Lieutenant Brandon McGee (’11), a surface warfare officer in the US Navy, supports the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, every month and has done so since 2015.
Lieutenant Brandon McGee (’11), a surface warfare officer in the US Navy, supports the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, every month and has done so since 2015, earning him the Loyal Vol designation.
“For me, UT was an opportunity to find out who I am and understand myself,” McGee said. “I was able to create a foundation for the person I wanted to be after graduation, and I needed that to enter the workforce, which for me was the military.”
McGee has been stationed in Florida and Bahrain and is currently completing his time as an ROTC instructor at George Washington University. His next posting will be as chief engineer aboard the USS Roosevelt DDG 80 based in Spain.
During his eight-year naval career, McGee has given back to his alma mater with the intention of helping others accomplish their educational goals. He gives to areas that are personally meaningful to him, using the flexibility of UT’s fund allocations to tailor his impact.
I want to make sure other people behind me can have experiences at Tennessee as awesome as mine were.
– Lieutenant Brandon McGee (’11), Loyal Vol
“Currently I give to the sports program, psychology, and sociology,” McGee said. “I’ll probably change one of those soon and support the Pride Center because it provided a safe space for me at UT. Diversity, inclusion, and visibility on campus are important, and Tennessee should be a place where nobody is afraid to be themselves, get a great education, and experience life.”
During his time at UT, McGee studied psychology and was a cheerleader in the spirit squad. He also participated in the mascot program.
“I loved representing the university and getting people fired up about the color orange,” he said. “Access to education is important. Now that I’m in a position to give back, I want to make sure other people behind me can have experiences at Tennessee as awesome as mine were.”
Loyal Vols like McGee provide resources that enhance the student experience, increase scholarships and fellowships, recruit talented faculty, and foster highly ranked academic programs.
Become a Loyal Vol by signing up for a monthly donation.
