Dante Grayson Receives Highest Student Honor
Dante Grayson Receives Highest Student Honor
By Vivian DiSalvo (Class of 2026)
As the Student Government Association (SGA) president, a major proponent of service and stewardship, as well as a dedicated and involved student, Dante Grayson fully embodies the Torchbearer in every way. Now a senior pursuing his bachelor’s in political science and government, he’s been involved with the Student Alumni Associates, Jones Center for Leadership and Service, Delta Kappa chapter of Beta Theta Pi, as well as UT’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Pi, among many other experiences.
Despite being so involved on campus, Grayson’s decision to come to UT wasn’t clear-cut. It wasn’t until he toured campus—his first college campus tour—that he realized the Volunteer community had a special place for him.
“The tour really emphasized how you could wake up every day and be a Volunteer and serve your community,” Grayson says. “UT really provided me with the opportunity to grow as a leader through service in this way.”
“To me, being a Torchbearer is not just about receiving an award or an honor, but it’s more about embodying the person I’ve always dreamed of becoming.”
Dante Grayson
Grayson recently received the Torchbearer award, an honor given to students who have demonstrated academic excellence as well as a commitment to service and leadership. It is the highest honor a student may receive while at UT. However, for Grayson, this award is not just another tick on the resume—it’s a reminder that he can continually light the world for others in the way that Rocky Top has been doing for him for the past four years.
“To me, being a Torchbearer is not just about receiving an award or an honor, but it’s more about embodying the person I’ve always dreamed of becoming,” Grayson says. “I didn’t really know where I was headed when I was in high school, but having the university illuminate the darkness that I felt back then made me want to share that light with others.”
Through all the impressive achievements and experiences on his resume, Grayson has really loved his experience with the Student Alumni Associates (SAA), a student organization dedicated to enriching the lives of current students and alumni. Connecting to his fellow SAAs and to alumni from all over the country has inspired him. But what has been most rewarding is helping alumni invest in all the wonderful experiences he has had so other Volunteers can have them too.
I was a steward of the Volunteer spirit, tasked with lighting the way for others so they could begin their journey at the University of Tennessee with purpose and hope just like I did.”
Dante Grayson
Class of 2025
“If I could tell any alumni anything at any point, it would be to give. It could be just five dollars, but it’s giving someone an opportunity they might not have otherwise,” Grayson says.
It’s something Grayson understands firsthand, having received a Tennessee Family Association Academic Scholarship. Scholarships give students the freedom to pursue not only a degree, but leadership experiences, service opportunities, and so much more, no matter financial circumstances. Private support impacts many of the experiential learning opportunities Grayson has enjoyed—both SAA and the Jones Center for Leadership and Service (JCLS) receive programmatic support from alumni and donors.
When he was SGA chief of staff, Grayson worked with JCLS to connect students participating in SGA First-Year Council with the center’s Ignite program, which welcomes first-year students to campus with opportunities to develop leadership skills and learn what it means to be a Vol in the local community. As part of Ignite, JCLS engaged the council’s 60 first-year students in completing service projects across Knoxville.
Igniting a love for service and leadership in a new set of Volunteers, like Grayson did for first-year students in SGA, mirrors his favorite memory from UT: attending Torch Night as a senior and SGA president. In a full circle moment, he once again held up his torch just as he had his first year—except this time he was the one passing the torch to incoming students.
“If I could tell any alumni anything at any point, it would be to give. It could be just five dollars, but it’s giving someone an opportunity they might not have otherwise.”
Dante Grayson
“I felt the gravity of representing not only the ideals of the university, but also the aspirations of each student in that room. I thought about all the mentors, friends, and experiences that illuminated my time at UT,” Grayson says. “More or less, I was a steward of the Volunteer spirit, tasked with lighting the way for others so they could begin their journey at the University of Tennessee with purpose and hope just like I did.”
As for the future, Grayson will be completing his Master of Public Administration degree with UT’s five-year program. Through all that he does Grayson is thinking about how he can continue to be that Torchbearer for others.
“In these next steps of my life, I have to remember that I’m still bearing this torch. It’s not extinguished, but it will continue to be passed on.”
