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UT’s Undergraduate Research & Fellowships announced two undergraduate Volunteers have been named finalists for the Truman Scholarship. Summit Wright and Grace Hardin were two of 193 finalists chosen from 709 applications from 285 schools.

Headshot of Summitt Wright Summitt Wright, a junior majoring in agricultural economics and supply chain management, will interview with the Truman Foundation March 18 for the opportunity to receive the scholarship. Summitt spent many of her formative years in California, but her heart belongs to the place she considers home: Arkansas. Summitt currently researches the Farm Bill with UT faculty member, Associate Professor Aaron Smith, while balancing a strong commitment to leadership and service on and off campus. She is especially concerned with providing opportunities for youth in rural America.

Universities nominate students for the Truman Scholarship based on their records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement. The scholarship offers $30,000 toward a public service focused graduate degree program, leadership development, a network of fellow public servants dedicated to influencing change, and much more.

Summitt hopes to ultimately pursue a law degree and a career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She has built her path to law school and long-term public service by interning with Senators Tom Cotton (AR) and Marsha Blackburn (TN) as well as the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. She demonstrates her leadership through multiple on-campus organizations, including her work with the National Agricultural Marketing Association and Food and Agricultural Business Club. Her two study abroad trips—where she examined viticulture in Italy and agro-industrial value chains in Argentina—gave her global perspectives she looks forward to bringing back to her home state as she focuses on building workforce development pathways for high school students in rural areas.

Summitt said she “learned the importance of advocacy and public service,” as she developed her application. “To me, being a Truman finalist means having a servant leader mindset and working towards a greater good.”

Grace Hardin, a junior in the College Scholars Program, believes in the power of community. Originally from Nashville, her family was impacted significantly both by the economic downturn of 2008 and the opioid epidemic. Her experiences motivated her to establish and lead a mental health organization at her high school in her junior year, not long before COVID struck. She credits the organization—which allowed students to talk about depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and recovery—with helping her take control of her own journey. That journey has now led her to the Truman Scholarship, which she learned about through a presentation in her College Scholars seminar.

Todd Freeburg, professor of psychology and director of the College Scholars Program, notes that Grace’s individualized major is “a perfect example” of College Scholars’ “interdisciplinary approach.” By combining coursework in psychology, sociology, social work, public health, policy, and child and family studies, Grace has designed a path of study to examine child welfare in the United States, including how society is impacted both by policies that support, and fail to support, children and families. She has built on this work—and built both her UT and Knoxville community—through her time with the Volunteer Impact Academy, Rocky Top Recovery, Hope Central, and the Baker Scholars Program.

She will also interview with the Truman Foundation on March 18 for her chance at the competitive award. “Being selected as a Truman Finalist,” Grace said, “has not only given me motivation but validation in my course of study and my post-collegiate goals. I feel so grateful for all of the experiences that have led me to this point and those who have helped make this opportunity possible.”

Students interested in the Truman Scholarship, or other national/international awards, should contact Undergraduate Research & Fellowships at urf@utk.edu or 865-974-8560.


UT’s Center for Career Development & Academic Exploration is preparing for one of the most exciting times on Rocky Top – job fair season!

This spring the center is hosting multiple job and internship fairs bringing in top-rated employers from across the country and collaborating on major-specific fairs being offered by colleges and programs on campus.

This semester’s largest fairs are the Spring Job Fair:

  • Day 1: Business and Government on February 20
  • Day 2: Engineering and Tech on February 21

Both events are from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. in the Student Union Pilot Company Ballroom.

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We want to show all of our students they are math people.” – Jack Ryan, math lecturer 

With a steadfast commitment to enhance scholar well-being both inside and outside the classroom, the Division of Student Success (DSS) has awarded a grant to the Department of Mathematics.

The grant allows for a redesign of the Math 119-123-125 series: college algebra, finite math, and basic calculus. Angela Gentry, Math 119 course coordinator and senior lecturer, will lead the two-year initiative.  

“This grant underscores our commitment to fostering an environment where every student can thrive academically and personally,” says Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. “This investment reinforces our dedication to innovative programs that empower students on their educational journey and contribute to their overall success.” 

