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)

John Cullum, two-time tony award winner and known for his role in the TV show Northern Exposure, speaks about his time at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4DYiM-bGMQ

Alan Wilson, chairman and CEO of McCormick & Co., talks about how his education at UT prepared him to lead one of the world’s most well-known and successful spice manufacturers.

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

Dale Dickey, an actress known for her roles in the TV series My Name is Earl and the movie Winter’s Bone, recalls her time on and off the stage at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eIg0Rjal4E

Nancy-Ann DeParle, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the administration of President Obama, says her favorite times were football game days—but not for the reason you would expect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOBIKjnzA44

UTAA will unveil new tools in January to make it easier for more than 325,000 UT alumni to network with one another.

“We surveyed our alumni and the number one request they had was for more networking opportunities and career services,” said Mike McCay, senior director of marketing and career services at UTAA.

One of the services includes a job search tool called www.careershift.com where alumni can look for job postings that include alumni as contacts.

“It does provide a wide range or results including positions I haven’t seen elsewhere, and I think it’s great that UT is providing this service for alumni,” said Barbara Grobicki, UT alumnus.

UTAA is also building an alumni directory that goes beyond contact information. Called VolsConnect for the Knoxville campus, the alumni office offers services such as mentoring, webcast hosting, and guest speaking to fellow alumni. More than a thousand alumni already have signed up for these roles. Each university within the UT system has its own directory.

UTAA is also bolstering job opportunities. It is developing an online job board to provide a dedicated platform for alumni to search and post jobs. Staff members also connect alumni within UTAA’s LinkedIn group. Additionally, the association is busy assembling regional career fairs and industry-specific networking events. The first such event, a career fair, will be held in Atlanta on January 20.

“We realize our alumni are all over the country and the world, so we have tried to make everything accessible via the web or by phone,” said McCay. “We have also tried to make networking events available to them regardless of where they live or work.”

UTAA also offers services for those looking to sharpen their skills, such as one-on-one career counseling services and long-distance education with a series of webinars on hot topics.

McCay says all of the tools will continue to expand in scope—promising to connect more alumni and offer more career opportunities.

For more information about UTAA, visit volsconnect.com. UTAA has partnered with the career services offices from UT Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Martin in offering these services.

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C O N T A C T :

Whitney Heins (865-974-5460, wheins@utk.edu)

Selected by the Knoxville Campus Alumni Awards Committee, the winners will be announced at the spring Chancellor’s Honors Banquet.

To nominate a current faculty member visit the Vols Connect website and download a nomination form. Deadline for nominations is Friday, November 4.

Please note that winners of the Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award are ineligible to receive the award again for a period of five years.

For more information, contact e-mail mholtman@utk.edu.

The Office of Alumni Affairs invites you to nominate him or her for the 2011 Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award.

Each year, the UT Alumni Association funds four awards that recognize excellence in the classroom. These awards are part of the association’s continuing effort to encourage resourceful and creative instruction and to publicly recognize exceptional teaching, especially the teaching of undergraduates.

Selected by the Knoxville Campus Alumni Awards Committee, the winners will be announced at the spring Chancellor’s Honors Banquet.

To nominate your favorite faculty member, go to http://alumni.utk.edu/eblasts/docs/2011aotballot.pdf.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Nov. 5.

For further information, contact Mary Holtman-Reed at mholtman@utk.edu.

In this season’s opening football game, the UT Knoxville Volunteers will take on the UT Martin Skyhawks. Interim President Jan Simek along with the Knoxville and Martin campus alumni associations will host an event for fans from 3 to 5 p.m. in Circle Park.

The “All In the Family” event will feature food and door prizes, such as signed footballs, as well as games for the family. UT men’s and women’s basketball coaches Bruce Pearl and Pat Summitt will attend along with UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and UT Martin Chancellor Tom Rakes.

Attendees also will be able to view Coach Derek Dooley’s first Vol Walk with his team. The UT Pride of the Southland pep band and UT spirit squads will perform.

The event is open to all staff, alumni, friends and fans. The cost for adults  is $15. For children under 12 the cost is $8.

Guests are strongly recommended to pre-register for the event. Walk-up accommodations will be limited. For more information or to register, visit http://alumni.tennessee.edu/family/.