Brandon Lawson stands at attention as President George W. Bush prepares for take-off in Marine One.

While he was in the Marine Corps, Brandon Lawson spent two years serving President George W. Bush as crew chief on Marine One, the Black Hawk helicopter that transported the president to and from Air Force One, the presidential jet.

After his honorable discharge from the military, Lawson enrolled at UT. On Friday, the twenty-seven-year-old graduates with a degree in logistics and international business.

“In 2010, when I enrolled in the College of Business Administration, I quickly realized that my service in the Marines had prepared me well,” Lawson said. “The operational tempo of serving on the president’s helicopter required me to be task-oriented, patient, and committed to working through a process to the end.”

While at UT, Lawson interned with the UT football team’s recruiting program. He’s now been hired full time.

“In many ways, the culture of college football is similar to that of the Marines,” he said. “In both arenas, young men train long and hard to achieve their best.”

Lawson learned about the opportunity to serve on Marine One while in Marine Corps flight school. He completed security clearances and was chosen for the job.

“While most of my Marine Corps colleagues spent their days dressed in camouflage fatigues, I reported to work in my dress blues and greeted the president with a salute every time he climbed aboard the chopper,” Lawson said.

“Most Americans see only the public face of their president, but on Marine One I stood only a few feet away from President Bush, and I overheard his conversations with his wife, Laura, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, and Secret Service Agent Donald White. When the helicopter’s doors closed and the president was beyond the reach of the press, he really relaxed and was always open and direct, whether he was discussing US politics or foreign policy.”

Lawson said flying on Marine One also gave him the chance to see the world.

“Wherever in the world the president traveled, we arrived ahead of him, greeted him as he stepped off Air Force One, and shuttled him to events and meetings within the host country,” he said. “During my two years with the president, I visited Thailand, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Egypt, Vietnam, Uruguay, Italy, Vatican City, and Latvia.

“For me, one of the highlights of my life was flying aboard Marine One high above Cairo, with the president on board, and peering down to see the Great Pyramid of Giza.”

Lawson said his service in the Marines has given him skills he’ll use the rest of his life.

“Perhaps the most important one is the ability to see the big picture—much like taking in the view from 10,000 feet in Marine One—and clearly seeing the series of steps necessary to realizing your dreams,” he said.

“My attitude toward my future reflects a fundamental lesson I learned in the Marines: You have to set yourself up to succeed. You have to prepare to win. ”

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C O N T A C T :

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

Cindy Raines (865-974-4359, craines1@utk.edu)

Hart was named vice chancellor and director of athletics on September 5, 2011. The contract extension moves its end date to September 18, 2018. It also provides for one additional year with a $50,000 retention bonus.

Hart’s salary remains the same at $592,250. Since coming to UT, he has received one 3 percent raise, in July 2012. He also earns $150,000 a year for media appearances, per his original contract.

Cheek said he is pleased with Hart’s leadership and progress on goals for the Athletics Department.

“He has worked hard to develop a more efficient financial model and has put the right people in place, including coaches, to help reach UT’s aggressive goals,” Cheek said.

“I am pleased that Dave has made this commitment to the University of Tennessee. I look forward to continued progress in our Athletics Department in our quest for comprehensive excellence both on and off the field,” Cheek said.

The chancellor added that he is committed to working with Hart to provide the resources and support necessary to achieve those goals.

“I appreciate the confidence and commitment Chancellor Cheek has demonstrated by extending my contract,” Hart said. “Tennessee is a special place and I am committed to the goals we have set and the opportunities we have to make a difference.”

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C O N T A C T :

Margie Nichols 865-974-9438 (mnichols@utk.edu)

Scogin is currently the associate athletic director at the University of Missouri.

The Thornton Center helps student-athletes balance the difficult demands of their academic and athletic schedules by providing academic support services. NCAA rules require colleges and universities to provide these services for student-athletes. At UT, these services fall within the academic structure of the university.

“Over the last two years, we’ve made some important changes at the Thornton Center to strengthen the bridge between academics and athletics,” said Susan Martin, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Joe has a strong background in both academics and athletics; he will be an effective liaison between the two and provide a positive influence on the lives of our student-athletes.”

