Uncovering UTUNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

A project of the Journalism and Electronic Media course JEM 499, Spring 2015

The University of Tennessee

You’ve Probably Never Known

Introduction

Uncovering UT is the class project of the JEM 499 Business and Future of Journalism course (Spring 2015) in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee.

This book was conceived to give the seniors in the journalism program at UT a chance to produce an interactive, multimedia book that would be forcused around a central idea: what are some of the interesting things about the University of Tennessee that people might not know about.

We selected 14 programs, centers or activities, but, of course, there are many, many others.

The book is published in two volumes (because of file size). This first volume includes chapters on

• Clarence Brown Theatre costume shop

• Student A Capella groups

• UT Hockey Team

• LGBT program

• Food Recovery Network

• Vetinerary Social Work program

• Tennessee Water Resources Research Center

Each of the chapters of this book was produced by a team of students, and the final sectionor page in each chapter tells you who those student are.

The book is part of the Tennessee Journalism Series, a set of interactive, multimedia books produced by the School of Journalism at the University of Tennessee.

We hope you enjoy this book and find out more about the University of Tennessee.

The professor

The professor supervising this project is Jim Stovall.

This book may be viewed only in landscape mode.

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Copyright © 2015

This book is copyrighted by the School of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced without the permission of the School of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee.

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Tennessee Journalism Series

The Tennessee Journalism Series is a set of texts and instructional material developed by the faculty of the University of Tennessee School of Journalism and Electronic Media for journalism students and instructors around the world.

The idea behind the series is “multimedia first.”

That is, these books are built for the iPad and contain a variety of multimedia elements: text, audio, video, photo galleries, interactive images, and interactive reviews and quizzes.

At present, books available in this series include:

Feature Writing

Going Online: How to Start a Scholastic News Website

How to Get a Job as an On-Air TV Journalist (Denae D’Arcy)

Introduction to Journalism

Media Reporting

Photojournalism: Telling Stories with Pictures and Words

Reporting: An Introduction

The First Amendment

Writing Like a Journalist (Jim Stovall)

The British Media (Mark Harmon)

Full descriptions of the books available with their iBookstore, Kindle and Amazon links can be found at http://tnjnseries.com.

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5

C L A R E N C E B R O W N T H E AT R E C O S T U M ES H O PLISTEN TO ME

Deep beneath the wooden floorboards of Clarence Brown Theatre’s stage, there is a labyrinth of tulle, organza and crinoline where stories are spun like lace.

Meet the costume shop.

“I’m a storyteller,” Bill Black, associate department head of costume design at UT, said. “I think stories are one of the most important things about being human. We express what it means to be human by the stories we tell, and I think clothing helps tell that story.

6Amber Williams and Elizabeth Aaron work on costumes for the production “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

7

Take a tour of the CBT Costume Shop before learning all about how it works.

Movie 1.1

8

THEN AND NOW

The costumers of Clarence Brown have worked tirelessly to enhance on-stage stories since the unofficial birth of the modern theater department in 1951.

Gathering on the lawn where the contemporary venue now stands, a group of university and community theater lovers erected a tent and named the performance space the Carousel Theatre. After the success of an experimental summer season, the university put a permanent roof on the Carousel, and in 1970, Clarence Brown Theatre followed suit, with the legendary Old Hollywood director as its

namesake and benefactor.

Throughout the company’s acclaimed history—UT is one of just 13 universities nationwide with its own League of Resident

Theatres-affiliated professional program— costumers have nimbly worked to bring characters to life.

“There have been costumes for productions for as long as there have been productions,” Black, who came to UT as head of the costume shop in 1977, said. Prior to the construction of Clarence Brown, though, the costume process was primarily a volunteer effort.

9

TOUCH ME

TOUCH ME

TOUCH ME

“Theatre at UT comes from a long-time “town and gown” tradition, and the Carousel Theatre was originally a community playhouse,” Black said. “As a result, much of the production work was done in the early days by volunteers from the community.”

With the advent of the Clarence Brown Theatre Company, costuming became more professionally oriented with the addition of full time staff.

“The costume shop and classroom facilities currently occupy about four times as much space as was originally allocated in the building for costumes,” he said. “Over the years, the repurposing of spaces in the existing building has allowed the work and classroom space for costumes to grow.”

Currently, three to four costume design classes are taught in the basement of Clarence Brown, among them a course in hat making led by Melissa Caldwell-Weddig, costume shop manager.

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Bill Black, left, gives Joscelyne Oktabetz, right, feedback on her Victorian costume design project.

Costuming isn’t as simple as knowing how to thread a sewing machine, and it can be amusing to watch students come to acknowledge that, she said.

“I was working with my hat making class and we were using a lot of geometry and trigonometry, and my class was like, ‘Ugh,’” Caldwell-Weddig said. “It’s not overly complicated stuff but it’s funny to see what you’ve retained.”

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Caldwell-Weddig and Victor Bercher look at ostrich feathers for head dresses for The Threepenny Opera.

Gallery 1.1 Melissa Caldwell-Weddig teaching a millinery course in the Costume Lab of CBT

Though costuming can certainly involve hard work, including “a lot of all-nighters and crazy deadlines,” she said that ultimately, it’s a rewarding field.

“I’ve worked with really wonderful people along the way, and it’s a welcoming environment where people want to share knowledge,” she said. “In my grandma’s generation, people made a lot of clothes and these skills were taken for granted, but now they are much more precious. It’s becoming a really viable commodity to be a good costumer.”

12

TOUCH ME

TOUCH ME

TOUCH ME

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HOW IT WORKS

Kyle Schellinger tracing patterns for costumes.

From elegant fairy costumes to three-piece suits, the costume designers for the Clarence Brown Theatre make it all.

While many costume pieces are reused, many more are made specifically for each play. Each costume begins with a drawing. The costume designers and producers collaborate on what each actor should look like, and from there the process moves from the sketchbook to the sewing table.

While the appearance of each costume depends on the show, whether a piece is made new or repurposed from a previous production depends largely on what is required and the preference of the designer.

Items like men’s coats may be reused again and again, but detailed costumes like a woman’s dress may be created completely from scratch, Caldwell-Weddig said. “You can have something beautiful or cheap or fast,” she said. “You can usually accomplish two of those things.”

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1 of 15Ballet Fairy

Gallery 1.2 Costume drawings by Marianne Custer

For large, elaborate shows such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, work began a full year in advance. While some costumes are simply bought, other outfits require more creativity.

“Fairies are in a complete high fashion world and we’re making all of that,” Caldwell-Weddig said. “What you’re working on one day looks completely different from the next day.”

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Crown

Pants!

VestTattoos

Interactive 1.1 Check out the materials used in Oberon’s costume

Flowers/leaves

Cape

Soufle !

Interactive 1.2 Check out the materials used in Tatiana’s costume

With any production, some costumes require more detail than others. But even demanding tasks such as stitching elastic is rewarded when the costume is ready for the stage, Kyle Schellinger, draper and cutter for the Clarence Brown Theatre said.

“It’s like giving birth,” he said. “You push and push and push and push and then, you’re like, ‘Finally our beautiful baby is here and it runs for a while. That was great, let’s do it again.”

For many of the designers, a career sewing was simply a natural progression of their involvement with theatre.

“I enjoy the fact that I’m able to develop all of the characters, rather than just one when I was performing,” Schellinger said.

The costume design staff is small. With only four full-time positions, the department relies on graduate and undergraduate students to complete pieces on time.

16

Demetrius, Hermia and Helena

Gallery 1.3 Photographs from the play by Elizabeth Aaron

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Victor Bercher, 23, masters candidate for costume design

“I chose costume design because I have a passion for clothing and fabric, and costume design allows me to look to the future as well as the past for design inspiration. I get to collaborate with others to tell a story to an audience and get a message across to them that they can take away from the experience.”

Movie 1.2

All students in the theatre major are required to spend at least three semesters assisting with productions at the Clarence Brown Theatre or Carousel Theatre.

“We’re giving (the students) projects to enrich them and that helps us accomplish our goals,” Caldwell-Weddig said. “Last semester we had eight undergrads who were with us on a pretty regular basis. Sometimes we’re teaching them how to thread a needle, and sometimes we hand them an entire costume to build on their own.”

For those truly interested in the craft, Caldwell-Weddig said, there will always be opportunity.

“If you’re really passionate about it, there’s always a need and there are great resources to be found,” she said. “All of us are in it because we enjoy it; you have to really love it.”

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Amber Williams explains her favorite piece

“I learned a lot on this, interestingly. Marion designed it. I didn’t make the pattern, but I

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Review 1.1 !

Check Answer

Question 1 of 2The Costume Shop is located where

A. The Clarence Brown Theatre

B. The University Center

C. Art & Architecture

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T H E T E A M

Dylan HamiltonVideo/Audio

Liv McConnellReporter/Writer

Luigi ZaninVideo/Audio

Hannah CatherManager/Photographer

McCord PaganReporter/Writer

Our team name stems from our rash decision to be coy. We also wanted to keep the focus of our project on the Clarence Brown Theatre and not on our name. So, we became a five member power-house called “The Team.”

Team member biographies

SCROLL FOR OUR BIOS

Dylan Hamilton is a senior in Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee. He is specializing in video production and working towards a career in television. Dylan likes long walks on the beach, margaritas, and Marvin Gaye.

Liv McConnell is a senior in Journalism and Electronic Media specializing in feature and magazine writing with a minor in Women's Studies. During her time at UT, she has been on The Daily Beacon staff since 2011 and is currently the Deputy Editor for Scoop Magazine. Liv

CHAPTER 2: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF UT

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Student A Capella Groups

Audio 2.1 Click below to listen to the chapter introduction

Among a sea of “Rocky Top” chanting volunteers, the University of Tennessee is also home to a set of lesser-known pipes. The all-female a cappella group, ReVOLution, is the first and only of its kind at UT. But they aren’t alone; they are also the sister group to UT’s all-male a cappella group, VOLume. The groups take strings of popular songs and strip them of instrumentals, leaving only the groups’ harmonious voices to fill the air.

By removing the back beat of these songs, one might think the tunes would be lacking. But with the addition of a beatboxer and a chorus of “shoo-ops”, the melody and percussion section is transformed into a strictly vocal arrangement.

Songs such as “Perfect” by Pink, “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green, and “Hit Me Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears have all been remade by the a cappella groups. But it’s not just these popular songs that have sparked an interest in a cappella groups in recent years.

Since the emergence of shows and movies such as “Glee,” “The Sing-Off” and “Pitch Perfect,” a cappella groups have popped up everywhere, including UT.

Because these groups are student-led, their arrangements and events are done on their own accord. With the growth of these groups has come the main stages on which they display their talents.

In recent years, both of UT’s vocal groups have competed against other collegiate a cappella groups throughout the South in the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella, putting their talents up against some of the best in the country.

Despite only forming at UT in the last fe years, both reVolution and VOLume have proven they’ve got the talent to keep singing Rocky Top for years to come.

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Interactive 2.1 A Capella Word Search

Double click the purple box to start. When you find a word, select all the letters for it to be crossed off the list.

Members of ReVOLution and VOLume, 2014-2015.

SECTION 1

The group’s twitter bio reads, “A bunch of sassy ladies singing stylings of contemporary favorites”.

And it’s that kind of personality that UT’s first and only all-female a cappella aims to telegraph in their songs.

And through these popular songs, the integrated levels of the group form a layered a cappella sound. Group member, Madelyn Pierce explained the intricate details of the sound, while also mentioning the most important element.

Contents

1. The story of the development of ReVOLution and its members

2. Audio of the group performing ‘Winter Song’

3. Video of ReVOLution’s rehearsal in preparation for ICCA’s

4. Interview with ReVOLution member Madelyn Pierce

5. Video of ReVOLution at the ICCA’s

Figure 2.1 reVOLution Members

Members (left to right): MacKenzie Russell, Kennedy Kyle, Madelyn Pierce, Caitlin Wood,  Andrea Markowitz, Jennifer DeHart, MCKinley Merritt (middle row) Cookie Hopper, Alexis Butler, Ashton Lay (front row) Ellen Nikbakht, Hailey Myatt 

ReVOLution

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Audio 2.2 Click here to listen to ReVOLution perform ‘Winter Song’

“Each part that a girl sings, no matter where it is in the music, plays a vital role in the totality of the song”, Pierce explained.

These members play another role in ReVOLution— like their brother group VOLume, ReVOLution is completely student-run, which plays a role in the group’s dynamic.

“I do not think it should really ever be directed by a professor/conductor,” Pierce said. “I think that's one of the things that unique and intriguing about a cappella group is that they are normally student-run and it leaves so much room for group creativity and collaboration.”

It’s this freedom that has given both ReVOLution and VOLume the room to create a sound all their own. However, Pierce also mentioned that the entertainment hype from the recent a cappella craze has been influential in a cappella popularity—but it’s also been a bit unrealistic.

“In shows like “Glee” and movies like “Pitch Perfect”, the performers are in a studio and are extremely edited to sound-- that way that it does and it honestly no where near to how our music is actually created,” Pierce said. “Like most groups don't often have ‘riff offs’.”

While “riff-offs” might not be in ReVOLution’s future, competitions are also a part of their yearly journey. But for these singing ladies, it’s about something more than just competing.

“I think for us, we enjoy hearing and seeing the end result after all the hard work,” explained Pierce. “I think being a part of a group like ReVol is most fulfilling when we do just that: make people smile or laugh, or put their mind at ease, or make them want to

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Press play to take a look at the behind the scenes action of female a capella group ReVOLution as they practice in preparation for competition. See everything that goes into preparing for the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella.

Movie 2.1 ReVOLution Rehearsal

dance, or just cause interest/intrigue for our collective sound.”

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Q&A with reVOLution

member Madelyn Pierce(Use the scroll bar on the right to view more)

Q: How long have you been with ReVOLution?

MP: I joined the spring semester of my freshman year, so about three and a half years.

Q: What made you want to join VOLume?

MP: Coming in my freshman year, I remember being skeptical of the idea of a female a cappella group at UT, which I had come to learn was very classically driven. I heard ReVOLution sing at my first Fall Chorus concert and I loved the songs they sang and it honestly sounded awesome

Q: How is being in an all-female a Capella group different from a co-ed group?

MP: It is different both in the dynamic of the group and the sound. With boys, there is a much greater capacity to "round" out the sound, or give it more bass. It often gives music the depth that is pleasing

Press play take a peek into the world of a Capella competition with reVOLution as they perform in International Championship of Collegiate A Capella south quarterfinal.

Movie 2.2 reVOLution performs at the ICCA’s

SECTION 2

In 2009, there was a bit more rhythm added to Rocky Top—coming off of the newfound appreciation for all things a cappella in recent entertainment, the founders of the all-male a cappella group borrowed this momentum to launch VOLume at UT.

“The contemporary a cappella movement had been happening for a while, so the guys just got together and said, ‘hey, why can’t we do this here?’.” Said VOLume member Landon Paul. “So they started it and it’s really evolved since then.”

But these self-proclaimed a cappella “orange and white stallions” aren’t completely similar to

Contents

1. The story of the development of VOLume and it’s members

2. Audio of the group performing ‘Forget You’

3. Video of VOLume’s rehearsal in preparation for ICCA’s

4. Interview with VOLume member Landon Paul

5. Video of VOLume at the ICCA’s

Figure 2.2 VOLume Members

Members (left to right): Josh Golden, Jordan Cross, Brandon Trent, Tyler Owens, Junior Turner, Matt Parks, Dave Dickens, Joey Mann, David Buchanan, Evan Headrick, Robert Wrinkle, Landon Paul, Brett Hopper, Eric Hill (not pictured). Photo credit: Lori Brown

VOLume

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Audio 2.3 Click here to listen to VOLume perform ‘Forget You’

some groups found here—this vocal group is set apart because it is a student-led group.

The guys also strive to create a unique sound in their performances through multiple vocal textures and a beat boxer, also called a “vocal percussionist”.

“As a vocal percussionist, you are responsible for keeping the tempo right in line, for filling space whenever maybe the phrases end and they need to breathe,” Paul explained. “You fill something there to keep the momentum moving forward.”

And once these arrangements are set into the VOLume-style mold, the stage is another chance to prove their individuality. With the International Competition of Collegiate A cappella in mind, the group focuses on the competition throughout the year while also concentrating on the main objective and heart of VOLume.

“We don’t predicate our entire year around the success of that competition,” Paul clarified. “That’s something that we strive to do

well at, but it’s not a make or break thing for our year. Most groups that do it though, it is. They just hammer themselves to get to that level. So I guess that’s a little bit where we’re different.”

From snazzy bowties to harmoniously layered vocal arrangements, VOLume is more than just an a cappella group to guys like Paul,

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Press play to take a look at the behind the scenes action of male a capella group VOLume as they practice in preparation for competition. See everything that goes into preparing for the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella.

Movie 2.3 VOLume Rehearsal

however—to them, it’s more like a family.

“There really is something to be said for that brotherhood element,” Paul said. “We enjoy the brotherhood aspect of it. VOLume is a singing group, but it’s also a brotherhood too.”

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Q&A with VOLume

member Landon Paul

(Use the scroll bar on the right to read more)

Q: What made you want to join VOLume?

LP: There’s something different about the experience and the brotherhood behind what VOLume is. The choral experience here is very professional, it’s very fun, but VOLume is a kind of a time when you can let your hair down and have a good time with some close friends. So the difference in experience is what really led me to do VOLume. It’s just a great time.

Q: How was VOLume formed?

LP: It started out as a student organization, which it still is. It’s run mostly by grad students, choral conducting graduate students who inevitably are in the group. We make most of our own arrangements and those that we don’t make, we know of people who can write arrangements for us … in 2009 the contemporary a Capella movement had been happening for a

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1 of 16

Click the right arrow to scroll through photos of reVOLution and VOLume at the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella south quarterfinal held on Feb. 7, 2015 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Gallery 2.1 ICCA’s

Review 2.1

Check Answer

Question 1 of 5What year was ReVOLution founded?

A. 2008

B. 2009

C. 2010

D. 2011

SECTION 3

Meet the Team: Game On

30

Hallie Miller

Rebecca Rummage

Kelsey Keny

Marina Waters

Katie Van Veghel

Andrew Swisher

Interactive 2.2 Click on each group member’s name to read their author bio

Team name: When we got the assignment and our group was formed, group member Kelsey Keny said “game on” and the rest was history.

Song Credits

reVOLution"Clocks" - Coldplay/ arr.  Will Brimer"Firework" - Katie Perry/ arr. McKinley Merritt"Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops)" - Blu Cantrell/ arr. Will Brimer"Hide and Seek" - Imogen Heap/ arr.Lindsey Cope"Winter Song" - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson/ arr. McKinley Merritt/ reVol

VOLume"Jump Right In"- Zac Brown Band/ arr. Evan Headrick"Tennessee Waltz/ Gold Digger"- Patti Paige/ Kanye West / arr. Suranjan Sen"Forget You" - Cee Lo Green/ arr. Matt Parks

CHAPTER 3

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#HockeyTop

Audio 3.1 The Morning Buzz

The Morning Buzz Hosts David Cobb and Dargan Southard discuss Ice Vols hockey on #HockeyTop.

The University of Tennessee Ice Vols huddle by the bench before the final game of the season vs. the University of Georgia Ice Dawgs.

SECTION 1

What do slap shots, ice skates and the University of Tennessee have in common? The oldest hockey team in the Southeastern United States, that’s what.

In 1966, the Ice Vols hit the ice as UT’s first club hockey team. The team has experienced lots of success throughout the years by making it into the HOCKEY Magazine in the 1980s, along with winning several Southern conference titles in the 90s, and in the early millennium.

Today, the UT Ice Vols compete against teams from all over the country in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, or the ACHA. The team is also a member of the 11-team Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference, or the SECHC.

This is only a small segment of the team’s notoriety. The Ice Vols have had a number of successful alumni leave an intriguing legacy including Buzz Parrinello, who rewrote the Ice

Image 3.1 On the brink of 50 years.

The University of Tennessee Ice Vols were founded in 1966 making it the oldest team of its kind in the southeastern United States.

A Tennessee Legacy

32

Interactive 3.1 Click the Twitter logo to see what the Ice Vols are up to on Twitter.

Follow the Ice Vols on Twitter@IceVolsHockey

@IceVolsHockey

Ice Hockey Club at the University of Tennessee

Vols’ record book in the mid 80s and Dave “Godfather” Feather, who saved the UT Hockey Club in 1998.

Parrinello grew up outside of Detroit in a small town called Richmond. He took up hockey as a kid and fell in love with the game just like he did with Knoxville on a visit. In his first couple weeks on campus, he was walking to class and saw a flyer that said “UT hockey game” so he went to check it out at the Ice Chalet.

He was impressed with the supportive fan base and the team itself. He made sure he didn’t leave the rink without more information about joining the Ice Vols.

“I always loved hockey so I talked to the coach that night,” he said. “I called my mom that next morning and told her to send my equipment down. The rest was history.”

For Parrinello, hockey has always been an important part of life, and that certainly showed during his time at with UT. He was inducted into the Ice Vols Hall of Fame for accruing 150 points during his two seasons as a center.

Now Parrinello is the Director of Ticket Sales for the Knoxville Ice Bears hockey team.

Parrinello still catches some games at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum downtown Knoxville. He notices that hockey in the south is catching up with the north by an increase in skill level and hockey IQ.

He notes for the Ice Vols program to continue to grow it needs various players to step up in higher roles.

“More recruiting and getting news out there about UT hockey,” Parrinello said. “But just take small steps, it’s not going to be fast. It is improving as I saw in the past couple years. Just getting more quality players at UT, building up the program is the big issue right now.”

Dave Feather grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, but decided to move to Tennessee to attend UT. He is also apart of the Ice Vols Hall of Fame and now he is the assistant general manager for the Knoxville Ice Bears.

Thankfully for the Ice Vols, he chose UT because he was able to save the UT’s hockey program.

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Former Ice Vol Buzz Parrinello tells his history with the team.

Movie 3.1 Buzz Parrinello

The team was about to shut the door when he moved down during the 1998-1999 season, but Feather took just enough players—six—to keep playing.

He was the older guy and let his experience impact the program.

“We just helped pull the program together, I didn’t just do it by myself, but I get a lot of recognition for it,” Feather said. “It was everyone working together, pulling things together. They recognize the fact that if I didn’t step in or if I didn’t move to Knoxville when I did, then we might not have a hockey program.”

He has seen the program move in the right direction since his days as a player. With a combination of skilled players and better organization, Feather sees a bright future for the Ice Vols.

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Former Ice Vol Dave Feather discusses the progression of club hockey in the south.

Movie 3.2 Dave Feather

SkatesShin Pads

Stick

Elbow Pads

Shoulder Pads

HelmetCage

Gloves

Pants

Interactive 3.2 Learn about the equipment the Ice Vols use by clicking on different parts of the player’s body.

1 of 10

Feather would love to see 5,000 people cheering on the Ice Vols in their own building by now, but those types of things take time and honestly money, he adds.

“The commitment is there, we just need the financial support,” he said.

A national championship would be ideal, but club hockey continues to get stronger as hockey becomes more popular in the south. The Ice Vols have to keep up with that competition by bringing in the right players.

“If UT can pull together some killer recruiting class, who knows what can happen,” Feather said.

While both guys revel in their successes as Ice Vols, they are both enthusiastic about the future of the team and stay involved in the progression of the team.

The Ice Vols have started making some internal changes as the team hit over 30 players in the 2014-2015 season. As the team grows, more alumni have gotten involved in helping promote the team and the new changes.

As part of the renovations, the Ice Vols have reached out to local media and sponsors and made efforts to improve recruiting with an annual Orange and White game.

The team’s ability and opportunities continue to grow and so does the support. They had packed arenas for the Orange and White game and the Military game they held to honor retired veterans and active military this year alone.

Another alum has taken especial notice of the team’s recent improvement despite his recent fame.

Scott Holtzman, a rookie UFC fighter, played three seasons with the Ice Vols and reminisces fondly on his time in the program.

He hopes the team can continue to grow and put fans in the seats in upcoming seasons.

"I love all things Tennessee," Holtzman said. "So when football season is over, why not come out and watch some hockey?"

For more information on the UT Ice Vols, check out their website at uticevols.com.

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1 of 17

Junior forward Chris Weilandt awaits to pass the puck to a teammate.

Gallery 3.1 Ice Vols at work during the SECHC Tournament.

36

The Apiarists

Montana Coward-Jinkins Lauren Moore

David Cobb

Kyle Knell

Dargan Southard

Interactive 3.3 Meet the Apiarists!

1 2 3 4 5 6

@OUTreachUTK www.lgbt.utk.edu

You Belong Here.Infamously ranked as the 14th least LGBT-friendly colleges in the country by Princeton Review, The University of Tennessee’s OUTreach Center is on a mission to change that statistic by embracing diversity and promoting acceptance. This place is not just another office at the university---for many students, it’s a home.

dolor amet, consectetur

" It was a Friday afternoon when Donna Braquet thought the fate of the

LGBT community at The University of Tennessee was sealed. It was a conversation with Ricky Hall, the university’s new Vice Chancellor for Diversity that she remembers clearly, “I don’t know if you all know but usually people save really bad news for Friday afternoons,” Braquet explained.

" Up until this point the OUTreach center was a small facility seeing at most a few students a day. Braquet volunteered her time here on top of her position as the Biology librarian in Hodges. Although they received no financial assistance from the university, the center made due with one loaned graduate assistant and budget from the Commission for LGBT People. “The space was a little sad,” Braquet shared, “all white walls. You know, the basics.” A very different image than the bright, positive environment we see radiating from the center today. With only one graduate assistant working at the center, hours of operation were also very sporadic. “The center was open 2 to 4 one day and 3 to six the next day.

WEEKLY PROGRAMS

Mon: SexEd Queered, 6pmTues: Trans* Discussion Group, 7pmWed: inQUEERies, 4-5:30pmThurs: QPOC Discussion Group, 6pmAce Discussion Group, 7pmBi/Pan Discussion Group, 7pm

OUTreach at UT: Past, Present and Future

38

Matthew Lindsey, sophomore in Nursing, and Nathan Kudir, sophomore in Engineering, march alongside other OUTreach ambassadors for Knoxville PrideFest parade on Gay Street downtown Knoxville

" When the university hired Dr. Rickey Hall as Vice Chancellor of Diversity it led to a sweep of changes for the center. “It went from sort of an idea to a reality,” said Braquet. He made OUTreach a part of the Office for Equity & Diversity, gave the center their own graduate assistant, and added work study students. “That was pretty amazing.” Braquet shared,

“It was the first time the university had someone dealing with diversity issues.” These changes allowed for the center to increase their hours to better fulfill the needs of students. “Our hours were very sporadic and were basically whenever the grad student didn’t have classes,” Braquet said, “we were open 2 to 4 one day and 3 to 6 the next day. Now we’re open until 9 every night. It really has brought a tidal wave of change.”

" Opening day of the OUTreach center marked a time for a tidal wave of change at UT. “I knew it was going to be a special event, but I was just blown away” Braquet remembers. Over 200 faculty, staff, and students showed up at the small office to show their support for the center. “I feel like from that point forward is what launched us into the mode we’re in now” said Braquet.

"

" While 2015 marks the five-year anniversary of the center there are many hurdles still to climb, including the fact that the University of Tennessee is still ranked 14th on Princeton Review’s list of “LGBT Unfriendly” colleges. Strides have been made: before the OUTreach Center opened, UT was in the top ten. The fight may also be a product of environment, considering that UT remains the only public

39

Laverne on campus

While the OUTreach Center provides the most comprehensive services and programming for the LGBTQ and Ally community on campus, they aren’t the only office planning exciting events for students that raise awareness for LGBTQ issues.

Besides the Sexual Empowerment and Awareness (SEAT) council’s nationally-recognized event, Sex Week, this year the Central Programming Council also hosted Ms. Laverne

Cox, star of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and transgender spokesperson on campus. While the event was free for students that “opted-in,” tickets were already reserved months prior to the event—indicating just how much students were looking forward to

\

university in Tennessee to provide an LGBTQ and Ally resource center to its students.

" “I'm really aware of that statistic, and as much as things have gotten better over the past five years since OUTreach has been here, I will always say that there is room for improvement,” Braquet explained. “By no means are we where we need to be.”

" However, the center is a very different place than when it began five years ago—evolving into an integral part of campus life that’s open 9-to-5 and hosts programming almost every evening.

" “The center is a space,” explains Donna Braquet, founder of the OUTreach Center, over the chatter and excitement of a group of raucous students playing a board game in the next room. “I sort of lead the charge, but it wouldn't be anything without the students who come and

visit and who are part of making this a home.”

" “I've learned so much from them,” she said. “It's such an amazing honor, I feel, to be able to work with the students and provide different programs and events and hear their perspective on things and see how they're passionate about changing campus and getting them involved in making those things a reality.”

" “Being the five-year anniversary of the center being open, that means there's probably no one left on campus that remembers what it was like before,” Braquet said, recalling darker times as well as the many, glaring LGBTQ issues on campus that still need to be addressed.

" However, these problems are something the center is actively working to change. Not only do they hope their visibility on campus—a room in Melrose Hall adjacent to Hodges Library marked by a rainbow flag

40

OUTreach: Reaching Lives

Two such students are Matthew Lindsey, a sophomore in nursing, and Nathan Kabir, a sophomore in engineering. While the two have been best friends since second grade and a couple since high school, both insist that the OUTreach Center has been an integral part of their relationship and personal growth since they dared to go inside a few weeks into their freshman year. Now, as ambassadors for the center, they hang out at there most

perched outside—will foster a “gay-welcoming” environment on campus evident to students and every passer-by; but the center also hosts a spectrum of programming for students, including inQUEERies, Dinner Dialogues, SexEd Queered, SpeakOUT!, OUT@UT, Voices of Diversity and an Ambassador Program that meet throughout the year to discuss and educated students about LGBTQ issues. This year, the center also started a variety of discussion groups on campus like QPOC (Queer People of Color), transgender, asexual, and bi- and pan-sexual students.

" “Not only are we serving the students who identify along the LGBTQ spectrum, but also our job is to educate the rest of campus, too,” she said, “we can't really do any of these great things without funds.”

#youbelonghere" In order to provide more educational and supportive services to the campus, the center is in the midst of Five For Five, a yearlong fundraising initiative in conjunction with their anniversary that enlists students, faculty, staff and alumni to show their support with a gift of “five”—donations that

increases with status—in hopes of raising $77,500 by the end of the school year. The idea behind the fundraiser is to get 5,000 supporters donate $5, 500 supporters donate $50, 5 supporters to donate $500, and 5 supporters to donate $5,000.

" “We know that there are an infinite number of paths that people take to coming out and finding their identity,” Braquet said, “we're just trying to provide as many different ways to get there.

" In celebration of their five year anniversary,

OutReach is looking forward to their next five years. To bring awareness, OutReach has implemented Ambassador

41

Donna Braquet shares her favorite part about working at the OUTreach Center

Programs. They send passionate members to admissions fairs and orientation to “get the word out about things that we do.”

" OUTreach is also trying to create a more welcoming environment by applying for a living and learning community for the LGBTQ and ally students. At universities that provide these communities, students are able to choose between three housing options: single, mixed, or inclusive. Single provides housing to students of the same sex, while mixed allows students to share a room with the same gender, but a building with mixed genders. However, gender inclusive housing gives students the opportunity to share the same bedroom, regardless of gender or gender identity.

" Additionally, this year, OUTreach is announcing the establishment of the LGBT Alumni Council. The council will help build the LGBT community on campus, as well as strengthen connections between alumni, students, faculty, and parents. This association will be used for sponsoring events, networking and supporting the LGBT initiatives.

" While looking forward to the next five year, Braquet made her main objective clear: “I want anyone who might feel

like they’re different or maybe there’s something wrong with you… You are fine, exactly as you are, no matter what anyone has told you in your life. You can come here and you can completely belong.

42“ ”We know that there are an infinite number of paths that people take to coming out and finding their identity. We're just trying to provide as many different ways to get there.

43

About Marion Kirkpatrick:Marion is a senior in Journalism & Electronic Media from Nashville, Tennessee, currently on the search for her first full-time job in magazine or web journalism after interning at Lincoln Center, The Hollywood Reporter and DIYNetwork.com. While she will gladly write on (just about) any subject, she’s most passionate about music, culture, lifestyle and the arts.

