I know this may sound weird but I guess I wasn’t as happy when I first got to UTC. I had to deal with a lot of firsts in my life, and although I love change (I really do), this was a bit too much. I would find myself worrying about my family. Wondering if my brother was OK, if my mother felt good, if my grandmother still knew I loved her even though I didn’t call her everyday. If my best friend had something she wanted to tell me but didn’t want to “bother me”. But I came to realize that the world I left at home would be just fine without me. That they were all still living and that I could be happy here and have fun.

When I last posted on this blog I told you I wanted to be an Orientation Leader… I WAS ACCEPTED!!!!! I am so excited about the events that are to come. Although, it was a struggle going through the process in now being able to call myself  an OL.  First, I had to go to the informational meeting.. I was scared. All I kept thinking was what if they don’t like me – haha. Along with so many other thoughts floating in my head. I filled out the application and went to turn it in. Then it was Thursday, the day  of interviews, and I could not for the life of me remember the time of my interview!! I forgot to write it down in my planner. I had accepted defeat and was going to let being an OL go this time. But by the grace of God I received an email saying that they had to open a third time slot and if you were interested to email [Dean] Jim Hicks back. I emailed him so fast my fingers hurt afterward.

I went to the OL group interview and the first thing they had us do was make a statue out of straws. I wish I had a picture of the statue because it was a HOT MESS!!   HA HA!!! It was suppose to be self supporting…yeah… no… no our was not at all, but we got an A for effort. They had us do many other crazy things as well, but I won’t give away all of their interview secrets.

After the group interview, if they liked what they saw in  you, then you got invited to an individual interview. I DID!!! And I guess they liked me because I GOT IN!! Another OL came to my class and congratulated me and they gave me a balloon with a shirt, key chain, and lanyard. It was amazing. Right when I got it I went and called my mother. She was SO proud and of course she said, “I knew you would get in, you are special.” (I love my mother so much!!!)

Also as you know I am a Freshman Senator and the Student Government Association (SGA) is holding elections for the Fall 2010 semester and I am running for District IV, which is the District for the college of Pre-Professional and Education. I am a Theater Education K-12 major.  So wish me luck!!

Before I leave you, I am working very hard on the Freshman Mixer that Freshman Senate puts on every year. It’s kind of my responsibility because I’m Entertainment Chair of Freshman Senate, but I love doing this kind of stuff. So far I am almost done. I reserved the game room in the University Center, ordered food, found music, and today I am buying decorations. The event is called the Funky Fresh (man) mixer and is an 80’s theme dance and costume party. Hopefully it will be fun and there will be a good turnout. I’ll let you know in my next blog how it goes. Until then I hope you stay blessed and I will stay at UTC MOC!!!

I’ve caught myself casually referring to my dorm as home. It seems inevitable; the past three months have been a whirlwind of homework, practices, and new experience. College life has fulfilled my hopes and others I didn’t expect.

Life outside of the classroom has been terrific. I watched UTC’s theatre production of The Miser, a hysterical satire of 17th century French society. ACE, UTC’s campus recreation committee, celebrated The Office’s anticipated Jim and Pam wedding by showing it on the big screen in the auditorium. I attended one of UTC’s most popular clubs called CRU, which explores Christianity and the Bible. I found the nearby Catholic Student Center to be very convenient because mass is celebrated every Sunday night.

Cross country consumes most of my time. I’m not on the traveling team, but I raced unattached in two races this season. The first was disappointing, but for the second my parents drove five hours and cheered me on to a more successful race. I had the opportunity to travel with the cross country team and support them at the Southern Conference meet in Elon, North Carolina. Emmanuel “Manu” Kirwa turned in a thrilling race, repeating as Conference champion.

I am in the gold sweatshirt on the left with the rest of the team.

I cheered my team on as a spectator, a role I had mixed feelings on. I was proud of them, but my inner competitor yearned to contribute along with them. My coach and I had a frank conversation concerning my value to the team that forced me to evaluate my choice to be a student-athlete. Coach Gautier fairly questioned my dedication to the sport that boiled down to one question: did I have the drive to push myself to the brink to compensate for my lack of natural ability, or was I willing to accept the status quo that would not be rewarded with a renewed scholarship? I brushed off his doubt and seized my second chance to refocus my training regime. The winter indoor track season and the spring outdoor track season will determine my future with the team.