Dave Hart, vice chancellor and director of athletics, agreed: “Joe Scogin brings an exceptional skill set to a critical leadership position as director of the Thornton Center. Academics and athletics have good reason to share a collective excitement about the positive strides we will experience under his direction.”

Scogin has been at the University of Missouri since 2001, most recently serving as associate athletic director for academic services. During his leadership tenure, the University of Missouri has seen record performances in graduation success rates, academic progress rates, and grade point averages. Missouri regularly performed at the top of the Big 12 Conference in all academic categories and recently has seen similar performances in the Southeastern Conference.

“I’m energized about the program and becoming part of the Volunteer family,” Scogin said. “I look forward to working with administrators, faculty, and coaches to create a program that’s nationally respected for its excellence.”

Scogin has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in health and human performance and sports administration from Fort Hays State University. He has a doctorate in education, school, and counseling psychology from the University of Missouri.

He serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A). Scogin recently provided leadership as the chair of the University of Missouri United Way campaign. He is also a member of the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association and has served on the Big 12 Legislative Services Committee and Academic Committee.

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C O N T A C T :

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

For the next three years, the money the athletics department has contributed to the campus will be reinvested in the athletics department. Relieving athletics of this commitment will allow the department to add an average of $6 million per year to its bottom line for a total of $18 million over three years.

The money was committed under different circumstances and we now need to allow athletics to use these dollars to attain financial stability and invest in the future.

Most of this money has been used for scholarships and fellowships. We will continue to honor these commitments, primarily through private gifts. Let me emphasize, we will not reduce our commitment to students.

I know that winning championships and competing at the highest level lifts the national profile of the University of Tennessee. As chancellor, I am committed to winning both on the field and in the classroom.

Kickoff is set for 12:21 p.m. EST for the Volunteers game against the Tigers of the University of Missouri, one of the newest member schools of the Southeastern Conference. Neyland Stadium gates open at 10:15 a.m. SEC Sports Network will televise the game.

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. For a comprehensive list of all game day information, visit the Tennessee Athletics website.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are available at uttix.com. Please be careful about purchasing counterfeit tickets, as all counterfeit tickets will be confiscated at the stadium gates and the patron denied admission.

Parking

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

Limited public accessible parking spaces and fully accessible shuttle buses to the stadium are available on the UT Agriculture Campus off Neyland Drive.

Game Day Activities

The traditional Vol Walk will start at 10:00 a.m. on Volunteer Boulevard in front of the Torchbearer statue. Members of the football team will 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. at the intersection of Pat Head Summitt Street and Volunteer Boulevard and will then follow the same path as the Vol Walk.

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 30-minute presentation by a UT faculty member. This week, at 10:21 a.m., microbiology professor Steven Wilhelm will discuss the world’s declining water quality in “Protecting Our Water Resources: A Microbiologist’s Perspective.”

Stadium Security

Under state law, smoking is prohibited in Neyland Stadium at all times. 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.

All items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. UT reserves the right to examine the contents of any container brought into the stadium. To protect the safety of our fans, players, officials and staff, the following items are prohibited. Please do not attempt to bring these or similar articles in the stadium. Items will not be stored at the gate and/or stadium and cannot be retrieved after the game.

• Alcoholic beverages
• Cans, bottles, coolers
• Outside food, snacks, beverages
• Radios without headsets
• Open umbrellas
• Video cameras
• Stadium seats with arms
• Bags or parcels, including backpacks and purses, larger than 12″x12″x12″
• Weapons
• Artificial noisemakers

Permissible Items

• The following items are permitted inside Neyland Stadium:
• Cell phones
• Binoculars
• Radios with headsets
• Diaper bags when accompanied by an infant
• Cameras (limited use). Game action may not be filmed. Consideration of other spectators is expected.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Kickoff for the Volunteers’ game against the Trojans of Troy University is scheduled for noon ET, with gates opening at 10:00 a.m. Fox Sports will televise the game.

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. For a comprehensive list of all game day information, please visit the Tennessee Athletics website.

