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Updates and news for the week of February 20-26, 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.
Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will honor 108 individuals whose lives impacted the University during the annual Blue and Gold Memorial service, taking place at 6 p.m. on Monday (Feb. 26) in Patten Chapel. The memorial service is available to watch via livestream.
The Blue and Gold Memorial is a tradition honoring UTC faculty, staff, students and alumni who have passed away over the last year. The names of those we have lost are recited in a ceremony signifying that they will always be members of our family. This tribute is our way of symbolizing that, while they are no longer physically with us, they are permanently among us.
Drive your career on VW Day
UTC is hosting its first VW Drive Your Career Day on Thursday (Feb. 22), an event for students to explore internship and career opportunities while meeting with VW personnel.
VW cars will be parked near the silver Power C from noon-2 p.m., including an ID.4, the new VW bus and a modular electric drive matrix (MEB) chassis for the ID.4 family.
FAFSA Fridays continue throughout February
Financial Aid and Scholarships staff, along with Mocs One Center team members, are holding FAFSA Fridays in February. They will offer a series of in-person and online workshops to assist current and prospective students and their families with filling out the form. For more information about the FAFSA process, visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships page.
One more Friday in February means one more session date this Friday (Feb. 23):
- In-person: 10 a.m.-noon in the Mocs One Center (University Center Room 124).
- Virtual: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., click here for Zoom links
Help needed? Contact the Communications and Marketing Team
Just like UTC employees submit a ticket to IT when help is needed, the Communications and Marketing team is excited to announce our own ticketing system.
The growing service catalog list includes:
- Submissions for the Campus Weekly Newsletter.
- Request a publication number for campus-related print communication.
- Request a story be published in the UTC Newsroom.
- Logos and electronic letterhead for your college, department or unit.
- University-related graphic creations.
- Request campus-related photography.
- Request campus-related video creations.
- General inquiries if you are unsure of what you need.
Each service request provides prompts to help you submit a ticket. A team member will contact you with questions and/or next steps so that you will hear from a human within a business day.
Bookmark this link and share it with folks around campus.
Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award
It is once again time to call for nominations for the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award, a recognition program administered by THEC that honors the late Tennessee Representative Harold Love Sr. and highlights higher education faculty, staff and students demonstrating exemplary public service. As in years past, five students and five faculty/staff members from across the state of Tennessee will receive a $1,000 award check in honor of their service at an award ceremony that will be held in Nashville in late April.
For full consideration, each nomination submitted to the Chancellor’s Office must include the information indicated on the nomination form. If you are making multiple nominations, please submit separate forms for each nominee. Please submit completed nominations no later than noon on Friday (Feb. 23).
Send in your Information for the UTC Parent and Family Association Newsletter
It is again time to recruit campus partners to send in information for the UTC Parent and Family Association newsletter, a monthly roundup distributed to more than 5,400 parents/family members.
To share information with the families of UTC students—upcoming events, important deadlines, helpful suggestions and departmental news—email hannah-turcotte@utc.edu by Tuesday, Feb. 27. The March newsletter will be emailed to members Wednesday, March 6.
UTC celebrates Black History Month
The theme of UTC Black History Month is “African Americans and the Arts,” with special events taking place throughout February. Check the Black History Month events calendar for a complete listing of activities.
This week’s events include:
- Today (Feb. 20): Showtime at UTC—Open Mic and Trivia Night, Lupton Hall first floor, 6 p.m.
- Wednesday (Feb. 21): Storytelling Through Cinema: The Science and Representation of Henrietta Lacks, Derthick Hall Room 201, 3 p.m.
- Thursday (Feb. 22): 3rd annual Taste of Black Chattanooga, University Center Tennessee Room, 2 p.m.
- Thursday (Feb. 22): Global Spotlight featuring Kenya, Lupton Hall first floor, 3 p.m.
- Thursday (Feb. 22): Vision + Verse, Hunter Museum of American Art, 6 p.m.
- Friday (Feb. 23): Fresh Fridays – Art and Mind, Lupton Hall Suite 119, 2 p.m.
- Monday (Feb. 26): Hired Like Me with Keelah Harris “The Mastercreative,” Lupton Hall Suite 119, noon
- Monday (Feb. 26): What is the Color of Black History, University Center Tennessee Room, 6 p.m.
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From Feb. 22-24, the College of Arts and Sciences will present “Baldwin vs. Buckley” as performed by the New York-based american vicarious theatre group. Following critically acclaimed runs in New York City and London, the production of the historic 1965 debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr. is reenacted over three nights in three locations:
- Thursday (Feb. 22): Guerry Center Reading Room, 7:30 p.m.
