In 2004 the Athletics Department announced that the name of its Vol Hostess program would change to Orange Pride, and selection of the students to be hired was transferred to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, where the students would assist with tours and recruitment of both nonathletes and athletes. The change was made to conform to NCAA rules that attempt to take the celebrity out of recruiting. Orange Pride consisted of sophomore, junior, and senior students—both female and male—whose primary duty was “to promote The University of Tennessee—its strong academic programs, its rich traditions, and its winning athletic programs—to campus visitors and potential student athletes.”
Members of the Orange Pride welcomed UT’s guests, served as tour guides, and assisted the Undergraduate Admissions Office with student recruitment and the campus visit program. Orange Pride members worked every football game—from at least five hours prior to the game until the end of the game; official visit weekends; and the Orange and White Game, in addition to other duties.
In 2009 the Orange Pride program figured in NCAA investigations into the football program, when two Orange Pride members (Lacey Pearl Earps and Dahra Johnson) drove to Duncan, South Carolina, for the Friday night football game at James F. Byrnes High School, in which prospects Corey Miller and Brandon Willis were playing. Dressed in UT gear, they had signs that said “Miller and Willis have our hearts.” Following the game, they posed for photographs with Miller and Willis. A Sports Illustrated writer snapped a photo, which was published on SI.com, following disclosure that the NCAA was conducting an investigation of the football program. The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football, published in 2013, details this occurrence and reveals that Assistant Coach David Reaves gave the two UT students $40 for expenses on the trip.
In 2010 the three groups of students assisting in student recruitment—ME4UT, Ambassador Scholars, and Orange Pride—were combined into one “Student Recruiter” organization within the Undergraduate Admissions Office.