Tickets for Saturday’s game are available at UTTIX.com. Please be careful about purchasing counterfeit tickets, as all counterfeit tickets will be confiscated at the stadium gates and the patron denied admission.

Parking

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

Limited public accessible parking spaces and fully accessible shuttle buses to the stadium are available on the UT Agriculture Campus off Neyland Drive.

Homecoming Events

A veterans reunion, the annual campus parade, and a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act are among the events highlighting this year’s Homecoming celebrations.

• UT veterans and their families are invited to the third Veterans Reunion, an event held every five years. The theme of the reunion is “Your Service—Our Freedom.”
• 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, a former Lady Vol basketball star who went on to play for the WNBA.
• The Party in the Park tailgate begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, November 3, in Circle Park. Admission is free. The “World’s Largest MoonPie” will be cut at 10:00 a.m.
• University leaders will unveil a historical marker commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act at 10:00 a.m. Saturday outside Ellington Plant Sciences Building on the agriculture campus. The act paved the way for the establishment of land-grant universities such as the University of Tennessee. The event is part of the Ag Day street fair, which will be held from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the agriculture campus.

Read more about Homecoming events in Tennessee Today. For more information on Ag Day, visit the Institute of Agriculture website.

Game Day Activities

To reflect the Morrill Act’s mission, the university has updated its traditional Tennessee Walking Horse exhibition at this year’s Homecoming. Prior to kickoff, A Daring Affair, a flat-shod walking horse, will circle the field with rider Kimbrell Hines, a high-school senior from Winchester, Tennessee. Hines is a longtime member of the Tennessee 4-H program, and she and the horse, known affectionately as Summer, have won many horse shows around the state.

Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the Tennessee 4-H program is one of the university’s strongest land-grant missions, thanks to young people like Hines.

“Kimbrell and Summer are doing great things and helping us all to recognize and celebrate the importance of 4-H in Tennessee and beyond,” he said.

Also prior to kickoff, during the singing of the national anthem, four F-16 aircraft will conduct a low-altitude fly-over of Neyland Stadium. The flight crew is from Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, and is led by 2001 UT alumnus, Maj. Spencer Godwin.

The traditional Vol Walk will start at 9:45 a.m. on Volunteer Boulevard in front of the Torchbearer statue. Members of the football team will 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 10:20 a.m. at the intersection of Pat Head Summitt Street and Volunteer Boulevard and will then follow the same path as the Vol Walk.

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 10:00 a.m., David Reidy, professor and head of the Department of Philosophy, will discuss “The Authority of Citizens: Its Nature and Limits.”

Stadium Security

Under state law, smoking is prohibited in Neyland Stadium at all times. 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.

All items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. UT reserves the right to examine the contents of any container brought into the stadium. To protect the safety of our fans, players, officials and staff, the following items are prohibited. Please do not attempt to bring these or similar articles in the stadium. Items will not be stored at the gate and/or stadium and cannot be retrieved after the game.

• Alcoholic beverages
• Cans, bottles, coolers
• Outside food, snacks, beverages
• Radios without headsets
• Open umbrellas
• Video cameras
• Stadium seats with arms
• Bags or parcels, including backpacks and purses, larger than 12″x12″x12″
• Weapons
• Artificial noisemakers

Permissible Items

The following items are permitted inside Neyland Stadium:

• Cell phones
• Binoculars
• Radios with headsets
• Diaper bags when accompanied by an infant
• Limited use of cameras. Game action may not be filmed. Consideration of other spectators is expected.

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C O N T A C T :

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

The first exhibition home game for the women is Thursday, November 1, against Carson-Newman College. The first exhibition home game for the men is Monday, November 5, against Victory University.

Tickets for men’s and women’s games are available online. Please be careful about purchasing counterfeit tickets, as all counterfeit tickets will be confiscated at the arena entrances and the patron denied admission.

