Three University of Tennessee at Martin alumni will receive alumni awards Oct. 5 during the homecoming festivities.
Andy Collins, a 2001 graduate, will receive the Outstanding Alumni Award.
Collins is the president and chief operating officer at Security Bank & Trust Company headquartered in Paris. He is married to 2001 UTM graduate Susanne Collins and father to current UTM junior Cameron Collins, who is studying construction management, and to Anne Claire Collins, who plans to attend UTM in fall 2025 to study education.
Originally from Martin, the family now lives in Paris.
Collins serves on the Chancellor’s Roundtable, served as the past president of the UT Martin Alumni Council and as the past president of the Skyhawk Club.
Laura McFall Bond, a 2012 graduate, will receive the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and furthered her education at the University of Memphis, earning a master’s degree in higher education.
Bond resides in Greenville, North Carolina, with her husband, Kyle, a 2010 graduate, and their son, Wilks. She plays a pivotal role in managing partnerships at Relias, a leading health-care e-learning company based in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Bond’s commitment to her alma mater is evident through her ongoing service on the UTM Alumni Council. She has also contributed her time and expertise to the Student Alumni Council, the UTM Young Alumni Council and the UTM Memphis Alumni Board.
Recently, Laura and Kyle furthered their dedication to education by endowing a scholarship designed to support undergraduate students.
Dr. Walter “Wally” Hoffman, a 1965 graduate, will receive the University Service Award.
Hoffman was raised on a farm in southern Illinois and attended UT Martin Branch on a basketball scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in math and science education.
He was employed by the UTMB chemistry department to teach general chemistry laboratories for a year, then received a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Southern Illinois University in 1971.
Hoffman continued his academic studies at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, receiving the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1975. He served on the faculty at UICVM for 35 years in the area of veterinary clinical pathology with teaching, research and clinical diagnostic service involvement. He served as the director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory the final four years for his career.
After retirement, Hoffman moved with his wife a few miles south of Franklin, Tennessee.
Hoffman’s service to UT Martin includes serving as the president of the UTM Alumni Association, being a member of the Chancellor’s Roundtable and serving on the UT President’s Council.
These awards will be presented during the annual invitation-only Chancellor’s Brunch and Alumni Awards Program at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, prior to the opening of Quad City at 10:30 a.m.
The award winners will be recognized after the first quarter of the of the homecoming football game against Gardner-Webb University. The game begins at 2 p.m. in Hardy M. Graham Stadium, and tickets are available in advance through the Skyhawk Ticket Office and at the gate on game day.
More information about UT Martin’s 2024 Homecoming Week can be found at alumni.utm.edu/homecoming.
PHOTO: The 2024 UT Martin Alumni Award winners are (L-R) Andy Collins, Laura McFall Bond and Dr. Walter “Wally” Hoffman.
