Timothy Held

University of Tennessee, Haslam College of Business

“The Ted Lasso of data—strategic, passionate, uplifting, strength-focused, and a sports enthusiast.”

Fun fact about yourself: I am a two-time National History Bee Semi-Finalist

Hometown: Cleveland, Tennessee

High School: Homeschool

Major: Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Data Science

Minor: Statistics

Favorite Business Course: BAS471: Statistical Methods with Dr. Adam Petrie

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Student Alumni Associates: President, Vice President, and Events Chair
Haslam Leadership Scholar: most prestigious academic honors program at UT
Haslam College of Business Ambassadors: Lead Ambassador
Melton Scholar: Men’s Basketball Analytics Research Assistant
Provost’s Student Advisory Council
Haslam Student Advisory Council
Business Fellows: Haslam College of Business honors program
Ireland Study Abroad: May 2022
Dean’s List: Listed all 8 semesters.
Resident Assistant: Upperclassman RA in Volunteer Hall (2022-2024)
Rocky Top Rowdies: Exec Board member for basketball student section
Business Analytics Club
Sports Analytics Club
Habitat for Humanity

Where have you interned during your college career?

Dell Technologies – Austin, TX (Summer 2024) – Global Inventory Management, Channel Intern
Tennessee Valley Authority – Chattanooga, TN (remote Summer 2023) – Analytical Tools & Methods intern
Tennessee Valley Authority – Chattanooga, TN (remote Fall ‘24/Spring ’25) – Business Intelligence Intern
Tennessee Men’s Basketball – Knoxville, TN (Fall ‘24/Spring ’25) – Analytical Tools and Modeling Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be enrolling in the MS in Business Analytics program at the University of Tennessee on path to graduate in May of 2026.

Who is your favorite business professor? Adam Spannbauer. I only took a class with Adam once prior to senior year, but Adam made such an impact as a teacher, mentor, and resource that I kept finding myself in his office, long after the class concluded. Senior year, I got the opportunity for him to advise my research, and it has been such a great blessing. He is a brilliant mind who is funny, pushes me to ask questions and test my knowledge, and provides a space to nerd out over AI, sports, and analytics like nobody else.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Always strive to be better than yesterday. Whether it’s striving to wake up with a better attitude, have more gratitude, orlearning how to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, I have learned to push myself to be better. The process of continuous improvement does not just apply to processes or supply chains, but to us. By striving to be better every day, you can develop a mindset for personal and professional development, and you can better those around you through it. Studying business has taught me to always be curious and share knowledge, and it has developed in me a drive and desire to be better and support those around me.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Life is about balance. While studying business, you benefit from balancing in-class learning with the experience of application outside of the classroom. In business, you must balance projects and being relationship-minded and goal-minded. My time at the Haslam College of Business had provided me with the opportunity to learn the importance of balance, how to balance so many great opportunities and responsibilities.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Step out of my comfort zone earlier. Something I truly took advantage of my junior and senior years was the chances that college provides you to be uncomfortable and take risks. This has resulted in many great new relationships and opportunities. It has prepared me for a future career in an everchanging business and technology landscape.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? The Business Analytics and Statistics department at the University of Tennessee strongly encourages the use of AI. However, they truly teach us how to use it to our advantage as a supplementary tool to our own knowledge and intuition. We learn how it works, why it works, and get o experiment and learn from it. I feel more comfortable about approaching the workforce in a field with heavy AI use due to this integration of AI into my education, while also confident in my ability and knowledge not dependent on AI.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I have always loved sports, especially the Tennessee Volunteers. During my senior year, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern with the Men’s Basketball Team on campus. Through this, I developed great relationships with coaches and companies, developed great machine learning and predictive modeling skills through application and implementation, and got to support my favorite sports team along the way. This internship, like many others, has strengthened and built upon the foundation created in the classroom.

Which classmate do you most admire? Thomas “Tommy” Walsh is one of my best friends and a great classmate. He is disciplined, intelligent, and a great problem-solver. Tommy pushes me to stay curious, ask questions, and develop deep relationships with my professors.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I want to thank Mark Willoughby, the Director of Student Engagement, for the Haslam College of Business. During my freshman year, Mark spent time meeting and getting to know me and has been in my corner ever since. Mark and I have developed a great personal relationship, and I will know I can always count on him. Mark has been my biggest supporter and champion over the last four years, and I owe so much to him. He has made me a better leader, student, and person.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1) I want to become a mentor for others. I have gained and benefitted so much from the mentors in my life, and I want to pay it forward wherever I go.

