The student ambassadors from Engineering Professional Practice received the 2026 Charles R. Burchett Extraordinary Contributions to Campus Life Award in recognition of their work representing EPP and assisting fellow students.
The EPP ambassadors were honored at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet, which was held on April 28 at the University of Tennessee Student Union. The award is named for the late Charles Burchett, a World War II veteran, former Knox County Schools administrator, and UT dean of students.
“This award means a lot to the EPP ambassador team because it represents all of the hard work that we have put in to make a lasting impact in the lives of students in the Tickle College of Engineering,” said lead ambassador Harper Adams, a senior biomedical engineering major. “Each ambassador shows up every day because we truly careabout helping students prepare for their future and want to see them succeed during and after college. I’m really proud of what we have accomplished, and it’s a great honor to be recognized.”
The 2025-26 EPP ambassador team was comprised of 32 students in the fall and 28 in the spring from across TCE departments. The ambassadors host workshops, reviewresumes, conduct mock interviews, and help host professional development opportunities like the annual Engineering Expo.
“Over the past year, we’ve intentionally evolved the program to give ambassadors more ownership and more opportunities to lead, and they’ve risen to that challenge in ways that have transformed what this team can be. Every day, they choose to mentor, to invest in others, and to shape the student experience in ways that ripple far beyond what people see,” said EPP Program Manager Ronni Keene. “The Charles R. Burchett Award is a huge honor, but it simply puts a spotlight on what they’ve been doing all along: strengthening the Tickle College of Engineering, building a more connected community, and preparing the next generation of industry leaders.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu)