December 2-8, 2025
Updates and news for the week of December 2-8, 2025
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 Peyton Schultz (peyton-l-schultz@utc.edu) in the Division of Communications and Marketing by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.
Highlights
UTC to celebrate fall 2025 commencement
On Dec. 12-13, UTC will celebrate fall commencement at McKenzie Arena, honoring the accomplishments of approximately 670 undergraduates and 160 graduate students earning their degrees. Many of the 198 undergraduate and 95 graduate students who completed their degrees in August are also expected to return to campus to join in the celebration.
- The Graduate School commencement will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. Click here for the livestream link.
- The undergraduate commencement ceremony for all UTC colleges is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. Click here for the livestream link.
- Commencement ceremonies are open to the public and tickets are not required. For more information and FAQs about fall commencement, click here. Information for families and guests—including parking and travel to campus—is available here. Closed captioning for all commencement ceremonies is available here.
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Submit your events for Winter Welcome Week
Help welcome our new and returning students to the start of the semester by submitting your events to the 2026 Winter Welcome calendar online. Winter Welcome 2026 will be Jan. 12-16. If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes, please consider submitting your event to the official calendar found on the Winter Welcome website.
To submit an event, please complete this form. The deadline to submit events for the 2026 Winter Welcome calendar is noon on Friday, Jan. 2.
Email Laura Petrus with questions.
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UTC Engineering Management Program Makes History as First in Tennessee to Receive ASEM Certification
UTC has made history as the first university in Tennessee to have its Master of Science in Engineering Management program certified by the American Society for Engineering Management.
The recognition places UTC among an elite group as one of only 15 programs certified—and only the second in the Southeast—to meet ASEM’s rigorous graduate program standards. The certification is valid through 2029.
Outstanding People of UTC
 Olivia Daugherty Four UTC undergraduates recently presented their research at the Southeastern Fishes Council meeting in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Olivia Daugherty earned the Bob and Fran Cashner Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation award for her Honors thesis, “Sound Versus Silence: Investigating Fish Foraging Behavior in Relation to Cicada Sex Differences.” Tyler Davis was recognized with a Boschung Student Travel Award, and Levi Wright and Drew Wildman also shared their research at the conference.
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Check out these Mocs in the news:
- The Times Free Press spoke to Dr. Chris Smith and Dr. Valerie Rutledge about the College of Nursing becoming UTC’s fifth standalone college.
- UTC’s new therapy K-9, Sergeant Sophie, and her handler, Corporal Aaron Bayer, were featured in the Times Free Press.
- First Tennessee Bank Distinguished Professor of Finance Bento Lobo was featured in a Teknovation.biz article about EPB’s fiber optic network.
- Assistant Professor of History Mark Johnson’s upcoming appearance at “Real Smoke: a Brief History of Barbecue,” was featured in the Chattanoogan.com.
- Center for Regional Economic Research Director Howard Wall spoke to the Times Free Press about the cancellation of a NoogaLights event due to tariffs. He also spoke to NewsChannel 9 about the price of turkey and veggies.
Mark Your Calendar
 Kalifa Ford (photo courtesy of Ray Soldano/gomocs.com) This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday, Dec. 6: Men’s Basketball vs. SEMO, McKenzie Arena, 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 7: Women’s Basketball vs. Bellarmine, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 8: Mocs Club Chat With the Mocs, Miller’s Ale House (Hixson), 96.1 FM, 7 p.m.
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An information session is taking place at 3:30 p.m. today (Dec. 2) via Zoom for the summer 2026 study abroad course, “Doing Business in Germany,” which is open to all UTC students. The course has no prerequisites and includes a two-week international study trip to Germany, visiting Berlin, Nuremberg and Munich (tentatively scheduled for June 20-July 3). The Germany course is led by Dr. Michael Jones, senior associate dean of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.
Students earn three credit hours on the undergraduate level (MGT 4950) or graduate level (MGT 5950). For more information, contact COBInternational@utc.edu or visit COB International Programs.
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The Clarence E. Harris Chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship in UTC’s Gary W. Rollins College of Business is excited to announce the third year of Mocs Innovate: The Harris Chair Seed Fund for Innovation. This mini-grant program is designed to foster inventive research and entrepreneurial initiatives on campus. UTC faculty and staff are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $4,000 to support new ideas with commercialization potential.
The Mocs Innovate mini-grant program aims to inspire and support creative projects at all stages of development and is open to any UTC faculty or staff member with innovative ideas that demonstrate clear pathways for licensing or entrepreneurial ventures. By providing up to $4,000 in funding, the Mocs Innovate initiative seeks to accelerate the development of ideas that can have a meaningful impact both within and beyond the University.
Click here to learn more. The deadline to apply for this cycle of grant funding is Dec. 15.
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Career Connections invites on-campus employers to participate in a part-time job fair during Winter Welcome Week. The event will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, in the University Center Tennessee Room.
The fair is an opportunity to meet students seeking part-time, on-campus positions and to bring new talent into your department. On-campus employers interested in participating can contact Community and Employer Relations Specialist Jillian Duke for registration details.
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The UTC Graduate School announced that the following students will be presenting their final works of research as advanced degree candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.
Campus Updates
In August, the UTC campus experienced a criminal act intended to cause disruption, chaos and trauma. While similar incidents have impacted other institutions across the country, UTC was among the first targeted this academic year—serving as a reminder of the importance of preparedness and collective resilience.
At the direction of University administration, UTC will now require mandatory Active Violence Response Training for all regular full-time employees (faculty and staff) and affiliated staff (Aramark, Barnes & Noble and Canon). This marks the first year the training is mandatory for the campus community.
