KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Over the weekend, hundreds of students at the University of Tennessee will walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Every graduate made it to the stage by taking their own path.
Jacob Wiggs is a Knoxville native and is graduating from the Haslam College of Business on Saturday. After his first year of college, Wiggs said he was looking for something more, so he joined the U.S. military.
Jacob started his college career at UT in 2018.
“I finished my first year of college, and I was like, ‘Whoa, I don't know if this is right, for me,’” he said. “I felt a little bit lost after my freshman year.”
But he said a family friend helped him find a path he’d never look back on.
“It really felt like somewhere where I could go to kind of hit the reset button and move forward,” said Wiggs.
Jacob joined the Tennessee Air National Guard. After finishing his sophomore year, he spent several months in basic and technical training. In the fall of 2022, he spent two months in Japan and Guam.
“One of the things that I remember most is, we were out at the Navy base there and there were these Korean sailors that came up and we played a game of volleyball with them," he said. “That was just really cool. When do you get that opportunity in life outside of, you know, maybe this one specific chance?”
After serving overseas, Jacob returned to Knoxville to wrap up his college education. He accomplished a lot while getting his degree. He was part of the Student Government Council and is a founding father of the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity.
“Ten guys talking about dreams, to actually seeing it become real, and then having a house and, being able to see the massive philanthropy events,” said Wiggs.
He said, like most students, his favorite memories from the past six years at UT and across the world are the simple ones.
“Just in the dorm and hanging out. I think that's one of the coolest things because those are people that I still cherish," he said. “When I get married, in September, they will be the people standing next to me.”
Jacob will graduate on Saturday with a degree in supply chain management. He accepted a job offer in Knoxville, and he will continue his enlistment with the Tennessee Air National Guard.