Wednesday, May 9, 2023 - Alumni & Graduation

Letter from the Editor: Transformative years at UT

DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Daniel Dassow

MANAGING EDITOR: Abby Ann Ramsey

COPY CHIEF: Olivia Hayes

NEWS EDITOR: Autumn Hall

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Emma Coffey

SPORTS EDITOR: Andrew Peters

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: Eric Woods

DIGITAL PRODUCER: Lauren Ward

PHOTO EDITOR: Ericksen Gomez-Villeda

DESIGN EDITOR: Bella Hughes

PAGE DESIGNERS: Emma Fingeret, Rhylee Gross, Julia Paulman

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Jackie Dremel

ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Cullen Askew

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES: Shelby Coppock, Jacob Stromatt

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Jean Mendoza, Everrett Hurst

CONTACTS

TO REPORT A NEWS ITEM OR SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE, please email editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com or call (865) 974-2348

TO PLACE AN AD, please email admanager@utk.edu.

LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason.

Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-inChief.

CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters. The offices are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com

The last four years have been completely transformative. I am in awe when I think back to 2019 and how much has happened since that time. I came to UT largely empty and I am leaving full — full of love, full of memories and full of what my mother would call a sense of poignancy.

When you are about to graduate college, the amorphous fog that was once Your Future condenses into a series of nagging questions. Who have I be-

come? What do I do with my identity after tethering it to one place for four years? What have I received, other than a ticket into the professional class and an eerie sense of how little I actually know about the world?

I will put these questions on hold so that I can thank all the people who have shaped my life here.

First, I want to thank my wife, whom I met in a dining hall during our freshman year at UT. Thank you for sweetly encouraging me to take on every new role and for filling my life with love. May we find new peace in this time of change and in every place we go.

(I would also like to take this moment to thank our cat, Michelle, who has always tried her best to get between me and my computer. I will be done with all my homework soon and I can give you all the attention you demand.)

To my family, and especially my grandmother, who was the most faithful reader of my writing at the Beacon: Everything I know about being in relationship with other people I learned from you, and we are the best people to be in relationship with.

To the circle of friends who sustained us: Michael, Gracyn, Landry, Katy, Cate, Amy, Hollie, Emma, Luke, Jarrett, Camille, Jonathan, JuliAnna, Magnolia, Faezeh, Mohammad, Nishith, Lee, John, Juliette and so many more — thank you for sharing your love with us.

To the people who constitute the Departments of English and Religious Studies: You are extraordinary. I wouldn’t choose any other academic homes even if I were punished in all my next lives with eternal undergraduate-dom.

To the administrative units of this university,

and particularly the Division of Enrollment Management: Thanks for keeping things interesting. My class has been both the victim of terrible historical timing and the benefactor of good managerial timing. All of us, including the staff of The Daily Beacon, work in places that are really on the rise.

In that vein: I am so thankful for Abby Ann Ramsey, who takes over as Editor-in-Chief of the Beacon today, and who is one of its most talented stewards. She is a great friend and has made this a great place to work. I look up to her in many ways and I know that the Beacon will thrive under her leadership.

Student media work is a collaborative effort of more people than I can reasonably thank here. If you have ever given your time to the Beacon, I am thankful for you. Our director Jerry Bush and our technical coordinator Austin Orr have been great advisors for the last four years.

I want to recognize by name those who have held this position in my time here: Kylie Hubbard Irvine, Gabriela Szymanowska, Aly DeMarco and Sarah Rainey. You all gave more than you ever took. We made it through.

Finally, I want to thank Knoxville for being a great place to live these last four years and for the foreseeable future. My little family and I are staying here for many reasons, but chief among them is Old North Abbey, an Anglican church with an Appalachian spirit and one of the most special places on Earth.

We thought Knoxville would only ever signify stress and fatigue to us, but it has been redeemed. God has been good to us here, and we are staying to see what else this place can teach us.

Letter from the Upcoming Editor: Serving the UT community

ABBY ANN RAMSEY Managing Editor

After spending a year as the Beacon’s Managing Editor, I am beyond excited to step into the role of Editor-in-Chief for the 202324 academic year. I cannot begin to express how meaningful The Daily Beacon has been to my college experience.

Two years ago, I ended my freshman year having only ever stepped foot in four buildings on campus. I had only ever eaten takeout food from the Student Union, never sitting at a table inside. I had been to zero football or basketball games as a student. And I had written a mere two articles for the Beacon.

It’s strange to think that I spent one whole year almost completely detached from the Beacon because of how much it has defined my time in college. Looking back on that year though, makes me even more grateful than I already am for this campus newspaper.

In my role, I’ve gotten to focus on the inner workings of the office, and attempt to bring a sense of community to our newsroom. Spending time in

the office every day has shown a stark contrast to my freshman year, and I’m so thankful for all of the wonderful people that have made up the community of the Beacon.

Now, as I move into a more big-picture role, I hope the Beacon can bring that sense of community to the greater UT campus through the stories we tell and the way we connect with students. The Daily Beacon isn’t here just to write a few articles and pray someone reads them. It’s here to serve a community and to make people feel seen — the same way it made me feel seen when I felt lost on campus. Whether we’re writing a feature on your new organization or trying to convince you to start writing for us, we want you to feel like the Beacon is trying to connect with you.

A few months ago, we published a video asking people if they knew what The Daily Beacon was or if they read it. The video was not only funny and depressing but has also fueled me and other staff members to work even harder to spread the word, so that people feel connected to us and know that we’re here to serve them.

I know next year will be nothing short of challenging, but I feel so grateful that I’ve had so many wonderful people supporting me and setting examples of excellent leadership.

To Kylie Hubbard Irvine, thank you for challeng-

ing me, encouraging me to be kind while standing my ground and always lending a listening ear or piece of advice when I need it — which is frequently. Thank you also to Andrew Peters for showing me what hard work looks like and serving as a constant source of support.

I’d also like to thank current Editor-in-Chief Daniel Dassow who has been a great friend and fantastic person to lead with. Daniel has left behind an incredible legacy at the Beacon, and I’m so thankful for the way he makes thoughtful decisions, leads with grace and prioritizes excellent journalism.

I feel so excited and prepared going into next year not only because of these people but because I have the pleasure of leading with Bella Hughes, the next Managing Editor. I know Bella will lead with kindness and thoughtfulness while prioritizing the success of the Beacon.

Look out for the Beacon next year on news racks, social media and at some in-person events. We’ve got a great editorial team next year, and we can’t wait to connect with you.

Courtesy of Alexandra Ashmore

Digital archive of Orange and White, Daily Beacon expected next academic year

DANIEL DASSOW Editor-in-Chief

story about administration.

Next academic year, for the first time, these memories will be accessible with the click of a few keys once UT Libraries completes a full digital archive of The Daily Beacon and its predecessor, The Orange and White.

The expansive digitization project represents years of work on the part of university archivists and library administrators, who hope that the archive will make research into the university’s history more accessible and enjoyable.

Alumni, faculty, staff and researchers frequently request to see old copies of the Beacon, which are often the only source of information on everyday campus history since 1965. Currently, those copies are sitting in fragile bound volumes in the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives in Hodges Library.

Holly Mercer, senior associate dean of UT Libraries, explained why the university prioritized the pricey creation of the archive.

student newspapers, we are making it easier to locate and read the stories of interest to the Volunteer community.”

The creation of the archive also presents a chance to preserve decades-old physical newsprint struggling to stand the test of time.

Alesha Shumar, assistant head and university archivist with University Archives, said that groups who came through special collections in Hodges took a toll on the papers.

“The problem with these is that they are so fragile,” Shumar said, paging through a 1982 edition of the Beacon. “We had classes coming in here and using them, and then you would see just newspaper confetti on the floor.”

Shumar has worked to digitize yearbooks, commencement programs and sports programs, but the effort to digitize The Orange and White and the Beacon is larger and more expensive than the other projects.

Digital, a firm in Maryland, to make scans of each edition of the student papers. Josh Morgan, digital production technical manager for UT Libraries, said his team has sent both bound copies and microfilm of the papers to the firm.

The library receives thousands of images from the firm, which are then sorted through one-by-one by Morgan and his team of students to select the best scans. Currently, the team has gone through 80,000 images, with thousands more on the way.

The most difficult part of the process comes when the scans are “ingested” into a repository which sorts the finished archive by metadata that makes the pages searchable by word. Morgan predicts the archive will be finished either in late fall or early spring.

Ask most UT alumni for a story from their college years involving The Daily Beacon, and they’ll have one. Maybe it was the lines of students reading the paper each morning over breakfast or a race to finish the crossword puzzle before class. Maybe it was the craziest entries from the crime log or a buzzy

“Newspapers are invaluable sources when conducting historical research,” Mercer said. “Answers to many questions fielded by UT archivists can be found in The Daily Beacon, but requesting the correct issues, visiting Special Collections and poring over fragile newspapers can be daunting. By digitizing the

WORSHIP GUIDE

She said the papers contain “an incredible wealth of knowledge” and have been some of the most surprising archival documents to work with.

“I swear, every time we open it to do a research project, whether it’s us or our student workers, they always open to something funny or something that’s timely now, and we’re like, what year was this?” Shumar said.

The university is working with Creekside

“You’re digitizing all this primary source material, which is how our history books are written, how we make sure that history books are factual and not thrown in with all this crazy stuff,” Morgan said. “You go back to that primary source material. What did it originally say? For me, that’s entirely important to understand our history so that we don’t repeat it.”

Once the archive is complete, it will be accessible through the libraries homepage and through the university’s Digital Collections.

University Archivist Alesha Shumar flips though old copies of the Beacon. Ericksen Gomez-Villleda / The Daily Beacon

What is an honorary doctorate and who’s gotten one from UT?

Each year, the University of Tennessee invites an individual who has benefited either the university or society through their achievements to receive an honorary degree. In the past honorary degrees have been awarded to singers, politicians, writers and more.

While these individuals have all made outstanding contributions in their respective fields, there are a few that have stood out over the years and will be remembered for years to come. Here is some information about these standout awardees, as well as the accomplishments that earned them their respective honors.

Dolly Parton (Spring 2009)

If you go to UT, it is likely that you have heard a lot about East Tennessee native, entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton. During the spring 2009 commencement, Parton received an Honorary Doctor of Humane and Musical Letters.

Parton’s Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee, has touched the lives of children across Tennessee and around the world. The library aims to inspire a love of reading among children through open accessibility to free book donations.

As many might know, Parton’s entertainment career has also been incredibly successful, with 10 Grammy awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards and two Oscar nominations under her belt.

Al Gore Jr. (Spring 2010)

Al Gore, a native of Carthage, Tennessee, and 45th Vice President of the United States, received UT’s Honorary Doctor of Laws and Humane Letters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in spring 2010.

Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for educating citizens on the potential

effects of climate change. Prior to his time as Vice President, Gore was a U.S. Representative for Tennessee from 1977-85 and a U.S. Senator for Tennessee from 1985-93. Gore was also the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee.

Dale Dickey (Fall 2015)

Knoxville native Dale Dickey returned to her alma mater in fall 2015, receiving an Honorary Master in Fine Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences. Dickey attended UT as a theatre major from 1979-84, where she participated in more than 20 Clarence Brown Theatre productions before she was a student.

Since graduating from UT, Dickey has been successful in Hollywood with roles in Hell or High Water, The Pledge, My Name is Earl, True Blood, Breaking Bad, Christy and Winter’s Bone, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2011.

Fred Smith (Spring 2016)

In spring 2016, founder, chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation Fred Smith received an Honorary Doctor of Business from UT. FedEx is headquartered in Tennessee and made faster package sorting and distribution possible.

Smith’s idea for FedEx originally stemmed from a business model that he designed while attending Yale University. He revisited the idea after serving three years in the U.S. Marine Corps, ultimately founding the Federal Express in 1971.

Joy Harjo (Spring 2022)

In spring 2022, 23rd U.S. poet laureate, performer and writer of the Muscogee (Creek) nation Joy Harjo received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from UT. Harjo has written nine books of poetry, several plays, children’s books and two memoirs. She has also produced seven award-winning music albums. Harjo formerly served as a John C. Hodges Chair of Excellence, and she is currently a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and chair of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation Board of Directors.

AUTUMN HALL News Editor

Courtesy of Dave Golden / Creative Commons

Class of 2023, last pre-COVID-19 class, reflects on pandemic

ical student, I was not able to shadow or get clinical experience, so that stressed me out because I felt like I was going to be at huge disadvantage later on in my journey towards medicine.”

Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the irrational fear of the thirteenth day in a month when it falls on a Friday.

March 13, 2020 fell on a Friday. How spooky.

The atmosphere at UT that day was a mix of apprehension and enthusiasm. It was the last day of classes before spring break, and many people were packing up to go home or to long-awaited vacations. Some had even already left campus days before to jumpstart their break, bailing on classes – consequences be damned.

Trouble was on the horizon, however. Two days prior, university administration had announced that in-person classes would be temporarily suspended after spring break. The decision was made to limit the spread of the then relatively new COVID-19 disease. At the time, none of the campuses in the UT System had reported a case of coronavirus, and it was anticipated that students would return some time in April.

That same day, the World Health Organization declared that the spread of the coronavirus had become a pandemic. Despite these omens, many students could not fathom not returning to campus after break.

“It never crossed my mind,” senior English major Cecilia Foust said. “I was stunned we were even getting the time off that we originally got.”

Eva Karnowski, a senior nursing student and SGA Alumni Coordinator, echoed the sentiment.

“(The thought) hadn’t hit me yet when we left for spring break,” Karnowski said. Others, however, already had a hunch something was wrong.

“Right before we left for – what was announced to be a lengthened – spring break, I remember telling one of my friends something like ‘Realistically we aren’t coming back. There’s already a confirmed case here in Knox County,’” senior journalism major Seth Reynolds said. “Sadly, I was right.”

Alissa Nam, who will be graduating with a degree in neuroscience, was already familiar with the disease. The majority of her family lives in South Korea, where COVID-19 was already spreading rapidly. With this experience, she says she did surmise campus closing down, although she could not have predicted how long it would be before the return to inperson classes.

“Considering the rate at which the virus was spreading, I had an inkling that we would be stuck at home for a while,” Nam said. “However, I did not expect to spend two years of my undergraduate career at home on Zoom.”

That “while” turned into the rest of the

semester. On March 16, 2020, the university announced that classes would remain online and all graduation ceremonies were canceled. The world – the small slice of it that was UT campus – was turned upside-down overnight. It was a time of immense fear and confusion.

“I think we all – or at least the people that I knew – expected a brief two-week shutdown, a month at the most, before things got ‘back to normal,’” Foust said. “Then that obviously never happened – it felt like a perpetual waiting game, where we didn’t get any answers

on what to expect or what the gameplan was.”

At first, many students celebrated classes migrating online. The change was perceived as making coursework easier and less stressful. As time went on, it turned out to be more nightmare than bliss. Without the opportunity to pursue hands-on training, students in certain fields said they felt like they missed out on crucial parts of their education.

“All the clinics and hospitals had shut down, so there was nothing I could do to gain experience,” Nam said. “As a pre-med-

To supplement this gap, some enterprising students got creative and did what they could at home to gain a measure of experience. It also had the benefit of alleviating boredom and maintaining relationships during isolation.

“As someone who wanted to go into video production, knowing that I’d miss out on at least a semester’s worth of in person learning really took a toll on me,” Reynolds said. “I actually started a ‘Recorder Relief Concert’ series on my Snapchat story, where I took requests and taught myself how to play a variety of different songs and posted them.”

“I like to think it helped to cheer my friends up a little bit.”

As the last class to experience campus before COVID-19 graduates and enters an uneasy future, they cannot help but mourn life before the pandemic and all they missed out during lockdown.

“One thing that I personally miss from pre-COVID days is the dorm life,” Nam said. “I miss hanging out with my friends and staying up late studying at study lounge at Brown or at Hodges.

“I’m still thankful that I got to experience normal college life for at least a full semester.”

While many aspects of life and society have returned to relative normalcy, there are lingering effects that still have not been shaken off and may never fully recover.

“I don’t know if that’s just me, or if it’s a widespread phenomenon. There’s a distinct increase in – I guess you might call it a nihilist attitude – that I’ve noticed among not only my peers, but people in general,” Foust said. “I think COVID scared a lot of us into realizing we’re not invincible and our world as we know it can so easily come to a grinding halt out of nowhere.”

“I don’t think there’s any real recovery of our pre-COVID attitude, knowing what we know now.”

As a commuter student her freshman year, Foust says the lockdown impacted her connection with the school.

“I go to school there, but it’s just a place to me, and I don’t harbor any special connection like it seems a lot of alumni do for their school,” she said. “I’m convinced that being away for two years played a major role in this perception on my end. I didn’t have the time to really ‘fall in love’ with campus.”

COVID-19 left a permanent mark on campus and its surrounding community. For the class of 2023, who had to contend with a pandemic as soon as they entered adulthood, those effects will be felt for the rest of their lives.

