The importance of UT Martin to the lives of its graduates and the prosperity of West Tennessee was reinforced by the three honorees recognized Oct. 12 at the annual Homecoming Alumni Awards Dinner.
Lt. Gen. John G. Castellaw, deputy commandant, Programs and Resources, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., and Van Jones, environmental leader, civil rights attorney and public speaker, Oakland, Calif., each received an Outstanding Alumni Award; and Dee Fields Pritchett, managing broker for Fuller Partners Real Estate, Martin, was presented the Chancellor’s Award for University Service.
Pritchett said she accepted the award for “all the hundreds of people who do many things for UT Martin—much more than I do.” The 1973 alumna and longtime supporter added, “I feel our university is a breath of life for Northwest Tennessee. For the almost 30 years that I have worked in real estate, I’ve been extolling the virtues of UT Martin. It’s been my pleasure to meet so many fine educators and administrators, students and their families. I always tell them we need people who want to contribute and want to stay. Continuity is so important to a university of this size, and UT Martin is so important to our area.”
Noting Bill Clinton’s book, “Giving,” Pritchett said the former president states that “people are either givers or they’re takers.” She added, “UT Martin, I believe, has many alumni and friends who are not only loyal to our university and Northwest Tennessee, but are also givers. As UT Martin breathes life into Northwest Tennessee, we give back, and we’ll be rewarded. I feel very honored to do my small part—no thanks necessary. I am very lucky. My best and my thanks to you all, and ‘Go Skyhawks.’”
Castellaw, a 1972 agriculture graduate who has traveled all over the world in the military, told those attending the awards banquet, “There are many reasons that I am happy to be here tonight. One of them is that not often do I have the opportunity to talk to home folks.” He recounted several memories of professors and his time at UT Martin. “Just like today, there were great people who were in the supportive establishment here and great teachers.”
Stating that he has kept in touch with the university over the years through friends and family, he added, “I’ve seen the spirit, that I think has been manifested in graduates of UTMartin, be carried on.” Castellaw said he has worn a UTMartin T-shirt when working out in places such as Baghdad and has met other graduates in his travels. “We always shared fond memories (of the university).” He added, “As I stand here tonight, I am humbled and honored to get this particular award. It means a great deal to me.”
“This is truly a homecoming for me,” said Jones, who began his association with the university as a participant in the Governor’s School for the Humanities as a high school junior. He returned to UTMartin for college and graduated in 1990. He credited Dr. Jerald Ogg, now interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, with being a strong mentor while he was a student. “Outside of my mom and dad, he was probably the biggest influence on me.” Jones said Ogg always told him to “make choices that give you more choices” and not to “underestimate UT Martin.”Jones added, “I learned how to learn here.” He also expressed gratitude that Ogg and others urged him to go to law school. “They didn’t give up on me. They wouldn’t accept a mediocre score if they thought you could do better.”
Jones, who is president of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, a foundation he said he literally “started in a closet,” now has 24 employees and is making a difference. “If we reach out to each other and help each other, there’s nothing we can’t do. The reason I know this … my mother was right. She told me there was nothing I couldn’t do. And the reason I know it, UT Martin was right, and Jerald Ogg was right. There was no place I couldn’t get to from UT Martin.”
UT Martin Chancellor Tom Rakes welcomed guests to the awards banquet and was joined in making remarks by Dr. Debbie Ingram, University of Tennessee National Alumni Association president. Also attending was Lofton Stuart, UTNAA executive director.
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