Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BY RANDY BOYD
UT PRESIDENT
From Mountain City to Memphis, the University of Tennessee exists to serve the state of Tennessee. Even amidst a global pandemic, UT is hard at work seeking to solve the world’s most complex problems.
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Tennessee Manufacturers Association, and the Alliance for Better Nonprofits have partnered with us to create a series of webinars for businesses and nonprofits geared toward tackling common issues faced during the global coronavirus pandemic. Whether it is helping to address mental health issues we may face as the novel coronavirus continues to impact our daily lives or helping each other brace for the financial impact a pandemic could bring, we stand ready to assist the people of Tennessee and UT alumni around the world.
The webinar series runs Oct. 27 through Nov. 19, with most sessions occurring on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. The webinar sessions are free, but require registration in advance.
Speakers include UT experts and alumni as well as representatives of Tennessee businesses and nonprofit organizations across the state, such as AAA—The Auto Club Group, the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, C2 Labs, Lunchpool, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects and Interior Designers, Waller law firm and Zoo Knoxville. The lineup also includes representatives of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Department of Human Resources.
Webinar sessions 
• Supporting employees’ mental health needs
• Managing and leading remote workers and teams
• Accessing technology for successful teleworking•Reopening operations while ensuring safety, maintaining profitability and exceeding customer expectations
• Maximizing engagement with social media and storytelling strategies
• Communicating with employees and/or customers in a pandemic
• Creating impactful virtual experiences that enable networking and fundraising 
• Rethinking business models with creativity and innovation
Understanding the financial impact and forecasting the economic outlook
To learn more about the series and register for sessions, please visit webinars.tennessee.edu.
I remain inspired by what we have accomplished in a year against considerable adversity. These challenges won’t defeat us, but rather define us. Our resolve continues to encourage me as we move forward to make this the greatest decade in the history of the University of Tennessee because I know when UT thrives so does the state of Tennessee.