Be One UT
Shaping the Workforce Through Collaboration
Join us for our second annual, one-day professional development and networking event for career services colleagues across the UT System.
Whether you’re guiding students through career exploration, building employer partnerships or supporting adult learners, this conference offers a valuable opportunity to connect with peers who share your mission and challenges.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET | Knoxville, Tennessee
Register Today!
Agenda
8:30 – 9:00
9:00 – 9:05
9:05 – 9:45
9:45 – 10:00
10:00 – 11:00
11:00 – 11:10
11:10 – 12:00
12:00 – 1:15
1:00 – 1:15
1:15 – 2:15
2:15 – 2:30
2:30 – 3:30
3:40 – 4:00
Check-in, Light Breakfast
Welcome Remarks
Keynote Speaker – Tyler Asher
Networking Break
Breakout Session 1
Break
Roundtable Discussions
Lunch with Employer Panel and Break
Networking Break
Breakout Session 2
Networking Break
Breakout Session 3
Closing Remarks
UT Knoxville Student Union, Room 362
1502 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37912
The cost of the conference is free. Registration includes event parking, as well as breakfast and lunch during the conference.
Free parking will be provided for on campus parking during the conference. Vouchers will be provided closer to date.
The Graduate Hilton is located within walking distance of the UT Knoxville Student Union. The Hilton Knoxville and Marriott Knoxville Downtown are nearby, but not within walking distance. All three hotels offer a state rate for UT employees.
Meet Tyler Asher
Keynote Speaker
Tyler Asher serves as the assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, where he leads statewide business and workforce initiatives designed to strengthen Tennessee’s economy and connect employers with skilled talent.
With a career spanning both the public and private sectors, Tyler brings a results-driven approach to economic and workforce development. Prior to his current role, he served as regional director for the Department of Labor and as center director for the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, where he worked directly with entrepreneurs and small business owners to drive growth and job creation.
Agenda
All times are in Eastern Standard Time.
8:30 – Check-in, Light Breakfast
9:00 – Welcome Remarks
9:05 – Keynote Speaker – Randy Boyd
9:45 – Networking Break
10:00 – Our UT Family
10:30 – ConnectUT
10:45 – Networking Break
11:00 – Breakout Session 1
12:00 – Lunch with Employer Panel
1:00 – Networking Break
1:15 – Breakout Session 2
2:25 – Networking Break
2:30 – Roundtable Discussions
3:00 – Campus Trivia
3:30 – Closing Remarks
UT Conference Center, Room 413
600 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
The cost of the conference is free. Registration includes event parking, attendance to the Sunsphere social hour, as well as breakfast and lunch during the conference.
Attendees can park at the Locust Street Garage. A voucher will be provided to validate your parking.
The Hilton Knoxville is conveniently located across from the UT Conference Center, while the Marriott Knoxville Downtown is within walking distance. Both hotels offer a state rate for UT employees and provide on-site parking.
Breakout Sessions – 1
This breakout session focuses on coaching Veterans—students and alumni—through the transition to civilian and corporate careers. Participants will explore strategies for translating military experience into strong civilian resumes and communicating their unique value to employers. Attendees will leave with practical tools to better support Veterans in navigating successful career transitions.
Speaker: Arica Westfield-Urena, Military Talent & Workforce Strategist
This session brings together campus department representatives and student employees to share practical insights on effectively engaging student talent through internships, work-study roles, and part-time employment, including how to structure these positions for mutual benefit, best practices for onboarding, mentoring, and supervision, and strategies for aligning student responsibilities with real workforce needs.
Breakout Sessions – 2
This breakout session will explore strategic approaches to structuring and strengthening employer engagement efforts across institutions of varying sizes. Featuring perspectives from both a large, system-level employer relations team and a more independently managed approach, the session will highlight how different models maximize resources and impact. Presenters will share lessons learned, evolving strategies, and practical insights from their work.
Speakers:
Katie Wiley, Director of Employer Relations, UT Knoxville Center for Career Development
Stephen McBride, Director of Career Services, UT Southern
This breakout session explores how coaches can help clients reframe rejection during the job search by separating market realities from personal worth and responding to setbacks with greater self-compassion. Participants will learn strategies for guiding clients through constructive reflection after disappointment, including how to refine their professional story, role targeting, application materials, and networking approach without reinforcing self-criticism. The session will also focus on practical ways to help clients regain momentum through small, manageable next steps that reduce overwhelm and restore a sense of agency.
Speaker:
Emma Luttrell, LMSW
Therapist and Career Consultant
Breakout Sessions – 3
Career integration doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires intentional collaboration across faculty, career services, and institutional partners. This session highlights two years of strategic efforts to strengthen career-integrated learning through coordinated campus initiatives including the Faculty Fellow Program and the Career Integration Institute.
Speakers:
Kristen Pope, Executive Director of Career Connections, UT Chattanooga
Joshua Morgan, Associate Director of Academic & Career Integration, UT Chattanooga
This interactive breakout session invites attendees into guided discussions to share best practices in gathering and interpreting data within career services. Participants will exchange practical strategies for turning data into meaningful insights that inform programs and outcomes. Through facilitated conversation, we’ll explore challenges and solutions in a collaborative setting, leaving with actionable ideas to apply right away.
Presented by:
