Spencer Duncan Gregg, Sr.
December 21, 1962 — February 21, 2025
Spencer Gregg, Sr., director of the Student Health Center for the past 15 years in the Division of Student Life, passed away on February 21, 2025, at home, surrounded by his family.
Gregg was a two-time University of Tennessee graduate, holding degrees from the Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Memphis and the Haslam College of Business as well as a bachelor’s from Carson Newman University. He practiced medicine for 36 years, serving as a physician at the UT Student Health Center for 25 years and as its director for the last 15 years. He was an enthusiastic Volunteer fan and loved everyone who worked with him at UT.
Gregg served as the incident commander of the Emergency Operations Center at UT and helped lead our greater campus community through the COVID-19 global pandemic. In March 2020, he began this role and remained in service to the campus through June 2021 and beyond as COVID-19 implications continued to impact daily operations. In fact, faculty and staff continued to approach Gregg for public health advice as recently as fall 2024. During this formal role, Gregg made time for anyone with medical-related questions, including Emergency Operations Center members, faculty and staff, concerned parents and family members, and students. He selflessly devoted countless hours to support others, investing months of seven-day work weeks and 12-hour days to understand the virus and help ensure the safety and continued work of the entire UT community. He accompanied Chancellor Plowman on multiple weekly Zoom meetings, always expressing himself as a calm and down-to-earth Volunteer, and communicated regularly with state and county health officials to help ensure campus compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. He positively impacted our community and his leadership helped create a safer and healthier environment.
Recognized for his selfless and brave leadership, Gregg was honored in spring 2021 as the inaugural co-recipient of the chancellor’s Volunteer Spirit Award, the highest award bestowed upon a staff member at the university.
In summer 2024, Gregg was selected to participate in the inaugural UTPD Citizen’s Police Academy, as one of only ten staff chosen for a seven-week experience. This academy allowed participants to learn more about the police department through hands-on interactive experiences promoting advocacy and understanding.
Gregg was an extraordinary leader, medical professional, colleague, and employee. His creativity, supportive nature, intelligence, patience, and sense of humor truly changed our campus. He invested time in teaching others, thoughtfully expanding understanding. He was a highly admired pillar in the UT community and will be greatly missed.
To learn more about his celebration of life service or to make a memorial gift to the Basic Needs Emergency Fund in his honor, view his obituary online.