July 8-14, 2025
Updates and news for the week of July 8-14, 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 Receives $2.4 Million HRSA Award
 Hunter Hall UTC is the recipient of a $2.4 million federal grant to bolster the pipeline of highly trained behavioral health professionals serving children, adolescents and young adults in underserved areas of Southeast Tennessee.
The four-year award was provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals. The funding supports UTC’s newly launched B-HIP initiative, an acronym for the project titled “Behavioral Healthcare through InterProfessional Training.”
UC Foundation Professor Elizabeth O’Brien, director of the School of Professional Studies, is the lead PI for the project. Other members of the collaborative team are:
- Mental Health Counseling Program Coordinator and Counselor Education Program Director Kevin Doyle
- School Counseling Program Coordinator Alexandra Frank
- Master of Social Work Program Director Amy Doolittle
- Associate Professor of Social Work Bethany Womack
- School Psychology Program Director Amanda J. Hardin
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Chancellor Bruce’s First Day
 From left: UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman, UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce, UT Southern Chancellor Melinda Arnold, UT System Executive Vice President Linda Martin Dr. Lori Bruce’s first day as chancellor coincided with the UT System Board of Trustees meetings taking place on the UTC campus. Click here to see more from her first day.
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Submit your events for Welcome Week 2025
Our goal for Welcome Week 2025 is to offer a calendar full of fun and engaging events that welcome our students to the start of a new semester, and we need your help.
If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes (Aug. 17-23), please submit your event to the official calendar found on the Welcome Week webpage. Click here to access the event submission form. The priority deadline to submit events for the Welcome Week calendar is Friday, July 18. The final deadline is Thursday, Aug. 7.
More information about submitting an event for the Welcome Week calendar can be found here. Contact Director of Student and Family Engagement Laura Petrus with questions.
Outstanding People of UTC
 Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt and Erica Holmes Trujillo Two UTC standouts, UC Foundation Associate Professor Rick Dierenfeldt and College of Arts and Sciences Student Success Center Director Erica Holmes Trujillo, were named recipients of the 2025 UT System President’s Awards—the highest honor a faculty or staff member can receive from the UT System.
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Director of Strategic Enrollment Technology Tonia Martin has received national recognition for going beyond the day-to-day to strengthen the educational ecosystem. She will receive the Anthology Impact award next week at the Anthology Together conference in Las Vegas.
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Check out these Mocs in the news:
- Workforce Development Specialist Will Watson and University High math teacher Emily McDonald were included in Chatter Magazine’s list of 20 Under 40.
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers newsletter featured mechanical engineering student Connor Mackey about the helmet he created for Wrexham, a dog with a fragile skull. Mackey and Wrexham were also highlighted in a Local 3 News story.
- School of Professional Studies Director Elizabeth O’Brien was on Jed & JR Mornings to discuss the concept of reparenting, a therapeutic approach focused on addressing unmet developmental needs from early life through learned supportive behaviors.
- Dr. Eric Hungenberg, associate professor of sport, outdoor recreation and tourism management and head of the Department of Health and Human Performance, was featured in a Travel and Tour World article about Chattanooga’s tourism boom.
- Dr. Rick Mukherjee, inaugural director of the UTC Quantum Center, was quoted in a Times Free Press article about quantum computing in Chattanooga.
- An Edge Magazine story about technology and innovation featured Austin Corcoran, the associate director for programming at the UTC Center for Professional Education.
- Clinical Assistant Professor Jeff Tieder spoke about the shift toward CRNA-only anesthesia models in ambulatory surgery centers in a Becker’s ASC Review article.
Mark Your Calendar
The Center for Wellbeing is offering a series of trainings and discussions for faculty and staff this summer. If interested, please sign up here. The Center is happy to schedule trainings for specific teams or departments at other times throughout the year. Reach out to Megan McKnight with questions or to request a training.
- Today (July 8), and Thursday, July 10: Mental Health First Aid, University Center Room 350, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. both days
- Wednesday, July 9: Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone, University Center Room 350, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
- Friday, July 11: Sleep Matters: Improving Sleep Among Employees and Students, Zoom, 11 a.m.-noon
- Wednesday, July 16: QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer and Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 23: Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Prioritizing Wellness Through the Semester Discussion, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-noon
- Thursday, July 31: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, Zoom, noon-2 p.m.
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Operation Move In takes place Wednesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 14, for incoming freshmen and transfer students.
Housing and Residence Life could use as many hands as possible to make this day go as smoothly as possible for our newest residents. If you are interested in volunteering for OMI, please fill out the OMI volunteer signup form and share the link with others.
Those who volunteer will receive a meal voucher for UTC Dining and a signature OMI T-shirt as a special thank you. Learn more here.
For more information, contact OMI committee chair Jason Harville.
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The UTC Graduate School announced that the following student will be presenting final works of research as an advanced degree candidate. Everyone is invited to attend.
