Jenna McKinnie
Honors Ambassadors Vice-Chair

Class of: Spring 2010
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pre-Med
Hometown: Cookeville, Tennessee
High School: Cookeville High School

Jenna McKinnie, a senior in BCMB, is the Vice-Chair of the Honors Ambassadors Program, an organization that informs potential students about the benefits of membership in honors programs at UT. In addition to being a part of the Chancellor’s Honors Program, Jenna has received many honors including the Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Bertelkamp, Jr. Scholarship and the Robert R. Neyland Chancellor’s Scholarship. Her other activities include membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Mortar Board College Senior Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa College of Arts and Sciences Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society, and the National Dean’s List. Jenna has also served as an SGA Senator for Andy Holt Residence Hall and is an active volunteer with Clinic Vols and Dance Marathon.  Jenna is also on the Officer Advisory Board for Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society for the 2009-2010 school year, as well as the Student Disciplinary Board.

Jenna spent a semester studying abroad in Australia at the University of the Sunshine Coast during the spring of 2008. While abroad in Australia, Jenna was a Student Exchange Ambassador for UT and for the University of the Sunshine Coast upon return to the United States. She loved being a tourist in Australia, admiring the koalas and kangaroos. Jenna made the most of her five-month trip, but there were pieces of her usual life she missed, such as her car and leadership opportunities at UT. She encourages everyone to study abroad if he or she has the opportunity. Though Jenna had a great time while she was abroad, she also could not wait to get back and enjoy football season!

Jenna enjoys being in the water and has worked as a day camp instructor, swim instructor, and as a lifeguard. She served as the accountant for the Waterskiing and Wakeboarding club and was recently SCUBA certified so that she can dive the Great Barrier Reef. Along with her other awards, Jenna was the only female from UT to compete in the 2006 Collegiate Wakeboard Tournament in Orlando, Florida.

Jenna also involves herself in many volunteer endeavors on campus. She is involved with TeamVOLS – The University of Tennessee Volunteer Center, where she is a Co-Chair for the Leadership Board for the 2009-2010 school year. From 2008 to 2009, she was the Co-Chair for Sports and Recreation Volunteer Activities on the Leadership Board. Jenna also participated in this year’s Alternative Fall Break 2009.

Jenna admits that coming to UT was a tough decision for her and calls it one of her greatest challenges. Remembering her decision-making process she says, “I learned that I would end up where I belonged no matter what."

Written by Katrina Otuonye and Amelia Grubbs, Edited by Whitney Boshers and Amelia Grubbs