The Gene Mitchell Gray Pioneer Award recognizes a student or group for promoting cultural diversity and enrichment on campus.
Allen Heaston
Allen Heaston, from Nashville, graduated from UT in 2017 with a degree in business analytics and will graduate from the College of Law in May. At UT Law, he served as a representative and then vice president of the Black Law Student Association, participated in the college’s Leading as Lawyers partnership with Queensland University in Australia, and was a member of the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice. He served as an intern with the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Equal Opportunity Compliance Department and as a graduate research assistant in UT’s Office of Diversity and Engagement. After graduation, he will be working as a defense attorney in New York City.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you?
Being a Volunteer means to lead with courage, integrity, and altruism. Every student on this campus possesses these characteristics in some form. But it is up to each of us to act on them. During my time at UT, I have made it a goal to hone these characteristics so that I can truly live up to my definition of the Volunteer spirit. Through leadership positions, organizational involvement, and volunteer opportunities, I have added strong pieces to my foundation that will guide me through my life and career goals. The love I have for this school is so strong because I know that I would not be the person I am without the experience I have had at the University of Tennessee.