Dear Alumni, Friends, and Students:
Greetings from Rocky Top! I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I trust you had some time to relax and enjoy the summer with your loved ones. As we prepare for the upcoming academic year, I wanted to share some highlights from the past year and our plans for the upcoming academic year. We certainly have much to be grateful for and excited about!
The past academic year was incredibly productive. We saw a remarkable increase in student credit hours, generating 112% more than in the 2021-2022 academic year. This achievement is a testament to our dedicated and forward-thinking faculty and staff, to whom we owe a great deal of thanks. Additionally, we made significant strides with our online master’s degree and the accreditation process for our hospitality and tourism management program through the Accreditation Council on Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). Last but certainly not least, we had a very successful 19th Student Enrichment Fundraiser in April 2024!
Looking ahead, we have an exciting year in store. We have welcomed a new assistant professor, a senior coordinator for the hospitality and tourism management program, and a new office staff member. We also plan to hire an instructor for the retail and merchandising program in 2024. These new additions will bring fresh energy and innovative ideas to our department. Moreover, we are thrilled to announce that the 20th Student Enrichment Fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, 2025, with Commissioner Mark Ezell of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development as our esteemed honoree. We are eagerly anticipating Commissioner Ezell’s visit to Rocky Top!
My primary goal as department head has been consistent: to provide our students with transformational and experiential learning opportunities while supporting the industries we serve. We have numerous examples of exciting opportunities we’ve offered to our students, and I hope this newsletter fills you with pride and excitement as alumni and students of this remarkable institution.
We have a bright future ahead and would love to hear from you. Please connect with us and share how you’re doing. We would be delighted to highlight the achievements of our alumni as well. Feel free to email us at rhtm@utk.edu or jkwon7@utk.edu, or complete our connection survey.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to hearing from you!
Go Vols!
Junehee Kwon, PhD
Professor and Department Head