About Samantha Beard:Samantha is a senior in Journalism & Electronic Media with a concentration in Media Management. She wants to one day work in Public Relations and help build new businesses. She wants to work as an event and social media manager for a non-profit organization.

Meet Team ‘Bye, Felicia!’

About Chizo Obi:Chizo is a senior graduating in Spring 2015 in Journalism & Electronic Media from Nashville, TN with a minor in Cinema Studies. She is a lover of all things pop culture. When she is not busy, she enjoys her guilty pleasure of reality TV. Her ultimate career goal is to become a producer for a television network.

About Kayln Denniston:Kayln is a senior in Journalism & Electronic Media with a focus in Media Management and a minor in Music Business. With a strong passion for live music and connecting with people she hopes to one day curate those experiences for others. In her free time she also enjoys traveling, copious amounts of coffee, and making her friends & family laugh.

The Food Recovery Network

One in seven Americans does not know where their next meal is coming from. On a more local level, one in five individuals in Knoxville face food insecurity every day- yet 40% of the food in the U.S. goes to waste on a daily basis. However, a group of students at the University of Tennessee have come together to stand up against these sad, yet true statistics and are doing so by recovering food, which otherwise would have gone to waste, and providing it to those who struggle to get a meal on a daily basis.

The Food Recovery Network is a nationwide organization that has been active on the University of Tennessee campus since November of 2013. Since that time, the UTK group members have managed to successfully gather and donate 3,000 pounds of food to organizations such as Second Harvest and other various recovery groups.

Though the members describe the start-up process for the FRN on the Tennessee campus as “not an easy one,” as it involved much coordinating with the University, Aramark Corporation and the National FRN organization, they are overjoyed to see their hard work making a difference in the lives of thousands.

The Food Recovery Network

45

Movie 5.1 FRN: Who are they?

Introductory video on the Food Recovery Network at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Students team up against hunger and wasted food

The Food Recovery Network operates by gathering unused, unexpired food items several times a week from the various Aramark-run restaurants and cafeterias on the UTK campus. These food items vary anywhere from Subway Sandwiches and to-go sandwiches, to packaged goods and unused foods from the skyboxes in the stadiums. The locations around campus that the recoveries take place at include PCB, Neyland Stadium, Thompson-Boling Arena, and many other various campus locations. Aramark then allows the FRN to store the recovered food items in the Thompson-Boling Arena freezers, where Second Harvest will come to retrieve and weigh-in the items the following morning. Second harvest then supplies these food items to individuals in need across 18 different surrounding counties. These recoveries take place about eight times each month, though the busiest time for recoveries tends to take place during football season.

Having successfully gathered 3,000 pounds worth of food collections merely a year and a half after being active on campus, the FRN has calculated that they have been able to feed roughly 2,700 individuals within the Knoxville area so far. Each thousand-pound-mark is an extremely exciting moment for the members as they see the immense impact of their weekly collections. The FRN also expresses much thanks and appreciation towards their partnering corporations, such as Aramark, who assist the organization in various ways by allowing the food pick-ups and providing space for the recovered food to be stored. They only

hope to increase the numbers of individuals being fed and thus lower the statistics of those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Apart from the weekly food recoveries aspect however, the FRN also holds other events as well to educate it’s group members on the realities of what daily life is like for those who struggle to obtain food every single day. The FRN has been able to hold events with local churches that feed the homeless population. At Redeemer Hope Church for example, a local Knoxville church which actively feeds the homeless community, members of the FRN had the opportunity to meet some of those homeless

46

Food collection ready for storage.

Gallery 5.1 The FRN

individuals and take the time to hear the personal stories of those who’s lives they work to have an impact on. Often times, hearing a personal story from an individual is what it takes to break stigmas and assumptions about certain groups of people as well. This is just one example of the opportunities in which members

get the opportunity to reach out to others in the community on a personal level.

You do not have to be a member to help, as the organization believes that anyone who wants to assist in bettering the community should have the opportunity to do so. However, being a member certainly provides exclusive event opportunities and a sense of community among the group members as well.

Knoxville needs your help, and the Food Recovery Network needs your help. Joining is simple and you could make a world of difference. To join this extremely effective and positive cause, students can attend a Food Network Recovery forum. Students will give a $10 donation to join the group, and then they must sign the Food Recovery network pledge agreement.

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Movie 5.2 The Food Recovery Network: Q and A

FRN team members Ryan Brown and Imani Chapman

125

31

671,978

3,000 and counting

Interactive Graphic 1.1 The FRN by the numbers

1 2 3 4

The link to their page on the UTK website can be located here https://utk.collegiatelink.net/organization/frn_utk. Additional info and stories about the FRN can be found on the Vol Update page by simply searching the Food Recovery Network in the search box located on the page, and here is the link http://tntoday.utk.edu/category/volupdate/. The FRN of UT can also be located on Facebook and twitter at @FoodRecoveryUTK.

Review 5.1 How well do you know the FRN?

Check Answer

Question 1 of 4

In what year was the University of Tennessee chapter of the FRN founded?

A. 2013

B. 2002

C. 2010

D. 2005

48

Sophia Shefner

Gabriella Santa

Sara Walker

Kyle Tasman

Kendall Litton

Burnouts - Who they are

The University of Tennessee’s Veterinary Social Work program is a sublet of social work that is rooted in the relationships between humans and their animals. The program provides multiple services to people in the UT community and beyond. The services include, but are not limited to, mindfulness based stress reduction, suicide awareness in veterinary education and a pet loss support group. The staff of the Veterinary Social Work program is dedicated to nurturing the emotional needs of humans that result from human-animal relationships.

CHAPTER 6

50

Must Love Dogs . . . and Cats . . . and fish . . . etc.

Audio 6.1 Audio Introduction--click to play audio

SECTION 1

The symbol is quite simple: a pair of hands open towards the sky, holding up a Tennessee orange heart.

The motto is just as simple. ‘The hands of veterinary medicine and the heart of social work’ provoke an image of two field coming together to serve the lesser-known

relationship between humans, animals and the people that facilitate this bond.

Put the hands and the heart together and the body that is the Veterinary Social Work program (VSW) at the University of Tennessee takes shape.

Noted by experts in the field as the first program in the United States to officially coin the term 'Vet Social Work' as an official program, the University of Tennessee has made efforts to extend

Figure 6.1 Veterinary Social Work location

What is VSW?

51

its hand to serve a person’s needs when it interacts at the junction of veterinary medicine and social work.

The program itself is a four-piece puzzle stuck onto a spider web of sorts, with all four sections being equally distinct from each other, but also intertwined with one another to create a complete picture.

