The Hardy Liston Jr. Symbol of Hope Award goes to a faculty member, staff member, or friend of the university who demonstrates a commitment to diversity, multiculturalism, and appreciation of the differences in people and cultures on our campus.
Thura Mack
Thura Mack is an assistant dean at Hodges Library. She is the 2021–22 Macebearer, and the second African American to receive this honor. In her work, she leads the Libraries Community Learning & Engagement Department, chairs the Libraries’ Belonging & Engagement Committee, and co-advises the National Society of Black Engineers.
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?
“The core of the Volunteer spirit to me is the connection we forge between students and their families and the top university in the state. We provide a top-tier education here, but the benefits of being a Volunteer extend far beyond education – we are providing opportunities, we are meeting lifelong friends and extended families, we are encouraging pride and belonging and connection. Being a Volunteer to me means being part of a global universe of students, faculty, staff – and our future and past students, faculty, and staff—and letting that global universe shape you just as much as you put energy in to shape it. Being a Volunteer is serving others and bringing them into our university network—we Volunteers are actively building our family every day.
The University of Tennessee has provided me with a sound educational platform and a long, stable career, as well the tools, resources, opportunities, and access to implement and share the global knowledge I acquire with the network of students I serve in the Libraries Community Learning & Engagement department. Not only does the University of Tennessee provide me with ways to create new knowledge, but it also enables me to best share that knowledge with others. The university has constantly given me opportunities to expand and better myself, which I am continually excited to give back to my surrounding community.”