Many of the same security measures from last year remain in place:

• For men’s games, gates will open ninety minutes before tipoff.
• For women’s games, gates will open sixty minutes before tipoff.
• Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to enter the arena.
• Students are required to enter the gates off the west ramp.
• Artificial noisemakers are not allowed.
• No signage larger than eight and a half inches by eleven inches is allowed.
• Possession or use of alcohol is prohibited.
• Smoking is not allowed inside the arena.
• Video recording devices and professional-grade cameras are not permitted.
• Bags larger than twelve inches by twelve inches are not permitted.
• Radios with headphones, other small electronic devices, and diaper bags accompanying infants are permitted.
• All items are subject to search or inspection, and handheld metal detectors may be used.

New regulations bar commercial solicitations, including the reselling of tickets to athletic events, music concerts, and other campus events, along Phillip Fulmer Way from Tee Martin Drive to Lake Loudoun Boulevard in front of Thompson-Boling Arena, beginning four hours before the start of a game or event and remaining in effect until the conclusion of the game or event.

Basketball fans with permits can park in designated lots adjacent to the arena. Free parking is available on the Agriculture Campus with complimentary shuttle service to the arena.

Normally, the section of Phillip Fulmer Way from Cumberland Avenue to Middle Way Drive runs one-way southbound. After each home game, traffic on that section of Phillip Fulmer Way temporarily will be reversed, running one-way northbound to Cumberland Avenue, to assist with post-game traffic. The section of Phillip Fulmer Way in front of the arena, between Lake Loudoun Boulevard and the G-10 garage, will close 15 minutes before tipoff and remain closed until the conclusion of the game.

For more information about Thompson-Boling Arena and other athletics facilities, visit the Tennessee Athletics website.

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C O N T A C T :

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

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. For a comprehensive list of all game day information, please visit the UT Athletics website.

A limited number of tickets for Saturday’s game are available at the UT Ticket Office. Please be careful about purchasing counterfeit tickets, as all counterfeit tickets will be confiscated at the stadium gates and the patron(s) denied admission.

Parking

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.

Limited public accessible parking spaces and fully accessible shuttle buses to the stadium are available on the UT Agriculture Campus off Neyland Drive.

Game Day Activities

The university will honor several Tennessee “legends of the game” Saturday. Former head coach Phillip Fulmer and members of the 1997 SEC championship squad will be recognized.

Fulmer also will be recognized for his election to the College Football Hall of Fame. He will be officially inducted into the hall this December. Both honors will take place before kickoff, so fans wishing to see both activities are encouraged to arrive early.

The traditional Vol Walk will start at 4:45 p.m. on Volunteer Boulevard in front of the Torchbearer statue. Members of the football team will 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 5:20 p.m. at the intersection of Pat Head Summitt Street and Volunteer Boulevard and will then follow the same path as the Vol Walk.

From 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., the Volunteer Village commercial display area will be open on the lawn of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building. Pregame festivities will be available for fans of all ages.

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 5:00 p.m., Dawnie Steadman, anthropology professor and director of the Forensic Anthropology Center, commonly known as the Body Farm, will discuss “The Tales Bones Tell.”

Stadium Security

All items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Bags larger than 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches cannot be brought into the stadium, and items larger than this standard size, as well as other prohibited items, cannot be stored at any stadium gate.

UT reminds visitors that sportsmanlike behavior is expected throughout the day, and entering the field before, during, or after the game is prohibited. Anyone who attempts to do so will be arrested and face university sanctions as well.

Under state law, smoking is prohibited in Neyland Stadium at all times. 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.

UT reserves the right to examine the contents of any container brought into the stadium. To protect the safety of our fans, players, officials, and staff, the following items are prohibited. Please do not attempt to bring these or similar articles in the stadium. Items will not be stored at the gate and/or stadium and cannot be retrieved after the game.

• Alcoholic beverages
• Cans, bottles, coolers
• Outside food, snacks, beverages
• Radios without headsets
• Open umbrellas
• Video cameras
• Stadium seats with arms
• Bags or parcels, including backpacks and purses, larger than 12″x12″x12″
• Weapons
• Artificial noisemakers

Permissible Items

The following items are permitted inside Neyland Stadium:

• Cell phones
• Binoculars
• Radios with headsets
• Diaper bags when accompanied by an infant
• Limited use of cameras. Game action may not be filmed. Consideration of other spectators is expected.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET for the Volunteers’ game against the University of Akron Zips. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. CSS will televise the game.