AURORA SILAVONG Staff Writer

Volunteers man a snack table for voters at the Howard Baker Jr. Center on Oct. 26, 2020. File / The Daily Beacon

Two students pose in Circle Park holding signs requiring participants of the BLM March to maintain social distancing, and to wear a mask at all times. File / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Cole Moore / Contributor

Madelyn Stone / Contributor

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Kailee Harris / Contributor

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Cole Moore / Contributor

About the Photos

1. Australian rapper The Kid Laroi waves to his fans during a concert on April 5.

2. World Langauge organizations table on May 3.

3. Karoline Striplin (11) fights for a loose ball against a Georgia player on Jan. 15.

4. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton steps on the court to shoot the ball during the ESPN College GameDay broadcast on Jan. 28.

5. Rickea Jackson (2) shoots a short jumper against Toledo at Thompson-Boling Arena. Monday March 20.

6. Students walk on Ped Walkway on the first day of Spring Semester.

7. Brenda Song talks being an Asian-American child actress on March 21.

8. A student rides a bike to create energy to make a smoothie on April 19.

9. Commit campiagn members await election results on April 5.

10. Nathan Leacock (85) celebrates a touchdown during the Orange and White game on April 15.

11. Rylie West (5) bats against South Carolina at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on May 7.

12. Jahmai Mashack (15) attempts a free throw during a NCAA tournament game against Duke on Mar. 18.

13. Brittany Broski talks about Internet fame on May 1.

14. Davy Crockett and Smokey pump up the crowd on April 15.

15. Josiah-Jordan James (30) looks to make a move against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament on March 9.

16. Vol Cheer performs at the men’s basketball game against Ole Miss on March 9.

17. A group of friends enjoys a game of Jenga on Feb. 15.

18. Members of the campus Christian ministry group Chi Alpha evangelize on Ped Walkway on March 23.

19. Esther Adeshina congratulates her team after their victory May 5.

20. ESPN’s Rece Davis interviews Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler (5) during the College Game Day broadcast on Jan 28.

21. Sinan the Squirrel and his owner attend the Orange and White Game on April 15.

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Madelyn Stone / Contributor

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda/ The Daily Beacon

‘Eyes on LaFollette’ photojournalism project celebrates 30 years

ERICKSEN GOMEZ-VILLEDA Photo Editor

On April 28-29, Professor Rob Heller’s Advanced Journalism class traveled to LaFollette, Tennessee to take part in the annual class project “Eyes On LaFollette.” This year’s project wasn’t just another trip to take photographs, it was the 30th anniversary of “Eyes On LaFollette.”

“A Day in the Life of…”, which ended up being a popular book series. Professor Heller did “A Day in the Life of UT” but thought there could be a way to do that project outside of the university. LaFollete became the right place at the right time.

CCI Distinguished Lecturer and UT alumna Sarah Lamb (‘94) remembers LaFollette and the people as the definition of southern hospitality.

“They really embraced us, welcomed us into their town and home. People were willing to show us that level of hospitality, and more than just hospitality, just a real intimate glimpse into their lives,” Lamb said. “It was a life changing experience for me, being a photojournalist was my dream job. It was life affirming to know as far as my career, I was on the right path, to know that I was going to love what I was gonna do. It was a defining moment.”

stopping at places such as a rehab center, a tire shop, restaurants, schools, and even a winery among other places. It seemed like just about everywhere the students went, the town welcomed them in. Most of the town knows about this project and according to Professor Heller, the town “looks forward to it and they are excited about it.”

Campbell County Circuit Court Clerk Bobby Vann was a school police officer 30 years ago in LaFollette. He is now an elected official for the city who met with a student on this year’s project to take a trip down memory lane.

“I think it’s a great project, it highlights how great of a community we do have here,” Vann said.

said. “It’s been quite difficult because there’s been so many wonderful photos over the years. Hopefully this is something that will happen in the next year or so, then you’ll have that book to remember all of this, at least that’s the hope.”

According to Heller, he came up with the concept for this project 30 years ago when photographers at the time would travel to random locations and create projects called

As Professor Heller’s class prepared for this trip, they were reminded that this trip is “kind of a big one, no pressure or anything.” The students started the day in LaFollete at the LaFollette Press, taking the yearly group shot and going over a game plan for the day, where they might be able to get some shots, and when to meet back, but for the most part each student had their day mapped out.

The students ventured out into the town,

Bobby expressed joy about how this project has affected the morale of people in LaFollette. He remembered after the first issue came out, how all the school kids came up to him and showed him his photo in the paper. Bobby also expressed his desire to see the project continue.

“We need to keep it going, comparing today to 30 years ago, it’s a great thing for everybody,” Vann said. “Our number 1 industry is tourism, so I’m sure this project has had an effect on that. Anytime you reach outside the community, that’s good.”

Journalism master’s student Amanda Brooks said the hospitality of the people in LaFollete stuck out to her.

“The people were willing to talk and interact with us,” Brooks said. “There was a sense of ‘let me explain to you and teach you’ in that moment, which was cool. People were really excited to tell us what they do.”

Eyes on LaFollette isn’t just a UT thing. This project has been featured in the New York Times Lens Blog, and their international print edition, which had a combined viewership of around 700,000. Another LaFollette resident, Matt Bowens, whose photo first appeared 10 years ago in the 20th Anniversary Edition, said that after his photo was taken, he was on vacation in Mexico where he ran into a man from the U.S. who recognized his photo from the “Eyes on LaFollette” project.

“We’re a small town, we don’t have a lot of stuff like Knoxville does, but people come from all over to come to Norris Lake,” Bowens said. “This town has changed so much in 30 years. It’s a great town, great people, great community. This project just builds people up”

It seemed like everywhere the students went, there were throwbacks to the past 30 years. Old photos from past projects hung in random buildings, businesses have photos of themselves or loved ones who had been photographed in the past, and people who had been photographed before were more than willing to talk about when they were in the paper.

“I have been working on the idea of a book of the best photos from the past 30 years as sort of a ‘thank you’ to LaFollette,” Heller

“I have been working on the idea of a book of the best photos from the past 30 years as a sort of ‘thank you’ to LaFollette.”

ROB HELLER Journalism Professor

Steven Starburg teaches water aerobics as part of physical therapy at Grace Rehab.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Circuit Court Clerk Bobby Vann holds up a photo of himself from the very first issue of Eyes on Lafollette from 30 years ago in 1993.

Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Local restaurants owned by UT alumni

ABBIE SMITH Staff Writer

As the class of 2023 makes their exit from the University of Tennessee and enters the “alumni” phase of their lives, each student has the opportunity to take what they’ve learned at UT and transform it into something great. Some alumni will become nurses or teachers, some will work 9-5 jobs and some will not, and some students will start their own businesses, like the owners of these local restaurants. The next great alumniowned restaurant in Knoxville may be the brainchild of a 2023 graduate, but for now, here is a list of six alumni-owned restaurants in the Knoxville area.

Abridged Beer Company

Abridged Beer Company is owned by two alumni of the University of Tennessee, Lyndsay and Jesse Bowers, who have successfully opened four restaurants in different areas of Knoxville. They own the Bearden brewpub, Cedar Bluff’s “world headquarters” of Abridged, the Oak Room in North Knoxville, and a food truck that can be found around Knoxville, though they are not booking events with the food truck at this time. Their menu is relatively the same between all four locations: a heavy focus on burgers and sandwiches, as well as a kids menu and appetizers that sound fulfilling, like their fried green tomatoes. They also have a sandwich of the month, which offers a fun element of surprise to your dining experience.

The Chop House

The Chop House, with two locations in Knoxville and eight locations across all of Tennessee and into Georgia and Ohio, is owned by alumnus J. Michael Connor. These restaurants are all classic American steakhouses.

The Chop House offers a wide variety of food, with different lunch and dinner menus, nutritional and gluten free menus, as well as wine, cocktail, dessert, and kids menus. With this many locations and food options, you will never get bored while eating at The Chop House.

Refill Coffee Cart

The Refill Coffee Cart is a much smaller, more portable business than the others on this list. Because of this, alumnus Adam Kennedy has the unique opportunity to cater for any event: indoor or outdoor, large or small, and corporate or personal. Though the cart only caters to people and businesses in East Tennessee, their whole bean coffee is shipped all over the United States. Kennedy studied advertising at UT, which helped him learn how to study current trends and information when building his business.

“The education I gained during my time at UT provided me with the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to build a team that allows my business to function efficiently and to create a strategy to effectively advertise my business to a specific audience or potential partners,” Kennedy said.

For those who reside within 20 miles of downtown Knoxville, you can order coffee delivery on the Refill Coffee Cart website. They offer cold brew delivery for the most part and have more options at the actual coffee cart, which is available for booking.

Balter Beerworks

Balter Beerworks is owned by alumnus David Wedekind. The restaurant is a “scratch kitchen brewpub,” according to their website, and its mission is to offer a place for people to connect and enjoy themselves. The word balter means “to dance artlessly, without particular grade or skill but with enjoyment” also according to Balter Beerworks’ restaurant and that summarizes this business perfectly. It is a place for spontaneous fun and laughter.

Balter has five different menus: brunch, lunch, dinner, specials and their beverage menus. Like Abridged, Balter Beerworks offers a variety of options but are most well-known for their burgers and sandwiches. Their brunch menu is also extensive and has something for everyone.

Week of 5/8/23 - 5/14/23

Double Dogs

Double Dogs is a sports bar located off of Hardin Valley Road, right across from Pellissippi State Community College. There is also a location on Kingston Pike, past West Town Mall. Both locations are owned by Daniel Davis. They have a variety of wings, salads with dressings that they make from scratch, sandwiches, pizzas, hot dogs, burgers, and sides that will satisfy everyone you are eating with. They have a famous milkshake made with Moose Tracks ice cream, though if you have a peanut allergy, you should not order it. Overall, the selection options and locations make this a trip worth taking.

Tennessee Tap House

Tennessee Tap House is located in west Knoxville and owned by alumna Patti Anderson. Tennessee Tap House focuses on celebrating the traditions of East Tennessee by embracing an environment fueled by football, sports, and music. They host trivia on Tuesday nights, live music on Wednesday through Saturday nights, and Singo on Sunday nights. The restaurant also has a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, entrees, and sides that provide something for everyone. They also pride themselves on their local beer list, which is extensive.

The Weekly Crossword by Margie E. Burke

Balter Beerworks celebrates Okoberfest on Sept. 19, 2018. File/ The Daily Beacon

2022 Tennessee baseball alumni give back to university, prepare for professional world

CALEB JARREAU Staff Writer

na be with the team,’” Walsh told The Daily Beacon. “I want to see what it’s like being on the other side of it, the coaching side of it. So, that’s how it kind of all started out with the coaching side of it.”

As simple as that, Walsh had his plan set. He would join Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson and learn what it was like from his point of view. As a player, the pair become close. As a graduate assistant, the pair worked even closer.

Walsh tied Todd Helton as the all-time saves leader at Tennessee. As a soft throwing lefty, Walsh took on the closer spot for No. 1 Tennessee in 2022. His ability alone didn’t get the Alcoa native the spot, but his work ethic did. His mentality has carried over to the coaching side smoothly.

“I don’t even think Tony (Vitello) knew exactly what he wanted me to do when I got there, but as time went on I kind of figured out my role of helping the pitchers and kind of being like a second eye for Frank (Anderson),” Walsh said. “That’s been the best part about it is just learning from that guy.”

On the other hand, Lipcius didn’t want to get into college coaching. He had seen the grueling effects it can have on someone, and he saw how much time coaches put in for little pay.

While Walsh was talking with Vitello about joining Tennessee’s staff, Lipcius embarked on a cruise with his fiance. The cruise allowed him to unwind and think about his future.

thing.”

While Lipcius had never expected himself to enjoy coaching as much as he did, Walsh knew that coaching was something he wanted to do.

The building blocks were there for Walsh, so he jumped at the chance to pursue his dream of coaching. The southpaw’s ultimate dream would be to go “full circle” and take over as Tennessee’s pitching coach.

The opportunity to give back to a university that had given so much to him played a part in Walsh’s decision.

“Just how much love and support they’ve given me is one of those things that if I can give back to those guys a fraction of what they gave to me, I think I’d make some kind of impact and just show how important that the university and the people around it have been to me,” Walsh said.

Lipcius chose to give back to Tennessee academically, while Walsh was doing so in the dugout. With one year left on his master’s degree, Lipcius has become a teaching assistant.

“Not that I’m saying that I wouldn’t enjoy being a coach, it’s just one of those things that I would look back on it I feel like I wouldn’t be satisfied.”

Similar to Lipcius, Walsh has also received an opportunity in the professional engineering world. It won’t be a clean break for Walsh though as he hopes to continue his coaching career.

“Build your resume, start somewhere else, kind of make your own name,” Walsh said of his new opportunity. “It was something where another opportunity fell and I wanted to see what else was out there. I had an engineering degree. I’ve never got to do an engineering job, and it’s something that I just kind of wanted to go out there and see what else there is.”

As the pair heads into the professional world of engineering, their fingerprints are everywhere around Tennessee baseball. The program has come a long way since they arrived.

The two showed up to a Tennessee team in 2017 that was near the bottom of the SEC, and they left as local Knoxville celebrities.

“Every so often somebody recognizes me and I get those little butterflies in my tummy, like, ‘Holy moly, you still recognize me,’” Lipcius said. “It’s just so cool because my freshman year and when I was younger in college, nobody knew anyone on the baseball team. We were just an average Joe.”

Redmond Walsh (46) pitching against JMU at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Wednesday, Mar 9, 2022. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon

Tennessee baseball took the world by storm in 2022. After going to Omaha the year before, the Vols returned, set a program record with 57 wins and won both the SEC regular season and tournament championships.

158 home runs later, disappointment struck. Tennessee fell to Notre Dame in the Super Regionals to end their historic season. With their college careers over, 10 Vols were drafted to continue playing in the MLB.

Sixth-year seniors Redmond Walsh and Luc Lipcius didn’t see their names called in the draft. The pair were left with tough decisions for their future. The decisions sent them down two separate paths with similar outcomes.

Walsh, who holds a degree in aerospace engineering, contemplated his future. The job market looked promising, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to leave baseball just yet.

Then, a text from Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello popped up on Walsh’s phone.

“We can’t get rid of you,” the skipper wrote.

“I just told him, ‘I wanna be back, I wan-

Lipcius toyed with the idea of pursuing an undrafted free agent deal, but his high academics and pursuit of a master’s degree in engineering opted him away from that decision.

As he wrapped up his cruise, Lipcius wasn’t sad but grateful for his experience in baseball.

“I think that kind of took the load off of the harsh reality of my college career being over,” Lipcius shared with The Daily Beacon. “So, it wasn’t a sad thing either because I knew that what I had been a part of at Tennessee was so great that I could rest easy at night and be happy with what happened.”

He didn’t completely abandon baseball, though. The all-time home run leader at Tennessee began giving hitting lessons to Knoxville kids — kids who looked up to the former first baseman.

At first, Lipcius thought the opportunity to give lessons would be an easy way to stay around baseball and get some income as well. As a full-time master’s student in the Tickle College of Engineering, he didn’t have time for a traditional job.

Not long after he began working with younger athletes, Lipcius began to find a love for what he was doing.

“It turned into like, ‘Dude, I’m actually like changing these kids and, and improving them,’” Lipcius said. “And it just turned into a very good experience, a gratifying experience to have helped a kid get better at some-

He is just “Luc” to his students and took on the opportunity to help aspiring engineers find their way through college. Having gone through the program himself, he is able to help current students with issues he went through as a freshman.

“It is good to give back and teach these students what I know,” Lipcius said. “Especially because I feel like I have a good way of teaching to where I’m not super strict. I’m friendly with the students, and of course, it did help pay for the rest of my master’s, so that was a big incentive. But it is good to give back and help these kids, these students.”

As the school year comes to an end, Lipcius will graduate with his master’s degree and start a job with Gulfstream in Georgia. The job will let Lipcius put his education to use while overseeing the production of private jets.

His “normal” job will give Lipcius time to perfect his golf swing and even play some adult softball. It also allows him to get away from baseball, something he has spent almost all of his life playing.

“I think without just a straight, clean break from baseball as in like coaching or playing, that I would hold onto it too much and it would almost drag me down,” Lipcius said.

When the class of 2017 arrived on campus, they had one goal: change the program. When the class of 2017 left the program, it was at its highest point in recent history. Tennessee baseball is now a national brand that draws attention from across the country.

For Lipcius and Walsh, it was a success of the mission they set out for.

“Just to see us going literally from the worst to the best, is something that I’ll hold with me,” Lipcius said. “I think that the only real way to explain it is when we won that super regional in 2021, me and Pete (Derkay) and (Evan Russell), the old guys, we just broke down on the field, started crying. We did it, and that was the defining moment.”

I kind of figured out my role of helping the pitchers and kind of being a second eye for Frank (Anderson).”

REDMOND WALSH Assistant Pitching Coach