Jacob T. Buller-Young
Jake Buller-Young is a third-year PhD candidate in English with a concentration in rhetoric, writing, and linguistics. In the classroom, he focuses on teaching English composition through active learning, democratic debate, and student empowerment. His mixed methods dissertation research focuses on developing curriculum that helps students develop civic empathy, or the ability to engage on public issues while actively maintaining relationships with those who disagree with you.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“UT is, in the words of Wendell Berry, responsible for wholeness of our community: Knoxville, East Tennessee, and the entire state. The Volunteer standard for success, for making a difference, is not simply economic. It is whether we make a positive difference in the lives of others by a standard other than money. In my own work, I seek to provide my students with tools to succeed professionally, yes, but also to connect with one another across profound differences.”
Andrew T. Langbehn
Andrew is a fourth-year PhD student in experimental psychology. He earned his BA in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his MA in psychology here at the University of Tennessee. His research focuses on the non-verbal expression of emotion and explores how culture shapes the production and interpretation of facial expressions. He is grateful for the opportunity to support and teach the introductory research methods in psychology course for the past three years.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“I am honored to be a member of the Volunteer community. To me, being a Volunteer means continually striving for improvement while encouraging and supporting those around you as they work to achieve their goals. The mentorship and support I have received here at UT continue to help me develop my skills as a researcher and instructor. I hope to continue to pass on an interest in research and psychology and help students find their passion as others helped me.”
Hayden S. McKee-Zech
Hayden is working on her PhD here at The University of Tennessee – Knoxville under the advisement of Dr. Dawnie Steadman. Her research interest centers on understanding how human agency impacts decomposition ecology through the discreet biology of blowflies. She began teaching at the college level as a Graduate Teaching Associate in 2021. She hopes to pursue a career in anthropology focused on teaching, forensic casework, and research.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
“Being a Volunteer has taught me that instead of chasing success, I should be looking to make myself valuable to the community and success will follow. The Anthropology Department has given me opportunities as a graduate student in research, teaching and training that are unheard at other institutions.”