Comprised of university alumni, as well as business, civic and community leaders, the University of Tennessee Development Council was created in 1955 with two objectives: 1) determine the needs of the university that should be met through private gifts; and 2) publicize those needs among prospective donors. Council members are asked to become involved in the life of the university, invest in its programs and urge others to do the same. Every year, council members gather at one of the UT campuses for their annual spring meeting. UT Martin hosted the meeting in April. UT Martin Development Committee and UT Martin Campaign for Tennessee Steering Committee members joined council members at the annual meeting.

Members had the pleasure of meeting with UT Martin faculty and students through several classroom “immersion” experiences. Each academic college participated in the immersion experience, which included: 1) Dr. Julie Hill and the “Jamaica Me Happy” percussion band for the College of Humanities and Fine Arts; 2) Dr. Arnold Redman’s finance class and the TVA Investment Challenge for the College of Business and Global Affairs; 3) Dr. Karen Greenockle and the new exercise science labs with the “bod pod” for the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences; 4) Drs. Michael Kempf and Michael Smart and students working on undergraduate research projects for the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences; and 5) four demonstrations for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, including soil judging with Dr. Paula Gale; a demonstration of SimMan, a human-like model attached to a computer that can be programmed for different situations, in the nursing program with assistant professor Peggy Davis (see photo); textile testing with Dr. Sue Byrd; and children’s developmental learning with Leanne Snider, director of the Margaret N. Perry Children’s Center.