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Updates and news for the week of April 23-29, 2024
The UTC Campus Weekly newsletter is distributed every Tuesday morning. If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared with campus, please submit your information to chuck-wasserstrom@utc.edu in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.
Countdown to Commencement
We are excited and looking forward to our spring commencement ceremonies with McKenzie Arena back to full capacity.
Graduate School commencement takes place at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3. Dr. Edna Varner, a UC Foundation Board of Trustee and longtime member of the Public Education Foundation, will deliver the graduation charge.
Two undergraduate commencement ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 4. The College of Arts and Sciences/College of Engineering and Computer Science ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. The Gary W. Rollins College of Business/College of Health, Education and Professional Studies ceremony starts at 1 p.m. The featured speaker for both undergraduate ceremonies is UTC alumnus Richard Zhang, who graduated summa cum laude in 1992 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, economics and accounting.
The McKenzie Arena doors will open one and a half hours before every ceremony at Gates 1, 2 and 3 with easy access to the floor via the elevator.
Happy Reading Day!
To support students during finals week, the UTC Library is offering extended hours through the end of April. Click here for the full schedule on the Library’s webpage.
- Today (April 23)—Reading Day: 7:30 a.m.- 2 a.m.
- Wednesday (April 24): 7:30 a.m.- 2 a.m.
- Thursday (April 25): 7:30 a.m.- 2 a.m.
- Friday (April 26): 7:30 a.m.- 10 p.m.
- Saturday (April 27): 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.
- Sunday (April 28): Noone-2 a.m.
- Monday (April 29): 7:30 a.m.- 2 a.m.
- Tuesday (April 30): 7:30 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Get your Exclusive Gold Cord Today
To all our Spring 2024 graduating Mocs, congratulations from UTC Advancement. As your status advances from student to alumnus, you have the opportunity to create a lasting impact here at UTC. By donating just $5 or more, you can receive an exclusive gold cord to wear at commencement that signifies your commitment to future Mocs. This small donation can go a long way in helping to fund scholarships and enhance academic programs all over campus. Plus, wearing the gold cord at commencement will set you apart as a proud UTC supporter. Donate today and leave a legacy for future students at your alma mater.
Students can pick up their gold cord at the Alumni House (551 Oak St.) weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Applied AI: Making the Technology work for you
Plan now to attend one of two sessions of Applied AI: Making the Technology Work for You—at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.—on Monday (April 29) in the University Center Auditorium. All you have to bring are your questions and your interest in making AI work for you.
The 10 a.m. session will focus on AI uses to benefit faculty but is open to any member of the campus community. The 2 p.m. session will focus on more staff-applicable AI uses but also is open to any member of the campus community.
Vanderbilt University Professor Jules White will lead these free, in-person, interactive sessions that will show you how to use AI to save time, boost productivity and more. White is a Vanderbilt University professor of computer science and senior advisor to the VU chancellor for generative AI in education and enterprise solutions.
Email questions to: UTC-AI@utc.edu. For more information, visit utc.edu/ai.
The outstanding people of UTC
 Emma Sprayberry One of the most highly decorated students in recent UTC history has received another prestigious award before her time as an undergraduate comes to a close.
Senior Emma Sprayberry, an Innovations in Honors student majoring in both humanities: international studies (with an emphasis on Asian studies) and Spanish, along with a minor in anthropology, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Taiwan for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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 Emma Roy was one of the UTC scholarship recipients recently celebrated at the Division of Advancement’s Annual Scholarship Luncheon. Emma Roy, currently completing her junior year at UTC, has been awarded a Boren Scholarship. Beginning in mid-September, she will spend 25 weeks—the equivalent of an academic year—at National Taiwan University in an immersive Mandarin program as part of the International Chinese Language Program.
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 Photo credit: Ryne Rickman/UT Martin Athletics For the first time in Chattanooga beach volleyball’s five years of existence, the Mocs can call themselves Ohio Valley Conference champions after UTC came away as co-regular season champions on Saturday at the OVC Weekend in Martin.
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Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- For graduate students Nina Klimenkova and Arsen Martyshchuk, UTC has been a literal refuge.
- UTC music composition/instrumental music education major Tyler West was recently on WDEF-TV’s Let’s Chatt to talk about the premiere of his three-movement work, “The Empress of Ireland.” The premiere was one of the highlights of the UTC Symphony Orchestra’s April 21 spring concert.
- SGA President Chamyra Teasley and Associate Dean of Students Brett Fuchs were interviewed for a Tennessee Lookout story about food insecurity on college campuses.
- Dr. Jordan King has been named director of the Innovations in Honors program. King will teach two Innovations Labs in the Honors College in the fall and will develop a faculty development program for those interested in exploring the innovation pedagogies utilized in them.
- Department of Finance and Economic Adjunct Professor Casey Galanti was featured in a WalletHub story about credit cards for new businesses.
- Junior communication major Mason Edwards placed ninth nationally in the Hearst Journalism Award Program’s Personality/Profile writing competition.
- For many children, the monsters under their beds are real. Dylan Rivera, a 2020 UTC graduate, is working to help keep those monsters in check.
Mark your calendar
Please join the Department of Political Science and Public Service in honoring Dr. Michelle Deardorff’s 11 years of service as department head. The department will host a reception from 2-3 p.m. today (April 23) in the PSPS Department (540 McCallie Building, 4th floor). Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be served.
