The annual Honors Banquet has its roots in the institutional Awards Day assemblies begun in 1937 and the Honors Day tradition, begun by members of Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board in 1951 as an event at which new members were “tapped.” SGA and ODK continued to sponsor the event. In 1963 the honors celebration was moved to an evening event in an attempt to increase attendance, and in 1964 ODK and SGA voted to discontinue sponsorship of the event. Dean of Students Ralph Dunford agreed that the event should not be held because of lack of interest.
In 1966 a committee suggested in a letter to President Holt that the university hold an honors banquet to recognize those who had made significant contributions to the realm of scholarship and student activities who generally did not receive recognition. The first Honors Banquet, held in spring 1967, was named the Presidential Honors Banquet in honor of Dr. Andrew Holt. Attendance at the banquet was (and is) by invitation. Invitation “nomination cards” were sent for more than a decade to university organizations and were available in Student Affairs offices. The Honors Banquet Committee screened the nominations and chose those to whom to issue an invitation. The first banquet recognized accomplishments of students and faculty during 1966–67.
With the reorganization of the institution and the designation of a chancellor as the head of the Knoxville campus, the name of the banquet was changed to Chancellor’s Honors Banquet. In 1980 and 1982, the event was the Chancellor’s Convocation and as a cost-cutting measure served only dessert.