Communities

Black Alumni Council

The UT Black Alumni Council serves as a leadership team and partner to the Office of Alumni Relations. The council’s purpose is to foster a closer relationship among alumni, the community, and the university, utilizing these fundamental values: traditions, collaboration, integrity, and innovation. All UT Knoxville alumni are eligible to serve on the Black Alumni Council.

History of the Black Alumni Council

A group of black alumni smile for a photo

Activities

Create and support opportunities for professional and personal development through mentorship, programs, social and networking events, and service projects

Support fundraising initiatives

Join Our Council

The Black Alumni Council is seeking new members to join our council! Members are selected annually in the spring.

The council is comprised of alumni who serve a two-year term. Members are expected to make an annual gift of any size to UT, attend annual meetings, and participate in annual campus programs.

If you have any questions about the council, please contact Phyllis Moore, senior director of alumni relations, at phyllismoore@utk.edu.

Simphany Gillard (‘22), President
William Arnold (’95, ’96)
Kara Avent (’96, ’04)
Jeff Coleman (‘99)
Verlinda Darden (’08)
Charles DeSarzant (‘07)
Simeon Glover (‘20)
Christopher Jones (‘08)
Janne McKamey (‘88)
Carmen Moreno-Rivera (‘03)
Jerrell Nelson (‘18)
Jade Newton (‘06)
Damien Pitts (’11)
Tiaera Pritchett (‘06)
Princess Rogers (‘09)
Tomi Rogers (’02, ’07)
Javiette Samuel (’96, ’99, ’02)
Marguerite Simmons (’76)
Cordia Starling (’79)

Simphany Reneé Gillard (’22, ’24) is a two-time graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation and sports management and a master’s degree in higher education administration.

During her time at UT, Gillard was deeply engaged in advancing student success, equity, and belonging through her involvement with the Office of Multicultural Student Life, the Multicultural Mentoring Program, and the Black Cultural Programming Committee student organization. Her passion for mentorship and community building continues to guide her work today.

Gillard currently serves as the Division of Access and Engagement’s coordinator of strategic initiatives. She aims to create supportive spaces for students, faculty, and staff by fostering connections across campus and the Knoxville community.

Her commitment to cultivating meaningful connections between students and alumni, and to strengthening the Volunteer experience, motivated her to continue her volunteer leadership journey as president of the Black Alumni Council.

Black Alumni Scholarship Endowment

The Black Alumni Scholarship Endowment Fund provides tuition assistance for undergraduate students. The scholarship is a four-year award, with recipients selected annually. Your generosity allows us to advance the next generation of Vol leaders at our beloved alma mater.

Support the Black Alumni Scholarship Endowment

History

The Black Alumni organization was created September 1, 1984, as a sub-organizational group of the UT National Alumni Association.

The purpose of the organization was to encourage black alumni involvement in university affairs by:

Participating in Alumni Association programs and activities
Developing programs of interest to black alumni, faculty, staff and students
Encouraging awareness of black alumni, faculty, staff and student concerns
Recruiting minority students
Promoting greater financial participation by black alumni

All black graduates and former students of the university were automatically members of the associates.

On November 1, 1985, the Black Alumni, led by Harold Archibald, established the Black Alumni Associates Endowment and Scholarship Fund. The fund was created to provide scholarships for deserving black students on the Knoxville campus. The fund exemplified the type of commitment maintained throughout the Associates structure.

A thirty-five member board of directors represented the organization.