Pat Summitt exemplified the Volunteer Spirit. From her passionate coaching style to the care she showed her players and Tennessee, the legendary Lady Vols basketball coach believed deeply in discipline, preparation and responsibility on the court and beyond. Those same values now guide the work of the Pat Summitt Foundation (PSF), which Summitt and her son, Tyler, established following her diagnosis with Alzheimer’s to support research, education and caregiving resources.
As the foundation officially began operating independently as a 501(c)(3) in 2025, PSF leadership faced a critical moment of transition. With growth and independence came full responsibility for the organization’s auditing processes, an essential component of donor trust and nonprofit accountability. Rather than navigate that transition alone, PSF turned to a natural partner: the Department of Accounting and Information Management (AIM) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business.
Establishing a Standard
After years of operating under a larger philanthropic organization, PSF’s move to independent status marked an important milestone and introduced new operational responsibilities. According to foundation executive director Morgan Vance (UT, ’12), accountability isn’t optional for charitable organizations.
“We are held to a level of accountability by the IRS, but we try to hold ourselves to a higher level because of who we represent and the name we bear,” said Vance.
Transparency, donor confidence and unqualified audits have long been central to the foundation’s work, Vance explained, making audit readiness a priority during the transition. That priority led PSF advisory board member Janet McKinley (HCB, ’80), a former chief corporate auditor and longtime supporter of Haslam’s accounting programs, to suggest a collaboration with the AIM department. Drawing on her own experience with experiential learning as a student, McKinley saw an opportunity that could benefit both students and the foundation.
“When you’re preparing for an audit, the goal is simple: You don’t want surprises,” McKinley said. “Strong internal controls help ensure that, and this project allowed students to bring their knowledge to a real organization at exactly the right time.”
Lessons Beyond the Classroom
The collaboration was incorporated into Haslam’s Master of Accountancy (MAcc) advanced auditing and information management governance courses during the 2025 fall semester, giving students the opportunity to apply classroom concepts in a real-world setting. According to Lauren Cunningham, Cheryl Massingale Business Faculty Scholar, Keith Stanga Professor of Accounting and co-facilitator of the MAcc and PSF collaboration, rather than working through a hypothetical case, students evaluated an active nonprofit organization navigating a major operational change.
“This took us from classroom cases to real-world circumstances,” she said. “Students applied technical knowledge in a real-world context and walked away with a better appreciation of how accountants can directly support an organization’s mission.”
Beyond technical skills, Cunningham emphasized that the project required students to build communication, teamwork and professional judgment — skills that are difficult to fully develop in a traditional classroom setting.
Cunningham and Robert Fuller, EY Professor in Accounting and co-facilitator of the MAcc and PSF collaboration, structured the engagement to guide students through risk assessment, inquiry and evaluation while allowing them to take ownership of the analysis and recommendations. The result mirrored professional audit and advisory work rather than a simulated assignment.
From Inquiry to Recommendations
The project began with two in-class sessions featuring PSF leadership, including Vance and Mayson Gordon, PSF’s assistant director of operations. During these discussions, students learned about the foundation’s day-to-day operations, from handling donations received by mail to responding to potential IT disruptions. The sessions offered what Vance described as “a peek behind the curtain” into nonprofit operations, helping students understand the controls and processes that support mission-driven work.
After the classroom sessions, students worked in teams to identify key risk areas and develop tailored recommendations appropriate for an organization of PSF’s size and resources. With no additional access to foundation staff or proprietary financial/donor records, students relied heavily on detailed notes, professional standards and collaboration with faculty. Despite those constraints, McKinley said the results exceeded expectations.
“Based on only two classroom discussions and without performing a detailed onsite audit, the internal control recommendations were very comprehensive and well structured,” she said.
Stepping Into the Advisory Role
For many MAcc students, collaboration with PSF marked their first experience working with a real client.
“It gave me confidence in approaching professional client interactions and understanding the advisory role accountants play beyond just the numbers,” said MAcc student Jasmine Crigler.
Students were challenged to balance risk, feasibility and cost, a departure from traditional academic projects. Accounting master’s student Allison Strong noted that the experience required careful listening and realistic problem-solving.
“We had to be creative with the solutions we presented PSF; we couldn’t suggest solutions that aren’t feasible,” she said. “We had to think through real-life constraints.”
Scott Barron, a nontraditional student balancing a full-time career and family, emphasized the applicability of the work. “Even only halfway through the program, we felt prepared to offer recommendations that could be implemented immediately,” he said.
From a faculty perspective, Fuller enjoyed seeing how the project helped students grow.
“It was rewarding to see the students build confidence about complex audit topics by asking questions, connecting technical details to audit risk and providing practical steps to reduce risk and improve controls,” he said.
Impact on the Pat Summitt Foundation
PSF leadership has already begun prioritizing and implementing several student recommendations, with plans to address additional items throughout the year.
“As a small staff, collaborations like this help us achieve the results we need without adding extra burdens,” Vance said. “It helps us be as efficient as possible and ensure donor dollars are used to further our mission.”
McKinley noted that the project also provided reassurance to PSF’s staff and board, confirming that many strong controls were already in place while highlighting areas for additional improvement. Implementing recommendations early, she said, positions the foundation for long-term success.
Learning With Purpose
The collaboration between Haslam’s MAcc program and the Pat Summitt Foundation demonstrates how higher education can deliver measurable value to community organizations while preparing students for professional practice. For Haslam, it reinforces a commitment to experiential, client-focused learning. For PSF, it strengthens operational integrity during a pivotal stage of growth.
Both partners hope the project serves as a model for future nonprofit collaborations across disciplines, extending expertise where it is needed most. By connecting classroom learning with real-world impact, the collaboration prepares students not only for successful careers, but for meaningful contributions beyond the balance sheet.
More than an academic exercise, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to preparation, accountability and teamwork — values Pat Summitt championed throughout her life.
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Contact:
Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu
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