CEHHS Earns National Recognition in 2025 U.S. News & World Report Rankings

April 8, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has received national recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings, with several programs achieving high marks—including those in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS).

CEHHS graduate education programs saw a significant rise, ranking 43rd among public institutions (up from 51st) and 54^th (up from 63^rd) nationally among all institutions.

“Our teacher educators are not only committed to addressing teacher shortages but also to preparing high-quality educators,” said Ellen McIntyre, dean of CEHHS. “These rankings reflect their dedication to impactful research and community engagement.”

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work and excellence of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners,” said David Cihak, associate dean of Professional Educator Programs and director of the Bailey Graduate School of Education. “We are excited to build on this momentum as we continue to innovate in education.”

CEHHS was also recently recognized on the Tennessee Educator Preparation Report Card, receiving the highest-tier “Exceeds Expectations” designation—one of only two public institutions in the state to do so.

The college continues to play a key role in addressing statewide teacher shortages, particularly in Knox County Schools (KCS). At the start of the 2024-2025 school year, KCS had only six vacant teaching positions across 92 schools, a dramatic improvement from the 80-100 vacancies in previous years.

The Best Graduate Schools rankings serve as a guide for prospective graduate students, assessing programs in business, education, engineering, law, and nursing. These rankings are based on expert evaluations and statistical data, reflecting program excellence, faculty credentials, research activity, and student outcomes.

“The success of our graduate programs underscores the dedication of our faculty, the excellence of our students, and the impact of our research,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. “These rankings highlight our commitment to excellence and our role in preparing the workforce and thought leaders of the future.”

Through its seven departments and 13 centers, the UT Knoxville College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences is dedicated to enhancing quality of life through research, outreach, and practice. Learn more at cehhs.utk.edu.

Dueñas Recognized as Outstanding Faculty by NASPA

March 28, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Mary Dueñas, an assistant professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) was recently honored for her outstanding contributions in the field of student affairs. Dueñas received the Mena Valdez Outstanding Faculty Award at the NASPA annual conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dueñas’ research addresses issues of equity and access in higher education, focusing on Latina/o/x college students attending four-year colleges/universities, their sense of belonging, and their experience with imposter syndrome. In her research practice, she uses holistic frameworks and critical theory to share stories and explain systemic inequities that marginalized communities face as they persist through higher education. She pays particular attention to college access and creates pathways for underrepresented and marginalized students to thrive and succeed in higher education.

Dueñas will also receive an honorable mention in the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) LRI SIG this April in Denver, Colorado.

University of Tennessee Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management Hosts 20th Student Enrichment Fundraiser

March 26, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Event to Honor Commissioner Mark Ezell, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development with the Innovative Leadership Award

The Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management (RHTM) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is excited to announce the 20th Student Enrichment Fundraiser, honoring Commissioner Mark Ezell of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD) with the Innovative Leadership Award. Commissioner Ezell has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the Tennessee hospitality and tourism industry, and under his guidance, the industry’s statewide revenue has grown by an impressive 25%, or $6 billion, since he took office in 2019.

The fundraiser will take place on April 3, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville. The event will be organized and executed by RHTM students, with faculty mentors, reflecting the event’s theme: “For Students, By Students.” The primary goal is to raise essential funds to support RHTM students’ transformative learning opportunities, including travel expenses for national competitions, conferences, and tradeshows, where they can showcase their skills, gain valuable industry insights, and network with national and international leaders.

“We are thrilled to honor Commissioner Ezell, a visionary leader in the hospitality and tourism industry. Tennessee ranks 11th in the U.S. for total tourism revenue, which reached $30.65 billion in 2023,” said Junehee Kwon, Department Head of RHTM. “Commissioner Ezell and TDTD have played a pivotal role in this success.”

The event is generously supported by several sponsors, including the Nashville Music City Center, Blackberry Farm, Bacon and Company, Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association, Wilderness at the Smokies, The Old Mill, and the Greater Nashville Hospitality Education Foundation. These sponsors, along with numerous local businesses, have contributed exciting silent auction items, which will help raise funds for RHTM students’ experiential learning opportunities.

The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with heavy hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction, followed by a formal program featuring a three-course dinner with complimentary wine and beer, which will conclude around 8:30 p.m.

