Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 18 minutes ago

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When Jaida Thomas isn’t in the classroom working on her master’s degree in management and human resources, she’s on the pitch, leading the Lady Vols soccer team in goals and points.

As an undergraduate, Thomas found support and encouragement from her mentors at the Herbert College of Agriculture. And she learned how to support and serve others through the innovative VOLeaders program that trains student-athletes to enrich the world through service. She used that knowledge and her love of sport on a trip to Rwanda as a bridge to connect with local communities.

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