Sepetys will be at UT on Tuesday, October 8, to talk about her two best-selling books for young adults. The event, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium in Hodges Library, is sponsored by UT’s Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the Knox County Public Library. It is free and open to the public.

Sepetys’s first published novel, Between Shades of Gray was inspired by her father, who escaped Lithuania when he was a young boy. The novel—in which fictional characters are involved in actual events—depicts what happened when the Soviet Union occupied the country in 1941.

“There are millions of people whose lives were taken or affected during the Soviet occupation. Yet very few people know the story,” Sepetys said. “I wanted to write a novel to honor the people of the Baltics and also to illustrate the power of love and patriotism.”

In June 2013, Sepetys was awarded Lithuania’s Cross of the Knight of the Order. The honor of “knight” was bestowed by the president of Lithuania in a formal ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius. This was in honor of her contributions to education and culture with her global efforts to share the history of totalitarianism in the Baltics.

Between Shades of Gray, a New York Times best-seller, was winner of the Golden Kite Award for Fiction and was named a Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2011 and an Amazon Top Ten Teen Book of 2011.

Also a New York Times best-seller, her second novel is Out of the Easy. The book is set in New Orleans in the 1950s. Its characters are fictional but inspired by actual people. The story involves a seventeen-year old girl, the daughter of a brothel prostitute, who gets entangled in a mysterious death and ensuing investigation.

Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan and graduated with a degree in international finance from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. She worked in the music industry in Los Angeles for nearly fifteen years. She later moved to Nashville to continue her career in the music industry but found that the relaxed lifestyle and scenery caused her to slow down and just read. Her adventures to more than forty-two countries on six continents left her with many stories, so she wrote a novel.

The Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature is part of UT’s School of Information Sciences. It promotes literature as essential to the literacy, learning, social, emotional, and aesthetic development of young people.

For more information about the CCYAL, please visit their website.

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CONTACT:

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Stacy Clark, a research forester with the US Forest Service, will present “American Chestnut Restoration: Can We Bring Back the Mighty Giant?”

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research with the general public in a conversational presentation.

The presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

The American chestnut was one of the most widely distributed and important tree species in eastern North America until decimated in the early part of the twentieth century by an exotic fungus from Asia, the chestnut blight.

“Planting trees that have been bred for blight resistance using Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima) has led to some important discoveries,” Clark said. “The return of the American chestnut into forests of the eastern United States will face challenges from native and nonnative plants, animals, insects, and diseases, in addition to the chestnut blight.”

Future Science Forums will feature a variety of topics:

• October 11: Chad Duty, group leader of Deposition and Technology Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussing “3D Printing: The Next Generation of Manufacturing”
• October 25: Kasey Krouse, urban forester for the city of Knoxville, presenting “Knoxville Urban Forestry—Year One”
• November 1: Gerry Dinkins, curator of malacology and natural history at the McClung Museum, discussing “Rediscovery of the Nearly Extinct Alabama Lampmussel in the Emory River”
• November 8: Devin White, senior research scientist of geocomputation Oak Ridge National Laboratory and assistant professor of anthropology, discussing “Archaeological Discoveries from Space”
• November 15: Phil Colclough, director of animal collections and conservation at Knoxville Zoological Gardens, discussing “Eastern Hellbender Conservation and the New Role of Zoos”
• November 22: Nathan Schmidt, assistant professor of microbiology, discussing “Infection with the Malaria Parasite: Malaria Is Only Half the Problem”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research and Quest, an initiative to raise awareness of UT’s research, scholarship, and creative activity.

For more information, visit scienceforum.utk.edu.

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CONTACT:

Amanda Womac (Amanda@HellbenderPress.org)

Mark Littmann (865-974-8156, littmann@utk.edu)

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

The first lecture will feature UT professors Erin Darby and Robert Darby, who will talk about their recent archaeological excavations at ‘Ayn Gharandal, Jordan.

The 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. event will be in the McClung Museum’s auditorium.

Robert Darby, a lecturer in art history in the UT School of Art, and Erin Darby, an assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies, direct the ‘Ayn Gharandal archaeological project that has uncovered rare new details about an ancient Roman fort in southern Jordan.

The lecture series invites scholars from around the world to present the latest archaeological discoveries. It is free and open to the public.