In addition to the evening event, RHTM will host a dynamic speech by Commissioner Ezell at 2:30 p.m. on April 3, titled “Economic Impact of the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Industry.” The speech will be held in the UTK Student Union’s Pilot Ballroom on the second floor. This event is open to students, faculty, and community members (RSVP here: tiny.utk.edu/ezellspeech).

Limited tickets for the evening fundraiser are available for purchase at tiny.utk.edu/RHTMFundraiser. For more information, please contact RHTM via email at rhtm@utk.edu or by phone at (865) 974-2141.

UT Receives Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Grant

February 28, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

By, Cara Smith, CEHHS Student Reporter, Class of 2024

Films and media are tools educators use to easily enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. The potential of using a film or media to dive into the deeper message and break down different themes is something important to Joshua Kenna, associate professor of Social Science Education and director of Graduate Studies in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences’ (CEHHS) Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
 
Kenna, along with professor of Social Science Education, Stewart Waters, doctoral student, Matthew Stevenson, and assistant professor at East Tennessee State University, Matthew Hensley—comprise the project team managing a Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grant awarded to the University of Tennessee   on Oct. 1. Totaling $99,554, the grant provides one year of funding, with the possibility of two additional one-year grants, contingent upon successful delivery of TPS educational projects based on Library of Congress digitized materials.
 
UT’s TPS grant project, “Teaching with Film and Media as Primary Sources” intends to train pre-service and in-service teachers to develop lesson plans that capture the rising popularity of film and media consumption among 21st-century students to improve their critical thinking and media literacy skills.
 
The project idea originated in a doctoral course with Kenna and Stevenson. Later it was refined to develop a website for teachers to access ready-made lesson plans for different films featured on the Library’s National Film Registry, collections found on the Library’s Motion Image Research Center, and other Library of Congress digitized primary sources. These lesson plans will be incorporated into current Social Science Education courses, taught by Waters, and made by CEHHS students. The lesson plans each focus on a specific film, how to utilize it as a primary source, and encourage critical thinking skills.
 
“The lesson plans that we’re designing are not necessarily about teaching the whole movie, but instead focuses on specific clips,” said Stevenson. “For example, using a one-minute clip and then talking about different themes and elements within that one clip.”
 
The National Film Registry contains 875 diverse, American-made films dating from 1891-2013. These films are unique because the Library of Congress keeps the original film.
 
“The focus of the film registry is not just about great films; it’s about great American films that have a cultural component to America,” said Kenna. “The Library then keeps the actual film safe, and archives it.”
           

By utilizing films from the National Film Registry, the lesson plans allow students to use their critical thinking skills to not only ask questions about the film itself, but also about the time period from which it came.
 
“Discussing the films and investigating the things that helped lead up to the creation of the film is what helps the critical aspect of thinking,” said Kenna. “We’re teaching students to always ask questions, and then where to go to find answers to the questions.”
 
Creating lesson plans from the National Film Registry will be implemented in Waters’ Social Science Education 485 and 585 courses starting in spring 2025.
 
Since 2006, Congress has appropriated funds to the Teaching with Primary Sources program to establish and fund a consortium of organizations working to incorporate “the digital collections of the Library of Congress into educational curricula.” Each year, members of the TPS Consortium support tens of thousands of learners to build knowledge, engagement and critical thinking skills with items from the Library’s collections.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.[SM1] 

Through its seven departments and 13 centers, the UT Knoxville College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences enhances the quality of life for all through research, outreach, and practice. Find out more at cehhs.utk.edu
 

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Hosts Hospitality Roadshow to Address Workforce Challenges in Tourism Industry

January 29, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

KNOXVILLE, TN – This January, the Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management (RHTM) in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, hosted a Hospitality Roadshow in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association. The event gathered industry leaders, UT faculty, administrators, and key stakeholders to discuss workforce development and explore solutions to meet the growing demands of Tennessee’s hospitality and tourism sector.

Commissioner Mark Ezell of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development opened the event with a powerful address, underscoring the importance of the hospitality and tourism industry, which generated a substantial $30.6 billion for the state last year. “The hospitality and tourism industry is critical to Tennessee’s economy, not only through its contribution to our state’s budget but also in terms of job creation and tax relief for Tennesseans,” stated Commissioner Ezell.

Following the Commissioner’s remarks, RHTM department head,  Junehee Kwon, presented on “Sustaining Tennessee’s Tourism: Workforce Challenges and University Partnerships.” Kwon shared exciting developments within the hospitality and tourism management program, including new curriculum initiatives, experiential learning opportunities, and efforts toward program accreditation. She also discussed the nearly completed online program designed to address industry needs. Kwon stressed the urgent need for more graduates in Tennessee’s hospitality and tourism management programs, noting that the number of students graduating from four-year institutions in the state is not keeping pace with the growth of the industry, especially when compared to competing states.