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The University of Tennessee and Undergraduate Research & Fellowships announces three students were named finalists for prestigious awards to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. Rachel Stewart was a finalist for both the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships, Diba Seddighi a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship, and Jacob Alrock a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. 

Rachel Stewart, a 2022 Haslam Leadership Scholar and 2022 Truman Scholar, is an environmental sociology major and minoring in nuclear decommissioning and environmental management. On campus, she has served as president of Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK) and interned with the Office of Sustainability. In the spring of 2021, she was recognized with the Student Environmental Leadership Award, and her organization, the UT Compost Coalition, received the award for outstanding student organization. After graduation, Rachel plans on pursuing a master’s degree in health physics with a nuclear nonproliferation concentration. She hopes to work with the US Department of Energy as a health physicist, prioritizing community-engaged research and partnerships to help ensure that Indigenous and other marginalized communities benefit from scientific advances in radioactive waste management and nuclear weapons nonproliferation.  

Diba Seddighi, a 2022 grad, self-designed her degree, Global Health Equity, which examines issues of global health equity especially as they pertain to immigrant population, and minored in Spanish. A College Scholar, Diba is currently an NIH Post-Baccalaureate Fellow investigating sickle cell disease and equitable gene therapy. While a volunteer at Youth Hope, she developed strategies to address opioid use disorder in Knoxville. She also volunteered at Remote Area Medical, Centro Hispano, Bridge Refugee Services, and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. Diba plans to pursue a master’s degree in Global Public Health and then a medical degree. She hopes to work as a physician in a low-resource setting, delivering accessible care through a career with the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.  

Jacob AlrockJacob Alrock, majoring in voice and minoring in German studies, is a Haslam Leadership Scholar, president of VolOpera, and board member of Knoxville Opera. Jacob’s work demonstrates a commitment to social justice and the inclusion of LGBTQ+ communities in the world of opera and performing arts, as audience members, theatergoers, and performers. A firm believer in “opera anywhere,” Jacob recently wrote and directed “Mavra: A Queer Opera” at the South Press Coffee House in partnership with UT’s Pride Center. Jacob plans to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance and then a career in opera direction, administration, and performance in order to promote accessible opera. 

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The Division of Student Success and Vice Provost Amber Williams kicked off the third annual Leadership Management Institute (LMI) this fall with 17 leaders from across Student Success and advising participating. The LMI cohort meets on the second Monday of each month to hear from executive leaders of Student Success and learn more about leadership, CliftonStrengths, and professional development skills.  

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Emilie Wise with Kyle Ross, executive director of NACADA, and Teri Farr, president of NACADA.

Two University of Tennessee academic advisors won awards during NACADA’s 2023 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida October 4-7. Emilie Wise, coordinator for academic advising in the College of Arts & Sciences, was a winner of the NACADA Outstanding Advising Award in the primary advising category, and Lisa Byrd, associate director of advising for the Tickle College of Engineering, won the Outstanding Advising Award in the administrator category. 

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First-Year Student Carter Davis

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In an effort to foster personal and academic development, the First-Year Programs (FYP) department within the Division of Student Success (DSS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville continues to embark on a unique initiative that involves close to 6,000 students completing a Clifton Strengths assessment prior to the commencement of classes.  

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, hosted its inaugural Thrive Summit on Wednesday, November 15 to an audience of faculty and staff, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Arthur Brooks, and co-hosted by the Division of Student Success and The Baker School of Public Policy & Public Affairs. 

Provost John Zomchick provided opening remarks to kick off the Thrive Summit, stating, “As a university, we have a responsibility to promote well-being among our students and among each other. Today’s wonderful program shows we take this responsibility seriously.” 

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Renowned speaker and author Arthur Brooks recently engaged with a captivated audience of First-Year students on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, sharing insightful perspectives on happiness, leadership, and personal fulfillment.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Division of Student Success and the Office of the Provost welcomes New York Times best-selling author and Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks to headline the UT Thrive Summit on Wednesday, November 15, as the event’s keynote speaker.

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