To assist in delivering the program, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) has partnered with Defend Systems, a life safety and security consulting firm specializing in active shooter response and emergency preparedness. The training will focus on emergency awareness, critical response actions and strategies that improve survivability. Click here to register for a session.
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In January, the University will transition its room reservation software from EMS to 25Live. To accommodate this transition, there will be some reservation availability changes in EMS in the coming weeks.
- After noon today (Dec. 2), users will no longer be able to reserve space in EMS for any meetings or events happening after Saturday, Feb. 28. Reservations for dates past Feb. 28 can be made in the new system once it goes live in January.
- Sunday, Dec. 14, will be the last date to submit reservations through the EMS web portal. For last-minute space needs between Dec. 15-19, users can reach out to the department that manages the space. General inquiries about space reservations can be sent to spaces@utc.edu.
The EMS reservation shutdown on Dec. 14 will allow existing 2026 reservations to be moved into 25Live. The ability to make new reservations for spring 2026 will resume when 25Live launches campus-wide on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Further information and training resources will be shared in the coming weeks to support users during the transition to the new system.
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UTC Veteran and Military Affairs has partnered with BJ’s Wholesale Club in Hixson to support the Holiday for Heroes campaign. The goal is to reach 200 memberships and raise funds for veteran and military-connected students as part of the Holiday for Heroes event series.
Participants can receive a discounted BJ’s membership while giving back to UTC Veteran and Military Affairs. To join, scan the QR code or click the flyer link, or call 800-313-8887 and use group code 827042 to ensure your sign-up counts toward UTC’s campaign.
Sign up here by Jan. 30 to secure pre-club opening discounts. Spread the word—every membership helps support our veterans.
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Support a survivor and help protect the planet at the same time. The UTC Police Department is collecting used cell phones, tablets, laptops and other small electronic devices—working or not—to be securely wiped and either recycled or refurbished for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
Through a partnership with the 911 Cell Phone Bank, refurbished devices are provided with two months of prepaid service at no cost to the victim, with low-cost renewal options available afterward. So far this year, more than 90 victims, advocates and forensic nurses in Hamilton County have received phones, laptops and iPads through this program.
Donations can be dropped off anytime in the UTC Police Department lobby, open 24/7.
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If you’ve ever spotted a pale pink or brown lizard clinging to the wall of a building, or even hiding out in a sink, you’re not alone. These small reptiles with banded tails and padded toes are Mediterranean house geckos, a non-native species that has quietly made its home in Chattanooga for nearly two decades. This includes many buildings at UTC.
If you have spotted a Mediterranean house gecko, click here to report the sighting.
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Housing and Residence Life is looking for resident assistants for the spring 2026 academic semester and the 2026-2027 academic year. RAs are students who work and live in the residence halls to provide resources, programs and support to their fellow students. This position offers free housing, a meal plan and a stipend. Being an RA is a great way to get involved on campus and develop transferable skills for your future career. Visit utc.edu/ra to learn more.
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The R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) Program is a national self-defense course that focuses on awareness, prevention, risk reduction and realistic hands-on training. Classes are taught by certified UTC Police and Public Safety instructors.
- Free for students, faculty and staff
- No experience necessary
- Emphasis on safety and empowerment
- Offered multiple times throughout the year
Click here or email Marion Perkins to register or learn more.
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The Office of Research Integrity (ORI) will host a training session to help the campus community transition to DASH Research, UTC’s new research administration platform.
DASH Research Safety: The Research Safety module went live on Nov. 10, replacing the current IBC email/Word document submission process. Principal investigators will not be required to submit new registrations until Monday, Jan. 12, allowing ORI to migrate active registrations first. ORI will host an in-person demonstration of the new platform from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4. Lunch will be provided. To attend, RSVP to the IBC at ibc@utc.edu.
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The National Science Foundation Noyce Track 2 fellowship project is accepting applications from STEM-degreed professionals to prepare to teach secondary mathematics and science through the Master of Education degree program. The 2026-2027 cohort will begin coursework in May 2026. Please contact Deborah McAllister or click this link for project details.
UTC Newsroom
 Political science student and member of the UTC rowing team Abraham Mako (left) rows the concrete canoe with Chattanooga State Community College student Jack Cawood. Photo by Dixie Edmondson. On the choppy waters of the Tennessee River, onlookers watched UTC rowers race a student-built concrete canoe against a traditional rowing shell. The recent “Athletes vs. Engineers” event showcased the skills of the UTC Department of Civil Engineering and UTC Rowing Team in a 500-meter race.
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 UTC graduate student Ellie Yates at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Chattanooga office. Ellie Yates does not take learning opportunities for granted. In fact, when the UTC graduate student started her summer internship at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Chattanooga office, she made it her mission to take part in as many experiences as possible.
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UTC Police and Public Safety just got a new blue-and-gold look. The new vehicles—which include redesigned graphics and updated Mocs colors—were nearly a year in the making,
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 Julie Spino instructs two Sale Creek students on how to use the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center’s new robots. UTC hosted students from Sale Creek Middle High School at the Challenger STEM Learning Center to showcase a new fleet of robots last week. Tennessee Valley Robotics donated 15 robots—supported by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Volkswagen—to the center. Hamilton County Schools also donated laptops for students to code their robots.
WUTC
 Ethan Poliner (left), Jack Washburn, Jesus Miranda and Cooper Martin Jack Washburn and Ethan Poliner, two founding members of Cultra—a Chattanooga startup—joined an episode of WUTC’s “Scenic Roots.”
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