“The hospitality and tourism sector is thriving, but we need to expand the pool of talent to meet its demands,” said Kwon. “We’re proud of the strides we’re making at UT to better prepare students for careers in this dynamic field, and today’s event reinforced the importance of collaboration between industry and academia to address workforce challenges.”

The event included an engaging discussion among attendees, who focused on strategies to increase enrollment in hospitality and tourism management programs, develop a skilled workforce, and better equip students with the competencies needed to succeed in the field.

“This was an exciting opportunity to bring together all the key players in the hospitality and tourism sector,” Kwon continued. “I truly appreciate Commissioner Ezell’s leadership in initiating this event, and I’m grateful for the collaborative spirit shown by everyone involved. Our faculty and staff are fully committed to overcoming workforce challenges and ensuring the continued success of our program. We look forward to developing actionable strategies to support the growth of this vital industry.”

The hospitality and tourism management program at UTK remains dedicated to preparing students for rewarding careers in the rapidly growing hospitality and tourism sector.

For more information about RHTM at UT and upcoming initiatives, please visit https://cehhs.utk.edu/rhtm/.

To see a photo gallery from the Hospitality Roadshow, please visit https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBZG9Q

Kelchen Recognized by Education Week as Top Scholar Influencer

January 8, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

When a reporter seeks expert insight into higher education issues, it’s very likely that Robert Kelchen is at the top of their call list. Over the years, Kelchen continues to receive accolades from Education Week as a top influencer who shape educational practice and policy. This year is no different as Kelchen is once again recognized as a Top 200 education scholar at a United States university.

Kelchen, who serves as department head in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, ranked 31 out of 200 scholars nationwide in Education Week’s Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings for 2025. In fact, Kelchen is the only scholar from the University of Tennessee to make this year’s list.

 “In a time of declining trust in higher education, I feel that it is crucial for faculty to demonstrate how our work benefits the public good,” said Kelchen.

Each year, Education Week selects the top 200 scholars from across the U.S. (from an eligible pool of 20,000)  as having the most influence on issues and policy in education. The list is compiled by opinion columnist Rick Hess, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and director of Education Policy Studies.

The selection process  involves a rigorous evaluation by a 24-member committee of university scholars representing institutions nationwide. Criteria include Google Scholar scores, book publications, Amazon rankings, mentions in the Congressional Record, and appearances in media and web platforms.

Kelchen’s reputation as a reliable and insightful source for higher education stories is well-earned. He has participated in more than 200 media interviews annually, with his expertise regularly featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Education Week, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“It is a pleasure to use my scholarly expertise to help inform policy conversations and the general public on pressing issues such as college affordability, financial aid, and college closures,” said Kelchen.

Through its seven departments and 13 centers, the UT Knoxville College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences enhances the quality of life for all through research, outreach, and practice. Find out more at cehhs.utk.edu

Vols Online Degree is Part of a 30-Year Journey to Create Lasting Change

January 6, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Gladys Hunt vividly remembers the moment her life shifted course forever. Escaping civil unrest in her Central American homeland, her family left behind the comfort of the familiar for an uncertain future in the United States. What initially felt like an ending became a remarkable new beginning that helped shape her life’s path. Part of this incredible journey gave her the courage to reinvent herself and change careers, including enrolling in a Master of Public Health degree through the University of Tennessee’s Vols Online program.

When Hunt immigrated to Missouri as a child, she entered a foreign world. A week after her arrival, she sat in a classroom surrounded by unfamiliar faces, customs, and a language she couldn’t understand. Driven by resilience and determination, she worked to overcome the language barrier. This early perseverance laid the foundation for her future success, culminating in her graduation from college and a career in the international transportation industry.

For nearly 15 years, Hunt thrived in her role, managing staff, leading technology projects, and implementing software systems. But at the peak of her career, she felt a desire for something more profound. It was a sense that her skills and experiences could be used to create a more meaningful impact. This ambition sparked a significant pivot in her professional life.

