Email your news, awards and honors to lcalvert@tennessee.edu.
Over the course of spring and early summer, the Women's Council hosted reunion luncheons and dinners across the state in key markets with the greatest concentration of former and current members. The purpose was to re-engage key alumnae volunteers and to keep everyone informed of programs and activities offered by the current council and the UT Alumni Association.
With its magnificent view of the Tennessee River, the Walnut Street Bridge, and the North Shore, the Hunter Museum of American Art was the perfect backdrop for the Chattanooga area Women's Council luncheon on April 22. Former members in attendance were Jean Cates, Nancy Collum, Kim Cross, Bettye Emerson, Marion Griscom, Lavene Guthrie, Jayne Holder, Alice Kimball, Joni McNeill Murray, Mary Nelle Moreland, Ann Morgan, Carolyn Schaerer, Ann Schimpf, Mary Ann Stewart, Betty Whaley and Ann Wheeler. Robin Derryberry, Jennifer Stanley, Barby Wilson and Jennifer Holder represented the current council members.
A torrential downpour did little to deter Knoxville area members from attending the reunion luncheon at the UT President's residence at 940 Cherokee Boulevard on May 6. Former and current members from the Knoxville area came together for a short program led by Jennifer Holder, 2008-2009 chair of the council, and a luncheon catered by Betty Melrose.
Former members in attendance were Peggy Addicks, Ti Alley of Kingsport, Marty Begalla, Carolyn Boling, Former First Lady of UT; Susan Brackney, Gail Bray, Debbie Diddle, Lynne Fain, Dianne Duncan, Betty Gill, Lavene Guthrie of Signal Mountain, Laura Harrill, Margaret Heins- Laning, Nancye Hines, Judy Johnson, Lynda Kennedy, Ellen Liston, Becky Little, Phyllis Marks, Patricia Medley, Lyn Overholt, Pamela Reeves, Ray Sherrill, Ann Skadberg, Leslie Testerman, Holly Watts, Sylvia Wright of Kingsport, and Jo Zarger. Current council members in attendance included Jennifer Holder, Women's Council 2008-2009 Chair, Melinda Connell, Kandyce Harber, and Tara Moore. Dr. and Mrs. Petersen and Lofton Stuart also attended the event.
Nashville area Women's Council members gathered on the beautiful historic grounds of Belle Meade Plantation for a reunion dinner on June 19. The dinner coincided with the Women's Council's Summer Planning meeting in Franklin, TN on Saturday, June 20. Former council members in attendance were Frances Baird, Baeteena Black, Mary Jo Doughtery, Jane Dowden, Marcia Echols, Betty Kate Jones, Cathryn Rolfe, Ginny Thigpen and Ann Thornton. New members in attendance were Anne Fleming, Mary Hammock, and Joanne Walker. Current members in attendance were Betsy Brasher, Melinda Connell, Taina Edwards, Lara Green, Kandyce Harber, Kelly Harlin, Jennifer Holder, Tara Moore, Kim Scholes, Barby Wilson, and Laura Woods.
Based on the positive feedback received during and after the events, the Women's Council plans to make the series of spring reunion luncheons an annual event.
Jennifer Holder transitioned from Chair to Past Chair at the June Summer Planning meeting. The council would like to extend a special thank you to Jennifer for her hard work and thoughtful leadership during a turning point in the council's history. She has been a guiding force in keeping the council on track and purposeful in its revised mission. Jennifer was given a shadowbox plaque from the Board of Governors, an engraved serving tray from the council, and a UT gnome from Tara Moore to commemorate her service to the UTAA and the Women's Council.
Lee Bowles, Kim Scholes and Barby Wilson completed their terms on June 20, 2009. The council would like to thank each of these members for their hard work and dedication to the Women's Council during their three years of service. We will miss you!
The Women's Council and UT Alumni Association would like to thank Robin Derryberry for her generous gift to the council. Robin's donation assisted in funding the Summer Planning Meeting in Franklin, TN on June 20, 2009.
The council would like to thank Debbie Diddle and her family for opening up their Kiawah Island summer home for the second year in a row to the Women's Council. The annual social retreat, held April 23-26, 2009, was a huge success due to Debbie's generosity and wonderful hospitality. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful South Carolina weather, the beach and the relaxing time spent at Debbie's home.
Thank you for your support of the council, Debbie!
Melinda Connell, BS ‘76 Education, UT Knoxville, has been appointed by Women's Council Chair Betsy Brasher to serve as the 2009-2010 Historian. This officer is responsible for documenting Women's Council events and programs for the council. A compilation of photos and documentation is created each year to preserve the history of the council's activities. Thank you, Melinda!
Virginia (Ginny) Thigpen, former member of the UTAA Women's Council, was recently nominated for the prestigious ATHENA award for 2009. ATHENA is part of CABLE, an international organization that honors the achievements of professional women. The ATHENA Award honors outstanding women leaders for their career successes, service to the community and encouragement of women, and their ability to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and personal lives. ATHENA has been in Nashville since 1991, through a collaborative effort of local women's organizations.
Thigpen received a dual nomination from the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus and the Tennessee Economic Council on Women. The three areas in which Thigpen has demonstrated exceptional achievement that identified her as a worthy nominee are in education, in promoting women's equality and leading by example. Women's organizations throughout Middle Tennessee nominated 23 women for this year's award. Congratulations Ginny!
This spring the UTAA Women's Council will host luncheons in major cities across the state to visit with and keep former members informed of the council's activities. The events will also provide an opportunity for past and present members to get acquainted and discuss ideas for upcoming initiatives. A dinner is planned in Nashville as the date coincides with the council's Summer Planning meeting. If you do not receive your invitation via mail at least two weeks prior to the event or would like to R.S.V. P. for the event in your area, please contact Missy Jenkins at 865-974-2501 or mjenki11@tennessee.edu. Please plan to join us for fun and fellowship!
Chattanooga Area
April 22, 2009 - Noon
The Hunter Museum of Art
Paley Terrace
10 Bluff View
Chattanooga, TN
Knoxville Area
May 6, 2009 - Noon
The UT President's Residence
940 Cherokee Boulevard
Knoxville, TN
West TN Area
May 27, 2009 - Noon
The Dixon Gallery and Gardens
The Hughes Pavilion
4339 Park Avenue
Memphis, TN
Nashville Area
June 19, 2009 – 6:30 p.m.
Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN
The Dogwood Arts Festival welcomed Sara Snow and the UTAA Women's Council at its annual House & Garden Show February 21, 2009 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Ms. Snow gave audience members simple tips to incorporate green living into their lives.
Snow, a nationally recognized green living expert, is host of two Discovery Network programs, Get Fresh with Sara Snow and Living Green. Sara is now seen regularly in the pages of magazines and newspapers, as well as on CNN.com LIVE in a segment called "Living Green with Sara Snow" and Treehugger.com with a column called "Green Eyes On." She was featured in the April 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Snow's much anticipated first book, Fresh Living, was released in March.
"Going green doesn't mean completely changing your life," said Snow. "It means baby stepping your way through small changes, for today and for generations to come."
Snow was featured on WBIR's Live at Five at Four and WUOT radio to promote the event. She was also interviewed by Knoxville Magazine and The Knoxville-News Sentinel. Photos from a dinner honoring Snow appeared in the Knoxville News-Sentinel and Knoxville Magazine.
Juniors and seniors from Cocke County High School's GEAR UP Tennessee program visited UT Knoxville for a campus tour on March 10th. The visit was coordinated by the UTAA Women's Council and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The UT Campus Visit program allows students to experience the university's learning environment, great location, friendly faces, and Volunteer Spirit. Students were given a bus/walking tour by members of the UT Ambassador Scholars and Orange Pride, two groups of currently enrolled student leaders.
