Thura Mack, UT Libraries’ professor and assistant dean of community learning and engagement, received the Excellence in Academic Outreach Award at UT’s Academic Honors Banquet on April 21.

The annual Academic Honors Banquet, hosted by the Office of the Provost, highlights individuals who embody the Volunteer spirit through extraordinary research and creative activity, impactful contributions to campus life, and leadership and service to the university and beyond.

The Excellence in Academic Outreach Award honors those who exemplify UT’s land-grant mission by using intellectual capital to benefit the citizens of Tennessee.

As head of Community Learning and Engagement at UT Libraries, Mack plans and leads outreach programs for K-12 students that build interest in attending college and encourage study of the STEM disciplines.

The annual Big Orange STEM Saturday, for instance, is a daylong conference, presented in partnership with UT’s Education Research and Opportunity Center, that lets high school students explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Each year Big Orange STEM Saturday brings more than 100 high school students to campus for a keynote presentation, workshops, interactive exhibitor displays, and opportunities to meet university students from STEM disciplines.

Big Orange STEM Saturday is one of numerous programs planned by Mack over the years that are designed to reach first-generation, low-income students from East Tennessee and surrounding rural areas. Reaching out to historically underrepresented communities also serves as an informal recruiting effort for the University of Tennessee.

2ndBRIDGE, an initiative pioneered in 2024, spans the gap between disadvantaged communities and higher education. The 2ndBRIDGE program commenced with a partnership involving Algood Middle School, a rural school in Cookeville, Tennessee. At the UT campus, Algood students participated in a series of activities designed to spark their interest in STEM and college life. Conversations with current university students in STEM disciplines provided insights into the realities of campus life, managing classes, and navigating college preparation.

Students from Algood Middle School also participated in another pilot event this year. The Great Expectations in Healthcare conference was hosted in collaboration with the UT College of Nursing. Designed to introduce K-12 students to the field of nursing, the event brought Algood students to campus to explore nursing careers in healthcare and gain foundational knowledge about the medical profession. Students participated in hands-on activities in the Health Innovation Technology and Simulation Lab. This lab simulates real-world clinical environments, allowing students to observe and learn about the skills required in nursing. The ultimate goal of the healthcare conference is to recruit future rural nurses.

The 2ndBRIDGE program is now collaborating with UUNIK Academy, a Knoxville nonprofit organization, to develop a yearlong curriculum that uses UT’s campus as a vibrant learning environment. The Community Learning and Engagement team has joined forces with various campus departments and programs to create interactive classroom activities that offer insights into real-world applications of STEM concepts.

Community Learning and Engagement champions another underserved community: the FUTURE Program. The department hosts a spring FUTURE Program intern, expanding the Libraries’ employment opportunities to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Mack and her team partner with other university programs to address the challenges students face when transitioning from high school to college. A partnership with ProjectGRAD brings high school students to the John C. Hodges Library to learn how to conduct college-level research. Students from two local STEM academies also visit campus each year to use library databases to conduct research for their entries to the National History Day competition.

For other programs, Mack takes her expertise directly into the schools. She developed the Reading Design Challenge with Willow Brook Elementary, where students engineer a solution to a problem they explore. She meets with students virtually to read and discuss books with an engineering component, helping students to prepare for the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network’s Statewide Design Challenge

Over the years, Mack has built an extensive network of community partnerships and has compiled a lengthy resume of visits by and to local K-12 schools.

These collaborations between UT Libraries and K-12 schools strengthen student learning and fulfill the university’s mission as a land-grant institution to contribute to the wellbeing of communities in Knoxville, the region, and the state.