This issue brings the centennial commemoration of Tennessee Alumnus magazine to a close. In it and the two 2017 issues that preceded it, the talented team that puts the magazine together has sought to bring you something of our history since 1917; a focus on the past, the present and the future of the university’s impact; and stories of 100 of the most significant alumni of the last 100 years.
These alumni profiles are of graduates from all UT campuses because, since a few years after the UT System was established under the leadership of President Andy Holt in 1968, this magazine has told the stories of the collective alumni of all entities within the UT System. Doing so is both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is in finding a topic theme for each issue that unites stories of various campuses and their alumni. The opportunity is in serving as a unique vehicle for conveying the total and diverse impact of our system statewide and beyond.
I’ve been privileged to serve as UT president since 2011, and in the grand scheme, my tenure here will represent just a few years of the soon-to-be 100-plus-year history of this magazine. Similarly, those who produce the magazine are temporary custodians in its life span. But, as the UT alumni family and all its future generations go on, Tennessee Alumnus will continue serving as a bridge connecting you, me and the university’s proud past and exciting future.
Thank you for reading.
All the best,
Joe DiPietro
Dr. Joe DiPietro has served as UT president since January 2011.