On a lighter note, I resolved a silly question I’ve pondered on morning runs. I usually run by UTC’s parking officers while they ticket cars, and I’ve considered how parking offenders can dodge the fines. I thought that leaving a ticket clipped to the windshield would ward off lurking officers, but my teammate’s experience dispelled this idea. She left her car overnight in a reserved lot and was greeted by two tickets from that night and early the next morning.

I’m pleased to report that classes continue to go well. Picasso was a focal point in Western Humanities, and I found analysis of his work to be fascinating. I’m already looking forward to next semester’s classes though, but a demanding project and paper command my attention. My college calendar revolves around due dates that require my utmost attention, or I risk feeling irresponsibility’s sting, such as the one I felt when I realized I missed this post’s due date.

I realized one day demonstrated the way I’ve changed. One night I took a walk to a new friend’s dorm, and called one of my best friends from high school on the way. We exchanged news and stories, but the conversation stalled as I approached the dorm. We simultaneously ended the conversation and promised to keep in touch. I greeted my new friend, met some new friends, and felt at home.

As I mentioned in my previous post I work in admissions on the Mocs Squad.  It has been going very well. I have done two tours actually by myself and I haven’t gotten anyone lost yet! So I say I’m doing pretty well. Haha. Being in charge of telling so much information that determines if someone will come to UTC or not is very nerve racking. My first tour was the worst though. Justin, my back up tour guide really helped me through it.  Now we are in the process of getting ready for Freshmen Friday which I believe will be a lot of fun.

Serving at the UTAA Scholarship Reception with other SAC members.

Student Alumni Council is going well too. I recently worked the UTAA Scholarship Banquet with Chantel, Konsti, and Jareny. We had so much fun! And we got to eat really good food, not to mention take so much home with us. This activity was a really good bonding time for us, I just wish there were more people able to work it with us.  We also recently helped register seniors for December graduation. Some stuff we have coming up that I am excited about is Gold Flick on the Field this Thursday, our Silent Auction, and the ASAP conference at Ole Miss. To go to the conference we have to do fundraising, so I’ll make sure to tell ya’ll all about it next Blog!

As you could have guessed Sigma Kappa has been going great too! We recently had Big sister Little Sister Revealing.  That whole week we would go to the sorority house and get presents from our older mentors in the sorority! It was pretty much like a sorority Christmas. On the night of revealing I was so ready to find out who my big was, and I had no clue who it could be. What they had us do was we all went to the parking garage by the ARC and they gave us an envelope with a key in it. We had to take that key and find the car it matched to. Our “big sis” was hiding in the back! When I got my key I knew right away who my big was, and I was right! Chelsey Strutton is my big sister! I could not be happier!! When I opened the door she shot me in the forehead with silly string. After that, the whole sorority went skating which was an adventure to say the least.

Lately with Sigma Kappa we’ve had flag football games, new member meetings, and Sigma K Bible study. Coming up we have two mixers which should be a lot of fun, we are going to the Enchanted Maze at Rock City for a sisterhood event with our Bigs, and we have initiation November 8^th. I am so ready to be an active member in the sorority!

This past weekend was Fall Break (we had Monday and Tuesday off). It was so good to go home, and also  see all my friends from other colleges home on break. The first night we were all back we went to the homecoming football game at our high school. It was weird being back at McMinn. I am pretty sure we have more school spirit for our high school now then we did when we actually went there! It was cool to be back with everyone. We all have changed ( in good ways) and when we hang out its just like normal and just like none of us have moved away. I can also sense a higher maturity level with all of us which is kind of cool too.

One thing that I am extremely lucky about is that I still love my roommates. My friends on the other hand don’t have the best roommates to put it nicely. Speaking of roommates let me update you on mine. For the past two weeks it has only been Tabatha and I. Kate has been visiting with friends or just not home when we are, and Chassity has been in Memphis. She has an illness which she is trying to get over. With the two of them gone, Tabatha and I have become closer and have had a lot of funny memories that we will be ableto share together down the road… like her slamming her door and the window coming out of the hinges. Haha.  Being home was great, but it made me really think about some stuff and really miss other things.

During my senior year of high school I was very active in DECA which is an association for marketing students. A cool thing we got to do is attend our International Conference held in Anaheim, California. But before we could go to Anaheim, I decided to run for state officer. I really wanted to be East TN Vice President like you wouldn’t believe. I was nervous on running but Melissa Zelinski encouraged me to run. I can not thank her enough! I worked super hard on my campaign, speech, skits, and interviews. In the end, I didn’t win. I was devastated for weeks actually. Now looking back, I honestly don’t think that I could have been able to keep my grades up like I’m doing now, be as involved at UTC as I am already, and be East TN Vice President.

