Bandit Lites CEO Michael T. Stickland (below) was the commencement speaker for the University of Tennessee MBA program this past spring. Strickland, an active alumnus of UT, graduated with a degree in business and law. In the past few years, Bandit Lites has contributed nearly one million dollars to the university. The company’s participation ranges from full support of the men’s and women’s basketball teams to a financial contribution to the new Student Life Center.

Prior to the speech, Strickland noted “of all the charges given me in the last 30 years, this one is perhaps the most challenging. To provide a group of students a 20 minute message that will propel them through the rest of their lives is a lofty weight.”