On Friday, Feb. 7, students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars program spent their afternoon at the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley, helping to paint and clean the shelter’s facilities — and socialize its puppies and kittens.
The event was part of the university’s annual MLK Jr. Days of Service, which celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. across two weeks of community service. UT’s Clay and Debbie Jones Center for Leadership and Service partnered with 18 local nonprofits, including the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley, the YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, Second Harvest and Ladies of Charity, for this year’s event, held Jan. 27-Feb. 7. More than 636 student, faculty and staff volunteers collectively spent more than 2,000 hours picking up trash and debris, packaging meals, facilitating learning activities and more.
“Community service means helping others and learning about your community’s needs,” said Ella Ackmann, a sophomore social work major from Spring Hill, Tennessee, who served as the student leader for Friday’s service opportunity. “Learning how to advocate for others is really important.”
Ackmann has been involved with service opportunities through the Jones Center since the summer before her first year at UT, when she participated in the center’s Ignite program. She believes the university’s commitment to service and community outreach is making a tangible difference in the greater Knoxville area.
“UT plays such a huge role in community service events like this,” said Ackmann. “We just painted and cleaned here today, but that saves the shelter a ton of time and resources. Events like this get young people involved in service who may not have otherwise, and UT and the Jones Center do an amazing job giving back to the community.”
Danielle Peace, foster coordinator at the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley, is always excited to have UT students volunteer at the shelter. In addition to participating in MLK Jr. Days of Service, the organization regularly lists volunteer events on ServeUTK, the university’s community engagement platform, to encourage students to get involved.
“We love UT here,” said Peace. “When students move away from home, they’re away from their pets, too. Animals are so important to our lives, so it’s a natural partnership to work with students in this way.”
Service events like MLK Jr. Days of Service allow the Jones Center to engage students in transformational learning experiences and inspire a commitment to socially responsible leadership and service. This past fall, 908 service opportunities were logged through ServeUTK, and 7,586 students engaged in service opportunities.
“This year marked 24 years of planning our annual MLK Days of Service, with 2025 being the biggest event yet,” said Natalie Frankel, assistant director of community engagement for the Jones Center. “Connecting students, faculty and staff to the Knoxville and East Tennessee area helps them learn more about where they live and inspires them to be active members in their community. Through collaborative partnerships with our nonprofits, we hope that volunteers are inspired to build stronger and more mutually beneficial relationships with their communities and recognize their shared responsibility to the betterment of our society.”
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Palmer (865-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)