Alexander and Henley Named Torchbearers
Tickle College of Engineering students Marlena Alexander and Justin Henley have been named Torchbearers—the university’s highest undergraduate student honor—in recognition of their leadership, service, and Volunteer spirit.
The Torchbearer designation shines a spotlight on those who bring the university’s Volunteer Creed to life: “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.”
Surrounded by friends, classmates, professors, and mentors, Alexander and Henley were informed of their award from university leaders during surprise celebrations on campus.
“Being honored as a Torchbearer is a statement of gratitude, respect, and heartfelt appreciation for the countless hours of service put towards making the UT community a greater place than it was yesterday,” Henley said. “As a recipient, I am filled with hope that my efforts were not in vain. This recognition inspires me to continue striving toward progress.”
Alexander, a Kingston, Tennessee native, will graduate in May with a degree in materials science and engineering. A member of the 1794 Scholars honors program, she is a Goldwater Scholar and a Fulbright Scholarship semifinalist. Alexander has received numerous awards from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where she is an academic ambassador, and has served as programming chair for the professional student organization Material Advantage. For her leadership in that group, she was named Outstanding Executive Board Member at UT’s 2024 Student Engagement Awards. She also serves as student board member and publicity chair for the Oak Ridge chapter of ASM International, an association for raw materials engineers and scientists.
Alexander has balanced her academic and volunteer efforts at UT while serving as a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard. She spends one weekend each month and two weeks each year reporting for drills.
“It feels really good to be recognized for the hard work accomplished at UT,” Alexander said. “I was dumbfounded that out of all the people at UT I was selected as a Torchbearer. But I also felt grateful thinking about my support system, including all the professors who wrote me recommendation letters. I couldn’t have dreamed to do the things I did without those people.”
Henley, a Brentwood, Tennessee native, will graduate in May with degrees in computer science from TCE and neuroscience from the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a University Honors 1794 Scholar and has earned UT’s Gold Service Medallion. He is a founder of UT’s chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, has been a member of the Psi Society, and has held multiple leadership roles on the Interfraternity Council.
Henley has been an Ignite team leader and has served in leadership roles in the Advancement of Neuroscience Club and his senior design team in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He is a medical assistant at UT Medical Center in the UT Health Science Center Internal Medicine and OBGYN Clinic.
Henley was initially supposed to be informed about his honor at an IFC president’s meeting, but he came down with the flu. A week later, he was surprised at his fraternity’s chapter meeting.
“I remember feeling a mixture of shock and disbelief as the committee walked in with their collection of UT-themed balloons, a Tennessee sign, and even a cookie cake,” Henley said. “I feel truly honored to have had the privilege of sharing such a great moment with my brothers.”
Alexander and Henley both credit the community at UT for helping them achieve their academic and community goals. They know how much it means to join a select fraternity of some of the university’s most respected students.
“Being a Torchbearer isn’t just about you standing out yourself but shining the light for others and remembering all the people that came before you. It’s about being intentional in creating spaces where the next generation can thrive,” Alexander said. “I hope I was able to accomplish that while I was here.”
Bailey, Kurr Honored with Beacon, Trailblazer Awards
Lauren Bailey and Amy Kurr have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Beacon Award and Trailblazer Award, respectively.
The Beacon Award is the highest master’s student honor conferred at the University of Tennessee, and the Trailblazer Award is the highest doctoral student honor bestowed by the university.
Recipients must demonstrate high academic achievement and outstanding commitment to others as demonstrated by the student’s various activities and significant contributions to the university or their discipline. They must embody the Volunteer Spirit, displaying initiative and excellence in service and leadership, and have demonstrated resilience during their life.
Bailey, who is pursuing her master’s and PhD in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, is a graduate research assistant working on nuclear digital twins with a focus on online monitoring and anomaly detection for forced flow system using AI and the development of machine learning methodologies to improve time-series forecasting.
“I was very surprised that I was awarded the Beacon Award. It is quite an honor,” Bailey said. “I am lucky to be surrounded by faculty, staff, and peers who support and lift me up in the work I do.”
Kurr is pursuing her PhD through the Bredesen Center in Energy Science and Engineering with a focus on polymer engineering. Her research within the Center for Renewable Carbon at the UT Institute of Agriculture focuses on the degradation and decomposition of electrical wire and cables in the automotive and energy industries.
“I am surprised, grateful, and humbled to receive the Trailblazer Award,” Kurr said. “I am surprised that I was selected among the dozens and dozens of amazing PhD students I have met and collaborated with over the past few years. I am grateful to have had such a large impact on the University of Tennessee and the lives of the individuals I have met while studying, and I am humbled to think where I’d be if hundreds of people had not endlessly reached out their hands to help me along this journey.”
Service to Others
Kurr is funded under a Graduate Advancement & Training Education (GATE) Fellowship from the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII).
Kurr is a program manager and founder of the Technical Standards in Engineering Program, which serves as a resource for educators providing free, open-source curriculum delivering foundational technical standards training for young engineers.
Kurr, who can speak three languages and excels in strongman powerlifting, is the founder and president of UT’s Society of Women Engineers Graduate Group (GradSWE), and a member of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers.
“I surmise that my nomination package for this award reflected the value I see in those around me and the ways I’ve worked to cheerlead, refine, and reaffirm that value,” Kurr said. “With the help of many, I’ve worked to build programs, reshape structures, and create networks that elevate others and strengthen our community.”
Bailey is a student intern at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division, and president of the UT Nuclear Engineering Graduate Student Assembly. She serves on the executive committees of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Student Sections Committee, the ANS Oak Ridge/Knoxville local section, and the Decommissioning and Environmental Science ANS Division.
Bailey was nominated for the Beacon Award by her advisor, NE Assistant Professor Xingang Zhao. She was surprised with the announcement during an NE seminar class.
“Having an advisor who goes out of his way to recognize my work and gives continual guidance and support has been instrumental,” Bailey said. “I would not have been someone who had the potential to win this award without Dr. Zhao, the great NE staff, and my peers in the department.”
Kurr and Bailey will be celebrated at the upcoming Chancellor’s Honors Banquet.