The most ambitious fund-raising effort in the university’s history, the campaign raised $1.3 billion over six years for the statewide system, placing UT in an elite group of less than thirty universities to achieve this goal. More than $860 million is dedicated to UT Knoxville programs.

“The generosity of more than 87,000 alumni and friends enhances our educational mission and improves the experience for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and fans,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “Every gift helps move us further along in our journey to become a Top 25 public research institution.”

The magnetic orange and white gift tags—some as large as 10 feet tall or wide—are being affixed to sixteen new and renovated facilities across the five hundred and fifty acre campus. The large tags can be seen on the Howard H. Baker Center Jr. for Public Policy, the James A. Haslam II Business Building, Neyland Stadium, Pratt Pavilion, Regal Soccer Stadium, the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building and Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, to name just a few.

Friday’s event will include more than 100 students who will be canvassing campus handing out stickers that say “Thank A Giver” and Moon Pies—that, yes, have been graciously donated.

By wearing the sticker, those on Rocky Top recognize how they have benefited from donations through the use of academic buildings, athletic facilities, professorships, scholarships and endowments made possible by alumni and friends.

The tags create a visual reminder of donors’ generosity but also tell a story of positive change to the physical landscape of the university, its caliber of education, and the lives of students and faculty, said Scott Rabenold, vice chancellor of development and alumni affairs.

“We have had students, faculty, staff, retirees, alumni, and friends give what they can so that others can have the experiences they’ve had and so that the university can continue to be a great place to learn, work and play,” Rabenold said.

For the UT system, the Campaign for Tennessee raised $1.3 billion. For UT Knoxville, the Campaign for Tennessee

• Raised $860 million
• Gifts came from 87,266 donors
• Gifts ranged from $1 to $50 million
• $60 million came from UT faculty and staff

The tags will stay up through the end of the semester. To view a list of the buildings with gift tags and an interactive map, visit www.utk.edu/maps, and click the checkbox for Campaign for Tennessee in right column and also the ‘detailed info’ link.

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C O N T A C T :

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

Beth Gladden (865-974-9008, beth.gladden@tennessee.edu)

Min Kao and his wife, Fan Kao, joined Governor Bill Haslam, Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, President Joe DiPietro, and other state and local officials to celebrate the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building. The couple committed $12.5 million with one stipulation—that the state would match the gift two to one. It did, bringing the project’s total to $37.5 million and marking one of the first such matching arrangements for a new academic building in Tennessee.

“The University of Tennessee opened its doors and offered me an opportunity to grow in my field,” said Kao, who graduated in 1977 with master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering. “I hope the new facility will allow others to pursue their dreams and will further position UT as a gateway to great things in engineering and innovation.”

After graduating from UT, Kao worked for several companies developing navigational systems. He saw great promise in the future of global positioning technology and joined forces with colleague Gary Burrell to start their own company. In 1989, the two launched Garmin. The name is a play on their first names.

The Kaos also donated $5 million to create the Min H. Kao Scholars and Fellows endowments and the Kao Professorship. This gift was also the foundation of a challenge campaign encouraging other alumni and friends to establish their own funds to support the department. An additional $5 million was raised providing tremendous new support for students and faculty.

“Dr. and Mrs. Kao’s generous gift laid solid groundwork to begin our journey to the Top 25,” said Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “Their gift offers our students competitive education and research opportunities and provides much-needed infrastructure and resources as we continue to expand and enhance our institutional goals.”

The building provides much needed space for the booming College of Engineering. During the past five years, undergraduate enrollment increased by 27 percent, which is more than twice the national average. The number of doctoral students grew by 45 percent, which is more than four times the national average.

The Min Kao building streamlines six buildings that formerly housed the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science into one 150,000-square-foot engineering building. The centralization allows for more collaborative research between students. The building houses nineteen research laboratories, thirteen teaching laboratories, nine classrooms and faculty offices; a 2,500-square-foot, 147-seat auditorium; and an educational wing with smaller lecture classrooms which are available to other departments.

“The Min Kao building enhances students’ learning experience by offering them better laboratories for research,” said College of Engineering Dean Wayne Davis. “The building is also designed to accommodate the technological demands of these students’ work by having special power requirements for computations and network development. These technological learning spaces help them in their research and also help us stay competitive in our journey to the Top 25.”