Please stop by to show your appreciation for Dr. Deardorff’s outstanding accomplishments and leadership during her tenure and congratulate her as she returns to teaching. All current and former students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.
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Looking for a fun activity to do on Reading Day?
The COMM Showcase, featuring the best Department of Communication student work from the spring semester, will take place from 3-5 p.m. today (April 23) on the second floor of Lupton Hall.
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Celebrate Reading Day from 3-4:30 p.m. today (April 23) with the Department of Chemistry and Physics, as the Chemistry Club and the Society of Physics Students will sponsor Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream. Take a break from studying and load up on carbs at the Grote Hall main entrance.
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Attention departments with gas-powered University-owned vehicles or those that get fuel for mowers, carts, boats, etc. UTC’s current white WEX fuel credit cards expire next Tuesday, April 30. New cards will be available starting Wednesday (April 24).
The cards can be picked up in the Administrative Building at 400 Palmetto, 2nd floor, Room 228J, Debby Corey’s office. Office hours for card pickup are 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Departments, please make sure that the person who comes over is allowed to pick up the new credit card, as they will have to sign a document before we release the card. Please make sure the person brings the old card to help us identify which card is needed.
Please call 423-425-5298 or 423-425-4521 with questions.
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Registration for the Walker Center for Teaching and Learning’s 2024 Instructional Excellence Conference is now open. The event, which will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, is free for all UTC faculty. Click here to register.
The keynote speaker is Dr. James Lang, professor of practice at the Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Notre Dame and an emeritus professor of English at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts. A sought-after speaker and author of six books, he has given talks and workshops on teaching for faculty at more than 300 colleges, universities and schools in the U.S. and abroad. His talks focus on topics such as the science of learning, distraction in the classroom and academic integrity.
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Please join UTC’s Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technology Lab (IGTLab) for a free GIS workshop from 10 a.m.-noon on Thursday, May 30, in the Multidisciplinary Research Building. During the workshop, attendees will learn how to access free GIS resources available to campus; how to implement GIS in the classroom, research or work activities; and connect and learn about other available services offered by the IGTLab.
This workshop, led by UTC GIS Director Charlie Mix and Assistant GIS Director Nyssa Hunt, is open to all user skill levels.
Space is limited, so make sure to click here and register.
Campus Updates
Save the date! UTC is excited to participate in the United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s city-wide “Day of Caring” volunteer service initiative on Friday, September 20. Your serving hands are needed to represent, bring together and impact the residents and partners in Chattanooga.
Indoor or outdoor projects may include painting, moving debris or gardening. Interested students, faculty and staff will be able to indicate a preferred volunteer site, and transportation will be available. Additional details, including registration information, is forthcoming.
Email Daniel-Grzesik@utc.edu, the director of Leadership Development and Programs, if you have any questions about getting involved with this volunteer service initiative.
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Walks just got more spirited for you and your furry friend with our limited-edition Power C Leash and Collar set. Whether you’re strolling through campus, exploring the city or just enjoying a quiet walk in the park, let your Chattanooga pride shine.
Limited edition Power C pet collars ($12) and leashes ($16) are available individually or purchase a set for $25. With each purchase, you’re contributing to the UTC Campus Excellence Fund which fosters student aspirations and nurtures a brighter tomorrow. Your support enables students to access exceptional learning experiences, learn from renowned faculty and engage in top-ranked academic programs. Click here for more information and purchase options.
Looking ahead
 Baileigh Pitts was recently named the Southern Conference softball Player of the Week (photo credit: Chattanooga Athletics/Ray Soldano) This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday (April 27): Softball vs. Furman (doubleheader), Frost Stadium, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- Sunday (April 28): Softball vs. Furman, Frost Stadium, 2 p.m.
Looking back
 Dr. Karen Rogers speaks to a group of UTC students at the Erlanger Baroness Hospital job shadowing orientation. Not many undergraduate students can say they have been behind the scenes in an emergency room. After the spring semester, 76 students spanning 11 majors at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will say they have.
Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
WUTC Spotlight: Thank You!
Thanks to generous support from listeners like you, WUTC achieved—and surpassed—its Spring Pledge Drive goal, with more than $56,000 in donations raised.
We are grateful for all the support from our listeners; guests across the UTC campus and the community who joined us on the air throughout the drive—which began during “I Love UTC Week;” and several matching gift challenges, which all propelled us to success.
Thank you for making this achievement possible for WUTC and enabling us, once again, to conclude our drive early on its final day. For listeners still waiting and wanting to give, you can give online anytime at wutc.org and the WUTC app and clicking on the donate button. From all of us here at WUTC: Thank you!
Be Well Tip: Finals Week
Finals are coming! Remember that stress is normal and, to an extent, can be healthy and a source of motivation. Ensure that stress remains manageable by prioritizing sleep, utilizing good planning and time management skills, allowing for breaks while studying, staying hydrated, nourishing your body and getting some sunshine.
Practice the following deep breathing exercises to remain grounded and calm:
- Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
- Inhale slowly through your nose for 3-5 seconds, allowing your stomach to rise completely.
- Exhale even more slowly, if possible, allowing your stomach to contract.
- Repeat as often as needed.
The Center for Wellbeing is here to support you during finals. Check out our Instagram for a lineup of events happening in our space all week, including therapy dogs, massages, scavenger hunts and more.
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