- Friday (Feb. 23): UTC Library Roth Reading Room (fourth floor), 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday (Feb. 24): UTC Fine Arts Center Roland Hayes Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m.
For ticket information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Help Scrappy’s Cupboard: Host a Food Drive
Scrappy’s Cupboard needs you! Inventory is low and use has increased.
Please consider donating non-perishable food and personal care items. Donations are accepted in University Center Suite 399.
If you are interested in hosting a food drive, please email ScrappysCupboard@utc.edu.
The outstanding people of UTC
 Dr. Mengjun Xie Congratulations to UTC faculty and staff who received awards or submitted proposals for sponsored programs in January. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced that faculty and staff attracted $664,967 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $2,038,207 in external funding, if awarded.
Among those receiving awards in January was UC Foundation Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of InfoSec Center Mengjun Xie, who—in collaboration with Purdue University—received $230,158 from the National Security Agency Central Security Service for the project titled “Continue, Sustain, & Expand the NCAE-C AI Cybersecurity Workforce Certification Based Training. Program.”
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 Pearson Smith (as Judy Bernly), left, Katie Mullins (as Violet Newstead) and Harrison Faulkner (as Franklin Hart Jr.) in the UTC Theatre Co. production of “9 to 5 the Musical.” Photo courtesy of UTC Theatre Co. The UTC Theatre Co. will present “9 to 5 the Musical” from Feb. 27-March 2 in the UTC Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre. Nightly shows begin at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, March 2.
Tickets for “9 to 5 the Musical” can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Box Office—in person or by phone (423-425-4369). Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.
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Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- Sarah Edgar, UTC’s assistant director of client services, financial wellness and outreach, talked to the Times Free Press about the FAFSA process.
- Mocs women’s basketball guard Jada Guinn, a graduate student from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, recently won Southern Conference Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season. She is the first Moc to win at least four SoCon Player of the Week honors in one year since Shanara Hollinquest in 2008-09.
Mark your calendar
Are you looking to make a change within your organization, team or community? UTC’s Julie Torbett (volleyball coach), Sgt. 1st Class David Jeffries (Military Science) and Ethan McDaniel (Marching Band) will provide applicable tips on how to build a positive organizational culture from 4:15-5:30 p.m. today (Feb. 20) during an open Moc LEAD Leading Teams Session in the University Center Chickamauga Room.
Some of the topics that will be discussed include the habits to building a positive culture, the importance of situational leadership and trust building. This is an opportunity to network with other attending like-minded UTC students, faculty and staff who can serve as resources. Free food will be available.
RSVP is highly encouraged. Email Daniel-Grzesik@utc.edu, the director of Leadership Development and Programs, with questions.
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The Gary W. Rollins College of Business will hold virtual information sessions about UTC’s Master of Business Administration, MS Data Analytics, MS Management and Master of Accountancy graduate programs. The Rollins College of Business graduate degree programs provide flexible course options and career advancement resources to elevate your education and propel your career.
MAcc Information Sessions
MBA Information Sessions
MS Management Information Sessions
MS Data Analytics Information Sessions
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Information sessions are taking place for the summer 2024 International Business Experience study abroad course to South Korea, which is open to all UTC students. The course has no prerequisites and includes a two-week international study trip to Seoul, led by Gary W. Rollins College of Business faculty members. Upcoming session dates:
- Today (Feb. 20): Zoom, noon
- Wednesday (Feb. 21): Zoom, 4 p.m.
- Thursday (Feb. 22): Zoom, noon
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 UTC Counseling Center is hosting an open house event from noon-4 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 21) in University Center Room 338. Come on out, check out the Center and get freebies and free food cards while supplies last.
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The UTC Honors College presents an O’Dea Lecture in Humanities at noon on Friday (Feb. 23) in the Guerry Center Reading Room.
Titled “Building the Borderlands Shakespeare Colectiva,” the event will feature guest lecturer Katherine Gillen, co-editor of “The Bard in the Badlands: Vol. 1.” Lunch will be provided.
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Students, UTC is seeking applications for the 2024-2025 student member of the UTC Advisory Board. Candidates for student member shall have completed a total of 30-semester hours with a cumulative 2.75-grade point average at the end of the semester of appointment. Candidate applications must be submitted by Friday (Feb. 23).
The successful candidate must be available to serve from July 1 through June 30, 2025, and must be enrolled full-time at UTC throughout the term of appointment (summer terms excluded).
