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Students sign a VOL is a VERB banner during the Homecoming carnival at the Student Union Plaza

Vol is a Verb

Every student has the ability to make a difference and to be a dynamic and powerful force for the betterment of all Volunteers. It takes a Volunteer to do the right thing, even in challenging moments.

Programs, events, and opportunities on campus where students can grow in their leadership skills, rise to the next level in their personal interactions, and explore all that it means to be a Volunteer are identified under one umbrella initiative through Vol is a Verb.


At UT, we all have a role to play in creating a positive campus environment. As a phrase, “Vol is a Verb” means that leadership is action. Active leadership means being involved, engaging with others, and pursuing your best, most authentic self. Vol is a Verb is a university-wide commitment to make Rocky Top the best it can be.

Vol is a Verb calls all Volunteers to live with a focus towards the needs of others, effectively balancing our individualism with our community. Being a volunteer means having the courage to care, to act, and to serve.

As a Volunteer, we encourage you to act, use your voice, and bear the torch. Actively, our campus community works to develop and sustain a nurturing university culture where community serves as an enduring source of strength.

The pathways to exemplify this way of life are wide and varied but defined in three core steps:

  • Explore: What experiences and events invite me to explore and identify opportunities so I can better understand what leadership is and what it means for my Volunteer community?
  • Practice: What experiences and events create pathways for me to develop the capacity and practice to become more proficient in facilitating relationships within my Volunteer community?
  • Live: What experiences and events support me as I live out my commitment to being a Vol and make this action a way of life within my Volunteer community and beyond?


Invite a Vol is a Verb Speaker to Your Group

University of Tennessee, Knoxville staff are available to share what Vol is a Verb means and how to get involved with student organizations, departments, staff meetings, classrooms, and other gatherings.

Vol is a Verb Program Requests