Everything happens for a reason which is something one of my best guy friends, Andy Singleton, told me right after I lost. Seven months later I realized he was right. However, I am now super sad I am not involved in it anymore. I am envious of Cody Nelson, Kelsey Tidball, and Cameron Brown ( which are all amazing people I met at state and still talk to a lot) because they get to enjoy it for another year.  But DECA my senior year prepared me for all the interviews I have done in college so far, and it has helped me in being more outgoing and a better person I believe. My parents said they saw a change in me after State Conference and I think it’s true.

Another thing I miss is just my parents in general and friends. Coming back and seeing everyone and being at home made me so happy, and then leaving them was sad. You never know what you miss until it’s gone. My parents and friends aren’t gone, but I don’t get to see them everyday anymore.

I am still loving every bit of college. Classes are still good. The most exciting class right now is water aerobics because we are creating a synchronize swimming routine! I will let you know how that works out for sure. And as you can tell I am still being very involved. I can’t believe that this semester is almost over already! College really flies by, and I am just holding on and enjoying the ride!

We finally got cable in our residence hall. In fact, we have better channels now that we were required to have the digital box for Comcast’s system.

The Color Purple was AAAAAAAMMMMMMMAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!

I cried when Fantasia sang my favorite song from that musical which is “I’m Here”. I would encourage everyone to go see it in Atlanta! I met other UTC students from that trip as well! SSS is the best! Shouts out to Mrs. G… you are one fabulous woman!

As far as classes go, my midterms were good… the only ones that I’m declaring are going to get better are math and western humanities, which I had predicted from the beginning of DAY ONE! LOL! But all my other classes.. ARE A’S AND B’S! That education from GPS truly prepared me. So all those late nights and many research papers weren’t in vain! Can’t wait for FALL BREAK! IT’S HERE!! YESS. PRAISE THE LORD. A BREAK!

What’s been going on at PNEUMA (my church)? Well, we recently had Family and Friends Sunday which was part of our Change Crusade! The member that brought the most family and friends was awarded the choice of either a furniture set or a 42″ plasma TV; and the runner-up was awarded with whichever they didn’t choose. I wasn’t the winner, but I was awarded the 42″ TV. I brought the second highest amount of people! I took the TV to my grandma’s SOOOO SUPERBOWL PARTY OVER THERE?

At my church, two of my friends, Lauren and Carla, and I take this group of younger girls out every month. We call the little girls the DIVAS-IN-TRAINING. Why? Because Lauren, Carla, and I are true divas ourselves. We’ve found that these girls need those big sister role models in their lives so we take them out to the movies, the mall, and other fun outtings. This month we’re going to GG’s Cupcakes and to see Finding Nemo on Ice at McKenzie Arena. I’M EXCITED ABOUT IT! I love the movie!

October’s becoming better for me to handle. It’s the month that my mother was born (20th), and my father was born (6th) and it’s also the month that my mama died (6th). Yes my mom died on my dad’s birthday.. Kinda eerie huh? It’s getting better to cope with but it still causes tears to be shed when I sit down and think about them. In the end, I’m just really determined to make them proud. Happy Birthday Mama & Daddy!

Okay, so let’s talk about why it’s been monsooning in the Tennessee valley. All I can say is SUN SHINE SOON please?!?! I’ve found that rain keeps students in their dorms… not gonna lie, I’ve been there once or twice but after a while you get a grip on what’s important. We’re all here, living on campus to go to SCHOOL.. so GO TO CLASS! Wonder if past Mocs felt the same way we do about walking in the rain?!?!? Comments please. What are/were your feelings about traveling on the wet, muddy pathways to class? I remember the day it monsooned during the day after I had left home… I HAD NO UMBRELLA! SO I’m late to class because I had to go to the bookstore to buy a little umbrella for $14… Let’s just say, I was not a happy camper..

I’ll leave you with this story of three people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. It’s about the concept of TEAMWORK:

“There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.”

Until next time ya’ll, please
LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE! <3

Charlie Buchanan (’02)

According to Charlie, “He weighed in at 8 lbs 12 oz and is a healthy, happy and busy little bee! He is stunningly handsome… he must get his good looks from his mother!”

