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Vols @ Home: Painting for a Purpose

By: Whitney Brothers

I loved living in South Carrick my first year at UT so much that I am living on campus again for my second year! There is always a program or fun event going on either in the hall or on campus when I’m not studying for my classes.

One of my favorite memories from living on campus was a program called Painting for a Purpose. The resident assistants provided canvases and paint for us to get creative. I painted a Knoxville Skyline sunrise with lots of orange, purple, and pink colors to make it pop! Honestly, it was some of my best artwork yet! We sat in the front lobby painting our canvases. While we painted, we were able to have great conversations with the other girls in our hall. Overall, we had a blast! It was a great break from studying for my biology exam! I spent almost two hours enjoying time with my friends and the RAs until I was finally happy with the finished product!

After all the canvases were dry, the RAs hung them up in the front lobby with a number on each of the paintings. At the front desk was a binder with a picture of each painting, so that residents could bid on them. All of the proceeds from the silent auction went to benefit Habitat for Humanity, a charity that builds houses for families in need.

University Housing does various fundraisers throughout the year and Painting for a Purpose is a tradition in South Carrick! Every day, I would check to see what the highest bid was on my painting. It actually got up to $25! There were over 50 paintings done by some really talented residents. Some of them were just funny like potatoes in space, and others were almost good enough for an art museum. I loved Painting for a Purpose because I got to meet other girls living in my hall! I got to be really creative with my painting, and it was all for a good cause. I actually plan to go over to South Carrick and paint again this year if they will let me!  Be sure to be on the lookout for Painting for a Purpose and other great programing happening in your residence hall this year!

About Me

My name is Whitney Brothers, and I am currently a sophomore studying Public Relations and Business Administration at the University of Tennessee. I work with the Vols @ Home program, which helps incoming and current students find their place on campus through University Housing. I am also active in the community by interning with Alliance for Better Nonprofits, and teaching swim lessons at JumpStart Health and Fitness. As a student, my goals surround becoming involved with the Knoxville community on and off campus while also building a network of professional individuals.