Welcome to the Volunteer family! We are so glad you have chosen to join us. A university can feel like a very big place, so we want to help you connect with others right away. It’s through human connections that we are each reminded that we matter and belong. In that spirit of human connection, we encourage you to reach out to one or more of the groups or opportunities below to link in to other Vols today!
You’re Never Alone on Rocky Top
At UTK, different people unite around shared purpose – projects, initiatives, or community building, for example. Yet we also want spaces where we can be with those with whom we share things in common. Many of the groups below serve both purposes. Check them out!
Commission for Women
Commission for Blacks
Commission for LGBT
Commission for Disability
Exempt Staff Council
Council for Diversity & Inclusion
Veterans Success Center
Stop Bias
Sounding Boards
Attend Events
Another great way to form connections is through attending events in our university community. Examples include Mic/Nite, a social event hosted by the Office of the Provost every semester featuring short, engaging presentations given in a Pecha-Kucha format by faculty from every college, as well as the weekly UT Science Forum, which provides an opportunity to learn about the latest cutting-edge research at UT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and other local institutions. Many campus organizations, such as the Council for Diversity and Inclusion, also host regular meetings and special events.
Click here to See a full list of campus events. To see a list of diversity-related campus events use the sort feature.
Join Organizations & Advisory Groups
Each year, faculty and staff serve on committees that advise on important campus issues.
Committee on the Campus Environment
Employee Relations Advisory Committees
Sustainability
Safety
Technology Advisory Board
Traffic and Parking Authority Committee
University Calendar Committee
University Space and Renovations Committee
Through Human Resources, you can also get involved with the Employee Relations Advisory Organization, which provides a direct channel of communication between regular, staff non-exempt employees, and university officials for information and advisory purposes. It’s a great way to get involved and learn more about the university!
Explore Campus
From culture to wellness, UTK offers something of interest for just about every Volunteer.
Faculty and staff receive special membership rates at RecSports, which provides a wide variety of programs and facilities for almost any sport or fitness interest.
They can also take advantage of discounted tickets at Clarence Brown Theatre, UT’s resident professional theatre for undergraduates and graduate students, and enjoy free admission to the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture.
The UT Gardens, one of the official state botanical gardens of Tennessee, is also free to visit. The garden offers a variety of tours, lectures, workshops, and special events throughout the year.
For more information about staff discounts, see our employee discounts page.
Give Back
We are Volunteers, and Volunteers give back and are involved in their communities. The Carnegie Foundation recognizes UT as a community-engaged institution, making us one of only 52 universities that the foundation designated as “Community Engaged” with “Very High Research Activity.” Learn more about how UTK integrates community engagement with its land-grant mission of research, teaching, and outreach on the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach website. There you’ll learn more about how we touch every county in the state and how you can get involved and truly make a difference!
Interested in finding ways you can get involved in leadership and service offerings on campus and in the community? Visit the Center for Leadership and Service website to view a list of faculty and staff resources.
If there is something you would like to find or get more involved with and you just can’t find it, please e-mail Mary Lucal at mlucal@utk.edu. I will be sure to get you connected because you truly matter to me!