By Patrick Dobyns, Editor
Student Athletics is still relatively new for Pellissippi State Community College, only getting started in Fall 2023. Despite this, the program has done extremely well over the past three years, with an article from April claiming victories at the regional and district levels in volleyball, conference championships in cross-country and men’s soccer, as well as having players of the week featured in the Tennessee Community College Association and the National Junior College Association.
As of September 14, Pellissippi Athletics is now officially partnered with UT Federal Credit Union (UTFCU), which, according to its site, aims to “support students, faculty, and the Pellissippi State community through financial resources, events, and community engagement.”
At a pep rally held on the Hardin Valley Campus, Dr. Anthony Wise and Kenyon Warren, UTFCU president and CEO, announced the partnership, along with the naming of the newly constructed soccer field nearby as UT Federal Credit Union Field. Celebrating the start of a new season for Pellissippi State’s spectacular student athletes, Wise said to the audience, “As you move forward in your lives, it’s important to have partners and colleagues and friends who are aligned with you in terms of mission, and I think that’s absolutely true with UT Federal Credit Union.”
Since it was founded in 1969, the goal of UTFCU was to create a trustworthy home to protect the finances of the UT community; since then, it has only grown. According to UTFCU.org, it continues its mission to: “embody the spirit of cooperation and care that started it all—people helping people.” In 2024, the company donated $29,000 to colleges and universities (including Pellissippi State) as well as additional scholarship and endowment contributions for larger, more general scholarships.
At the event, Warren highlighted a few of Pellissippi State’s student-athletes’ outstanding performances, naming Yahir Pacheco as the UTFCU Student Athlete of the Month, recognizing excellence in both athletics and in the classroom. Also invited to speak on stage were Royce Russel and Chazaiah Curry, captains of the women’s soccer and men’s basketball teams, respectively. Russel told the audience, “As student-athletes, we are proud that we get to represent more than just our individual teams. We get to represent this institution and the people who have helped create these opportunities for us. There is still so much ahead for Panther Athletics, and this is what makes it an exciting time to be here.”
However, Student Athletics is not the only thing that will be receiving benefits from this sponsorship. Warren said on Monday that he plans to commit to PSTCC “through financial education, scholarships, campus engagement, internship opportunities, athletics, financial services and even more.” Much like Pacheco, Warren shows that it’s equally important to invest in athletics and academics. Ariana Rector, the communications specialist for UTFCU, expands, “We’ve contributed to scholarships for decades, but this is going to really increase that and formalize it too.”
And it’s not just scholarships that the credit union is offering. Rector described in more detail what students can expect to see once the partnership is finalized. “We’re going to be partnering with professors and faculty, and we’re also going to offer special products for students.” He mentioned the addition of courses such as the psychology of spending, first-time auto buyers, and budgeting classes. College is an important stage of life, and these courses will help build the fundamentals of financial literacy in those who need it.
While celebrating our student athletes and kicking off a new season, UTFCU promises to not only bring support to our Athletics program, but also to every student at Pellissippi State. The official website provides tools for any Pellissippi State student looking to understand finances, giving tips and tricks for those first steps. For those looking to keep up with the partnership and future campus events, financial education, and community involvement, check out UTFCUxPanthers on Facebook!