In the early 2000s, Hunt transitioned to the healthcare sector, where she found her true calling. She took on roles that allowed her to serve her community more directly, from leading lifestyle management courses to developing cutting-edge healthcare solutions. Her work became a blend of innovation and compassion, focusing on patients, stakeholders, and entire communities. She also began volunteering and working with refugees and immigrants, connecting deeply with their struggles, having lived through similar circumstances.

Though she had started her work towards an advanced degree nearly 30 years earlier, she was forced to pause for personal reasons. Driven by her growing desire to create lasting change, Hunt recognized that a graduate degree could amplify her ability to make a positive impact. An online program would be the best fit due to her schedule. She chose the Vols Online program for its reputation, flexibility, and the practical focus of the Community Health Education concentration in the Master of Public Health program. The decision marked the next chapter in her remarkable story.

Balancing her renewed education with her ongoing healthcare work, Hunt continues to thrive. She has gained invaluable skills, such as conducting data analysis, performing literature reviews, collaborating in online environments, and leading program evaluations. She uses these skills in her schoolwork, in her work with refugee organizations, and as the Community and Patient engagement lead with the Tennessee Heart Health Network.

“The professors have been amazing and are experts in their field, bringing real-world experience. They are incredibly responsive, always willing to help, answer questions, and offer support. In my opinion, their dedication makes the professors the biggest asset to the program,” said Hunt.

Hunt’s return to school is not just a tale of reinvention—it’s a story of resilience. She embodies the strength that can emerge despite adversity and has inspired those around her to believe in the same possibilities. Her life is a testament to what is achievable for adult learners and online students and a reminder that education and the courage to take risks open doors to incredible opportunities. With every step of her evolving career, she proves there is always time to rewrite your story and create an impact that resonates far beyond yourself.

Campus Food Recovery Program Gets a Boost

November 11, 2024 by Douglas Edlund

This article is republished from Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine

Story by Renee Pas / Photos by Grant Kessler

The nonprofit Food4VOLS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, benefits from a refresh of its main prep room, truck and more as the winner of the FE&S Kitchen Storage Makeover contest. 

One relatable college experience that seems to carry on through generations is survival by way of instant noodles. A not-to-be-missed life experience? Perhaps, but Tyler White, director of the University of Tennessee’s Culinary Institute and assistant professor in UT’s Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management program, contends that does not have to be the norm. “Often our alumni groups make light of the fact that they survived on ramen in college and deem it a rite of passage,” he says. “Yes, that is one way to think of it, but also, you were food insecure: You didn’t have money or access to food. Sometimes it’s about not knowing what food insecurity is. Students don’t have to struggle on campus. Food insecurity on our campus is a solvable problem with resources that already exist here. We have everything here for students to thrive.”

Tyler White knows full well the amount of overproduction of food that occurs on the UT campus, which he points out is a natural part of operations in the collegiate dining segment. He started providing the UT community with prepackaged, ready-to-heat-and-eat meals during COVID-19 and realized he could continue to create those meals from the overproduction that results from prepping for high-volume service each day.

The Food4VOLS program evolved from that experience. A conversation between Tyler White and Jay Price, who serves as the sustainability manager for the University of Tennessee, moved the idea from conception to reality. The food recovery program now addresses food insecurity issues on both the UT campus and in the surrounding community. Operating as a nonprofit outside of the university’s oversight, the program intertwines with campus dining. Donors and ongoing fundraising efforts support the bulk of its operating budget. The university donates the space to run the program and funds one full-time employee, Andrew White (Tyler’s father), who serves as the coordinator of Food4VOLS.

While Tyler White had the necessary physical space inside the UT Culinary Institute building on the outskirts of campus, he did not have the exact setup he wanted. “I did not need a brand-new kitchen, but I did need a new arrangement that would maximize efficiency and accommodate the many volunteers that make the program viable,” he says. “The overall lack of storage and shelving made execution challenging.”

These problems were solved when Food4VOLS won the FE&S Kitchen Storage Makeover. The makeover team swooped in to assess the space, determine the best solutions to improve organization of the space, and handle all install needs for the shelving and storage solutions provided. Ultimately, Food4VOLS received a transformation of its primary production area, truck used for food collection, walk-in cooler and freezer, and dish wash area storage.

Pain Points

First, the team needed to identify what areas needed improvement. “The first phase of the makeover started with a discussion about our pain points,” says Tyler White. “It was less about specific pieces we wanted and more about our problems.”

