Andie-Marie Jones arrived at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with twin passions that fueled her drive to excel. Jones wanted to pursue a degree in nuclear engineering, and she wanted to represent the Lady Vols as a distance runner.
The balancing act has not been easy. It’s required Jones to write lab reports in airports, shift her academic schedule to not conflict with meets, and work with classmates to get notes when she’s absent for travel.
But the support of the department has enabled the senior to accomplish all her goals as a student and a runner to make her college experience as fulfilling as possible.
“I couldn’t have asked for better professors to work with me,” Jones said. “I try to be upfront with them, because this is something that I deal with every single semester. I can’t ask them to bend over backwards, but they are very accommodating to help me. I really haven’t had any issues.”
UT is hosting the SEC Cross Country Championships for the first time in 14 years on Oct. 31 at the Cherokee Farms Cross Country Course. The men’s race is at 10 a.m. followed by the women’s race at 10:45 a.m.
Jones has invited everyone from the nuclear department to come and watch, including classmates who have supported her at select home meets every season for the last four years.
“It really means a lot when they show up and cheer for me,” Jones said. “This year is extra special because the SEC Championship is in our own backyard. Our team is very excited to perform in front of our home fans.”
Running Down a Dream
Jones, a Maryville, Tennessee native, started running competitively in the sixth grade and won two middle school cross country state championships. She broke several records in high school and earned All-America honors.
Jones was recruited to UT as a distance runner, and competes in cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track in the spring.
“Obviously, growing up in this area, going to Tennessee and being a Lady Vol was a huge dream of mine,” Jones said. “I just kept progressing and kept doing well and got the opportunity to come here and never looked back.”
Jones was exposed to nuclear engineering at a young age. Her grandfather was a nuclear physicist and head of radiation protection at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“I got more interested in nuclear energy, specifically, around high school,” she said. “I’m really interested in the power sector of nuclear energy. I just got fascinated with the idea of taking small amounts of uranium metal and producing so much power from it.”
Jones has interned at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Y-12 National Security Complex. She wants to eventually work on the corporate side at a nuclear power plant company. Following her graduation in the spring, Jones still has a season of indoor track eligibility she could pursue.
“I am really torn because all of my teammates are begging me to please stay,” she said. “I’m toying with the idea of maybe doing a business analytics master’s to draw on some of my engineering skills and apply them elsewhere.”
No matter what she decides, Jones knows running will remain a part of her life for as long as possible. She wants to compete in half marathons and marathons once her college career is over.
“I am addicted to this sport now,” she said. “This year has probably been my favorite cross country season. We have a really, awesome group of girls, and I love our coaches. It’s been great. I am having so much fun.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu)