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Campus Kicks Off $1.1 Billion Campaign

Strong Hall, framed by orange and white ribbons and balloons

UT Knoxville launched its $1.1 billion Join the Journey campaign with a kickoff celebration on Sept. 22.

The university raised more than $814 million during the campaign’s silent phase, which began in January 2012. More than 82,000 individual and corporate donors have given to the campaign, and more than half of all gifts have been $100 or less.

Co-chaired by alumni John and Ann Tickle, the campaign focuses on undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, faculty support, athletics and strategic unit priorities centered on each of the colleges’ large initiatives.

Among the notable campaign achievements to date are gifts that have resulted in the university’s first two named colleges, the Haslam College of Business and the Tickle College of Engineering.


Investiture Ceremony Held for Davenport

Chancellor Beverly Davenport speaks during her investiture.

UT Knoxville formally welcomed Chancellor Beverly Davenport to campus with an investiture ceremony on Oct. 13.

During the traditional academic ceremony, Davenport spoke about the Volunteer spirit of inclusiveness, the importance of the university’s partnerships with the community and other institutions of higher learning, and East Tennessee being a hub of innovation.

Twenty-three universities either sent representatives or designated alumni serving on the UT faculty to participate in the ceremony. The UT Singers and UT Chamber Singers concluded the ceremony with a stirring rendition of one of Davenport’s favorite songs, “Rise Up,” a rhythm-and-blues song.

Davenport, who took office in February, is UT Knoxville’s eighth chancellor.


Temple Grandin Delivers Lecture

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin, an advocate for people with autism and whose life story was the subject of an Emmy Award-winning HBO full-length film, delivered the third annual Ken and Blaire Mossman Distinguished Lecture to a packed house in October.

Grandin, one of the world’s most accomplished and best-known adults with autism, is an inventor and renowned animal behavior expert. She spoke about how people with different kinds of minds—from visual thinkers like artists and pattern thinkers like mathematicians to wordsmiths—can work together to accomplish impactful things.

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