The main problem was not having the right quantity and type of prep tables in the main production room. Another fundamental problem was not having adequate shelving in the primary truck used to pick up donations across campus to deliver packaged meals. The truck setup was cobbled together with odds and ends Tyler and Andrew White had accumulated. For example, the extremely practical duo initially purchased racks to hold the food from a chain retailer going out of business. “The items we had were never meant for what we were doing: transporting food,” says Tyler White.

Fast-forward to the transformation: The install team reconfigured the truck and built it out with food-grade materials designed for transporting food. “What we have now is easy to clean, doesn’t tip over in the truck, and makes every part of the collection and distribution of food much easier,” says Andrew White, who starts every day in that truck collecting food from various locations on campus.

The collection process involves recovering food from five primary facilities daily (some twice a day): Rocky Top Dining Hall (the largest student dining hall), Stokely Dining Hall (another student dining hall), Anderson Training Center (caters to student-athletes), plus a catering kitchen and bakery facility on campus. “In a perfect world, there would be no extra food,” says Andrew White, “but you always have to ensure there is something for the students. There will always be some overproduction; it’s built into operations.” Aramark handles foodservices for Vol Dining, and the food management company in turn supports the partnership between Vol Dining and Food4VOLS.

Time management is Andrew White’s biggest issue. His daily work routine starts at 7:30 a.m.; his first stop is often the student-athlete dining hall, Anderson Training Center, or ATC, to pick up donations from dinner the night before. He returns there later in the afternoon to pick up more food after lunch. ATC, along with Rocky Top, are large contributors to the food recovery program and require two daily pickups as a result. Rocky Top alone feeds 8,000 students daily, he says. ATC functions separately in terms of per-person plating guidelines for students, which lends to overproduction at times.

Many factors contribute to the overproduction of food, Andrew White explains: “There are very specific rules on reusing foods, and some facilities lack enough storage to keep the items. Each location must decide what they can keep. Most seek to keep proteins, such as steak that could be cut up and used in a stir-fry the next day.” He adds that dining halls also follow a set meal schedule, which can contribute to not holding ingredients for the next day, since those items may not match the need for the next day’s menu.

Andrew White continually reminds dining team members of the program as he winds his way through the different dining halls picking up food. Each location has a designated spot for Food4VOLS items, which are stored in plastic pans in walk-in coolers. Empty containers are restocked as new items are collected. One of the challenges is the continual education necessary for staff. “Some dining halls are busier than others, which means staff have other issues they are dealing with,” he says. “It takes constant communication to reinforce the importance of saving and storing overproduction of food.”

The Food4VOLS team reinforces that message every semester, says Andrew White, when there tends to be turnover in staff.

Once back at the UT Culinary Institute building, which houses the Food4VOLS program, staff weigh and categorize all food donations by protein, starch, vegetable/produce and dessert. An average day brings in roughly 650 pounds of food. The program diverted a total of 160,000 pounds of food from going into compost in 2023; those items created more than 60,000 meals for students. This year, Food4VOLS estimates the program will collect 200,000 pounds of food, which will result in 65,000 student meals.

Also, in 2023, Food4VOLS donated 100,000 pounds of food to neighboring counties. In addition to assembling meals for students, the program also donates bulk food, primarily through a partnership with with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, whose partners also collect and distribute bulk food items. “We collect so much food, and we make only the number of meals we can give away,” says Tyler White. “Branching out with larger donations works to keep the food out of the compost bin while helping the community.”

Meal Assembly and Distribution

Roughly 350 meals a day from collected and repurposed food are distributed to Food4VOLS cupboards around campus the same day. The meals are stored in refrigerators in locations easily accessible to students. Locations include a microwave and utensils.

The process of going from recovered food to prepackaged meals starts with assessing intake for the morning and creating a menu. Since the items collected change each day are not known until that morning, Andrew White creates each menu on the fly.

Student volunteers arrive midmorning for meal assembly. Because certain majors at the university require volunteer hours, Andrew White says he has never had an issue with labor. The volunteers portion the items into individual meals in plastic containers. “Compostable containers are cost-prohibitive,” he notes, “but we continue to look into that.”

The newly improved production room enables more volunteers to work at the same time, says Tyler White. “It’s spaced out now so we can make meals for campus and pack for the community all at once,” he says. “In the past, we had one production line making meals, then after that did community packing. The functionality now allows us to produce even more.”

The program continues to gain traction among students despite little marketing to build awareness. “We have been very careful about turning the faucet all the way on while we fine-tune things,” says Tyler White. “We now have the infrastructure in place and can start ramping things up.” He intends to nearly double the number of meals available daily by next fall, going from 350 per day to 600.