Upcoming lectures this fall include the following:

• November 7: “Cultural Interaction and Reaction in the Courtly Art of the Hellenistic World” by Kristen Seaman, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
• November 19: “The Neolithic Alepotrypa Cave: Past Findings and Present Research” by Anastasia Papathanasiou, Greek Archaeological Service.

The McClung Museum is located at 1327 Circle Park Drive. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free parking is available on Circle Park Drive in front of the museum.

The Archaeological Institute of America is North America’s oldest and largest archaeological organization. The East Tennessee Society was founded in 1973 as the local chapter of the organization and aims to promote the knowledge, study of, and interest in archaeology and related subjects.

For more information about the McClung Museum and its collections and exhibits, visit the website.

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CONTACT:

Erin Darby (865-974-6977, edarby1@utk.edu)

Catherine Shteynberg (865-974-6921, cshteynb@utk.edu)

Sigma Chi is on probation due to hazing activities involving food and garbage on August 27. The two-year probation bans the chapter from all social events and requires each member to perform community service. The chapter also must present a fraternity-wide hazing re-education and prevention program and pay to install security cameras in the public areas and exterior of its house. The chapter accepted the sanctions and has agreed to comply with the terms.

Lambda Chi Alpha has been placed on interim suspension pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation involving hazing on September 10. The investigation surrounds reports of alleged forcing of pledges to perform a militaristic exercise regimen. One pledge sustained a minor injury.

The chapter may not engage in formal activities on or off campus. At the conclusion of the investigation, the university will recommend sanctions, which the chapter can accept or request a hearing on. The interim suspension will remain intact until the process is complete.

“We will not tolerate hazing of any kind. We take immediate action to investigate any reports and take the appropriate action,” said Jeff Cathey, associate dean of students.

In April, a UT task force released a report with recommendations for improving fraternity and sorority life and culture on campus. The group of alumni, students, faculty, and staff recommended several changes that have resulted in more mandatory member and chapter education and increased communication among chapters as well as with the dean of students. The task force’s work also led to changes in the judicial process involving fraternity and sorority organizations to resolve cases sooner.

Additionally, all on-campus fraternities are required to have security Thursday through Saturday evening at the houses. The Dean of Students’ Office has also expanded its Standards of Excellence program to make all activities, positive and negative, of each fraternity and sorority chapter public on its website.

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CONTACT:

Karen Simsen (865-974-5186, karen.simsen@tennessee.edu)

Printed copies may be obtained on campus at the Office of the Dean of Students, 413 Student Services Building, or at the UT Police Department, 1101 Cumberland Avenue.

For more information on campus security, crime prevention tips, and programming needs, visit the UT Police Department.

The college is one of nine Habitat partners in East Tennessee to be nominated for the award and one of sixteen partners to be recognized overall. Award winners will be announced at the Governor’s Housing Summit Oct.7 and 8 in Nashville.

Tennessee’s Best is an annual statewide award program sponsored by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. The Excellence in Partnership Award recognizes the achievement of organizations working together to promote or expand access to affordable housing.

Since 2003, the UT College of Business Administration has partnered with Knoxville Habitat in building eleven affordable homes for families in Knox County.

“In the last twenty-eight years, Habitat has partnered with many individuals, corporations, and faith groups to build affordable homes,” said Kelle Shultz, president/CEO of Knoxville Habitat. “But the partnership with the UT College of Business Administration is special because of its innovative nature and the opportunity to involve so many UT students and faculty in our work.”

The partnership began in 2003 when a UT Master of Business Administration student suggested that the Tennessee Organization of MBAs (TOMBA) sponsor a home as part of its philanthropic mission, said Michael C. Ehrhardt, the Paul and Beverly Castagna Professor of Investments in the UT Department of Finance. Ehrhardt has been involved in builds with students for the past eleven years.

“With enormous dedication and hard work, TOMBA successfully raised all the necessary funding and recruited all the needed volunteers to build all eleven homes,” Ehrhardt said. “Volunteers have included faculty, staff, students, athletic teams, fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations across the Knoxville campus.”

More than 800 individuals have likely volunteered over the last decade, Ehrhardt said.

“A substantial number of volunteers had never seen the realities of the low-income marketplace,” he said. “By the end of the build, I could see the changes in their demeanor, attitude, and perspective. It’s powerful to watch this transformation.”

In addition to eleven builds, Knoxville Habitat developed a second partnership with the UT full-time MBA program and Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Through the MBA program’s Innovation in Practice course, a team of MBA students worked with Habitat to maximize revenues from its retail store.