2) I want to establish or contribute to a workplace service organization. Being a Tennessee Volunteer is more than a nickname, I truly want to be engaged and give my time, skills, and efforts to my community.

What made Timothy such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“As Timothy Held’s professor in both BAS 320 (Regression) and BAS 471 (Probability and Statistical Methods), I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand his exceptional academic talent, leadership abilities, and genuine character. Timothy is one of the most dedicated and bright students I have had the pleasure of teaching, and I have no doubt he is deserving of this prestigious honor.

Timothy’s academic record speaks volumes about his intellect, dedication, and drive. Maintaining a near-perfect GPA of 3.89/4.00, while pursuing dual degrees in Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, and Data Science, Timothy has consistently excelled in his coursework. His honors include being named Summa Cum Laude, as well as receiving membership in the Haslam Leadership Scholars Program, UT’s most prestigious undergraduate honors program. As part of the program, he has engaged in rigorous research, leadership seminars, and international study experiences, all of which have shaped his understanding of global business challenges.

In my courses, Timothy quickly distinguished himself as a standout student. His ability to grasp complex statistical concepts and apply them in real-world scenarios was impressive. In BAS 320, he was not only one of the top performers in the class, but he also actively assisted his peers during in-class activities. I was particularly impressed with his approach to the Melton Scholars Program, where he pursued research involving player performance and roster management for the Tennessee Volunteers Men’s Basketball Team. This initiative, which included building predictive models and working closely with stakeholders, was a testament to his exceptional analytical abilities and his passion for applying data science to solve real-world problems. His enthusiasm for the project and its potential impact on the team’s success was evident from the start.

Beyond his academic achievements, Timothy is an inspiring leader. As President of the Student Alumni Associates (SAA), Timothy has shown remarkable leadership skills. He directs a ten-member executive team and oversees fundraising, recruiting, and events, among other responsibilities. His ability to manage such a large team while fostering strong relationships with both students and alumni speaks to his organizational and interpersonal skills. Timothy also served as a Lead Ambassador for the Haslam College of Business, where he played a key role in representing the college to prospective students and their families.

In addition to his leadership roles within student organizations, Timothy has made a significant impact in the professional world. He completed internships at both Dell Technologies and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), where he worked on high-level analytics projects and automated complex processes. At Dell, he developed a red-flag detection tool that validated thousands of transactions per second with impressive accuracy, demonstrating not only his technical expertise but also his capacity to contribute to global-scale operations.

Timothy’s technical prowess in analytics is truly exceptional. In my BAS 471 class, he completed one of the most challenging bonus problems I’ve ever assigned—a Monte Carlo simulation involving baseball statistics—one that had previously stumped even seasoned professionals, including myself. His ability to solve such a difficult problem, which even advanced AI tools like ChatGPT struggled with, demonstrated his advanced problem-solving skills and deep understanding of statistical modeling.

Furthermore, Timothy’s work on the Melton Scholars project, specifically his development of a machine learning model to predict the performance of high-major college basketball players, is a remarkable example of his ability to innovate. He has worked tirelessly to refine this model, which integrates data from both high school and college statistics, showing his commitment to bringing cutting-edge solutions to complex problems.

What truly sets Timothy apart is his character. He is a kind, thoughtful, and approachable individual who brings a positive energy to every situation. His ability to collaborate with peers, his willingness to help others, and his genuine interest in the success of those around him create an inclusive and supportive environment wherever he goes. Timothy’s work ethic, humility, and leadership make him a true asset to the University of Tennessee and to any community he is part of.

In conclusion, Timothy Held is an extraordinary student who has excelled academically, demonstrated leadership, and contributed meaningfully to both his academic and professional environments. He embodies the qualities of a true “Best and Brightest” candidate—intelligence, innovation, leadership, and integrity. I wholeheartedly recommend him for this esteemed recognition and look forward to seeing the continued impact he will make in the field of business analytics and beyond.”

Adam Petrie
Lecturer, Department of Business Analytics & Statistics

“Tim Held is one of the most involved young leaders in the Haslam College of Business and on the University of Tennessee campus. He is a college ambassador who represents the college with the same level of conscientiousness and professionalism as someone applying for a new job every time. He is a Melton Scholar in Business Analytics and a University Haslam Scholar representing the highest levels of undergraduate academic rigor and accomplishment. He is the Student Alumni Associates President and a natural, leader of his class. He is well regarded by his classmates, both in his program and across campus. I expect he will receive some of the highest campus recognition as he nears the completion of his degree and will go on as an alum to represent the highest order of Haslam College of Business graduate.”

George Drinnon
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs

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