Campus Updates
The inaugural meeting of the Staff Senate will be held from 10 a.m.-noon on Monday, July 14, in the Benwood Auditorium of the ECS Building. Chancellor Lori Bruce is scheduled to speak. Staff unable to attend in person can join virtually (link coming soon).
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Employees enrolled in the State of Tennessee and Higher Education Health Insurance plan can earn $50 by completing a biometric wellness screening. Screenings will be held from 8:30-10:30 a.m. on July 14, Aug. 5 and Aug. 6 at University Health Services.
Register for an appointment here by using your UTC login and selecting “appointments.” There is no employee access fee, but lab billing will be filed through your insurance—please bring your insurance information to your appointment. To prepare, download and print the Physician Results Form. You must complete your RealAge assessment before accessing the form.
Click here to learn more. For assistance, call 1-855-623-9355. For questions about the screening process, call 423-425-2266.
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The Esports Complex is usually reserved for our students, but this July, we’re opening it up just for you. We’re planning a faculty and staff-only tournament, and we want to hear which games you’d like to compete in.
Whether you’re casually competitive or secretly elite, now’s your chance to step into the arena, connect with colleagues and have some fun.
Help us choose the game with this link. The top selection will be featured during the tournament in mid-to-late July. We’ll follow up directly with those who complete the survey to share next steps and registration info.
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The testing center is looking for individuals interested in helping with the administration of the ACT on UTC’s campus. This is a paid position, and proctors and room supervisors are needed for the 2025-26 school year. If you are interested in working—for one session or both—please email Cathy Jackson.
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The CEACSE Research Innovation and Strategic Expansion (RISE) program is now accepting proposals for early-stage, high-potential research projects that strengthen UTC’s Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) and the Quantum Center.
Selected projects may receive up to $70,000 for the 2026 calendar year, supporting one month of summer salary for faculty or research staff, full-year PhD student support and additional research expenses.
- Deadline: Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, to both Hannah Archer and Claudia Colpo.
- Eligibility: Lead PIs must be faculty, research faculty or postdocs at a UT System institution. If not UTC-based, the PI must advise a UTC PhD student supported by the project.
- Project Period: Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2026.
For full details and submission guidelines, view the Request for Proposals (RFP). Questions may be directed to Hannah Archer.
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Faculty and staff, are you passionate about student well-being and fostering a culture of wellness on your campus or with partners across the UT System? The new Wellness Mini Grants Program is here to support your innovative ideas.
The program offers up to ten $5,000 grants for faculty and staff to pilot projects that focus on the eight SAMHSA-defined wellness dimensions, promote collaboration across and between campuses, and create scalable, measurable student wellness innovations.
Projects that are measurable, collaborative and have a role for a student will be prioritized. Click here to learn more and apply. The application is just a short, three-page PDF and is due Friday, Aug. 1. For questions or concerns contact the UT Chief Wellness Officer.
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Undergraduate Admissions announced its Power C Tour and other important dates for the 2025-2026 academic year:
- Sept. 17: Power C Tour Nashville/Franklin
- Oct. 2: Power C Tour Memphis
- Nov. 4: Power C Tour Knoxville
- Nov. 12: Power C Tour Chattanooga
- Nov. 15: Blue and Gold Preview
- Feb. 27: Accepted Student Day
- March 25: Power C Tour transfer at ChattState
- April 11: Blue and Gold Preview Spring Edition
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The Center for Wellbeing launched its Mental Health Ally training program for faculty and staff to recognize employees on campus who are engaging and learning how to best support our students’ mental health. Trainings included in the Mental Health Ally program are QPR (one hour), Suicide Prevention Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) (one hour), Psychological First Aid (one hour) and Mental Health First Aid (eight hours). Complete trainings and receive recognition on campus for your dedication to improving outcomes for students.
Recognition tiers:
- Certificate of completion: Every training
- Mental health ally sticker to display: Complete QPR, Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, and Psychological First Aid
- Mental health ally sweatshirt: Complete Mental Health First Aid
- Mental health ally recognition on Center for Wellbeing website and Campus Newsletter: Complete all four trainings
If you have questions about this program, please reach out to Amy Kyriakidis or Megan McKnight.
UTC Newsroom
 Dr. Ahad Nasab Dr. Ahad Nasab has never needed a title to make a difference, just meaningful work. From improving industrial systems to building academic programs and elevating students, faculty and staff, Nasab finds purpose in leaving things better than he found them.
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UTC and the City of Chattanooga have entered into a new strategic research partnership formalized through an interlocal agreement approved by the Chattanooga City Council. The agreement creates a streamlined framework for UTC and the city to pursue and manage collaborative federal research grants more efficiently, supporting a shared vision for innovation, economic growth and public impact.
WUTC
Dr. Lori Bruce sat down for her first taping of “Chatting with the Chancellor” on WUTC’s “Scenic Roots.”
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