Better facilities also help the university in recruiting and enrolling more students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields—which is a priority of the state and nation. The new building also assists with UT’s current outreach efforts in gaining interest in STEM fields to youth, women, and minorities by exhibiting its commitment to training the very best in these fields.

The building also houses the Center for Ultra-wide-area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks, a one-of-a-kind center funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, which seeks to develop smart grid technologies to overhaul our nation’s chronically overstretched electric power grid.

Construction began on the building in May 2007 and it opened January 2012. The building is built for LEED certification, which requires using environmentally sound materials, positioning the building to make the best use of natural lighting and using indoor lighting that is both cost- and energy-efficient.

The gift for the building was part of the Campaign for Tennessee, the most ambitious fundraising effort in the university’s 218-year history. By the end of the campaign in December 2011, more than $1.3 billion was raised for the students, faculty, programs and facilities on the four UT campuses, including more than $860 million for the Knoxville campus.

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C O N T A C T :

Kim Cowart (865-974-0686, kcowart@utk.edu)

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

Created in 1998, the Peyton Manning Scholarship Endowment is funded from gifts made to the university in honor of Manning’s academic awards while he was a UT student-athlete, the UT Athletic Department’s corporate matching grants program and other private gifts.

“The University of Tennessee holds a special place in my heart, and Ashley and I are excited about the opportunity to award more deserving UT students with the Manning Scholarship,” said Manning. “One of the most gratifying times for me each summer is meeting a phenomenal student who has been selected for the Manning Scholarship. Making a difference in the lives of young people is the greatest gift any of us can receive.”

To date, fifteen students have received awards from the scholarship. The Manning Scholarship covers the costs of tuition, room, and board. The award is granted to a first-year student on the basis of academic achievement, leadership, and community service. All Peyton Manning Scholarship recipients are part of the Haslam Scholars Program, UT’s premiere specialized honors program.

This isn’t the first gift Manning has made to his alma mater. In 1999, Manning made a gift of $100,000 to the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center, which is home to the Peyton Manning Study Lab. In 2006, Manning announced and has fully funded a $1 million contribution to The Campaign for Tennessee for the renovation of Neyland Stadium and the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center. In 2010, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback and his wife created the Peyton Manning Communications Enrichment endowment. The fund provides ongoing support for a variety of educational initiatives within the college’s School of Communication Studies, where Manning was the top Speech Communication graduate in spring 1997 and recipient of the college’s Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007.

“Peyton truly exemplifies the Volunteer spirit. He has always been a great supporter of the university with his time and his personal involvement with the students who have benefited from the Peyton Manning Scholarship as well as his investments in our university and our students,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek.

The Mannings’ gift is part of the university’s $1 billion fundraising campaign, The Campaign for Tennessee, which came to a close in December. The most ambitious effort in the university’s history, the campaign placed UT among the ranks of the nation’s largest public and private institutions that have sought this level of private support. The campaign secured private gifts through contributions, pledges, and planned giving to advance the university’s strategic goals that include improving student access and success, research and economic development, outreach, and globalization. More than 98 percent of all gifts were designated for a specific purpose or program, such as scholarships or endowed professorships and helped provide the vital resources to advance key initiatives.

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C O N T A C T :

Tiffany Carpenter (865-974-1476, tcarpent@tennessee.edu)

For Natalie Pierce, a sophomore at UT Knoxville double majoring in studio art and art education, the $2,500 Regal Scholarship made it easier for her to continue her education.

“I am the third out of four children, so I know how expensive college and extra fees can be with two older siblings in college as well,” said Pierce. “Being a Regal Scholar is such an honor and a blessing. This generous scholarship ensured that I had enough money for all my books and my art supplies for my studio classes, which add up quickly.”

The Regal Scholarship program, offered through UT to students for the first time last fall, provides $2,500 annual scholarships for up to forty Knox County students: ten freshmen, ten sophomores, ten juniors and ten seniors.

“We are so grateful for the partnership with Regal Entertainment Group,” said UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek. “One of our primary goals is increasing access for all students who want to be Volunteers. Generosity from our great supporters like Regal make that possible.”

To be eligible for the Regal Scholarship program, students must be enrolled at or admitted to attend UT Knoxville, and they must meet the same income guidelines as those for the need-based Tennessee Pledge Scholarship (a family adjusted gross income of less than $40,000). Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis.

