Pictured above from left to right: TCE Dean Matthew Mench, Calvin Burrell, Dwight Hutchins, and NE Department Head Wes Hines at the Calvin W. Burrell Jr. Conference Room dedication.
During the 2023 UT Knoxville Homecoming week, the Tickle College of Engineering celebrated with a series of events observing the 50th anniversary of the recently named Dwight Hutchins Office of Engineering Diversity Programs (EDP), culminating in a gala dinner for alumni, faculty, staff, and students.
In alignment with the gift that named the program and to honor an alumni colleague, Hutchins (BS/ChE ’86) established the Department of Nuclear Engineering Excellence Endowment. In recognition and gratitude of this, the department’s executive conference room is now named the Calvin Burrell Jr. Conference Room in honor of fellow alumnus Burrell (BS/NE ’80).
Burrell was one of the first Black graduates of the nuclear engineering department and enjoyed a successful career specializing in nuclear safety with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Bechtel Corporation, and Worley Parsons.
Burrell’s mentorship was instrumental for Hutchins in coming to UT and participating in what was originally called the Minority Engineering Scholarship Program (MESP) under the direction of educator Fred D. Brown, Jr., founder of the program.
“I’ve shared the story time and time again,” said Hutchins. “The reason I’m here is because of Fred Brown. But the reason Fred Brown came into my life is because of Calvin Burrell.”
When Brown visited with Hutchins’s family to tell them about the program, Burrell’s mother joined them from her home across the street and helped, as a family friend, convey the significance that the UT experience would have for Hutchins.
At the dedication, Burrell shared stories of knowing Hutchins in their school days, and of Hutchins grade-school excellence in chemistry, including some amateur chemistry sets with lessons that Hutchins breezed through on his own.
“Then he went on into chemical engineering,” said Burrell. “He’s one brilliant individual.”
Hutchins returned the praise for Burrell.
“This man is among the first class of Blacks in the nuclear engineering program,” he said. “I think he was officially the third. These are the shoulders that our students stand on.”
Nuclear engineering Department Head Wes Hines presented Burrell with a brick from the former home of the department, the Pasqua Nuclear Engineering Building where Burrell spent a lot of his time at UT Knoxville.
Gifts such as these provided by Hutchins build foundations for future Engineering Vols while acknowledging the college’s history and milestones with the gratitude of the Volunteer Spirit.
Contact
Randall Brown, (tce@utk.edu)