Galyon’s Story Draws Coverage from Local, National Media
Troy Galyon’s post-graduation plan to travel the 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail garnered media interest from local and national media outlets.
Astronaut Schmitt Receives Honorary Degree, Exhorts Grads to Lead the Way
Harrison H. “Jack” Schmitt was part of the last manned mission to the moon. Today, he shared lessons learned from that December 1972 mission with graduates of UT’s College of Arts and Sciences. During the Apollo 17 mission, the rocket that was to return home needed electrical signals to ignite. Schmitt and his fellow astronauts
Photo Gallery: Spring Commencement 2017
More than 4,000 students, including 3,038 undergraduates, 805 graduate, 96 law, and 82 veterinary medicine students, participated in commencement ceremonies this semester. The university awarded honorary degrees to Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt; Tennessee’s 48th governor, Phil Bredesen; and HGTV founder Ken Lowe. To read messages and view photos from UT students, their families, and well-wishers on
Governor Phil Bredesen Earns Honorary Doctorate; Asks Graduates to Share Their Good Fortune
Phil Bredesen—Tennessee’s 48th governor—received an honorary degree from UT Knoxville at the graduate hooding ceremony Thursday evening.
73-year-old Graduate, ‘Bored with Retirement,’ Embarks on Law Career
Tom Winston is not your typical UT grad. The 73-year-old has been the associate dean of the medical school and the director of the hospital and clinics at the University of California–Davis, and he’s served as CEO of several health care organizations. “I decided to go to law school because I was bored with retirement,”
HGTV Founder Receives Honorary Degree, Tells Grads to Listen, Learn, Love
Ken Lowe, CEO of Scripps Networks Interactive and creator of HGTV, told UT graduates that he built his career by combining things he loved—home remodeling, television, and electronic media.
Photo Gallery: Students Pass Torch at Aloha Oe Ceremony
On Wednesday, May 10, nearly 500 soon-to-be graduates and 150 of their parents and friends gathered on the lawn of Ayres Hall for the annual Aloha Oe ceremony.
Father’s Illness Pushes Grad to Research Diet, Cancer Connection
Amber MacDonald grew up playing sports and thought she wanted to be a personal trainer. But her father’s terminal cancer diagnosis when she was 15 changed the course of her life forever. This week, she’s receiving her master’s degree in cellular molecular nutrition, earned in UT’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. MacDonald has
17-year-old Animal Science Graduate is One of Youngest in UT History
Kristina Kravchenko is one of the two top graduates of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at UT—but that’s not even her most amazing feat. A Knoxville native, Kravchenko is graduating with her bachelor’s degree at 17 years old. Records indicate she’s one of the youngest UT graduates ever.
By the Numbers: Four Years, Two Babies, One Degree for 29-Year-Old Grad
For 29-year-old Lauren Worley, the past four years have been a balancing act. She’s gotten married, had two babies, and completed her bachelor’s degree. Worley graduates this week from the College of Social Work.
Payton Miller Takes Final Bow as UT’s Unofficial Rock Painter
On a whim during her sophomore year, Payton Miller painted the Rock. Approximately 1,050 cans of spray paint, 300 hours of work, and 30 paintings later, the senior took her final bow as the unofficial painter of the Rock.
Poetic Justice: Graduating Veteran Finds Satisfaction, Solace in Writing Verse
As a poet and military veteran, MFA candidate Jeb Herrin has found success—and solace—drawing on his five years as a medic with the third infantry division during Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. Herrin, who will participate in the graduate hooding ceremony on Thursday, has won awards for his poetry and had his work published