UTAA Network Program Brings All UT Grads Together

Partnership for Families Volunteers at the crisis center donation room

The UT Alumni Association Network’s program brings together alumni from all UT campuses through programming and events throughout the state of Tennessee. Each network is supported by a group of alumni volunteers who create, plan and execute these programs annually.

The UTAA created two awards, Volunteer of the Year and Program of the Year, in 2015 to recognize individuals who are going above and beyond for UT. Each board is asked to nominate one person and program each year, and the recipients are selected by the Engagement Committee of the UTAA Board of Governors.

Network Volunteer of the Year

Sam WyrosdickSam Wyrosdick (Knoxville ’63)
Knoxville Region UT Alumni Network

Sam encouraged all board members to share new program ideas and then to volunteer to work together in committees formed to support each board event. Her greatest impact was empowering the board members to “think big” and then depend upon one another to do great things.

Network Program of the Year

Emily Forrest
Emily Forrest

Partnership for Families, Children and Adults Community Service Project
Emily Forrest (Chattanooga ’09), Chair

The Chattanooga Region UT Alumni Network teamed up with the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults to reorganize the donation room at the Partnership’s Crisis Resource Center (pictured above). Volunteers helped transform multiple donation rooms into a workable space for the residents and sorted through hundreds of donations to be either discarded or made available for resale. Attendees were able to witness firsthand the great community need that the partnership serves on a daily basis.