While at UTC Charlie was active in the following student organizations: SIFE, CEO, AMA and Mortar Board. He also was a loyal fan of Mocs athletics.

*NOTE: If you have news to share (birth, marriage, new job, accomplishments etc.), be sure to let us know about them. Fill out our Alumni Update & Class Note Form.  Have a Mocs photo to share, email it to us.

Vote for Coach Russ Huesman for Liberty Mutual’s Coach of the Year honors.

What Is Coach of the Year?

Liberty Mutual realizes that academic standings mean as much as divisional standings. And that how you win is just as important as winning itself. Which is why the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award was created.

More than just a trophy, this Award provides each winning coach with $50,000 to donate to the charity or charities of his choice, as well as a $20,000 grant to donate to his school’s alumni association.

What Does It Take to Win?

Fans can vote now through December 6 and can vote once a day for as many days as they like. The finalists in each division will be selected by December 14 and then a final round of voting will take place to pick the winning coach. The winning coach will be announced on January 6, 2010.

Coach Huesman is listed under the Division 1AA.

Click here to vote for Coach Huesman.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

I have had some struggles recently. See in high school I was well known, well liked, and kind of well… important. It is harder to feel the same here, because it is so much bigger than high school (about 8000 more people). See I come from a small town of Mount Juliet, Tennessee where I knew everyone and everyone knew me. And that drove me insane! So I sunk into that freshman depression… yeah we have all heard about it or experienced it in some way. I felt abandoned, unloved, and honestly I missed my mommy!! I just wanted to crawl into a hole and live there.

Then I realized that that is not who I am. That brings me to the poem that my mothers use to recite to me when I was feeling down and she read it to me when I needed to know just how special I really am. That poem is Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. See she writes about how things and people in life will want to put you down but you cannot let them. You have to rise above whatever it is and prosper. And at some point during the night my mother called me and she asked if I was alright. I broke down into tears on the phone with her. How she knew that I was feeling terrible I have no idea (I think it’s the secret ESP that mothers have with their children ♥). She read this to me and told me “that no matter what remember to rise from any occasion and be the VERY best that you can be, I raised you to know that you can go through anything in life with the lord and courage.” And that is what I did… I rose.

It is funny how talking to your mother can fix any situation you may be going through in life. How she can say one thing and you just feel like she has cured you of whatever it was that was bothering you, but to them they just stuck a band-aid on another one of your boo-boos ♥.

I took what my mother said and I got involved. I am now so much happier. As I wrote in my first blog I am a senator on Freshman senate here at UTC and now I am the Committee Chairwoman for Entertainment!!! ♥♥This was so great to hear when Freshman President Ashley called me and told me! Immediately I called my mother and told her the news. She proceeded to speak about just how right she was and did her little I told you so song and dance &heart;. She also did not fail to mention how I need to make sure that I stay involved in my studies because after all it is why I am here at UTC.

Earlier that day I had to attend an interview process so that I would be up for getting the position, it was EXTREMELY never wrecking for the sole purpose that fellow senators or the executive board as they are respectively called were going to be the ones conducting the interview. I can handle if it had been SGA president Tyler Forrest or anyone who was of high power, but for some reason knowing it was a fellow freshman made me nervous HAHA now looking back on it I feel a little ridiculous that I was as nervous as I was. So now I am officially a title holder in Freshman Senate!!!

Also for the duration of the course of the month of September I interviewed to be a part of The A-Team here at UTC. The A-Team stands for the Admissions Team sadly Mr. T will not be there J. It is a group of students who will help the admissions department out in there major Prospective MOCS activities such as Freshman Friday and just anything that involves telling incoming freshman how much we love UTC telling them what we have gone through and giving them just a sense of relief that they will love it!! I am extremely excited to be a part of this organization and I cannot wait until we all meet and become great friends.

To switch gears here I have made some great friends on campus. My old Chattanoogan roommate Megan and I have become even closer to each other. I have made bonds with her and my friend Amber. I met Amber at orientation and through the grace of God we found one another on campus and are still friends. We are all going to be Disney Princesses for Halloween! Megan is going to be Snow White, Amber is going to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast and I am going to be Princess Tatiana from The new Disney Movie The Princess and the Frog. This should be one of the best Halloween’s ever!!!!

