June 3-9, 2025

Updates and news for the week of June 3-9, 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.

UTC News  |  UTC Events Calendar  |  Campus Updates

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Highlights

Mark your calendar for Operation Move In

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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Are you ready for some football?

Photo courtesy of Ray Soldano/GoMocs.com

The Mocs football team is coming back to campus for summer workouts, and game times have been announced for this fall’s slate of home games at Finley Stadium. Please note that start times are subject to change:

• Sept. 13: Stetson, 6 p.m.
• Sept. 27: The Citadel, 6 p.m.
• Oct. 18: ETSU, 1:30 p.m.
• Nov. 1: Western Carolina, 4 p.m. (Homecoming)
• Nov. 8: Furman, 1:30 p.m.

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PMHNP Program to Launch This Fall

The UTC nurse practitioner concentration offers specialty track options in Psychiatric Mental Health, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Adult Gerontology and Family Nurse Practitioner Lifespan.

The UTC School of Nursing will launch a new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program this fall to help meet urgent workforce needs across the region and state. The PMHNP concentration, part of UTC’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, offers two pathways: a full-time, eight-semester post-BSN track for students pursuing a doctoral degree and a five-semester post-graduate certificate for advanced practice registered nurses who already hold a master’s degree.

Outstanding People of UTC

When Dr. Tim Gaudin (pictured) arrived at UTC 30 years ago, his sights were set on teaching. Behind the scenes, however, Gaudin found additional value in his research—and it paid off. This spring, that work earned him a huge milestone: co-authorship on a paper about sloths published in Science, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.

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Five Chattanooga Mocs softball players were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

Peja Goold, Olivia Lipari, Taylor Long, Acelynn Sellers and Kailey Snell each earned a spot on the All-District Team. Goold is eligible for Academic All-America consideration.

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Check out these Mocs in the news:

• UC Foundation Professor Elizabeth O’Brien was a guest on Jed & JR Mornings to discuss ADHD.
• Gary W. Rollins College of Business Associate Lecturer Steven Layne was interviewed for an Edge Magazine article on organizational succession planning.
• Dr. Amber Roaché, assistant professor in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at UTC, spoke to News 12 Now about the new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
• UC Foundation Professor Tim Gaudin spoke with NewsChannel 9 about his sloth research being published in Science.
• Gary W. Rollins College of Business Associate Dean Kathleen Wheatley was a featured guest on WDEF’s Let’s Chatt.

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.

• Thursday, June 12: QPR: Question, Persuade, Refer and Suicide Prevention Using the C-SSRS, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Thursday, June 12: Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone, Zoom, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
• Friday, June 13: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, University Center Room 350, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
• Friday, June 20: Mental Health First Aid, University Center Room 350, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (lunch will be provided)
• Tuesday, July 1: Recovery Allyship: How to Support Students Who Are Struggling or Have Struggled with Substance Use, Zoom, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, 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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Richard Winham

After nearly four decades of shaping the sound and soul of public radio in Chattanooga, WUTC-FM host Richard Winham will retire this summer

To honor his extraordinary legacy, WUTC will host a public benefit concert from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, at Barrelhouse Ballroom, located at 1501 Long St. in downtown Chattanooga. The all-ages, family-friendly event will feature performances by local folk, blues and bluegrass artists, with a limited pre-show meet-and-greet with artists and station staff from noon to 12:45 p.m. 

The benefit concert is also a fundraising event, with proceeds helping sustain WUTC’s ongoing mission to support music, arts and cultural programming in the Tennessee Valley—work inspired by Winham’s legacy. Tickets can be purchased here.

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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.

• Wednesday, June 11: Monireh Rahmati, MDRB Conference Room, 9:30 a.m., Calendar

Campus Updates

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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Join open play sand volleyball at the Sports Complex at noon on Mondays from June 2-23. Faculty and staff are welcome to drop in as individuals or with a team—no registration required.

Intramural pickleball registration remains open. Games will take place at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 1-31 at the ARC. Registration closes at noon on Friday, June 27. All skill levels welcome. Register here.

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Registration is open for 2025 Chattanooga Volleyball Camps, hosted by Director of Volleyball Julie Torbett Thomas and the Mocs volleyball staff. Camps are designed for athletes of all skill levels to build volleyball fundamentals, receive individualized instruction and have fun.

• Sunday, June 15: Father/Daughter Clinic, 2-4 p.m., $95 per pair
• June 16-17 or July 14-15: Little Mocs (ages 5–10), 9 a.m.-noon, $63.50
• June 16-17 or July 14-15: Middle School Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., $232.50
• June 16 or July 14: High School Clinic, 6-9 p.m., $105.50

All camps are open to any and all entrants, limited only by number, age, grade level or gender. Staff receive a $10 discount. Click here for details and registration.

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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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UTC’s Master of Public Health program, specializing in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, is still accepting applications. The program offers flexible full-time and part-time options with evening, hybrid and online classes. No GRE or prerequisite courses are required, and students from all academic backgrounds are welcome.

To learn more or apply, visit utc.edu/mph. For questions, contact Emma Sampson or call 423-425-4196.

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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.

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Starting in July, rising second to sixth graders in the Challenger Exploration Camp will have the opportunity to participate in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) challenges, rocket launches and explorations of space and Earth. Each day, campers can also go on excursions to locations such as the Chattanooga Zoo, the UTC Aquatic and Recreation Center, the Clarence T. Jones Observatory and the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.

To learn more about the Challenger STEM Learning Center and to access a link to the Challenger Exploration Camp, visit this link.

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The UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science will host the Summer Algebra Enrichment Program for rising 8th through 11th graders from July 7-18 at the CECS building (735 Vine St.). The program runs from 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m. each day and the cost is $75 per student.

This two-week experience is designed to strengthen algebra skills and introduce students to career pathways in engineering, computer science and other STEM fields. The program includes Algebra 1 instruction led by experienced educators, mentoring sessions with UTC students and hands-on career exploration activities. Space is limited to 30 participants and registration is required.

For more information or to register, click here or contact CECS Outreach Coordinator Alex Coker.

UTC Newsroom

Officers from multiple agencies participated in an active threat training exercise inside the UTC Library.

Last Thursday, the UTC hosted an active threat training exercise that brought together emergency responders from across the UT System and regional public safety agencies.

Participants in the training included personnel from the UTC Police Department, UT Health Science Center Police Department, UT Knoxville Police Department, UT Martin Police Department, Cleveland State Community College, Hamilton County School Safety, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Tennessee Department of Homeland Security, East Ridge Police Department and Fort Oglethorpe Police Department.  

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Dr. Irven Resnick (pictured), a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and Chair of Excellence in Judaic Studies, spent most of the 2024-25 academic year in Essen, Germany, after being selected as a senior fellow at the College for Social Sciences and Humanities at the University Alliance Ruhr/Research Alliance.

WUTC

The Roamers, a country rock band, recently visited with Richard Winham for an episode of WUTC’s “Live in the Library.”

IN Memoriam

Dr. Robert C. Fulton III (Bob) died on Wednesday, May 25, in Marblehead, Mass.  Bob began his career as an English professor at UTC in 1970 and continued until his retirement in 2005.  He directed the University Honors Program from 1982 to 1997. In addition to being a Fellow of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., he earned two Teaching Excellence awards. In 1998, Bob was a Visiting Professor in the English and American Studies Program at Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. Click here for his full obituary.

A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, in the River Room at the Bluff View Arts District in Chattanooga. Instead of flowers, please consider donating to McKamey Animal Shelter.

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This section is reserved for memorial announcements of current and former UTC employees as the Office of Communications and Marketing becomes aware. To publish an announcement, a publicly available obituary must be provided. Please send any announcements to Vice Chancellor JAy Blackman at jay-blackman@utc.edu.