Click here for more information. To apply, click here. If you have questions, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at dos@utc.edu or 423-425-4761.
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Faculty and staff, apply for experiential learning designation for your UTC class or non-academic credit-bearing experience.
UTC’s growing list of Designated Experiential Learning opportunities is built by faculty and staff who submit an application to be read by the Experiential Learning Task Force. In spring 2024, the two application deadlines are Friday (Feb. 23) and Friday, March 22. If you are interested in applying or in how we can support you in developing Experiential Learning in your discipline or office, please contact Bengt-Carlson@utc.edu.
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 The Clarence T. Jones Observatory is located at 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. in Chattanooga. The public is invited to the Clarence T. Jones Observatory, owned and operated by UTC, for a free Star Party on Sunday (Feb. 25).
The evening’s topic will be “Our Friend Orion” and the featured constellation is Orion. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with a lecture and Planetarium show beginning at 6 p.m. and telescope viewing until 8 p.m. Seating is limited, so arrive early.
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Everything has a history, including today’s headlines. From noon-1 p.m. on Monday (Feb. 26) in Lupton Hall Room 393, the Department of History will host “Historians React to Current Events: Premodern Edition.”
Speakers and topic include:
- Dr. James Guilfoyle on “Rapid Secularization in Catholic Ireland: The Silent Revolution.”
- Dr. Kira Robison on “Making Time: Earning an Extra Day since 45 BCE.”
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Sponsored by the George C. Connor Professorship of American Literature and the UTC Department of English, the Take Five 2024 lineup explores what it means to be educated in the modern world.
Take Five sessions occur Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. in the University Center Chattanooga Room. Each session will offer a light dinner, and no RSVP is necessary. Upcoming spring dates:
- Tuesday, Feb. 27: Dr. David Pleins presents Emma Smith’s “Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers”
- Tuesday, March 19: Dr. Victoria Bryan presents R.F. Kuang’s “Babel, or the Necessity of Violence”
- Tuesday, April 9: Dr. Bryan Hampton presents Julie Schumacher’s “Dear Committee Members”
All books are available through online retailers and at the UTC Bookstore (423-425-4107). Contact Aaron-Shaheen@utc.edu with questions.
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Learning and Leadership is currently accepting applications to its summer 2024 Ph.D. and Ed.D. cohorts. If you, your friends or colleagues with a master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution are interested in pursuing their terminal degree in leadership at UTC, we encourage them to apply or to reach out for more information.
Due to the cohort nature of the programs, applications are typically accepted December through February for each incoming summer cohort. New cohorts are admitted in summer only. All application materials, including official transcripts, must be submitted by Thursday, Feb. 29.
We routinely schedule Zoom meetings with the Program Advisor to determine whether our doctoral programs are a good “fit” for prospective applicants’ specific academic and professional goals. Prospective applicants may contact the LEAD Program Office at utclead@utc.edu to schedule a meeting. Click here for the Campus Updates post.
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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Center for Women and Gender Equity will be distributing the annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month Zine.
The Zine will display artwork or poetry made by survivors related to their healing journey. Art and poetry can be anonymous in the Zine and can be visual art (photos, three-dimensional pieces, paintings, drawings), songs, poems and short stories.
- Deadline: Noon on Friday, March 1
- Where can I submit?: MocSync Form
Email emily-rosenquist@utc.edu with questions.
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The Humanities Program invites all UTC undergraduates to participate in the North Callahan Essay Prize, awarded each year to an undergraduate whose exceptionally fine essay addresses a subject related to the Humanities (art, music, philosophy, religion, rhetoric/literature, history, theater, or interdisciplinary studies that combine these disciplines). Essays will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary committee of professors. The prize carries a $1,000 award.
Funding for the award is provided by an endowment established by the late Dr. North Callahan, distinguished professor emeritus of history at New York University, author of 17 books and an alumnus of the University of Chattanooga.
Essays must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Friday, March 22. Click here for the submission form PDF. Email jose-luis-gastanaga@utc.edu with questions and to submit the essay.
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On Thursday, April 11, the College of Arts and Sciences will be co-hosting Pulitzer-Prize-winning author and sociologist Matthew Desmond in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. Desmond’s latest book, “Poverty, By America,” reached #1 on the New York Times best sellers list shortly after its release; his book “Evicted” won a Pulitzer Prize.
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The 2024 Technology Symposium, hosted by the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science, will be held on Monday, April 15, in the University Center Tennessee Room.
