R. Joshua Dobbs recently wrapped up his term as president of the Alumni Board of Directors, passing the torch to Lisa Reed (’86) after a successful year of involvement on campus.
During his tenure, Dobbs championed scholarship giving among Alumni Board of Directors members, investments in scholarships for first-generation students, UT’s Big Orange Give annual day of giving, and much more.
Dobbs’ goal for the board was to raise an ambitious $70,000 in funds to match scholarship donations—an increase from the previous year—and under his leadership the board exceeded that target.
Currently an NFL quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, Dobbs lent his star power to strengthen the UT Knoxville brand and inspire alumni engagement, philanthropy, and student involvement.
“It was an absolute honor to serve as the president of the Alumni Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 year,” Dobbs said. “From joining the board just a year after graduating to becoming president, I have enjoyed staying involved and invested in our university. Throughout my time as student on campus and now as a Vol for Life, I have always taken pride in representing our University the right way, actively engaging the current students on campus, and showing future Vols around the world how special Rocky Top is. During my term as president, we were able to continue to grow Big Orange Give and its impact across campus, invest in our first generation students through the UT LEAD Program, and begin to bridge the gap between our graduates of UT Athletics and the Alumni Office to ensure that all of our Vols for Life have access to the Volunteer Network while they are on campus and once they enter life after college.
“I am thankful to the staff at the Alumni Office (Duane Wiles, Jenna Dulling, Leslie Valentine, Gina Martin, Eric Haag, Lauren Herbstritt) and each member of the Alumni Board of Directors for their time and dedication to our university and helping make my vision come to life over the past year,” Dobbs continued. “I cannot wait to see the exciting plans that President Lisa Reed has for the upcoming year and, as always, I cannot wait to be back on campus! Go Vols!”
Established in 2009 the Alumni Board of Directors includes Vols from many walks of life and reflects the university’s alumni population. Its vision is to be a key leader in the university’s mission by fostering a strong culture of lifelong engagement and philanthropy.
