“Giving is a habit”—and for Joanie Sompayrac, it started here.
Joanie Sompayrac’s (’87, ’02) connection to UTC started long before she became a faculty member—it started in the stands, on campus with her family and through the opportunities that shaped her as a student.
Today, she’s paying that forward in a way that’s both personal and powerful.
A Brock Scholar turned professor, Joanie has made giving back part of her routine. For her, it’s simple: “If you want good things to be available, it’s your obligation to ensure they continue for others.”
But what makes her story especially compelling is what she sees every day. As a faculty member, she meets the students whose lives are changed by those gifts.
A Donor and a Witness
Today, as a faculty member, Joanie experiences the impact of her giving in a way few donors can.
She supports a variety of areas across campus, with a particular focus on scholarships that directly benefit students. That includes an endowed travel scholarship in the Honors College in memory of her parents, Howard and Betty Sompayrac, as well as a scholarship in the Accounting Department honoring her mother, a trailblazer who studied accounting at a time when few women were in the field.
She also gives to UTC Athletics, a nod to her father’s legacy as a Mocs basketball player and Hall of Fame inductee.
But for Joanie, the most meaningful part isn’t where she gives but who she meets because of it.
“Once I know who the scholarship recipients are, I love getting the chance to know them,” she says. “Many stay in touch after they graduate. Seeing the actual impact of my donations is something I simply cannot put into words.”
Why Faculty Giving Matters
Joanie believes there’s something especially powerful about faculty and staff choosing to give back to the university they serve.
“I sincerely believe that when faculty and staff donate to UTC, it makes a statement,” she says. “It shows how much we believe in what we do here.”
Her giving is intentionally focused on students—because, in her words, “students are the most important cause here at UTC.”
And that belief shows up not only in her philanthropy, but in her teaching, mentorship and daily interactions.”
Paying It Forward
If she could share one message with colleagues, it would be simple—and deeply personal.
“Most of us have benefited one way or another from donor dollars,” she says. “When we benefit from those gifts, I believe we have a moral obligation to pay it forward.”
For Joanie Sompayrac, giving back isn’t about recognition. It’s about gratitude. It’s about continuity. And most of all, it’s about ensuring that the opportunities that shaped her life remain available for the next generation of Mocs.
Because at UTC, generosity doesn’t just change lives—it connects them.
I sincerely believe that when faculty and staff donate to UTC, it makes a statement. It shows how much we believe in what we do here.
Dr. Joanie Sompayrac
Judith Finley Stone Alliance Professor of Accounting
