Alan Wilson, a graduate student of the College of Communication Information, had the idea of implementing the University of Tennessee’s ambitious Alan and Wendy Wilson Communication and Leadership Academy and donated approximately $4.5 million to mobilize this organization.
The Wilson Academy represents UT’s strong pride in securing academic excellence among students as the academy is interdisciplinary between Haslam College of Business and CCI students.
“Business and communication have always been interconnected because, without strong and effective communication skills, you can never truly be successful in the business world,” Sydney Eyerly, a junior studying communications, said.
Only a select few out of 120 applicants were chosen to represent UT Wilson Academy as the first-ever student cohort, according to Guy Harrison, director of the Wilson Academy. Those students are provided with selective memberships, access to professional workshops and the opportunity to travel to Japan at almost no cost.
“The students who were chosen were all selected because they either expressed an explicit desire to change the world and/or because we saw something in them that we felt the world could benefit from,” Harrison said.
Harrison acquired his experience as an assistant professor in journalism and media and a master’s in leadership.
“As soon as I heard CCI would be looking for a faculty member to lead this new initiative, I knew I had to apply,” Harrison said. “An opportunity to build something like this is honestly something I’ve wanted to do since before I knew I wanted to be a professor.”
Eyerly was one student who was selected for this opportunity. Her passions are communication roles in the nonprofit sector, but she realized she needed to learn about specific business skills to be a successful leader.
“The idea of being part of something new and helping shape it for future students was compelling to me,” Eyerly said. “I wanted to challenge myself and be surrounded by other ambitious students who are just as passionate about making an impact.”
As this cohort is a collaboration between two fields of academics, it allows students to think creatively and have more professional opportunities. Kate Wigington, a junior studying marketing and management, shared why the collaboration between the two colleges is crucial.
“As a business student, it is easy to get caught up in the technical and tangible aspects of a product or business case,” Wigington said. “However, if I cannot accurately convey my message or goal to stakeholders, my solution will not gain their support.”
With the increased usage of technology and the impacts it will have on future jobs, students in this cohort are going beyond adapting to it — they are learning how to leverage it.
“I think that with the rise of technology such as AI, being able to communicate is even more important to make yourself stand out and become an asset in business,” Eyerly said. “When the academy officially starts in the fall, it will help us strengthen our leadership skills so that we can be successful communicators when leading businesses and be confident that technology can’t replace our skills.”
This newly developed student cohort aims to make history at the University of Tennessee regarding leadership and leaving an example for all UT students to follow.
“At the University of Tennessee, we often look at the Torchbearer and reflect upon what it means to carry it,” Wigington said. “For me, being in the first student cohort of the Wilson Academy means that I hope to carry this torch so that I can bring light to others.”
This dedicated cohort filled with academically driven students is just the beginning of what will come in Wilson’s Academy at UT.
“In the larger picture of things, our plans for this first cohort are just scratching the surface of what is possible for students who enter the academy in the future,” Harrison said.