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. For a comprehensive list of all gameday information, please visit utsports.com/gameday.

Season tickets and select individual game tickets are available at http://www.uttix.com. Please be cognizant about purchasing counterfeit tickets, as all counterfeit tickets will be confiscated at the stadium gates and the patron(s) denied admission.

Parking

Due to campus construction, fans are encouraged to arrive early. For complete information on game day parking, stadium regulations and activities, see utsports.com/gameday.

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.

Limited public accessible parking spaces and fully accessible shuttle buses to the stadium are available on the UT Agriculture Campus off Neyland Drive.

Game Day Activities

The traditional Vol Walk will start at 5:15 p.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 5:50 p.m. at the intersection of Pat Head Summitt Street and Volunteer Boulevard and will then follow the same path as the Vol Walk.

From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Volunteer Village commercial display area will be open on the lawn of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building. Pregame festivities will be available for fans of all ages.

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 5:30 p.m., Nathan Kelly, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, will discuss The Politics of Income Inequality in the United States.

Stadium Security

UT reminds visitors that all items, including purses, are subject to search at the gates. Bags larger than 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches cannot be brought into the stadium, and items larger than this standard size, as well as other prohibited items, cannot be stored at any stadium gate.

Prohibited items include the following:

• alcoholic beverages, cans, bottles or coolers;
• large bags or parcels, including backpacks and large purses;
• radios without headphones;
• artificial noisemakers;
• open umbrellas;
• video cameras;
• stadium seats with arms; and
• weapons of any kind, including pocketknives.

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; and
• small cameras, pagers, cell phones, and binoculars.

Under state law, no smoking will be 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.

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CONTACT:

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

The new university policy bars commercial solicitations, including the reselling of tickets to athletic events, music concerts, and other campus events, in front of Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena, from four hours prior to the start of a game or event and remains in effect until the end.

For football games, commercial activity will be prohibited in the stadium’s Gate 21 Plaza and along the east side of Phillip Fulmer Way from Middle Way Drive to Gate 10.

During basketball season, resale of tickets and other commercial activity will be prohibited along Phillip Fulmer Way from Tee Martin Drive to Lake Loudoun Boulevard in front of the basketball arena.

The new policy is intended to reduce traffic congestion, protect the university’s ability to sell tickets to the public, and increase the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of the game day experience.

Police on campus will assist with enforcement of the new policy.

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C O N T A C T :

Jeff Maples (865-974-3061, maples@utk.edu)

UT’s new TV commercial debuts this Friday with the start of the Volunteer season on ESPNU during the North Carolina State game.

Created by UT’s Department of Video and Photography, the TV spot can attribute its long hours to the breadth of content weaved together into just a half a minute.

Viewers will notice running themes of orange, talented alumni, the impact of their big ideas, and the impact of UT.

A preview of the spot can be seen below.

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

“The premise of our spot is our tagline, ‘Big Orange. Big Ideas.,’ so we worked to have orange in most shots from the sunset to Power T flags to the torch,” said Russ Hollingsworth, assistant director in the department and spot lead producer.

Shooting began in March and wrapped last week. The video will run every UT football and basketball game this year to be viewed by a half million to two million people each game.

Hollingsworth explained that they wanted to illustrate how the university is a place where “you can have an idea and the university allows you to turn it into something big. We wanted to show ideas that are relevant to people in Tennessee and everywhere.”

For example, Min Kao, a graduate in electrical engineering, went on to co-found Garmin. Mark Dean, also a graduate in electrical engineering, went on to co-invent the personal computer.

Orange imagery is threaded throughout the video. Attentive viewers may notice Dean’s interview is set in front of thirty personal computers with glowing orange screens displaying the Torchbearer statue at sunset.

Shooting was not for the faint of heart. To show the impact of GPS technology on our lives, particularly in East Tennessee, the Department of Video and Photography crew departed UT at 5:00 one July morning for Black Mountain Overlook. The goal was to get a sweeping view of the plateau displaying a handheld Garmin. To do this, they needed an 18-foot jib, or projecting arm crane with a camera attached. To get it up the mountain, they had to hike a quarter of a mile with the equipment before sunrise. They got the shot.

“We wanted to show Tennessee’s beautiful scenery and the technology that a UT graduate developed,” said Hollingsworth. “We used a jib to get the aerial view with some movement to make the shot more interesting to the viewer.”

The second to last line of the video reads, “Orange is simply, a color but Big Orange is a way of life.” It then flashes the faces of five impactful Volunteers from a multitude of backgrounds who have positively influenced the world in a variety of ways. These Vols include Pat Summitt, Howard Baker, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Clarence Brown, and Randy Bresnik.

“I think this spot is the most varied production and cross-cutting we have done in a long time,” said Hollingsworth. “We hope it is memorable.”

Featured Volunteers include:

• Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos quarterback and philanthropist
• Mark Dean, lead inventor of the original personal computer and chief technology officer for IBM Middle East and Africa
• Min Kao, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Garmin International Ltd.
• Pat Summitt, head coach emeritus of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team and all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history
• Howard Baker, former senate majority leader, White House chief of staff, and ambassador to Japan
• Nancy-Ann DeParle, deputy chief of staff for policy in the Obama Administration
• Clarence Brown, American film director
• Randy Bresnik, NASA astronaut and colonel in the United States Marine Corps

UT’s game will be aired on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 31.

—

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

Vote online and via smartphone daily between now and October 1 to help Rocky Top clinch the top spot. Saturday votes will count twice. We’re in the running against nineteen other schools to win Southern Living magazine’s “The South’s Best Tailgate” title.

Visit Southen Living to vote, or use your smartphone with a data plan to scan your favorite school’s QR code featured in the September 2012 issue of Southern Living magazine. You will be sent to a mobile web page where you can complete the entry form and vote for your favorite school.

From the Vol Navy to the elaborate cookouts and Big Orange fare, Tennessee is certainly a favorite stop for football fans across the nation.

Southern Living will crown the winner at a home game by November 10.

The magazine has named UT among the top twenty schools with the best tailgating celebrations. The university was lauded for its “sailgate,” the collection of 150 houseboats and yachts that dock on the nearby Tennessee River prior to home football games.

Universities vying for “The South’s Best Tailgate” title were selected based on four criteria—most spirited: schools that turn “fan” into “fanatic;” traditionalists: schools renowned for game-day rituals; powerhouses: Southern schools with a history of winning on and off the field (chosen by the most bowl victories); style setters: from sundresses to cake stands, these schools showcase true splendor in the grass.

Southern Living for the first time ever also has partnered with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to publish The Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook. It was released today, just in time for the first games of the 2012 football season.

The 256-page cookbook features more than 150 game day recipes and special sections highlighting each of the fourteen SEC schools’ game day traditions, character, and hometown flavor.

Game day menus in the book include Rocky Top Popcorn and Smoky Chicken Panini with Basil Mayo from UT.

Read the whole story at utsports.com.

In the new role, Bruce will work closely with top university administrators to support a campus environment where academics remain a central focus in college sports.

Bruce, who is also a research professor in the Center for Business and Economic Research, will join faculty from the thirteen other SEC schools who represent their universities’ relationship with the SEC and NCAA in the areas of compliance and academic integrity.

Faculty athletic representatives make recommendations regarding the role of faculty in athletic department policy-making; athletic seasons and scheduling and their impact on academics and student welfare; and standards that will promote academic success of student-athletes.

“I am grateful to Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Dave Hart for their confidence in my ability to step in as the new faculty athletics representative,” Bruce said. “I look forward to working with them, Provost Susan Martin, the athletics department staff, and my faculty colleagues in this new role.”

Fans from all Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are voting to have the opportunity for GameDay to shoot an ad on their campus in late July or early August. The school that receives the most votes by May 10, wins. Fans can vote once a day, every day during the time period.

