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Forbes has named the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, alumnus Owen Tanner-Flomberg (’20) to its 30 Under 30 Social Impact list, which honors those who leverage their business knowledge to solve social issues.

For Terrell Broady Jr., being an entrepreneur runs in the family. With a mother who runs a successful hairdressing and beauty business and a father who owns a successful funeral home, Broady knew he would go into business.  “It was kind of a no-brainer for me,” says Broady, who graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business in 2017 and received his MBA from the college just a year later.

On a crisp fall morning, George Ewart (’88) stood among six students in the Tyson Alumni Center, conversing with the next generation of architects, managers, and c-suite executives. Ewart shared his wisdom as part of the Alumni Board of Directors’ lecture series at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He serves as a board member at-large, among other involvement at UT and in the greater Knoxville area.

Mitchell Connell (’15) grew up in Nashville, so moving to Knoxville for college was a big change. But when he spotted a fellow student riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker bike down Ped Walkway, he knew he’d found his people here. Now a proud co-owner and co-founder of Two Bikes nonprofit, Connell credits much of his success to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  

“If you’re in Knoxville, and you’re wearing the color orange, we’re friends,” says Emma Poppert. “When you’re a Vol, you’re a Vol for life.”

In July, there was a little more orange than usual in London’s Westminster Abbey thanks to members of UT’s first international alumni chapter, who gathered to hear students from the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music perform in the historic venue. “I really enjoyed hearing the Chamber Singers’ beautiful voices in such a magnificent setting,” says Jeanie Costa Torchio (’95), president of the London alumni chapter. 

Butch Wilmore (’94) watched last year’s Homecoming game as a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), but for 2025 he will be on campus as grand marshal of the Homecoming parade at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Honorees’ achievements span fields such as business, health care, education, technology, athletics and even outer space — a testament to the Volunteer spirit and its impact across the globe.

Alumni join students to celebrate 100 years of Torch Night at the University of Tennessee.