“The students’ recommendations provided an implementable set of guidelines for the store and will enable us to generate significantly more revenue in the next two years,” Shultz said.

She added that she was grateful for the support UT has given Habitat.

“The relationship with UT is much more than just building homes; it’s about people making a difference in the lives of others,” she said.

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CONTACT:

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

Mike Ehrhardt (865-603-3210, ehrhardt@utk.edu)

Cindy Raines (865-974-3993, craines1@utk.edu)

After exceeding last year’s goal of $605,000 by $15,000, the campaign challenges UT employees to band together and raise $610,000 by November 1.

The goal is set based on the amount of donations received the previous year and several other factors such as faculty and staff pay raises.

The campaign focuses on giving to social or health-related charities that directly benefit Tennessee or Knoxville. Campus Chest partners with United Way of Greater Knoxville and Community Shares, but employees can donate to any charitable organization that meets the requirements listed at campuschest.utk.edu.

Many UT employees have specific agencies they support for personal reasons, said Brian Browning, director of administrative and support services for finance and administration. Others choose to donate to United Way or Community Shares so their money can be used wherever it is needed. A full 100 percent of each donation to Campus Chest goes directly to the organization of the employee’s choice.

Employees can choose to make donations through payroll deduction, cash, or check. Next year, an online payment option may be available.

“We’re always trying to improve,” Browning said.

For more information, visit campuschest.utk.edu.

CONTACT:

Ashley Payne (865-974- 3061, ashleypayne@utk.edu)

To aid this effort, recycling/trash stations have been placed throughout tailgate areas on campus. Each station will include a recycling dumpster and a trash dumpster for nonrecyclable materials.

Tailgaters are asked to do their part to keep Tennessee beautiful by using all recycling and trash stations in and around the stadium.

In addition, recycling containers have been placed inside the stadium. These containers are single-stream, which means that fans can dump all of their recyclable materials in one place without having to sort them. These include paper items such as newspapers, programs, playbooks and popcorn boxes; aluminum and steel cans; plastic bottles, cups, jugs and wraps; glass bottles and jars; and cardboard pizza and takeout boxes.

Other game day efforts include composting food scraps and donating usable food to people in need throughout the community.

Neyland Stadium has eliminated Styrofoam and condiment packets, and also sells commemorative plastic cups that include one free refill and can be taken home or recycled at the stadium.

In 2012, more than 10,000 pounds of food was donated to local charities, and more than 10,000 pounds of food was composted by UT Recycling with the finished product then being used on campus.

For more information about campus recycling initiatives, visit environment.utk.edu.

Kickoff is set for 12:21 p.m. EDT for the Volunteers’ game against the Hilltoppers. Gates open at 10:15 a.m. The SEC Network will televise the game.

New security rules prohibit backpacks of any kind or size from entering Neyland Stadium. All items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Purses or other bags larger than twelve inches by twelve inches by twelve inches cannot be brought into the stadium.

The UT Police Department encourages all fans to come to the stadium carrying as little as possible with them to expedite their entry into the stadium and to their seat.

These items also are prohibited:

• alcoholic beverages, cans, bottles, or coolers
• radios without headphones
• open umbrellas
• video cameras
• stadium seats with arms
• weapons of any kind, including pocket knives

No items can be left or stored at stadium gates. Fans can bring the following items inside the stadium, provided they meet the size requirement:

• cushions and seats without arms
• small diaper bags that accompany infants
• small cameras, pagers, cell phones, and binoculars

UT also reminds fans to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. All fans are asked to call 865-974-3111 or 911. From their cell phones, fans can send an anonymous report of suspicious activity by texting the letters “UTPD” followed by the location and details pertaining to an incident to Tip411 (847411).

Parking and Traffic

Due to campus construction, fans are encouraged to arrive early. For complete information on game day parking, stadium regulations, and activities, click here. The latest information on campus construction can be found at conezone.utk.edu.

Only fans with permits can park on campus. UT encourages others to use shuttle buses from the Old City, the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, and the Market Square area of downtown Knoxville and Farragut High School in west Knoxville. Many area hotels also offer shuttle service to the game.

Under state law, no smoking is allowed anywhere inside the stadium. Fans cannot leave the stadium and be readmitted.

Commercial solicitation in front of Neyland Stadium from Middle Way Drive to Gate 10 is prohibited starting four hours before kickoff and continuing until the game is over.

Game Day Activities

The traditional Vol Walk will start at 10:00 a.m. on Volunteer Boulevard near Circle Park, as the members of the football team proceed down Volunteer Boulevard and then continue down Peyton Manning Pass to the stadium.

The Pride of the Southland Marching Band will begin marching at 10:35 a.m. from their new home at the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center on Volunteer Boulevard and will then follow the same path as the Vol Walk.

From 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., the Volunteer Village commercial display area will be open on the lawn of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building.

Fans also can attend the College of Arts and Sciences Pregame Showcase. Held two hours before each home game kickoff in the University Center Ballroom, the showcase is a free thirty-minute presentation by a UT faculty member. This week, at 10:15 a.m., Katherine Grzywacz-Jones, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, will discuss “Star Dust and Atom Smashers.”

Fans are encouraged to follow @UTGameday on Twitter for the latest updates on traffic, weather, gate information, and game day events such as the Vol Walk and band march.

Season tickets and select individual game tickets are available at uttix.com.

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CONTACT:

Charles Primm (865-974-5180, charles.primm@tennessee.edu)

The group, composed of undergraduate students from the Shanghai University of Sport, arrived at UT this month and will leave August 1.

The English Language Institute and Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies are offering the Summer Language, Culture, and Sports Studies Program.

The students will earn a sports studies certificate at the conclusion of the program. As part of the curriculum, they are taking intensive English classes along with a series of lectures on such topics as sports psychology and elite athletic performance. They also will visit various athletic facilities and attend a Tennessee Smokies baseball game.

Program participants are from a variety of majors at the Shanghai University of Sport, including English, choreography, table tennis, and sport media.

The Shanghai University of Sport was founded in 1952 and has nearly 4,000 students in graduate and undergraduate programs.

The English Language Institute is a department within the UT Center for International Education. The Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies is a part of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

For more information about the program, contact Jim Hamrick or Lauren Wood at the English Language Institute at 865-974-3404, or Jeff Fairbrother or Robin Hardin of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies at 865-974-7154.

I am excited to begin my tenure as vice chancellor for diversity at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I do so fully understanding I am starting from a place of strength. The Council on Diversity and Interculturalism, the commissions, and many others have worked diligently to advance diversity and inclusion at UT. I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff, and senior leaders to build on the strong foundation that is already in place. This will be critical to the institution’s drive to the Top 25, as diversity and excellence are inextricably intertwined.

One of the most important lessons I have learned in many years of doing this work is that you have to put context before content. In order to get a sense of the context of UT, the state, and the region, over the next six months I plan to spend some dedicated time listening and learning—both on campus and off. What I learn will help shape the work we will do together as a campus community.

I am thrilled to be a part of the UT and Knoxville communities. I am confident we will do good and important work together. I look forward to highlighting some of that work during the 2013-14 academic year. Thoughts and suggestions can be e-mailed to me at vcdiversity@utk.edu.

Rickey Hall

The event, which is free and open to the public, is from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and will be held at the museum, 1327 Circle Park Drive.

The birthday celebration marks the fiftieth anniversary of the museum’s official dedication on June 1, 1963.

The celebration’s activities incorporate the museum’s permanent and temporary exhibits. They include the opportunity to use prehistoric tools, create an Egyptian Pharaoh’s headdress, play “pin the tooth on the dinosaur,” and identify birds. Prizes will be given to McClung Museum explorers who complete activities during the event.

A photo booth will allow visitors to take memorable photos with friends and family members. Free museum memberships and door prizes will be given away throughout the afternoon and refreshments will be provided courtesy of Aramark.

The McClung Museum is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free, and free parking is available in front of the museum on Circle Park Drive.

For more information, visit the McClung Museum’s website.

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CONTACT:

Christina Selk (865-974-2143, cselk@utk.edu)

Catherine Shteynberg (865-974-6921, cshteynb@utk.edu)

Destination Imagination (DI), a nonprofit organization that provides learning opportunities to enrich the global community, will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary at Global Finals. This is the fourteenth year Knoxville has hosted the creative thinking and problem-solving competition for kindergarten through university-level students.

“We are busy preparing to host more than 14,000 visitors from around the world at Knoxville and the UT campus. It is an honor for our community to be selected year after year as the site for this prestigious event. I know first hand how DI changes lives and prepares students to succeed in our modern world,” said Robert Gibbs, executive director of UT Conferences and Noncredit Programs. “Our goal is to join with Destination Imagination to provide our visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Teams selected from more than 15,000 attempting to qualify will present the projects created during their regional competitions. In addition to the presentations, teams will compete in open-ended challenges during the week-long competition. Such challenges require teams to solve problems using a holistic approach of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) knowledge; improvisation; theater arts; writing; project management; communication innovation; teamwork; and community service.

In addition to the challenges, Global Finals will offer a glimpse at the future of technology at the Innovation Expo. This year’s Expo will feature twenty-three activities that include 3M’s Duct Tape Playground and Data Wind’s first US preview of the world’s least expensive tablet.

Founded in 1982, Destination Imagination has impacted more than a million students.

For more information, visit the Global Finals website.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

UT will award two honorary degrees and welcome a host of accomplished speakers at this spring’s commencement ceremonies, which begin May 8.

Honorary degrees will be awarded to renowned journalist John Seigenthaler at the College of Law commencement and to opera singer Mary Costa, known as the voice of Sleeping Beauty, at the College of Arts and Sciences commencement. Read more about the recipients in Tennessee Today.

More than 3,730 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees at thirteen college ceremonies this spring.

Graduates and their guests can park free in university student parking areas throughout the campus, but should avoid parking in staff lots.

Commencement ceremonies will be webcast.

Webcast links are included below. For information about parking and other details, visit the commencement website.

Below is a list of the commencement ceremonies and speakers. All events take place in Thompson-Boling Arena unless otherwise specified:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

• 8:30 a.m.—College of Nursing. The speaker is Julie Worley, a nursing doctoral student who has a private psychiatry practice. She teaches online at Rush University in Chicago and will be a full-time assistant professor and researcher at Rush after graduation. View the webcast here.

• 11:30 a.m.—College of Engineering. Alumnus Dwight Hutchins, the global managing director of Accenture’s Health and Public Service Strategy practice, will speak. View the webcast here.

• 3:30 p.m.—College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Missy Kane, a former Olympian, a Pan American Games medalist, and a former UT track coach, will speak. She is now a fitness promotion coordinator for Covenant Health. View the webcast here.

THURSDAY, MAY 9

• 8:30 a.m.—College of Communication and Information. The speaker is alumna Monica Langley, an author and senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. View the webcast here.

• 11 a.m. —Audiology and Speech Pathology. Cox Auditorium in Alumni Memorial Building

• 1:00 p.m.—College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Alumnus Donnie Smith, president and chief executive officer of Tyson Food, will speak. View the webcast here.

• 4:30 p.m.—Graduate Hooding. Amanda Sanford, fifth-year doctoral candidate in political science and president of the Graduate Student Senate, will speak. The Graduate School expects about 300 master’s students and 100 doctoral students to take part in the ceremony. View the webcast here.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

• 9:00 a.m.—College of Arts and Sciences. Costa will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane and Musical Letters and speak briefly. The speaker is alumna Margaret Scobey, former US Ambassador to Egypt and longtime diplomat. She is now deputy commandant, international affairs advisor, Industrial College of the Armed Forces. View the webcast here.

• 2:00 p.m.—College of Business Administration. Mark A. Emkes, Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration and retired chairman, chief executive officer and president of Bridgestone Americas Inc., will speak. View the webcast here.

• 5:00 p.m.—College of Law. Seigenthaler will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and speak briefly. US Sen. Lamar Alexander, who served as Tennessee’s governor, president of the University of Tennessee and US Secretary of Education, will speak. View the webcast here.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

• 10:00 a.m.—College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Patricia Sura, who completed her residency at the College of Veterinary Medicine and was an assistant professor of surgery for six years, will speak. Sura now practices at a veterinary hospital in Kentucky.

• 1:00 p.m.—College of Social Work. No guest speaker. View the webcast here.

• 5:00 p.m.—College of Architecture and Design Hooding Ceremony. The speaker is alumna Robin Klehr Avia, regional managing principal and chair of the board at Gensler, an internationally acclaimed design firm. View the webcast here.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

“People loved the idea. The response has been overwhelming,” said Gary Peacock, director of Campus Renewal Ministries’ Campus House of Prayer at UT, who had seen similar projects at other campuses around the country. Peacock reached out to UT’s campus ministries and asked each to submit information for one day.

Pray UT is thirty-one days long, although it’s not dated so it can be used any time.

Each day features a prayer, a scripture passage, a description of the organization that submitted it, and a group of people at the university to specifically pray for. The groups range from faculty and staff to transfer students and students with disabilities, to support staff and the Board of Regents.

Campus Renewal formatted each entry and designed hard-copy and PDF versions. They also hope to turn the book into a mobile app.

The book has been distributed to the participating campus ministries and they are using it this month. Several churches in the Knoxville area are also using the book, and Campus Renewal continues to receive requests for copies.

Peacock said he was amazed by how the idea took off.

“It happened really fast,” and the contributing organizations are “across the board, from Roman Catholics to Baptists,” Peacock said. Within two weeks, the book was put together and enough money was raised to publish it.

“It’s groundbreaking,” Peacock said. “It’s the largest collaborative faith project we’ve done at UT.”

Anyone who would like a free copy can e-mail utk@campusrenewal.org or stop by the Campus House of Prayer, 1915 Lake Avenue, to pick up a hard copy.

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C O N T A C T :

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Impact and Student Alumni Associates, two student groups in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, created “I Heart UT Week.” They are collaborating with the Central Program Council to provide some of the week’s events, including the annual Volapalooza concert.

“‘I Heart UT Week’ is an opportunity for students not only to get excited about our wonderful university but to also see the many ways they can give back,” said Paige Atchley, president of Impact and junior in marketing.

Events scheduled include:

All Week

• Photo Contest: Participants can post pictures of why they love UT to the I Heart UT Facebook page. Winners will be chosen at the end of the week.

Saturday, April 20

• 9:00 a.m.–noon, Day of Service: Participants can make UT beautiful by joining in a campus clean-up.
• 2 p.m., Orange and White Game: Football fans can come to Neyland Stadium for a free preseason scrimmage.

Sunday, April 21

• 2:00 p.m., Ole Miss Baseball Game: Baseball fans can watch the Vols take on the Rebel Black Bears at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Monday, April 22

• Big Orange Breakfast: People on the Joe Johnson and John Ward Pedestrian Walkway can grab a free doughnut.
• 1:00 p.m., I Heart UTea: Free iced tea will be available on Pedestrian Walkway.
• 6:00 p.m., Stress Relief Party: Attendees can unwind with inflatables, ice cream, and music at the Humanities Amphitheater.
• 9:00 p.m., Wreck It Ralph: Watch the animated film at the Humanities Amphitheater.

Tuesday, April 23

• All day, Keep Tennessee Orange: People wearing orange on campus could win a prize.
• 1:00–4:00 p.m., Decal Drive-Thru: UT seniors can drive to Tyson Alumni House and grab a “Vol for Life” alumni decal for their car.

Wednesday, April 24

• 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Thank UT Day: Participants can fill out postcards on Pedestrian Walkway to thank alumni.
• 3:00–5:00 p.m., Ice Cream Social: People can drop by the Tyson Alumni House for a sweet afternoon treat.

Thursday, April 25

• 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Canned Food Drive: Students can bring canned food to the Pedestrian Walkway. The first 250 students to donate three cans will receive a free tank top.
• 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., Class Ring Distribution: Students can pick up their official UT ring at Tyson Alumni House.
• 7:30 p.m., Carnicus: People can watch various student groups compete in skits in Alumni Memorial Building’s Cox Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased online.
• 9:00 p.m.–midnight, Rocky Top Rave: Students can dance the night away on the Hill.

Friday, April 26

• 4:00–7:00 p.m., FestiVOL: Students can gather in Presidential Courtyard for a carnival-like celebration with food, giveaways, and music before Volapalooza.
• 7:00 p.m., Volapalooza: This year’s show includes rapper Tyga with special guests DJ Mike Nasty and Beats Antique. Students must purchase tickets at the Central Ticket Office in the University Center, and general admission tickets can be purchased online.

Impact is a student organization that aims to develop philanthropy among students and educate them on the importance of alumni support,

The Student Alumni Associates work with the UT Alumni Association to provide an enriched relationship between students and alumni.

For more information, visit the I Heart UT Week page on the UT Alumni Association website.

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C O N T A C T :

Desiree Krichbaum (865-974-3011, dkrichba@utk.edu)

“When you graduate from this university, you can compete on the world stage with anybody, from any time and any place,” said Holliday, who was the speaker of the fall commencement ceremony, held this morning at Thompson Boling Arena.