Amy Miles, UT alumna and CEO of Regal Entertainment Group, said, “The Regal Scholars program proudly supports these student scholars, and this year’s recipients are certainly very deserving. Through the Regal Foundation, we are pleased to make an impact on these young people’s lives.”

The scholarship program is just one of several gifts that Regal Entertainment Group and its foundation have given UT through the Regal Foundation as part of the Campaign for Tennessee.

Headquartered in Knoxville, Regal Entertainment Group is the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world, operating 6,605 screens in 528 locations in thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia.

Regal Entertainment Group’s gifts to UT Knoxville include:

• UT Academics—In addition to funding the Regal Scholarships, UT’s College of Business Administration has benefited from two more investments by Regal Entertainment Group. One will establish the endowed Regal Entertainment Group Distinguished Professorship. The other will support the CBA Technology Fund, which helps maintain state-of-the-art computers, software, and other technology in classrooms in the James A. Haslam II Business Building. In appreciation, a second-floor team room in the building will be named the “Regal Entertainment Group Team Room.”
• UT Athletics—The Regal Soccer Stadium, named in honor of Regal Entertainment Group’s legacy of support for UT Athletics, was dedicated in 2008. The $7.5 million facility was paid for by private donations. An additional gift by Regal Entertainment Group will help build a new state-of-the-art football training center adjacent to the Brenda Lawson Athletic Center and Haslam Field.
• UT Medical Center—The Regal Foundation, the charitable arm of Regal Entertainment Group, with the Will Rogers Institute, recently donated $1 million to UT Medical Center and the UT Graduate School of Medicine to establish the Mike Campbell Pulmonary Medicine Fellowship. The fellowship will foster enhanced research and training for physicians specializing in pulmonary disease and also will help attract the nation’s leading pulmonary residents.

Regal’s gifts are part of the university’s $1 billion fundraising campaign, the Campaign for Tennessee. The most ambitious effort in the university’s history, the campaign places UT among the ranks of the nation’s largest public and private institutions that have sought this level of private support.

The campaign secures private gifts through contributions, pledges, and planned giving to advance the university’s strategic goals, which include improving student access and success, research and economic development, outreach, and globalization. More than 98 percent of all gifts are designated for a specific purpose or program, such as scholarships or endowed professorships, and help provide the vital resources to advance key initiatives.

To learn more about applying for the Regal Scholarship, as well as other UT scholarships, please visit the university’s financial aid website. This site lists important deadlines and criteria for scholarship awards. Also, students applying to UT Knoxville for admission for fall 2012 are encouraged to visit their high school guidance counselor, who has information on the Regal Scholarship and other scholarship programs.

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C O N T A C T :

Tiffany Carpenter (865-974-1476, tcarpenter@tennessee.edu)

Applications are being accepted through October 19. The vice chancellor is chief development officer for UT Knoxville and is responsible for achieving its fundraising goals and objectives in support of becoming a Top 25 public research university. The position reports jointly to the chancellor and the president and chief executive officer of the UT Foundation.

Margie Nichols, vice chancellor for communications, is chairing the search.

Committee members are:

• Andrea Loughry, UT trustee emerita and chair of the UT Foundation board;
• Vince Anfara, president of the Faculty Senate and professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies;
• Mintha Roach, president and chief executive officer for the Knoxville Utilities Board, president of the UT Knoxville Alumni Board of Directors, and past chair of the Chancellor’s Associates;
• Phyllis Moore, director of alumni affairs;
• Debby Powell, development director for the College of Nursing;
• Ross Rowland, president of the Student Government Association;
• John Scheb, professor and head of the Department of Political Science and faculty associate for the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy; and
• Jan Williams, dean of the College of Business Administration and the Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair.

The job description and application instructions have been posted on the university’s employment website.

Leslie Murphy

KNOXVILLE – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has hired a chief development officer for the Memphis area. Leslie Murphy has more than 10 years of fundraising experience, with most of her career spent in higher education.

“As the state’s flagship university, our alumni and friends live and work throughout Tennessee,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek said. “The support of our alumni and friends is crucial to the university’s goal to become a Top 25 research university. Having a development officer based in West Tennessee will help to better serve the entire state.”

Most recently, Murphy served as interim associate vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs for the UT Health Science Center (UTHSC). In that role, she oversaw the fundraising efforts of six development officers and was the chief major gifts officer.