The Technology Symposium showcases innovative research projects conducted across multiple disciplines, including engineering, engineering technology management and computer science. Students at all education levels, educators, business and industry representatives, entrepreneurs and the general public are welcome. There is no cost to attend.
Notice of Final Defense: Upcoming Research Presentations
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.
- Tuesday, Feb. 27: Graicen Hixson, Lupton Hall Room 372, 3:15 p.m., Calendar
- Wednesday, Feb. 28: Skylar Oxford, 540 McCallie Ave. Room 394, noon, Calendar
- Thursday, Feb. 29: Marion Burgess, Lupton Hall Room 372, 3:30 p.m., Calendar
Campus Updates
Introducing the UTC Campus Recreation app, where you can register for programs, receive updates through notifications, access the facility and much more. Search UTC Campus Recreation in the App Store and Google Play.
For questions or assistance, contact Colleen-DeMarco@utc.edu or call 423-425-5672.
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The UTC Center for Professional Education is offering a seven-week Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep Course from March 19 through May 2. The course will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-8 p.m. ET via Zoom.
Many project managers, program managers, team leads and administrators pursue the globally recognized PMP certification to boost their professional credibility, increase their earning potential, gain a project management framework and develop risk-ready skills.
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Friday Nights are Family Nights at the ARC. Every Friday from 5-7p.m., UTC families are invited to swim, climb (5-6 p.m. only) and use our basketball courts. Our outdoors staff will teach the basics of climbing and belay youth on the wall from 5-6 p.m. Bring your family and come play at UTC Campus Rec.
The cost: Free for members; $10 per person for faculty/staff/alumni non-members and their families and guests. For more information about youth programs available through Campus Recreation, visit our new webpage.
For more information about membership options or Friday Family Nights, contact Colleen-DeMarco@utc.edu.
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Injured in intramurals? Tweaked something in the gym? Back and neck soreness from hours of studying? Just need guidance getting back to your favorite activities? Check out UTC’s free physical therapy clinic.
The Pro Bono Physical Therapy clinic, located in the Mapp Building, is staffed by UTC Doctor of Physical Therapy students and professors and is 100% free. Clinic hours are 8 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and 1-5 p.m. on Thursdays. Call University Health Services at 423-425-2266 or email ptclinic@utc.edu for more information.
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The UTC Volleyball program is offering a 10% discount to all faculty, staff and students for the following volleyball summer camps:
Click here to register online. For more information, contact julie-torbettthomas@utc.edu.
Looking ahead
 Mocs distance runner Lesley Boyd recently was named Southern Conference Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week. This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Tuesday (Feb. 20): Men’s Tennis vs. Tennessee Southern, UTC Tennis Center, noon.
- Wednesday (Feb. 21): Men’s Basketball vs. Wofford, McKenzie Arena, 7 p.m.
- Thursday (Feb. 22): Women’s Basketball vs. Western Carolina, McKenzie Arena, 7 p.m.
- Friday (Feb. 23): Softball vs. Georgetown, Frost Stadium, 3 p.m.
- Friday (Feb. 23): Softball vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Frost Stadium, 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday (Feb. 24): Women’s Tennis vs. Tennessee Wesleyan, UTC Tennis Center
- Saturday (Feb. 24): Men’s Tennis vs. Presbyterian, UTC Tennis Center, 10 a.m.
- Saturday (Feb. 24): Women’s Basketball vs. UNCG, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
Looking back
 Presentation formats at the Spring Research and Arts Conference include poster presentations, art displays, oral presentations, panel discussions and performances. The largest academic conference held at UTC is only a couple of months away. The 2024 UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference will be held on Wednesday, April 10, in the University Center. Sponsored by the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE), the event allows UTC students, faculty and staff to share their research or showcase their creative work with their peers.
To participate as a presenter or performer, applicants must submit their registration form by 11 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 25).
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 Emma Roy with her host mom, Ching-wen Chen Last summer, Emma Roy—a secondary education: political science major and Brock Scholar in the Honors College—spent two months in an immersive language program at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, speaking only Chinese. She then spent her fall semester at the University of Brighton in England as part of a study abroad opportunity.
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
WUTC Spotlight: Scenic Roots
 Dr. Edwin Murillo Dr. Edwin Murillo is an associate professor in modern and classical languages and literatures at UTC and the author of “Latin America and Existentialism.”
Murillo was a recent guest on WUTC-FM’s “Scenic Roots” to talk about existentialism, a movement in philosophy and literature that grapples with questions of what it means for us as individuals to exist.
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