For decades, alumni returned to the University of Tennessee Health Sciences through individual college and class reunions, usually over six different weekends throughout the year. Each college gathered separately, celebrated its own outstanding alumni, and there was little, if any, crossover to the other colleges. This weekend, however, that familiar tradition evolves into something more reflective of the UT Health Sciences of today.
UT Health Sciences Weekend, taking place in Memphis on April 17-18, marks a new chapter by bringing alumni from across all six colleges together for a single, shared experience. More than a reunion, the weekend is a university-wide celebration of connection, impact, and the future of UT Health Sciences. The event is rooted in Chancellor Peter Buckley’s charge to be “One UT Health Sciences,” an idea the Alumni and Constituent Engagement team championed to rethink how alumni connection looks and feels.
“When Chancellor Buckley challenged the university to embrace the concept of One UT Health Sciences, it was the springboard to reimagine our entire alumni engagement model, including how our five-person Alumni and Constituent Engagement team hosts and celebrates reunions,” said Chandra A. Tuggle, assistant vice chancellor of Alumni and Constituent Engagement. “We took the directive and ran with it.”
First, the Office of Advancement restructured how it hosts all alumni events, branding them for both alumni and friends. The team then piloted two alumni and friends events in 2025, first in Kingsport, followed by sold-out gatherings in Knoxville held during the UT-Georgia football weekend. The response made clear that alumni enjoyed a more unified experience.
UT Health Sciences Weekend combines the best elements of a reunion with new opportunities to engage. The program includes campus tours, an “Insider’s Look” speaker series featuring UT Health Sciences leadership, a community service project, fun at a Memphis Redbirds game, and, on Friday evening, an inaugural, all-colleges awards dinner at The Peabody Memphis.
“Bringing all six colleges together for one awards dinner gives us the opportunity to celebrate 12 extraordinary alumni who exemplify our university’s commitment to advancing human health,” Tuggle said. “As part of our new ‘alumni and friends’ model, we’re also proud to recognize one of our vital strategic partners, the Assisi Foundation of Memphis, as the recipient of our inaugural Community Partner Award.”
Over the weekend, alumni may also connect with their individual colleges, including at Saturday evening’s reception at The Peabody, which recognizes all alumni and highlights the Classes of 1986, 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2016.
“At its heart, Health Sciences Weekend is an invitation to return to campus, connect across disciplines, engage with students, and see what’s new and what’s next at our entire university,” Tuggle said. “It’s a celebration not just of where alumni started and who they are today as individuals, but of who they are together now, as part of one university and the larger One UT System.”
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back!”
