The UT Knoxville Alumni Board of Director’s Alumni Awards Program began in 2008. Since then the program has expanded to include four categories, Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna, Alumni Professional Achievement, Alumni Service, and Alumni Promise. The Alumni Board of Directors’ awards selection committee is responsible for the review and selection of the alumni awards each year.
Learn more about the UTAA Alumni Awards.
Dedicated to the spirit of the Volunteer, the Distinguished Alumnus/a award is the single highest alumni award given and is reserved for alumni who have excelled at the national or international level.
Read more about the Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award.
2019
Scott Kelly (MS Aviation Systems 1996)
2018
General J. Mike Holmes (BS Electrical Engineering 1981)
2017
Michael C. Crabtree (BS Electrical Engineering 1973, MS Electrical Engineering 1975)
2014
Terry Douglass (BS Electrical Engineering 1965, MS Electrical Engineering 1966, PhD Electrical Engineering 1968)
Kim Greene (BS Engineering Science & Mechanics 1988)
2012
Mark Dean (BS Electrical Engineering 1979)
Ann (BS Elementary Education 1965) and John Tickle, Sr. (BS Industrial Engineering 1965)
2011
Joseph C. Cook, Jr. (BS Industrial Engineering 1965)
2008
Chad Holliday (BS Industrial Engineering 1970)
The Alumni Professional Achievement Award recognizes alumni who have achieved a high level of success in their chosen field of endeavor.
You can read more about the Alumni Professional Achievement award.
2017
Barbie S. Bigelow (MS Computer Science 1985)
2016
Mitch Patel (BS Civil Engineering 1991, MS Civil Engineering 1993)
2015
Nathan Sam Dougherty, Jr. (BS Mechanical Engineering 1962, MS Aerospace Engineering 1970)
Jim Flood (BS Civil Engineering 1980)
Dwight Hutchins (BS Chemical Engineering 1986)
2014
Harold Conner (BS Chemical Engineering 1968, MS Chemical Engineering 1978)
2013
Kathy Caldwell (BS Civil Engineering 1985)
2012
Hashem Hashemian (MS Nuclear Engineering 1977)
2011
Ralph Heath (BS Electrical Engineering 1970, MBA Business Administration 1975)
The Alumni Service Award recognizes exceptional service or long term continuing service or leadership to The University of Tennessee.
Read more about the Alumni Service Award.
2019
Cavanaugh Mims (BS Nuclear Engineering 1986
2018
Thomas Edwards (BS Mechanical Engineering 1972)
Ralph Heath (BS Electrical Engineering 1970, MBA 1975)
Rick Kuhlman (BS Industrial Engineering 1973)
2016
Edwin A. McDougle (BS Civil Engineering 1969, MS Civil Engineering 1975)
2015
Howard E. Chambers (BS Mechanical Engineering 1964)
2013
W. Dwight Kessel (BS Industrial Engineering 1950)
2012
Charles Wharton (BS Industrial Engineering 1965)
The Alumni Promise Award recognizes alumni no older than 40 who have demonstrated distinctive achievement in their career, civic involvement or both.
Read more about the Alumni Promise award and recent winners.
2019
Syreeta Vaughn (MS Geology 2005, MS Industrial Engineering 2013)
2016
Joel B. Seligstein (BS Computer Science 2006)
2012
Stefan Duma (BS Mechanical Engineering 1995)
Kristin Qualls (BS Civil Engineering 2003)
2011
W. David Merryman (BS Engineering Science 2001, MS Engineering Science 2002)
Amy A. Millslagle (BS Chemical Engineering 2000)
2009
Stephen Kennedy (BS Chemical Engineering 1997)
The Accomplished Alumni program is designed to attract alumni of note to campus to share their success stories. Alumni who are honored through this program spend time on campus teaching students, sharing dialogue with faculty and engaging with other alumni and friends of the university.
Read more about recent Accomplished Alumni honorees.
2020
Oscar Lee Martin Jr. (MS Chemical Engineering 1996)
2019
Bob Luther (BS Electrical Engineering 1963)
2018
Mary Lee (BS Computer Science 1988)
2015
Mitch Patel (BS Civil Engineering 1991, MS Civil Engineering 1993)
Barry Wilmore (MS Aviation Systems 1994)
2013
Pete Hoffman (BS Mechanical Engineering Technology 1982, MS Mechanical Engineering 1984)
Ken Huntsman (MS Computer Science 1977)
2012
Jorge Sotolongo (BS Industrial Engineering 1988)
2011
Stefan Duma (BS Mechanical Engineering 1995)
Carol (MS Planning 1979) and Jim Tevepaugh (MS Mechanical Engineering 1979)
2010
Shirley Pih Broadbery (BS Accounting 1979)
2009
Alan Gottlieb (BS Nuclear Engineering 1971)
Colonel Hank Hartsfield, Jr. (MS Engineering Science 1971)
Jerry Johnson (BS Chemical Engineering 1994)
John Stevens, Jr. (BS Mechanical Engineering 1986)