Murphy joined the UTHSC staff in June 2009 and solicited more than $12 million in gifts in her first six months. She secured a $4.5 million for the College of Pharmacy, which was the largest private gift in the college’s history.

Prior to that, Murphy served in fundraising and management roles for Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science in New York, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Business and the American Heart Association. She has a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Auburn University and a master’s degree in arts education administration from UAB.

“Leslie’s experience in higher education and her familiarity with Memphis and the surrounding areas will be invaluable to our development goals,” said Linda Davidson, vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs. “She has a proven track record as a major gift officer, and we are confident she’ll be an important member of our fundraising team.”

Gifts to UT Knoxville are part of UT’s $1 billion Campaign for Tennessee, of which the Knoxville campus goal is more than $600 million. The campaign will continue through December 2011 with particular emphasis on increasing the campus endowment to create more student scholarships, professorships, research opportunities and curriculum enhancements. Funds raised will directly impact UT Knoxville’s goal of becoming a Top 25 research university within 10 years.

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C O N T A C T :

Beth Gladden (865-974-9008, bgladden@utk.edu)

UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek (left) presents Clay Jones (right) with the Accomplished Alumnus Award.

KNOXVILLE – University of Tennessee, Knoxville, alumnus Clay Jones and his wife, Debbie, have donated $1 million to provide funding for the university’s student leadership program.

Jones, Rockwell Collins chairman, president, and chief executive officer, visited campus last week to discuss plans for the gift, which will fund the Jones Director of Leadership Programming in the student affairs division.

“I owe a big part of my success to the leadership roles I experienced while at UT,” Jones said. “I learned how to work with others and direct a team, how to manage my time, how to lead. I hope this program will enhance UT’s student leadership opportunities to give all students the experience I had.”

Funds from the new Jones Director of Leadership Programming Endowment will be allocated annually and will help expand current programming and encourage more students to participate in leadership activities on campus.

Jones received his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, now the College of Arts and Sciences, in 1971. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Student Government Association, Air Force ROTC and Student Ambassadors, among other organizations. He also was named a university Torchbearer, the highest honor an undergraduate student can receive. He and his wife also have provided significant support to the Torchbearer Scholarship Endowment.

“Providing programming and instruction for leadership is an essential part of the growth and development of students,” said Tim Rogers, vice chancellor for student affairs. “Clay and Debbie Jones have given the university a tremendous gift that will have a significant and lasting impact on our students and campus for years to come.”

Examples of current UT programming to be expanded with this gift include:

• The Ignite Summit: A three-day leadership retreat for first-year students that shows them the social leadership opportunities across campus, while building a peer network for student success. The Jones’ gift will allow more students to attend the conference.
• Emerging Leaders Program: A class offered to those interested in student life, government and community service. It provides a base foundation of leadership skills, attitudes, theories, applications and an appreciation for diversity. The class includes an exchange trip and community service project. More class offerings will be available for this program because of the endowment.

Upon graduation from UT Knoxville, Jones served as a U.S. Air Force pilot and flew F-15 jets in the late 1970s. After he completed his service, he joined Rockwell International in 1979 and eventually led the successful spinoff of Rockwell Collins, a company specializing in communication and aviation technology. Jones was named president and chief executive officer in 2001. He has served as chairman of the board since 2002.

Jones serves as a director for Unisys Corp. and John Deere Co. He also serves on the boards for several organizations, including the Henry B. Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, the Aerospace Industry Association and United Way of East Central Iowa. He also is a member of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

During his visit to Knoxville, Jones was presented with an Accomplished Alumnus Award. The program brings noteworthy alumni back to campus to honor their accomplishments and gives them an opportunity to share their stories, talents and career experiences with students and other alumni. The program is sponsored by the UT Knoxville Office of Alumni Affairs.

Jones and his family reside in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The gift is part of the university’s $1 billion fundraising campaign, the Campaign for Tennessee. The most ambitious effort in the university’s history, the campaign places UT among the ranks of the nation’s largest public and private institutions that have sought this level of private support.

The campaign secures private gifts through contributions, pledges and planned giving to advance the university’s strategic goals that include improving student access and success, research and economic development, outreach and globalization. More than 98 percent of all gifts are designated for a specific purpose or program, such as scholarships or endowed professorships, and help provide the vital resources to advance key initiatives.

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C O N T A C T :

Beth Gladden (865-974-9008, bgladden@utk.edu)