When Kristina Brown moved into her UT residence hall earlier this week, it wasn’t the first time she had stepped foot on campus.
The freshman has been cheering on the Volunteers at UT football games for the majority of her life, which ultimately led to her decision to pursue her degree here.
Brown’s attendance at football games as a child was largely in part to the role her father, Abe Brown, then held as director of the Parents Association. Kristina and her younger brother, Abram (known as IV), started attending Family Weekend tailgates at a young age, but this year’s tailgate will be Kristina’s first Family Weekend as a student.
Kristina’s mom, Luella Brown, reminisces about when Kristina and IV were little kids and would run around the Parents Association tailgate on Family Weekend, chatting with families in attendance.
“The campus environment made me want to come to UT,” said Kristina. “I remember how nice everyone was to students and to me.”
One might say Kristina’s blood runs orange—which made her decision to attend UT a no-brainer. In addition to her dad’s former role with the Parents Association, her mom, Luella, is no stranger to Big Orange Country. She received both her master’s degree in education and her EdS from UT. The Volunteer connection continues back through another generation, as Kristina’s grandmother also received a master’s degree in education at UT.
Kristina is majoring in chemical engineering and will live in the College of Engineering Living and Learning Community, RISER. She looks forward to spending more football games with her family—this year as a student.
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CONTACT:
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)