The four components of VSW—Grief and Pet Loss, Animal-Assisted Interactions, the Link Between Human and Animal Violence and Compassion Fatigue and Conflict Management—have been studied as a whole for over 30 years, but the solidifying of this field is still a work in progress.

52

SECTION 2

ANIMAL-ASSISTED INTERACTION

Animal-Assisted Interaction (AAI) is a newer form of therapy, commonly grouped with dance, music, art or other creative fo Type to enter text rms of alternative therapeutic treatments, with the exception being that AAI uses a living tool of intervention.

Commonly associated for UT students with the dogs that make its presence in Hodges Library during finals week at the University of Tennessee, AAI is defined as the intervention that intentionally includes an animal as part of the therapeutic process. This differs from service animals in several ways—the most important distinction being that service animals are not allowed to be touched unless permission and

notice is given, while AAI dogs are trained to be touched without notice.

H.A.B.I.T. Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee

H.A.B.I.T. is an outlet of animal-assisted interaction that explore the circumstances and consequences of the human-animal bond and to promote this valuable bond between people and animals.

Some of the services H.A.B.I.T. provides:

• sponsors programs which foster pet visitation to nursing homes, assisted-living residences, retirement centers, mental health centers, residences for children with special needs, rehabilitation facilities, hospital settings, and other facilities.

• Offers resources such as trained volunteers, medically and behaviorally screened animals, and guidances regarding pet visitation, program development, and evaluation.

• Brings therapy dogs to Hodges Library to aid in student stress relief during finals week.

The Four Components

53

“Dog petting 1”—H.A.B.I.T. dogs and their owners frequent the University of Tennessee campus, where students get a chance to interact with pets that are trained to be touched without warning or permission.

! Figure 1.2

LINK BETWEEN HUMAN AND ANIMAL VIOLENCE

The VSW also studies the link between human and animal violence in an attempt to help prevent animals from becoming similar victims of abuse like their owners. Beginning in the 1980s, studies revealed that serial killers such as Jeffery Dahmer had a history of abusing animals before he

started killing people, so understanding this link has become more prevalent over the past few decades.

Nowadays, more states have laws and statutes which state that abusing an animal is a felony in an attempt to prevent such abusive behavior to continue. There also are new laws which require human and animal welfare professionals to report suspected violence across species.

54

With compassion fatigue, you just

can't go on vacation and get

rejuvenated. It takes more than that.

- Sarina Manifold.

“”

Animal Haven

Animal Haven is a program associated with the Veterinary Social Work program which strives which create a safe atmosphere for domestic abuse victims, both humans and animals. If a human is going to a domestic violence shelter, they can talk to a case worker at the shelter and let them know that there is an animal involved in their situation. 

The case worker then calls the VSW help line, which is the public portal for the Animal Haven program and the Knoxville community, and lets the social worker know that an animal is involved in the abusive situation. Animal Haven

Interactive 6.1Click picture to play puzzle

COMPASSION FATIGUE AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Compassion Fatigue and Conflict Management is the fourth aspect that the VSW studies, which focuses on the humans that interact in such high-stress situations. Veterinarians experience death at five times the rate compared to human doctors because the death rate of their clients is much shorter than the death rate of humans.

In animal shelters and clinics alike, vet professionals deal with many occasions of euthanasia, as well as lots of cases of neglected or abused animals a day, causing high levels of stress or compassion fatigue. Similar to the services provided for animal owners after a loss, veterinary social workers also teach skills in grief accommodation and stress management in order to care for the people who care for animals, despite the ongoing stressful situations.

At the same time, VSW also provides aide in conflict management for staff in this field. In some cases, people who work in this field have a greater connection to animals than they do humans, so social workers act as a mediator between conflicting sides to try to find a middle ground with regards to how animals should be treated in a given situation.

55

UT veterinary social workers prepare craft materials for the 2015 Spring Pet Memorial Celebration.

Gallery 6.1 PHOTO GALLERY OF EVENT

GRIEF AND PET LOSS

For clients of the VSW program, losing an animal is more than losing just a pet. 

The grief that comes with such a loss can be comparable to losing a family member because the animal acted not just as a pet, but as a family member, a friend or a child.

“There’s a disconnect between the head and the heart when we grieve,” said Manifold. “The head is analyzing this problem, but a lot of times the head isn’t the right tool for the job because it’s not our head that’s broken. It’s our heart.

“The loss of an animal still falls into the category of disenfranchised grief, a loss that’s not generally understood or accepted. There’s still a stigma with mourning the loss of an animal, so people will hear from outsiders ‘oh, it was just a dog’ and so they might take that on, even though they know  in their heart of hearts that that really wasn’t how their relationship was—it was more than that.”

In order to combat such feelings of grief, the VSW offers several services to clients to guide them along the grief process—before, during and after an animal’s death. Once the animal has passed away, the program provides four free grief support sessions for any non-UT Veterinary Medical Center clients and eight free sessions for UTVMC clients.

In addition, the VSW holds weekly pet loss support groups free of charge, as well as holds seasonal pet memorial celebrations to give clients and community members alike a chance to fellowship with those dealing with a similar situation.

Veterinary social workers bridge the gap between the head and the heart for grieving animal owners. Grieving owners often struggle with misunderstood feelings of loss. Social workers validate these feelings of grief by to helping clients see the positives of the relationship with their animal.  

56

Community invited to share fond memories and grieve in community.

Movie 6.1 Pet Memorial Celebration

SECTION 3

Chapter review

57

Interactive 6.2 Click on the quilt to take VSW review quiz

SECTION 4

Jennifer Webb

Jennifer is a senior in journalism. She writes for the University of Tennessee’s student paper The Daily Beacon and also for The School of Journalism and Electronic Media’s online student publication The Tennessee Journalist. She is a

member of CMA EDU’s University of Tennessee Chapter and hopes to pursue a career in entertainment news. Sarah Chewning

Sarah is a senior journalism student and member of the University of Tennessee Swimming and

Figure 6.2

" " Operation Graduation: Jennifer Webb, Sarah Chewning, Robby Veronesi, Nicole Hedger, Anthony Cespedes

The Team: Operation Graduation

58

About the Team

Operation Graduation is squad of budding communicators with one mission on their mind: graduation. With a combined 295 semesters of undergraduate coursework, the senior Journalism and Electronic Media students unite in the final project on the road to a diploma. The team’s aspirations range from freelance creative videography to news writing to television production.  

Diving team. She hopes to earn a minor in Animal Science and work as a communicator between the public and major food companies.

Robby Veronesi

Robby is a senior journalism student from Westfield, Massachusetts. A geography and psychology double minor, Robby serves as the Sports Information Director for the UT Swimming and Diving Team. When not in class or in the pool, Robby has been heavily involved in the campus ministry Volunteers for Christ (VFC), as well as the Student Alumni Associates (SAA).

