On September 26, Hurricane Helene devastated areas of Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia with surges of rainfall that triggered catastrophic floods. The damage was extreme, and people needed immediate help and supplies. Dayne Davis (HCB, ’23) was one of many who answered the call. As an offensive lineman for the Tennessee Volunteers, Davis is accustomed to balancing his responsibilities as a student athlete while applying the Volunteer Spirit on behalf of others.

Channeling the Volunteer Spirit

A graduate student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, Davis hails from Sullivan County, which borders on area Helene struck most severely. Wanting to give back to an area he says has given him so much, he raised over $11,000 in supplies for hurricane victims in northeast Tennessee.

On Sunday, October 6, Davis returned to his home county to deliver the thousands of dollars in supplies to those in need. He has since made more trips to the region to bring aid to the hurricane victims. It touches him directly because he knows some of the people displaced by the floods.

“A close friend of mine suffered greatly,” he says. “His family lost one house, their church and had two other homes severely damaged.”

Seeing firsthand the hurricane’s devastation deeply affected Davis, and he now better understands the impact of the Volunteer Spirit. “This ordeal has taught me to appreciate everything and to consider what others might be going through,” he says. “It has also made me realize the impact my interactions can have on someone’s day, and how I can make it a little brighter for them.”

Beyond raising funds for those in need in East Tennessee, Davis, as part of his role as a UT football player, has also given his time to East TN Children’s Hospital, The Boy’s and Girl’s Club and summer youth football camps. These volunteer efforts changed his life view.

“As a student, I get caught up in everything I have going on in my life, and often don’t think about how my free time might be beneficial to others,” he explains. “My interactions with those individuals have given me a brighter outlook on everything in my life, taught me to be more thankful for things I have been able to do and showed me to not take anything for granted.”

Balancing Act

Even as he fulfills his roles as an athlete and Volunteer, as a student, Davis is pursuing his degree in Haslam’s Master of Science in Management and Human Resources (MSMHR) program, from which he will graduate this December. He earned his bachelor’s in supply chain management from the college and has continually taken advantage of academic and professional opportunities during his time at Haslam.

One of Davis’s favorite opportunities combined schoolwork with his love of football. In 2023, he and a team of other Haslam students traveled to Arizona to work at Super Bowl LVII. “Seeing the buildup of fans arriving in the city, seeing how the city morphed into a billboard for each team and the game and — above all else — interacting with other students and forming friendships will be most memorable for me,” Davis says.

Haslam personnel appreciate Davis’s dedication to the school as a true Volunteer. “Dayne is hardworking and giving, as well as a great student in the MSMHR program,” says Debbie Mackey, distinguished lecturer and professional development coordinator. “His giving heart for those in need is so wonderful, as seen with his dedication to helping those affected by Hurricane Helene.”

Despite sometimes feeling overwhelmed by volunteer work, football and his master’s classes, Davis reflects on these efforts with positivity. “I see that I was doing something for the greater good, and that makes my time spent worth it,” he says.

Pushed Forward by Big Dreams

As the clock ticks down on his time as a student, Davis looks forward to the future. “I’m focused on finishing my last UT football season with my teammates and chasing a National Championship. Then, I will begin pre-draft training to prepare for Pro Day and get ready to see where the chips fall for the draft!”

With an exciting future in front of him, Davis still looks back on his years at Haslam joyfully. “I will forever cherish my time here at Tennessee and the relationships I made and the things I have been blessed to experience,” he says.

CONTACT

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Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu