SENATE LAWYER BECOMES UNPAID SMOKIES MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST! I fully expected to see this newspaper headline. Most of the things I worked on made national news. But maybe not this time.
If you could look at mountains and seashores and think I saved that, wouldn’t you nearly pop with pride? Paul Pritchard (Knoxville ’71) can say that. He has helped preserve nature’s best for future generations.
Every Saturday in the fall, UT alumni and fans see Phillip Fulmer on the sidelines coaching the Vols, but most never see the other side of Fulmer. For 8 years, the Tennessee coach has dedicated time and effort to curbing teen suicide, working with the Jason Foundation of Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Appreciation for the arts and cutting-edge surgery skills seem worlds apart. But Dr. David LaVelle (Martin ’75, Health Science Center ’79) easily connects the dots. Once a cast member on the stage of UT Martin’s Vanguard Theatre, this talented orthopedic surgeon is equally comfortable discussing plays or describing an innovative surgical hip-repair procedure he performs at Campbell Clinic in Memphis.
Humble beginnings can often inspire -remarkable accomplishments. A fire in the belly, the thrill of competition, and even enjoying the role of underdog can help level the playing field for all who play the game of life. Larry Pratt can relate.
Blair Pancake (Knoxville ’05) won the Miss Tennessee title, UT Chattanooga alumnus Leslie Jordan won an Emmy, and we catch up with two Katrina evacuees who were featured in the Summer 2006 issue—that and more in this installment of UTopics.