Contest Details

• Voting is currently open and will close at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 10.
• Fans can vote at GameDayVote.com, m.GameDayVote.com on mobile devices, and on the College GameDay Facebook page.
• Fans are allowed one vote per day, each day.

The first regular season home game for the men is Friday, November 11, against UNC Greensboro. The Lady Vols begin their regular season home schedule against Pepperdine University on November 13.

Many of the same security measures from last year remain in place:

• For men’s games, gates will open ninety minutes before tipoff.
• For women’s games, gates will open sixty minutes before tipoff.
• Everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to enter the arena.
• Students are required to enter the gates off the west ramp.
• Artificial noisemakers are not allowed.
• No signage larger than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches.
• Possession or use of alcohol is prohibited.
• Smoking is not allowed inside the arena.
• Video recording devices and professional-grade cameras are not permitted.
• Radios with headphones, other small electronic devices and diaper bags accompanying infants are permitted.
• All items are subject to search or inspection, and hand-held metal detectors may be used.

This year, bags larger than twelve inches by twelve inches are prohibited in the arena. This is the standard in use by a growing number of collegiate sports facilities. Items larger than this standard size, as well as other prohibited items, cannot be stored at any gate. To assist fans, boxes demonstrating the proper bag size are at arena gates.

Basketball fans with permits can park in designated lots adjacent to the arena. Free parking is available on the agriculture campus with complimetnary shuttle service to the arena.

Normally, the section of Phillip Fulmer Way from Cumberland Avenue to Andy Holt Avenue runs one way southbound. Once the regular season commences, traffic on that section of Phillip Fulmer Way temporarily will be reversed, running one way northbound to Cumberland Avenue, to assist with post-game traffic. The section of Phillip Fulmer Way in front of the arena, between Lake Loudoun Boulevard and the G-10 garage, will close fifteen minutes before tipoff and remain closed until the conclusion of the game.

For more information about Thompson-Boling Arena and other athletics facilities, visit http://www.utsports.com/facilities/index.html.

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C O N T A C T :

Jeff Maples (865-974-3061, maples@utk.edu)

Brian Browning (865-974-3061, brian-browning@utk.edu)

Charles Primm (865-974-5180, primmc@utk.edu)

The Thornton Center provides academic support, educational programs, and a learning environment in which student-athletes have the opportunity to achieve their academic and personal goals.

“Donna has worked hard during the past six months to make some important changes at the Thornton Center and to strengthen the bridge between academics and athletics,” said Susan Martin, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “I’m pleased that she’ll be permanently taking the reins to ensure the Thornton Center continues to be a positive influence on the lives of our student-athletes.”

In the past six months as interim director, Thomas restructured and reorganized the Thornton Center staff, added new programming and services for the student-athletes, and began updating the facility. She spent a great deal of time speaking to groups across campus to learn more about academic programs while sharing insight on the requirements for students who represent Tennessee in twenty sports.

In addition to her new duties of overseeing the center, Thomas will continue to maintain her role as chief operating officer for the Lady Vols while Joan Cronan assumes the duties of interim vice-chancellor/director of athletics.

While at UT, Thomas has been responsible for numerous aspects of the women’s athletics department, some of which include oversight of facility construction and renovation, managing the Lady Vols’ portion of the adidas contract, development and implementation of department policies and procedures, and oversight of the scheduling of competition for all sports. She is the department liaison to the campus, serving as a member of multiple campus committees.

In July 2011, Thomas will complete a two-year term as co-chair of UT Knoxville’s Council on Diversity and Interculturalism. She recently served as a member of the search committee for the assistant dean and director of undergraduate admissions, and she was the department liaison to the Thornton Center for Academics and Student Life.

At the request of UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, Thomas served as a member of the campus’s Task Force on Civility and Community and was an integral member of the committee for the Celebration of African American Achievement.

Off campus, Thomas has served as the chair of the NCAA Division I Track and Field Committee, directed multiple championship events for the SEC and the NCAA, and serves as the university’s senior woman administrator with the SEC.

