Chris Clark receives Faculty Senate Heart and Soul Award
Sometimes awards and accolades received at the close of spring semester get overlooked in the fast pace of final exams followed by commencement and other celebrations. One such honor in 2026 was the Heart and Soul Award presented by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Faculty Senate.
On May 4, a UT Institute of Agriculture professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Christopher Clark, who also serves as UTIA’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs, was one of the UT Knoxville faculty members honored with the UTK Faculty Senate Heart and Soul Award. This award recognizes faculty whose work embodies inclusion, respect, compassion and community at the University of Tennessee.
Clark joined UT Knoxville in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics after earning his doctorate in economics from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a doctorate of jurisprudence from Tulane University and bachelors of business administration in economics from UT Knoxville. He rose through the academic ranks becoming a professor in 2015. He was appointed department head in 2020 before being asked to serve as UTIA’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs in 2022.
“Dr. Chris Clark is an exceptionally deserving recipient of the Heart and Soul Award,” says Karen DeLong, who nominated Clark for the award. DeLong, also a professor in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, says, “Dr. Clark is a native of Tennessee and has been a Vol for Life (VFL) since before I was born. Since joining UTIA, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering a respectful and empowering environment for faculty.” She continues with, “His leadership journey, from department head to Acting Executive Dean to the first-ever Associate Vice Chancellor of Faculty Affairs, reflects not a pursuit of title, but a recognition by peers and administrators that he is uniquely trusted to lead.”
DeLong says Clark maintains a genuine open-door policy, offering guidance to faculty whenever needed, even beyond regular working hours. His steady presence, generosity and dedication have profoundly shaped the culture and climate of UTIA. He is, without question, a vital part of the heart and soul of the institute.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.