Program Expansion

From its inception, Tyler White envisioned the Food4VOLS program as a transferable model for other college campuses. That goal is about to become reality through emerging partnerships with Montana State University and South Carolina State University, both of which are currently creating programs that emulate the Food4VOLS model (an alternative name is being considered to avoid the UT nickname “the Vols” on another campus).

Further boosting the profile of the program, in August, Food4VOLS received the Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of the program’s success. Additionally, the program was awarded two grants in 2023 that totaled $790,000 for fighting food insecurity on campus.

“Every year we are evolving one step more from the previous year,” says Tyler White. The next goal is adding a summer program in 2025 at least once a week to address K-12 family needs. “It’s a building block,” he says. “The program is blossoming and we know now we can get to the next level.” 

Three Makeover Highlights

With a $75,000 budget to transform the Food4VOLS space, the makeover team was able to enhance many different areas of the space, including adding shelving to eliminate wet nesting in the dish room and doubled the amount of storage available in the dry storage room. Here are three of the areas where the makeover had the biggest impact:

Production room. Every item in this room was replaced. The makeover team removed old tables and storage bins and installed new, all stainless-steel food-grade workstations and accessories. The upgraded work area and additional workstations now enable the Food4VOLS team the space necessary to reach its goal of nearly doubling its output of meals this academic year. “We can now have four volunteers working at one station and passing items through to each other instead of two in a line,” says Andrew White.

Food pickup and distribution truck. A new, more functional cart system replaced the non-food grade carts formerly used to collect food and distribute meals around campus. 
“The racks maneuver easily in the tight corners in the truck,” Andrew White says. “And they are very light, so that makes the job much easier.” A worktable, basket storage and security cage with sliding door add to the efficiency of the truck space.

Walk-in cooler. Removed the floor track system and replaced it with a track system that holds double the number of pans in the same space. “Staff can now easily maneuver in and out,” Tyler White says.

Quick Take: Tyler White’s Road to Food Recovery at UT

Tyler WhiteQ: You have been instrumental in steering the culinary ship at UT. How did your journey begin?

A: I started at the University of Tennessee in 2010. I was brought on to teach culinary arts at UT for Pellissippi State Community College, specifically the lab component for an associate degree. They outsourced the lab component to UT; the lecture portion happened at the community college. Eventually, Pellissippi State brought the lab piece in-house. The question then was what direction should UT go in? That was the genesis that created UT’s culinary arts minor.

At that point, we started to explore what else we could do with the space that was available and our time. I met with the office of sustainability and realized quickly how much food was being composted. The people collecting food often wondered why it was being composted — it was not difficult to see when you opened the bins there was nothing wrong with the food. I knew I could create something to help with that problem.

Q: How do you balance Food4VOLS with teaching?

A: My primary job continues to be teaching. I teach two classes in the fall and three in the spring; unlike other faculty at UT, I don’t do research. Instead, outside of classroom time, I support catering on campus and Food4VOLS. This spring, I will teach a zero-waste class dedicated to utilizing the food Andrew collects and teaching students how to prepare it differently. For example, if a lot of green beans are collected, we will talk about the components of a casserole, and green beans will be a mandatory ingredient. 

Q: What role did AmeriCorps play in the early stages of creating Food4VOLS?

A: AmeriCorps has a strong presence on the UT campus. Right now, they are doing a river project and many other things. I became aware that was a resource for us. We spent a year devising the plan with the help of a volunteer from AmeriCorps in the VISTA program [volunteers commit to one year of service]. The volunteer was instrumental in researching on the back end and fundraising. 

Q: Food insecurity on campuses has certainly become more front and center in recent years. How did programs at other universities influence Food4VOLS?

A: We actually could not find another program quite to the extent of what we were planning. We asked a lot of colleges what they were doing and how they handled it. There are other programs that exist, particularly with food management companies, we just never found anything that impacted students in the way we wanted, so we set out to create our own.

Q: You have a vision to share the Food4VOLS model. How is that effort moving forward?

A: We are expanding to two new schools, Montana State University and University of South Carolina. South Carolina already has the infrastructure in place because they offer a culinary program, and they will execute it with a food management and recovery course as part of their curriculum. Meals will be created in a lab piece. They are going to integrate it into an academic setting for proof of concept, then grow it from there for their campus.