Nicole Hedger

Nicole is a senior from Knoxville, Tennessee majoring in Journalism and Electronic Media.  She has written for the University of Tennessee’s student publication the Daily Beacon and specializes in print and feature writing.  She hopes to become a writer for an outdoor adventure magazine.

Anthony Cespedes

Anthony is a senior from Miami, Florida, majoring in Criminal Justice and in Journalism and Electronic Media. Anthony has reported for The Daily Beacon and The Tennessee Journalist and currently works with UT's student television station, The Volunteer Channel. He reports for TVC News. From working the cameras, to co-hosting a show when needed to he is getting his experience in both broadcast journalism and news writing.

59

Chapter 7

Branching out for water’s sake

Just like the water in which it focuses on, the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center branches out into many different directions in the types of work it carries out.

TNWRRC is a state research institution supported partly by the United States Geological Survey and works with government agencies, non-profit organizations and the public to identify water issues, conduct research and educate the public, according to its website.

With everything the TNWRRC does, water is the common denominator.

Housed in the UT Conference Center, the organization partners with several other groups to manage water including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Knox County’s Parks and Recreation Department and more, according to its website.

Students also contribute to TNWRRC’s efforts. TNWRRC offers a watershed minor for UT undergraduate and graduate students for those interested in watershed science, engineering and design. And together, all of these groups work toward managing this valuable resource.

“We do not create water,” said Timothy Gangaware, TNWRRC assistant director. “Every drop of water that was ever on this planet Earth is still on this planet Earth. It is not a resource that we can create. We can clean it. We can pollute it, and we can clean it, but we cannot create water.”

Some efforts of TNWRRC and its partnerships with other organizations include researching new water management practices, working with local water resources and hosting events to promote knowledge and spread awareness.

Section 1

QUICK DEFINITIONS

1. Watershed: an area of land that catches rain and other precipitation and drains into different water sources including rivers, basins or seas. Watersheds are all sizes and shapes, and they can affect the quality of water too.

2. Adopt-a-Watershed Program: A national model program that uses the local watershed as a living laboratory to teach and enhance the science curriculum for students in grades K-12. This model encourages the students to understand the relationship among all living things and apply this knowledge to their local environment. It is also a school-community learning experience, one that excites kids through real problem solving community action projects.

3. Americorps: The domestic Peace Corps that involves over 40,000 Americans in an intensive year of doing service in their community.

Introduction

61

Audio 7.1 Chapter Introduction

One example of water management technology that TNWRRC researches is permeable pavement, which is a type of pavement that allows stormwater to seep into the ground instead of running off into other above ground water sources like creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and more.

And this trend is sprouting around different areas in Knoxville like St. John’s Lutheran Church on Broadway.

The permeable parking lot was put in at the church around four years ago, and TNWRRC had supported research on it to see how much water the pavement could absorb.

“The results were we saw no runoff even under very very large storms … with four inches (of rain) to fall within a 24 hour period,” said Gangaware. “We saw absolutely no runoff coming from that parking lot. Every bit of it was being absorbed into the ground and soaked into the soil underneath it.”

“It’s more expensive than your traditional asphalt, but the benefits you get from it in the long run are well worth it,” said Gangaware.

Section 2

TNWRRC Research

62

TNWRRC Senior Research Associate Ruth Anne Hanahan demonstrates how permeable pavement works and how it helps stormwater travel into the soil. Photo Courtesy of TNWRRC.

Figure 7.1

TNWRRC also teaches the Knoxville community about different water management practices, including the use of rain barrels.

Rain barrels are essentially a modified barrel that collects stormwater. The collected water can be used to water plants, wash cars or windows, fill ponds or birdbaths and reduce water bills.

TNWRRC has hosted these workshops in Knox County for four years, where attendees can learn about what rain barrels do, how to make one and can take on home to use themselves, according to Gangaware.

63

Timothy Gangaware, TNWRRC assistant director, talks about a state regulation in place regarding stormwater management and new water management practices that have been put in place because of the regulation.

Movie 7.1

Participants at an Ijams Nature Center “make it take it” workshop learned how to build rain barrels and took them home. Photo courtesy of the TNWRRC.

Figure 7.2

This gallery shows TNWRRC’s guide to rain barrels that includes what they are about, how to make and maintain one and the benefits they can provide. Guide courtesy of TNWRRC.

TNWRRC also works with bodies of water found in East Tennessee. It helps coordinate the Knox County Adopt-A-Watershed program, where middle and high school students are taught about their local watersheds, and has worked with the Beaver Creek Watershed in North Knox County for around seven to eight years, according to Gangaware.

With help from Knox County, TNWRRC helped transform a subdivision near Beaver Creek that flooded constantly into an outdoor classroom for high school students.

“The county ended up buying the homes from the property owners, tore them down and … gave that land to Halls High School, and then we worked with them as a part of Adopt-A-Watershed Program to make it an outdoor classroom, so now the students at Halls High School use that to study science, to go out and do poetry, plays, whatever,” said Gangaware. “It’s a six acre outdoor classroom that is theirs.”

Section 3

Local Watershed Work

65

This map shows the area of the Beaver Creek Watershed in North Knox County in relation to Knoxville city limits. Map Courtesy of TNWRRC.

Figure 7.3 Beaver Creek Watershed Map

TNWRRC also implemented a gazebo with rain barrels that capture rain water, a rain garden and put in a natural succession area with trees that will grow up like a natural forest in the outdoor classroom, according to Gangaware.

And they aren’t finished yet.

An AmeriCorps team is out there weekly with the Adopt-A-Watershed program, and they continue to educate students to explore and monitor the conditions of their local watersheds.

66

Timothy Gangaware, TNWRRC assistant director, talks about the Adopt-A-Stream program.

Movie 7.2 Adopt-A-Stream

TNWRRC participated in a restoration project at Halls Greenway Community Park. It was part of a research project conducted by Dr. John Schartz, associate professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Photo courtesy of TNWRRC.

Gallery 7.1 Adopt-A-Watershed Projects

Section 4

THE NIGHT WATCH

We decided on our name The Night Watch because we work around the clock to achieve greatness. Our members are...

1. Travis Miller

2. Meagan Wood

3. Maggie Jones

4. Dylan Wilkes

The Team

67

CHAPTER 8

The professor

The professor for JEM 499 is James Glen Stovall. He is a professor of journalism at the University of Tennessee and author of, among other books, Writing for the Mass Media, a media writing text that is now in its eighth edition. He is the executive director of the Intercollegiate Online News Network. (Yes, that’s actually him in the picture; he keeps bees, among other things.)