Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

2021 LGBTQ Student Leadership Award

The LGBTQ Student Leadership Award is given by the Commission for LGBT People to a student who demonstrates a commitment to advancing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues on campus.

Will Martinez

William MartinezWill Martinez (he/him/his) is a second-year master’s student in the College Student Personnel program and the Pride Center graduate research assistant. Will is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion; interpersonal violence prevention; and research in higher education. In the fall, he will begin his PhD journey in public health sciences here at UT.

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?

Having been born and raised in Knoxville, moving away for years, and now returning for my master’s and doctorate, I consider myself a Vol for Life. Being a volunteer is a declaration of servant leadership and committing yourself to Vol Means All in all aspects. It means volunteering yourself to being open-minded, compassionate, and dedicated to making inclusive environments for all of our vols. It means continuing to challenge the place you love to make our home truly home sweet home to everyone.