Holliday, chair of Bank of America and former CEO of DuPont, also received an honorary doctorate in engineering during the ceremony.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxf1_ocibp8

More than 1,800 UT students received undergraduate and graduate degrees at ceremonies held Friday and today.

Holliday said the American research university is a unique invention and “the best in the world by a long piece.”

“We don’t have a copyright on it, we don’t have a patent on it but all those who have tried to copy it have not been successful,” said Holliday, who recently chaired a National Research Council committee focused on strengthening higher education’s role in global competitiveness. “In this world that you’re going into, take great confidence that you have what it takes to compete.”

He asked the group to have faith in America and its ability to restore its position as a global power.

“What we have seen in 2012 is a fundamental shift in the key mechanism for a modern society, a modern economy, and that’s energy,” Holliday said. “Due primarily to American creativity, which has found a way to tap natural gas and oil that’s been here all along, we see a route now to energy stability and independence within a couple of decades.”

He added: “I’m telling you that this country is going to lead the world again and you can put that in your notebook and just check me on that over the next couple of years.”

The alumnus urged graduates to protect their integrity and to seek careers with companies and organizations that demonstrate high ethical standards.

Holliday received his bachelor’s in industrial engineering from UT’s College of Engineering in 1970. Chancellor Cheek said UT is “incredibly proud to claim him as our own, a Tennessee Volunteer.”

“Chad Holliday is an accomplished Tennessean who is firmly committed to advancing business, industry and society as a whole,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “We are proud to award him an honorary degree from his alma mater and the flagship institution of our state.”

A Nashville native, Holliday parlayed a college summer job at DuPont’s Old Hickory plant in Nashville into a 38-year career at DuPont.

Holliday is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is currently chair of the National Academy of Engineering.

Holliday also chairs the American Energy Innovation Council, whose mission is to re-establish America’s energy technology leadership in developing clean energy technologies.

Holliday and his wife, Ann Blair Holliday, have two sons, Chad and Scot.

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CONTACT:

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

Karen Simsen (865-974-5186, karen.simsen@tennessee.edu)

The project is a joint effort of Veterans at UTK, the student group for veterans; the Center for the Study of War and Society; and the Office of Veterans Affairs, part of the Office of the University Registrar.

The board will be displayed during the all-day ceremony on November 12, when the names of fallen service men and women will be read.

To sign the board, visit 209 Student Services Building anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 30, through Friday, November 9.

Last year, UT joined in the National Day of Remembrance Project started by Eastern Kentucky University by having campus volunteers read the names of the more than 6,300 veterans who have died since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This year, members of the community are invited to join in the reading of names—and to add the names of their loved ones who have died while serving in the military at any time in history.

Anyone interested in reading names and/or adding the name of a loved one who died while serving in the military is asked to e-mail Regina Lewellyn at rlewellyn@utk.edu.

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C O N T A C T :

Regina Lewellyn, Veterans Affairs Assistant (865- 974-1500, rcoving1@utk.edu)

The forty-acre complex will open early in the spring semester. The two-year construction project is on track to wrap up in mid-January, just in time to host the full gamut of intramurals and student activities. More than 10,000 students participate in UT’s sport clubs and intramural programs each year.

Funded solely through student activity fees, the new complex will significantly improve intramural programming and provide much more flexibility and convenience in scheduling of games and practices for sport clubs.

Most games are now played on the 2.5-acre RecSports field, while others are scheduled off campus due to space limitations.

The new complex will have an open-air seating pavilion and a central building which will serve as a field and equipment house, three sand volleyball courts, two softball fields, and eight multi-purpose fields that can be used for flag football, lacrosse, soccer, and other sports. The complex also will have plenty of parking and terraced seating for spectators on several fields.

Student Life Vice Chancellor Tim Rogers said that having natural and artificial turf will provide more flexibility to play intramurals and tournaments year round when inclement weather hits.

“This has been a great need for a long time. We are pleased that our students will soon get to enjoy the new complex,” Rogers said.

RecSports Director Rex Pringle anticipates the new complex will spark additional growth in the number of student teams, particularly in flag football, soccer, softball, and sand volleyball.

The pavilion, the central building, and the utility/maintenance building are now being built and artificial turf is being installed. The complex connects to the city’s Third Creek Greenway and is just three miles from campus by car or by way of the greenway.

Rogers said the university has worked with students for more than twelve years on how best to address the need for field space. More than twenty-five sites were evaluated before the site was chosen in 2009. Because the campus is bordered by downtown Knoxville, Cumberland Avenue, and Fort Sanders along with the Tennessee River, railroads, and major interstates, it was difficult to find a large parcel of flat land near the campus.

Homecoming events begin Sunday and culminate on Saturday, November 3, when the football Vols take on Troy in Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is at noon.

Veterans activities

UT veterans and their families are invited to campus for the third Veterans Reunion, a homecoming event held every five years.

“Your Service—Our Freedom” is the theme of the reunion, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Affairs. Events on Friday, November 2, and Saturday, November 3, include a luncheon, a Veterans Recognition Dinner, and a tailgate party.

To see a full list of events and to register online to attend, visit the UT Knoxville Alumni Association website. Contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at 865-974-3011 or by e-mail at reunions@utk.edu for more information.

Homecoming highlights

The annual Homecoming parade will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 2. It starts at the Rock and travels east on Volunteer Boulevard. The grand marshal is Chamique Holdsclaw, former Lady Vol basketball star who went on to play for the WNBA with the Washington Mystics, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Atlanta Dream and the San Antonio Silver Stars. Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek and UT System President Joe DiPietro also will ride in the parade. Veterans and Little Vols are invited to participate.

The signature event of Homecoming—the annual Party in the Park—begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, in Circle Park. Admission is free and there will be live entertainment, cheerleaders, music, door prizes, and children’s activities. The World’s Largest MoonPie will be cut at 10:00 a.m.

Morrill Act plaque dedication

Cheek, DiPietro, and Institute of Agriculture Chancellor Larry Arrington will unveil a historical marker commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act during Ag Day on Saturday, November 3. The plaque dedication is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. outside the Ellington Plant Sciences building, near the intersection of Joe Johnson and E. J. Chapman drives.

The Ag Day street fair will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and feature a petting zoo, a cricket-spitting contest, and appearances by Smokey and Charlie, the television personality of Farm Bureau Insurance. For more information, visit the Institute of Agriculture website.

For more information about Homecoming activities, as well as details about making reservations for events that require them, see the Alumni Association’s Homecoming website.

Additional homecoming activities include:

Sunday, October 28

• Anything Goes, a variety of field games for students, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Fiji Island.

Monday, October 29

• Soapbox Derby, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. along Volunteer Boulevard near Stokely Athletics.

Tuesday, October 30

• 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, 4:00  to 10:00 p.m. in the HPER Bubble.

Wednesday, October 31

• Smokey’s Howl, a spirit competition for student organizations, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Talent Show, 7:00 p.m. in the University Center Auditorium.

Friday, November 2

• Pep Rally and Smokey’s Howl finals, 6:00 p.m. in Thompson-Boling Arena.
• Homecoming Comedy Show featuring Lav Luv, Nema Williams, and Sean Larkins, doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 7:30 p.m., at the Bijou Theater. Sponsored by the Black Cultural Programming Committee and Office of Multicultural Student Life, this show features three comedians who have appeared on BET’s Comic View. For ticket info, see knoxvilletickets.com.
• Friday Night Live at the Square Comedy Show featuring UT alumna Leanne Morgan, 7:30 p.m. at the Square Room on Knoxville’s Market Square. Reservations required.
• Alumni discount at the University Bookstore in the University Center, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Alumni receive a 20 percent discount on all Volunteer Shop regularly priced merchandise.

Saturday, November 3

• Pre-Game Faculty Showcase, 10:00 a.m. in the University Center Ballroom. It will feature David Reidy, head of the Department of Philosophy, who will present “The Authority of Citizens: Its Nature and Limit.”
• African-American Hall of Fame induction, 10:00 a.m. at the Black Cultural Center. This year’s inductee is Jane S. Redmond, who retired from UT in 2008 after a twenty-six-year career. She has served as assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Life, director of the Women’s Center, and interim chairperson for the Commission for Blacks.
• The Office of Admissions’ “Continue the Tradition: Tips for Alumni and Legacies,” 10:30 a.m. in McClung Museum Auditorium.
• Thirteenth Annual Southeastern Stomp Fest, 7:00 p.m. at Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Purchase tickets at Tickets Unlimited locations or call 865-656-4444.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)