Justin Henley has always tried to align his actions with his values to create the impact he wished to make in the world. He focused on character first in his relationships, in the classroom, and in the community.
That ethos led to Henley being named a Torchbearer—the University of Tennessee’s highest undergraduate student honor—in recognition of his leadership, service, and Volunteer spirit.
The Torchbearer designation shines a spotlight on those who bring the university’s Volunteer Creed to life: “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.”
“Being honored as a Torchbearer is a statement of gratitude, respect, and heartfelt appreciation for the countless hours of service put towards making the UT community a greater place than it was yesterday,” Henley said. “As a recipient, I am filled with hope that my efforts were not in vain. This recognition inspires me to continue striving toward progress.”
Henley, a Brentwood, Tennessee native, will graduate in May with degrees in computer science from TCE and neuroscience from the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a University Honors 1794 Scholar and has earned UT’s Gold Service Medallion. He is a founder of UT’s chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, has been a member of the Psi Society, and has held multiple leadership roles on the Interfraternity Council.
Henley has been an Ignite team leader and has served in leadership roles in the Advancement of Neuroscience Club and his senior design team in the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He is a medical assistant at UT Medical Center in the UT Health Science Center Internal Medicine and OBGYN Clinic.
Henley was informed about his award from university leaders during a surprise celebration among friends, classmates, professors, and mentors. He was initially supposed to be told at an IFC president’s meeting, but he came down with the flu. A week later, he was surprised at his fraternity’s chapter meeting.
“I remember feeling a mixture of shock and disbelief as the committee walked in with their collection of UT-themed balloons, a Tennessee sign, and even a cookie cake,” Henley said. “I feel truly honored to have had the privilege of sharing such a great moment with my brothers.”
After graduating from UT, Henley will be attending Vanderbilt University to pursue a master of engineering in surgery and intervention. He plans to integrate his knowledge of neuroscience and computer science to develop neurologically inspired medical devices and robotics.
“Helping others has always been deeply fulfilling to me, and I see this path as the best way to combine that passion with my strengths in engineering,” he said.
Henley takes pride in all he accomplished at UT and all the opportunities he was given. However, what he will remember most is the people who helped him along the way.
“I am grateful for the professors, advisors, friends, and faculty members who never stopped believing in me. My experience would not have been nearly so great without all the love and dedication they shared with me and the engineering community,” he said. “In particular, I wanted to thank one of my favorite professors, Dr. Catherine Schuman, for being my inspiration in advancing my career in biologically inspired computing and robotics.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu)