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Joseph Mazer

Joseph Mazer

University of Tennessee

Dean, College of Communication and Information

Hometown: Mount Carmel, PA

What is your vision for Knoxville 10 years from now?

The University of Tennessee will continue to partner with the Knoxville community to live out the land-grant mission of serving our communities and providing pathways to higher education.

What is Knoxville's Best Kept Secret?

Steamboat Sandwiches on North Central Street. Any sandwich with a hand-shaken lemonade.

What would you do to strengthen Knoxville?

Continue to develop green and open spaces in the community, while remaining a welcoming and safe place for people and families to thrive.

What is your favorite Knoxville memory?

We are still relatively new to Knoxville. My favorite memory is going up to the top of the Sunsphere for the first time with my wife and two kids.

What is your favorite book or what book is currently on your nightstand?

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins

What is the best advice you have received from a mentor, and who was that mentor?

When I was a department chair, a dean mentor asked me how everything was going in my department. I said that everything was amazing. People were happy and we were doing great things. He responded by saying I wasn't doing my job. "Leaders have to make tough decisions," he said. "Not everyone will be happy all of the time."

What advice would you give to your 16 year old self?

Believe in yourself. Be positive. Your behavior will reflect on others.

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Joseph Mazer
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