“I want other people to have the same opportunities that I’ve had. This money helps students with scholarships and other expenses. I know how important it is and I want to pay it forward.”
The door to Sandra Thomas’s office on the third floor of the College of Nursing features a menagerie of memories and items that are important to her. You’ll find several photos, a business card, and information about the PhD program she teaches. Two items in particular stand out and perhaps best describe Thomas. There’s a piece of paper with the word “gratitude” written on it and several Tennessee True stickers.
Thomas first visited UT in 1957 while she was a student at the old St. Mary’s School of Nursing. She arrived on a blue bus and went on to take anatomy, chemistry, and microbiology courses. Today, Thomas holds four degrees from UT and has been on the faculty for 35 years. However, she’s been giving back to her alma mater for even longer—57 years. Tennessee True indeed.
“I’ve always felt like this is my place,” she says. “This is where I received a wonderful education and wonderful mentorship from faculty.”
When listening to Thomas speak about why she has given back to UT for decades, it’s easy to understand that for her, gratitude isn’t just a word on her door. It’s something she is deeply passionate about.
I’ve always felt like this is my place. This is where I received a wonderful education and wonderful mentorship from faculty.
– Dr. Sandra Thomas, UT College of Nursing professor
“I want other people to have the same opportunities that I’ve had,” she says. “This money helps students with scholarships and other expenses. I know how important it is and I want to pay it forward,” she continues. “I’m very grateful.”
The relationship to current and past students fosters the family-like atmosphere that Thomas believes is part of what makes UT special. She has traveled all over the world and encountered alumni along the way all because of the Power T. There is a special connection between the people who have studied and worked at UT, and it goes beyond athletics.
As a new group of students prepare to walk across the stage and receive their degrees, Thomas has a message for them.
“I feel like it’s an obligation, truly, to give back and think about those coming after you,” she says. “We all need to do our part.”