So far I am back on track and UTC is still an amazing place. I meet different people every day and I make new friends as much as I can. I have strengthened friendships over this past month and became closer to the Lord and my family. Now as I look out the window of the library computer and see the mountains and the trees and just the overall beauty of Chattanooga… I am glad that I am here, and wouldn’t change it for anything in the world!! I AM A UTC MOC!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Roger Gibbens '91

Roger Gibbens (’91) was named to the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities by Governor Phil Bredesen. Gibbens will serve a three year term beginning in September 2009 and ending in 2012.  The goal of the council is to advocate for Tennesseans with disabilities and to work with the governor’s office and the Tennessee legislature on bills that would strengthen the efforts to support disability awareness and advocacy.

Gibbens, who is a Chattanooga City Police sergeant by profession, has spent over twenty years volunteering for the rights of those with disabilities. His interest in serving in this capacity stems from his experience as a father of a child with autism. His daughter Aimee was diagnosed with autism early on in life and this led Gibbens to a discovery of how those with disabilities were treated, often times unfairly, in the community.  Having served in previous volunteer positions on local disability advocacy groups for many years he was asked to serve on then Hamilton County Department of Education Superintendent Jesse Register’s Superintendent Committee for Students with Disabilities (now defunct). In this capacity, he helped the committee develop an online handbook for students with disabilities and began to advocate for increased speech and language therapists within the public schools.  He also served as past president of the Southeast Tennessee Autism Society.

While a student at UTC, Gibbens was involved in the Golden Key National Honor Society, Mortar Board Society. He has also since served on the Tennessee Association of Social Workers, National Association of Social Workers, Tennessee Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Tennessee Council on Children & Youth.

For more information on the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, please visit http://www.state.tn.us/cdd/.

Perhaps I perceived these similarities so readily because such few exist between high school and college. “The real world” threat, often foretold by parents and teachers, was fulfilled for me on the Tuesday following Fall Break. I shuffled into a morning class and noticed my classmates contributing to a thick pile of papers on the professor’s desk. My baffled expression caught another’s eye and she said sympathetically, “The paper was on the syllabus.”

Syllabus? My new life has emphasized words and expressions formerly dismissed as irrelevant. Whether it is time-management, attention to detail, responsibility or other buzz-words adults constantly promote, my newfound independence has introduced realizations that reaffirm the hype. Whenever friends ask how I am faring with classes and practice, I simply respond, “Just trying to keep up.” I quoted Robert Frost in the title of my post because I feel I must get so much work done each day before I allow myself to rest.

Time has also vindicated my “nagging” parents; I realize their pet peeves served a purpose. One day I startled myself when I heard myself quoting them when I noticed my bedroom needed a thorough cleaning. Other times I find myself asking one roommate to turn down his stereo because “others are trying to sleep.” My fridge and cupboards also make me homesick; I can no longer request groceries and expect them to magically appear after my father’s weekly Kroger trip.
Despite these occasional reflections, UTC continues to excite me with enjoyable experiences. I kayaked down the Hiwassee River with my team and continued their traditions of swimming in the safe rapids and leaping off a low bridge. Considering I shied away from such reckless abandon in high school, my Western Humanities professor would probably liken my water adventure to a metaphorical baptism, an initiation into my new personality.

My classes also intrigue me. We watched The Truman Show and A Streetcar Named Desire, but my professor delved past their obvious entertainment merits and revealed the remarkable philosophical theories in each film. Voltaire’s Candide prompted me to reconsider my personal beliefs concerning life, fate and other deep questions. My communications class continues to appeal to my appreciation for history, entertainment and culture.

The entertainment on campus provides a welcome escape from school. The homecoming lip sync contest was hilarious; Pi Kappa Alpha’s outrageous skit drew hysterical laughter and they claimed victory. The step-show, a popular dance/stomping performance at UTC, was less exciting, but much more spirited. I sat among the Chi Omegas and experienced their shrieking jubilation after they won the step contest.

My first college Homecoming introduced me to another first: funnel cake. UTC offered the delicious pastry and snow cones on Cardiac Hill for free, so I had the fortune to try the famous fried food. The weekend’s other events were spoiled by rain, but many energetic fans braved the conditions and cheered the Mocs to an incredible victory in football.

College has already changed me in a month. Initially everything’s sense of newness was overwhelming, and I nervously encountered new people and experiences. However, I am quickly growing more comfortable approaching others and enjoying the variety of fun across campus. Though I occasionally feel homesick or nostalgic, I realize my present situation presents far more opportunities to grow than I can possibly experience elsewhere. My cross country coach summed it up fittingly during a demanding workout when he reminded me, “Kid, this isn’t high school anymore.”