised systemwide.
Our campus has reaped the benefits of additional resources and has strategically invested in our strengths and areas targeted for improvement.
“Private support is vital as UT moves toward our goal of being a Top 25 public research university,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “Every gift supports our educational mission and improves the experience for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and fans.”
Although the campaign concluded, the momentum continues to make a difference in our goals for faculty endowments and professorships and scholarships. Private support has made the endowed professorships for the Pride of the Southland Band Director and the Doug and Brenda Horne professorships within the College of Business Administration possible, to name just a few. Faculty opportunities such as these help attract and retain world-class faculty.
With less than 30 percent of UT's budget being provided by the state, private gifts allow us to continue to improve and enhance our programs for students. Be a friend of the University of Tennessee and help us better serve our students, alumni, community...and you.
Alumni News
Gulfstream Aerospace engineer visits campus
We recently welcomed Jorge Sotolongo (’88) back to campus as a part of the Accomplished Alumni program. He is the manager of the Engineering Research and Development Lab at Gulfstream Aerospace, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of private, business jet aircrafts.
Pulitzer Nominee, Tyson Foods CEO, Charity Founder Among Accomplished Alumni
The Accomplished Alumni Program brings noteworthy alumni back to campus to discuss their journeys to success with students, faculty, staff, and fellow alumni. Recently honored alumni include Marshall Ramsey, Donnie Smith, and Keith Taylor.
Pregnant Women and Football Helmets: An Alum’s Positive Impact
Stefan Duma (’95) has won national acclaim for his work on head injury mechanics, specifically his research involving the impact of car accidents on pregnant women and fetuses, and the safety of adult and child football helmets.
Titans ‘voice’ Keith, medical thriller novelist Pearson visit students
Mike Keith, director of broadcasting for the Tennessee Titans, and Scott Pearson, surgeon and medical thriller novelist, recently spoke with UT Knoxville students as Accomplished Alumni.
Jacobs, Bilbrey speak on business, health care economics
Philip Jacobs, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Service Corporation International, and Mickey Bilbrey, vice president of eastern operations for Quorum Health Resources, visited campus in March as part of the Accomplished Alumni program.
The Value of a UT Degree
U.S. News & World Report ranks us forty-sixth among all public universities for 2012.
UT's graduate and professional programs in supply chain management and logistics, nuclear engineering, and printmaking rank in the top 10 in U.S. News & World Report (2013).
Forbes magazine listed UT in its 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" based on the quality of education and student experiences and achievements.
Forbes consistently ranks UT’s full-time MBA program as one of the best in the country.
The Princeton Review listed UT in its 2012 edition of "150 Best Value Colleges" for academic quality, affordability, and financial aid. UT also was recognized for its commitment to diversity and civility, the "great program diversity of a major university," and opportunities for research or original creative work in every degree program.
The Princeton Review also named UT a "Best Southeastern College" in 2011 for its high standards and outstanding reputation among higher education institutions in the Southeast.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine called UT one of the best values among public colleges in its 2012 list based on affordability and academic quality.
Our Friends Are Helping Us Grow
Gifts totaling more than $140 million have been raised for scholarships to honor students for academic achievement and eliminate economic barriers for students who dream about attending the state's flagship university. These funds help create programs such as the Haslam Scholars, the Kline Music Scholars, and the Morris Honors Scholarship Fund—all important tools in recruiting the world's best undergraduate and graduate students. The Regal Scholarship program makes it possible for all qualified students to be Volunteers by contributing up to $100,000 annually in need-based aid.
Private support has fueled a transformation of our campus, marking several record-setting years of new construction and renovation. Our students are learning in new state-of-the-art academic facilities like the James A. Haslam II Business Building and the Min. H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building.
Our student athletes have access to advanced training and practice facilities like the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center and Pratt Pavilion, and additions to the Brenda Lawson Athletic Center are currently underway. Volunteer fans now cheer on our teams from new and improved venues like the Regal Soccer Complex and the recently renovated Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena.
Now under construction are the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center and John Tickle Engineering Building. Both new facilities will significantly enhance opportunities and learning environments for engineering and music programs.