From the Tickle College of Engineering to the supply chain management program to the athletic department and to game days in Neyland Stadium, Trevor Williams says there is nothing like the University of Tennessee.

Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 2008. He later received his master’s degree in business administration from the Haslam College of Business in 2010.

Currently, Williams is the director of supply chain operations at Grady Health System, one of the largest public hospital-based health systems in the nation. Grady holds a historic dedication to providing the best personalized care to every one of their patients, including those most underserved and vulnerable in Atlanta.

“I was highly involved in leadership with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) during my tenure at UT, as well as various other student organizations. This allowed me to gain communication and leadership skills at an early age,” Williams said. “I acquired an analytic and problem-solving mentality while attaining my engineering degree. I learned business, marketing, financial, and supply chain principles that I use every day in my professional life. It is the combination of all these experiences that has allowed me to progress in my career thus far.”

Not only was Williams active with NSBE, but he was also involved with the Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP). After hearing his brother’s stories and experiences with MEP, Williams decided to follow in his footsteps and join the program. Some of Williams’ most valuable takeaways from MEP consist of scholarship opportunities, fully funded undergraduate research opportunities, and giving back through being a tutor to students.

“MEP significantly impacted my life. It gave me the tools, resources, and confidence I needed to complete my undergraduate degree. It also allowed me to meet lifelong friends and associates I still interact with today,” said Williams. “I would highly encourage students to get involved. Take advantage of all that MEP has to offer. The connections that you make with your peers, staff, and faculty today will serve you well in the future.”

During his time at UT, Williams credits various individuals for helping him throughout his college career. One of them was James T. Pippin, the director of Engineering Diversity Programs and the chapter advisor for NSBE at the time.

“The success I experienced in college and professionally, I owe a great deal to him for his leadership and mentorship to me. We keep in contact to this day,” said Williams.

Others who supported Williams include Russ Coughenour, former director of Career Services, and Chancellor Donde Plowman, who was his MBA professor for Managing Complex Organization. Both Coughenour and Plowman helped Williams with his professional development. Coughenour also assisted him with landing internships and his first full-time job.

Future goals of Williams involve continuously improving in his profession, adding value, bettering processes, and increasing efficiency in his organization. He hopes to maintain a high level of leadership to the team he serves and looks forward to future career opportunities.

As always, “Go Vols!” he said

Contact

Lilly Tran (tce@utk.edu)