“I think a maker is anyone who chooses to create something, anything, with his own two hands,” says a University of Tennessee alumnus and maker.

In this issue of the Tennessee Alumnus, we celebrate the makers of music, maps and prosthetic arms. From performance halls to labs, our makers learn the skills they need to succeed. For UT develops makers and sends them out into the world where they create and, sometimes, in that creation build their own businesses, large and small. UT even helps the makers navigate the labyrinthine worlds of state and federal paperwork to move their businesses forward. We have stories about that in this issue, too.

For UT is a maker. It makes teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, farmers and more out of students. It helps turn ideas and dreams into reality. It has helped the makers turn Tennessee into the vibrant state that it is.

 

We enjoy hearing from you after each issue—and you really let us know your thoughts after the fall issue, which focused on opioids. In fact, we had to find additional space for the number of letters we received. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, where we have some fun and share stories from across UT.