A kindhearted, visionary leader—ASC Director Doug Renalds celebrates retirement after 17 years on Rocky Top

Doug Renalds will tell anyone Context is one of his top CliftonStrengths—so context is necessary to celebrate him. A Virginia native, he attended Carson-Newman University and Duke Divinity School for his degrees in theology and religion, then returned to CNU in admissions work, service learning, and FYE directorship. Renalds joined UT as an Assistant Director of the (then) Student Success Center in 2007 and watched the center through tremendous change. He now leaves the Division of Student Success as the Academic Success Center (ASC) Director, a position he’s held for the past six years.  

As Renalds reflected on the evolution of his career, he likened the progression to favorite snacks from his childhood. The phrase, “the more things change, the more things stay the same,” comes to mind. And much like his love for Martin’s barbeque chips, his passion for teamwork and service remained central themes throughout his professional journey. 

“Guiding teams that are accomplishing something positive is what gets my juices flowing,” he says, which is the opposite of what he says about black licorice.  

As the ASC director, Renalds promoted several initiatives that represent how the center frames student success. The ASC is the call point for students looking for assistance—whether that be through advising and coaching or hosting student success workshops to supporting first-gen communities.

Academic alerts and Vol Success Teams are two of Renalds’ points of pride from his tenure. He believes these two projects influenced how the ASC developed systems for helping students before they need it.

Academic coaches, advisors, and counselors assist undergraduates through their college career by giving students the tools they need to succeed—and that is where the real difference is made. He says the Vol Study Center is paramount because of its internal support for students seeking academic help.

The study center went from being a smaller part of the ASC to a large organization that mobilizes ASC values. Here, students know they can come for help and be met with full support; here, his mission to spread a tone of positivity trickles into ASC functions.  

Renalds is an orchestrator at heart. He compares his calming activities—writing and Sudoku puzzles—to his leadership style. The balance between logical rhythm and wide-open expression is crucial for him, much like how his ASC leadership team directs him towards attainable action. While Renalds is considered a visionary by all those around him, he says the details are best delegated to the team. 

“The ‘how’ just doesn’t interest me except in terms of the tone I want. I want the ‘how’ to be that everybody’s heard. Everybody’s treated fairly. Everybody walks away feeling like ‘Glad I came to work today.”  

Renalds cites the ASC’s success to the strengths-based approach inaugurated with Vice Provost Amber Williams’ leadership. The CliftonStrengths implementation throughout DSS initiatives teaches students how to appreciate their unique talents instead of adhering to the typical formula of professional success.

His team takes this to heart when they conduct outreach to first-year and transfer students, who Renalds celebrates as opportunities to make a real change. Through the use of the DSS’ case management model, Renalds saw an increase in how undergraduates utilized the ASC.

This was paired with an effort to reach out to all undergraduates, not just those who were struggling, that mirrored the effects of the ASC revitalization. 

“I’m really proud of what we’ve done here,” he smiles.  

Renalds says the people who work in the ASC want to help students because they believe in the process. Making sure people have the space to share their ideas is absolutely critical in his opinion, as is balancing doing what you love and doing what you’re good at.   

“Let’s be good to our students and good to each other,” he says. “It’s a team at the end of the day,” is the ethos of the ASC.  

This same attitude is what he advises current Vols, future students, and young professionals to remember in their endeavors. He hopes they maximize their talents and their opportunities—but this is not exclusive to advancing an education or a career. This includes everything one aspires to learn and to become.

Renalds recounts how his interests and strengths led him to pursue higher education, and he feels students and professionals’ qualities should drive them.  

“Be wakeful and aware of the landscape of your career and concentrate on your strengths and interests,” he says. “Let that move your career decisions.”  

The final token he offers is a reminder of the great blue sky above and that possibilities are endless. 

“I wish that all humans could take a longer view that has more perspective because whatever we’re going through at the moment, we think it’s everything. But life can be long, and there are advantages to that.” 

What’s next for Renalds? Renalds looks forward to having more time to write, explore his creativity, and get a laugh or two. He enjoys writing humor and stories, but he should not be kept in a box—he says he could write anything under the sun. He’s also sure to be found travelling through the Blue Ridge Mountains, stopping to look for eccentric gas station finds along the way. Whatever he does, he’s going to have a good time!  

The Division of Student Success thanks Renalds for his many years of service, dedication to student success, and for the positive impact he’s made on all those around him. We wish him well on his well-deserved retirement and are excited to see what the future holds for him!