Community
At UT, our research and knowledge is not destined for just academic journals and textbooks; we strive to incorporate our achievements into programs that benefit our local community, the state of Tennessee, and individuals all over the world.
In the Knoxville community, faculty and graduate students in sports psychology help local girls develop good exercise habits and healthy self-images; our College of Law performs pro bono work for underserved clients; and nursing faculty and students help provide medical services to the homeless in the Knoxville area.
Students also lead the way in giving back to the community by volunteering with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics of Greater Knoxville, the Knox County Read With Me children’s literacy program, and the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
But our interaction with the community does not simply flow outward; members of the public have free access to many of UT’s cultural and academic resources, including the Frank H. McClung Museum, the UT Gardens, music recitals, and public lectures.
Our Center for Business and Economic Impact recently estimated that UT has an economic impact of more than $800 million on the state, accounting not only for direct expenditures by the university, but also the multiplied impact of things like spending by employees, jobs created by research funding, and more. The university’s partnership with Battelle Memorial Institute to manage Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will continue to attract leading researchers in the sciences to conduct their work in Tennessee.
UT contributes to every aspect of life, from theatre to biochemistry, and we continue to move forward in our mission to be the preeminent public research and teaching university linking the people of Tennessee to the community, the nation, and the world.
Community News
Ready for the World Café to Feature Southern French Fare
The Ready for the World Café will feature traditional cuisine of southern France on Thursday, March 7. The café, sponsored by Sysco Foods, operates from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursdays in the UT Visitors Center on Neyland Drive. Advance tickets will be sold for the luncheons, and capacity is eighty diners. Cost will be $12, and the faculty-staff discount does not apply. For tickets and reservations, call 865-974-6645, or e-mail rhtm@utk.edu.
ORNL Scientist Explains Electron Microscopy at UT Science Forum
Juan-Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and research associate professor at Vanderbilt University, has spent twelve years working in the field of electron microscopy. He’ll be discussing its applications at the Science Forum on March 1. The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.
Campus Prepares for George Strait Concert March 1
The University of Tennessee is welcoming fans of country music star George Strait, who will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1, in Thompson-Boling Arena. The sold-out concert will bring more than 20,000 guests to campus, affecting traffic and parking.
Hollywood Screenwriter Scott Myers to Speak March 1
Film screenwriter and teacher Scott Myers will give a talk on character types in Hollywood films at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 1, in Hodges Library Auditorium. The talk, titled “Archetypes: Character Structure, Film Analysis, and Screenwriting Theory,” is sponsored by the English Department and the Cinema Studies Program.
Torchbearer Website Gets Redesign
The companion website to Torchbearer, the university’s magazine for alumni and friends, is faster, better, and more stylish than ever after its recent redesign. Refined categories, improved navigation, and more featured articles on the home page make finding interesting content easy—and with the new layout, this content can be enjoyed anywhere, from a desktop computer to mobile phone.
The "Building and Strengthening Community Partnerships to Empower Student Success" community forum will feature a panel from the UT community will engage in a dialogue with community members to build and strengthen relationships between individuals on the UT campus and within the Knoxville community.
Service-Learning at UT
The Office of Service-Learning facilitates meaningful and reciprocal service-learning partnerships between faculty and community organizations. We strongly encourage community partners to contact us and begin the steps toward partnership.
Cone Zone
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Follow Smokey as construction transforms our campus
Cone Zone is designed to help you navigate our campus—through conezone.utk.edu and signs around campus—as constructions project continue to transform our landscape.
Events
Volunteers in Action