Thomas first joined the UT staff as the undergraduate head manager of the Lady Volunteer basketball team from 1978 to 1982 while working toward her bachelor’s degree in secondary physical education. She then returned to Tennessee in 1990 as a graduate assistant in athletic administration and earned her master’s degree in recreation and athletic administration.

During her time away from UT, Thomas served as the director of recreation ministries for Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis from 1982 to 1990. At CUMC, she managed the athletic and activity program of the 5,000-member church; her responsibilities included program development and planning for ages 2 through senior adult.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Cronan will play a critical role in the continuing consolidation of the men’s and women’s athletic departments at UT.

“Joan Cronan epitomizes the Volunteer spirit,” Cheek said. “She has been a vital part of Tennessee Athletics for thirty years and will provide proven leadership during our transitional period. I appreciate her willingness to assume this responsibility.”

Cronan has served UT for thirty years and has been in her current role of director of women’s athletics since the 1983-84 season. She also was the head women’s basketball coach from 1968 to 1970 before a ten-year stint at College of Charleston from 1973 to 1983, where her service included being director of women’s athletics, head women’s basketball coach, head women’s tennis coach, and head volleyball coach.

“I am humbled and honored by this opportunity, and I greatly appreciate the chancellor’s faith in me,” said Cronan. “This is an exciting time for Tennessee Athletics, as we have a great team of coaches, staff, and student-athletes. It has been a tremendous honor to serve this university for thirty years, and I am grateful for the chance to play an integral role in helping shape the bright future of Tennessee Athletics.”

An industry leader who has served a variety of organizations in addition to her responsibilities at UT, Cronan was the president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics from 2008 to 2009. Additionally, she was president of the National Association of Collegiate Women Administrators of Athletics (NACWAA) from 2007 to 2008. She also has served on the NCAA and SEC Executive Committees as well as on the NCAA’s Management Council and Championship Cabinet.

The person who is named vice chancellor/director of athletics will serve as the senior administrator of the entire athletics department, with Cronan serving as the director of women’s athletics and a member of the chancellor’s cabinet until June 30, 2012, reporting to the chancellor. From July 1, 2012, until June 30, 2014, she will assume the role of senior adviser to the vice chancellor and chancellor.

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CONTACT:

Jimmy Stanton (865-974-4167, jstanto1@utk.edu)

From 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, UT students and staff will be at Regal Soccer Stadium to collect items from the community to aid the residents of Bradley, Greene, Hamilton, Washington, Bledsoe, Cocke, Johnson, McMinn, Monroe and Rhea counties.

The UT Volunteers football truck — normally used to transport team equipment to away games — will be parked at the Regal Soccer Stadium on Stephenson Drive, on the south side of UT’s campus, off Neyland Drive. UT has challenged the campus and surrounding community to fill the 18-wheeler. Those who donate on Tuesday will receive a UT football t-shirt while supplies last.

“Our thoughts and prayers have been with those who suffered losses and now we need to help supply the practical items needed for recovery,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “Members of our community have shown great concern for the affected areas and I know they will respond with even greater generosity to help us fill the truck.”

Items requested include:

• Household cleaning supplies
• Bottled water
• New underwear
• Infant supplies, such as formula, diapers, and baby wipes
• Towels and washcloths
• Toiletries – preferably in trial sizes
• Batteries
• Flashlights
• Tarps
• Duct tape

UT’s student community service organization, TeamVOLS, is contributing items the group has collected this week.

“Part of living in this community is taking care of one another,” said Mike Hamilton, UT men’s athletics director. “This is an opportunity for all of Knox County to band together and support our fellow Tennesseans who were affected by last week’s storms.”

On Wednesday, the UT Football truck will bring the donations to a Salvation Army distribution center to help people in Tennessee counties that were declared disaster areas.

“It’s important for us to teach our student-athletes about serving others,” said Joan Cronan, UT women’s athletics director. “People across our state were affected by storms last week, and it’s our responsibility as Tennesseans to help them.”

For more information, contact Drew Rutherford, UT Athletics (865-974-4669 or andrew@utk.edu) or Karen Simsen, UT Media Relations (865-974-5186, 865-216-6862 or karen.simsen@tennessee.edu).