Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

New Tennessee virtual school enrolling K-12 students now

Enrollment is now open for the 2023-2024 school year at Volunteer State Virtual Academy (VSVA), a new full-time, tuition-free online public school program that delivers engaging and interactive lessons that cater to each student’s unique learning style, ensuring academic success and a brighter future.

Authorized by the Tennessee Department of Education, VSVA is designed to serve students starting in the fall of this year. VSVA will provide students with a standards-aligned curriculum facilitated by Tennessee-licensed teachers from the safety of their homes or anywhere with an internet connection. Students receive a solid academic foundation with hands-on learning experiences in career exploration in a virtual classroom with other students attending as they would in a brick-and-mortar setting.

Students from all grade levels can balance a complete academic schedule with extracurricular interests, internships, or other specialized needs in an environment that helps them best succeed outside the traditional classroom. VSVA’s curriculum prepares students for their next grade level and, ultimately, graduation and into the workplace, the military, or higher education.

Winners of UT System 2023 President’s Awards announced

University of Tennessee (UT) System President Randy Boyd announced the recipients of the 2023 President’s Awards during the annual UT Board of Trustees meeting held in Memphis at the end of June.

Fourteen faculty and staff members from across the UT System received awards to celebrate their accomplishments and dedication to the Be One UT values. These values are intended to shape culture across the system, build purpose, improve team cohesion, and create a shared sense of commitment in the workplace. Recipients were nominated by campus and institute leaders and are selected annually from a system-wide pool.

Winners from UT Knoxville include:

• Nan Gaylord, Associate Dean of Practice and Global Affairs, Professor, College of Nursing, was named an Optimistic and Visionary Honoree
• Dr. Heather Sedges, Associate Professor of Human Development, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, was named a Transparent and Trusted Honoree

You can view the entire list of winners here.

UTK professor inducted into Supply Chain Hall of Fame

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has selected Ted Stank, Chancellor’s Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to receive the 2023 Distinguished Service Award. This selection means Stank will be inducted into the Supply Chain Management Hall of Fame.

Stank also serves as the Harry J. & Vivienne R. Bruce Chair of Excellence in Business, Co-Executive Director of the Global Supply Chain Institute, and Head of the Advanced Supply Chain Collaborative at the Department of Supply Chain Management at UT’s Haslam College of Business.

Stank joins such luminaries as Ford Motor Co. Founder Henry Ford, Amazon Founder and Owner Jeff Bezos, and former U.S. Senator and Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole. The induction ceremony will be held during the CSCMP EDGE Conference in October.

Moxley Carmichael rebrands as MoxCar Marketing + Communications

Marking the one-year anniversary of when they purchased the company from its principals, Moxley Carmichael co-owners and partners have rebranded the 31-year-old premier public relations agency as MoxCar Marketing + Communications.

“MoxCar is a natural evolution of the brand, representing a nod to our foundation, building upon the social media moniker by which we are known already and moving toward the future as we continue to grow our modern marketing solutions and integrated communications strategies,” MoxCar CEO Lauren Miller said.

MoxCar will continue to offer the same comprehensive, full-service marketing and communications services, including public, media, community, and government relations; branding; research; graphic design; advertising; digital and social media; website development; internal communications; special events; and more.

Pellissippi State names new Workforce and Community Development Director

Susan Webb-Curtis joins Pellissippi State Community College as Executive Director of Workforce and Community Development.

Previously known as Business and Community Services, the role encompasses everything from workforce training and registered apprenticeships to lifelong learning courses and event services. Webb-Curtis has 34 years of experience at Cleveland State Community College.

“I am excited to join Pellissippi State and a workforce development team that has been highly successful in building effective business and industry partnerships under the strong leadership of Teri Brahams, who recently retired after a long career with the college,” Webb-Curtis said. “Knox and Blount counties are experiencing tremendous growth and are well positioned in an extremely innovative technology corridor.”

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