In addition to the tour the students were treated to lunch at the University Center. The students spent the afternoon talking with admissions counselors regarding admissions procedures, financial aid, and the various majors offered at UT. The students left campus armed with the experience of being on a college campus and important information they will need to transition from high school to college.
Marty Begalla reports, "I continue to grow older but not so gracefully...I broke my ankle this past July zip lining. I was trying to keep up with the activity level of my niece-in-law. I think at 63 I am not going to be able to play with the children anymore!" Marty and Jim were the honorees at the Baptist Cancer Gala in March of this year. Marty has been appointed In-State Representative-at-Large for the UTAA Board of Governors.
Kim Cross has been appointed by UT Alumni Association President Ford Little to serve as Treasurer of the UT Alumni Association's Board of Governors.
Robin Derryberry and Derryberry Public Relations received the Integrated Communications Incline Award for its Historic Market Street Bridge Renovation program at the 8th annual Incline Awards competition, sponsored by the Lookout Chapter of PRSA. (Public Relations Society of America). The entry also received the award for the best of all entries in the competition. The Incline Awards program showcases excellence in public relations, communications and marketing practices by Chattanooga-area professionals. Judging of the Incline Awards is based on the merit of the individual programs and projects.
Lynne Fain is Chair of the Board of Governor's Past Presidents Council.
Jennifer Holder was appointed by UTAA President Ford Little as the 2008-2009 Women's Council Chair. She also represents the Women's Council as a member of the Board of Governors and serves as a Knox County Alumni Chapter Board Member.
Ellen Liston has been named to the Public Relations Society of America's prestigious College of Fellows. Only 455 of out more than 22,000 members (or 2% of the PRSA membership) hold this esteemed professional honor. The award, one of the profession's highest individual honors, requires the recipient to have practiced or taught PR for 20 or more years, demonstrated superior capability as a practitioner or educator, exhibited personal and professional qualities that serve as role model, and advanced the state of the profession. The new honorees will be inducted during a ceremony at PRSA's 2008 International Conference, Saturday, October 25, in Detroit, Mich.
Claudia Maness is an In-State Representative on the UTAA Board of Governors.
Mary Nelle Moreland's husband, John E. Moreland, passed away on May 1, 2008.
Brenda Nunn, RN (UTC class of 1972, BA) has been appointed by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners to serve on the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Health Council. She is employed at Unum Insurance Company as a senior clinical consultant and certified case manager.
Kim Scholes was selected for the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2009 and was a hotshot in the June issue of The Atlantan Magazine and the July Edition of Jezebel Magazine as a host committee member for two of her favorite fundraising endeavors, The Swan House Ball, benefitting The Atlanta History Center, and the Open Doors/Open Hearts Golf and Dinner Dance, benefitting the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities. She is currently working on the Patron Committee of the 8/25 Fashion Cares, benefitting various Atlanta charities, and the host committee of the October Pink Ribbons Luncheon, benefitting Breast Cancer research.
On July 29th at a meeting of the City Council of Chattanooga, a surprise presentation was made to Barby Wilson in recognition of her service as the volunteer Board Chair of the Animal Care Trust. Barby was appointed by Senator Bob Corker to head the Trust which was charged with raising $6.5 million dollars to build the McKamey Animal Center, the cornerstone of Chattanooga's new animal care initiative. The beautiful 26,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility opened in July on ten wooded acres in the heart of Chattanooga. It has been hailed as the premier facility of its kind in the Southeast housing medical, field service, adoption and education under one roof. At the meeting, Mayor Ron Littlefield and the City Council presented Ms. Wilson with a large bronze plaque to be mounted in the Center's lobby which reads:
In honor of the vision and compassion of
Barby Wilson
Her dedication to animals and our community made this dream a reality
Presented by the City of Chattanooga and the Animal Care Trust
July 2008
