Why be a Corporate Partner?
More than 200,000 strong, alumni of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are widely known for their tremendous enthusiasm and loyalty. They are a coveted audience and an economic force.
True partnerships provide advantages to both parties. By partnering with you, we can continue to grow and enhance the wide variety of alumni programs we offer, and you can be connected to a loyal audience in a powerful way.
You gain access to three primary audiences:
- Upwardly mobile college graduates who are earning salaries that support their active lifestyles
- Mid- to late-career alumni who are settled and have teenage and young adult children
- Active retired alumni who travel and enjoy extracurricular activities
There are also opportunities to reach UT Knoxville's most active students who are "alumni in training."
As a corporate partner, your benefits package will be tailored to fit the needs of your company. Benefits will vary based on the level of corporate sponsorship.
Available opportunities include the following:
- Alumnus magazine corporate advertising
- Torchbearer magazine corporate listing
- Event e-blasts with corporate logo and link to website
- Event banners and signage with corporate logo
- Stage and podium recognition where applicable
- Tabling and sampling of company products where applicable
- Distribution of coupons, promotional materials, and logo products
How can you become a Partner?
Contact us for detailed information on becoming a UT Alumni Partner.
Susan Hyde
shyde1@utk.edu
(865) 974-3156
Distribution
Torchbearer magazine: 186,000 households; two issues per year
Alumnus magazine: 77,000 households; three issues per year
Event e-blasts: 90,000 active e-mail addresses
UT Knoxville Alumni Profile
Gender
Male .............................. 52%
Female .......................... 48%
Age
Under 35 ........................24%
36-45 ............................ 20%
46-55 ............................ 18%
56-65 ............................ 12%
66+ ................................. 8%
Others ........................... 18%
Residency
State of Tennessee .......... 59%
Southeast US ................. 82%
Primary residence
Own their home............... 92%
Presence of children
At least one child under 18 at home...............................11%
How can your company reach more than 200,000 Big Orange alumni and
friends?
Available Alumni Program Partnerships
The Accomplished Alumni Program engages noteworthy alumni with the UT community by inviting them to return to campus and share their success stories with students and other alumni. This is a great audience for putting your company's accomplishments in the spotlight.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recognizes and honors alumni in three categories.
The Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award recognizes those alumni who have attained extraordinary distinction and success in their chosen field of endeavor and have contributed to the betterment of their fellow citizens. This is the highest alumni award given, and it pays tribute to outstanding leadership, service, and philanthropy.
The Alumni Service Award recognizes exceptional service or long-term continuing service and leadership to the university. It acknowledges individuals or organizations that have given significant amounts of time, talent, or resources to their alma mater.
The Alumni Promise Award recognizes alumni 40 years of age or younger who have demonstrated distinctive achievement in their career, civic involvement, or both. It acknowledges alumni who are making a mark early in their career and show great promise for the future.
The Big Orange Tailgate Tours hit the road to away football games, SEC Championship games, men's and women's SEC basketball tournaments, and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Final Four.
For each event, a venue is chosen and location advertised to alumni and friends to join in for food, fun, and "Rocky Top." A Big Orange Tailgate Tour is the place to reach UT alumni and friends before the big game!
The Black Alumni organization originated in 1986 and is over 6,000 members strong. Its purpose is to foster a closer relationship among alumni of color, the community, and the university by providing alumni programs in the largest target markets. The organization also supports scholarship and endowment funds and provides opportunities for student interaction. Events include financial workshops, social events, professional development programs, and the annual Black Alumni Weekend. A 23-member Black Alumni Council plans the programs and events.
Once a Golden Grad, always a Golden Grad! This fiftieth-year alumni reunion event also includes all previous 50-year alumni. Golden Grads return to campus for activities guaranteed to renew their connections with the university and former classmates.
Homecoming is a time for UT alumni to celebrate traditions, reunite with friends, rekindle old memories, and create new ones. Homecoming Party in the Park, filled with orange and white balloons and family activities, takes place in Circle Park three hours prior to game time. This is the best place to reach UT alumni and friends on Homecoming weekend.
UTK Lifelong Learning Programs offer educational and social opportunities for alumni and friends throughout the year. A wide variety of topics are explored and facilitated—mostly by UT faculty, staff, and alumni experts. These programs provide an excellent opportunity to reach mature, mostly retired alums.
The Alumni Summer College is the longest running of these programs. Alumni and friends spend five days on campus. The week is filled with fun, fellowship, and outstanding presentations by faculty, staff, and other experts on topics related to the program theme, which changes yearly.
This is the newest tradition on The Hill. November 2010 marks the launch of the first Official Ring Week with a ceremony and reception. The deans of all the colleges will present the new ring designs during the ceremony. Students and alumni will have the opportunity to purchase a product that will last a lifetime.
UT students are "alumni in training," and the Alumni Office sponsors a variety of programs that get students involved with alumni programs before they graduate.
Recipe For Success is a hands-on, real-life experience program that teaches students etiquette and other life lessons that are not taught in the classroom.
UniTe, a membership organization, is the newest student program, now in its second year. Its goal is to connect students with Tennessee traditions through a network of alumni, volunteer projects, and campus and community leadership opportunities. Students receive a variety of Big Orange gear, including a backpack, UniTe t-shirt, 6 "Beat" t-shirts, "Tradition Begins with a T" handbook, and many UT logo items. The program uses e-mail to alert the students to the many social and educational programs and volunteer activities offered throughout the year.
Student programs offer excellent opportunities to reach the student market and rising young alumni.
In this one-to-one mentoring program, alumni hosts are matched with students studying in their respective fields. Participating alumni host students for a "day in the real world" to introduce them to what life is like in that field or profession.
UT Knoxville seeks to engage graduates of the last ten years through the Young Alumni Program. The Young Alumni Council determines the programs and events offered, which include Fall Weekend, VOLtoberfest, and Spring Weekend, plus regional events. The group also funds a scholarship, connecting the philanthropic interests of young alumni to the educational mission of the university. The seven target markets for young alumni are Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C. 
What better opportunity to reach an upwardly mobile group of young professionals?