|
Updates and news for the week of March 12-18, 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.
NCAA-bound!
 Mocs women’s basketball team, Brayden Palmer (top right), Isaiah Powe (photos courtesy of GoMocs.com) It was an eventful weekend for the Mocs athletics program.
On Saturday, wrestlers Brayden Palmer (125 pounds) and Isaiah Powe (141 pounds) punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships after taking home individual titles at the 2024 Southern Conference Wrestling Championships in Boone, North Carolina. This year’s national tournament takes place on March 21-23 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
On Sunday, the Mocs women’s basketball team won its 20th SoCon Tournament title with a 69-60 victory over the University of North Carolina Greensboro in Asheville, North Carolina. Jada Guinn was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player while Hannah Kohn and Raven Thompson were named to the All-Tournament Team. The NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Show will be televised by ESPN at 8 p.m. on Sunday (March 17).
UTC Celebrates Women’s History Month
 Image credit: Wahyu Arfiansyah March is Women’s History Month, and the Center for Women and Gender Equity is honoring and celebrating women’s contributions to history throughout the month. Check the Women’s History Month events calendar for a complete listing of activities.
Upcoming events include:
- Wednesday, March 20: Women’s Veterans Luncheon, University Center Tennessee Room, hosted by Office of Veteran and Military Affairs
- Wednesday, March 20: Let’s Talk about Disability and Mental Health, University Center Room 352, 1:30 p.m., hosted by Disability Resource Center
- Friday, March 22-Sunday March 24: Women’s Leadership Academy, Ocoee Retreat Center; apply here
Join the 2024 Luncheon on Women’s Health in Higher Education
Join UTC’s Commission on the Status of Women for a free luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, in the University Center Chattanooga Room. The conversation with health care and psychology experts specializing in women’s issues will explore how topics like aging, regenerative medicine, sexual health and more can impact our daily lives.
The Commission welcomes all UTC faculty, staff and students to this luncheon. Click here to RSVP.
UTAA Outstanding Teacher and Public Service Awards
 2023 UTAA winners (from left): Dr. Karen Babine, Dr. Spencer Usrey and Dr. Jamie Harvey The University of Tennessee Alumni Association (UTAA) seeks nominations for two Outstanding Teacher Awards and one Public Service Award for UTC. The outstanding teachers must be full-time faculty and exhibit exceptional engagement in the classroom. The public service award is available for faculty or staff and aims to recognize someone whose service to our community goes above and beyond the standard to advance UTC.
Each winner will receive a $1,000 award and recognition at the UTAA Alumni Board of Governors’ reception at the end of May 2024. Applications are due by Sunday, March 31.
Nominate Students for the Blue and Gold Awards
Many students have worked hard this academic year, and the annual Blue and Gold Awards celebrate those achievements. This year’s Blue and Gold Award ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, in the University Center Tennessee Room.
The Student Government Association (SGA) invites nominations of students or student organizations deserving of an award. In addition, we encourage departmental, office, programmatic or student organization awards to be presented at the ceremony:
If you have any questions, please contact SGA Student Affairs and Academic Support Chairperson Jordan Fall at hhl476@mocs.utc.edu.
The outstanding people of UTC
 Nyssa Hunt, left, and Dr. DeAnna Beasley With the periodical cicada emergence expected to start in late spring, IGTLab Assistant GIS Director Nyssa Hunt and UC Foundation Associate Professor DeAnna Beasley have created a mapping survey to track where emergences are taking place.
* * * * *
Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- Biology, Geology and Environmental Science Professor David Aborn was featured in a story about white pelicans visiting Knoxville.
- The Mocs women’s basketball team was well represented on the Southern Conference’s postseason awards list. Head Coach Shawn Poppie was named SoCon Coach of the Year after leading the Mocs to a regular season league title; the team was 13-1 in conference play and 25-4 overall. The duo of Jada Guinn and Raven Thompson earned first-team All-Conference honors, Sigrun Olafsdottir earned a place on the All-Defensive Team and Hannah Kohn was named to the All-Freshman Team.
- Four members of the men’s basketball team earned postseason conference honors. Trey Bonham was named first-team All-Conference, Jan Zidek earned SoCon Sixth Man of the Year honors, Honor Huff was selected to the second team, and Sam Alexis earned spots on both the All-Defensive Team and the conference’s third team.
- Mocs wrestler Isaiah Powe earned SoCon Freshman of the Year honors en route to being named to the All-Conference Team at 141 pounds. He was joined on the league’s All-Freshman Team by Sergio Desiante (174 pounds).
Mark your calendar
UTC faculty and staff are hitting the road on Tuesday, March 19, making the six-mile trek to Chattanooga State Community College for our latest Power C Tour event.
ChattState students will get the opportunity to network with faculty, advisors, financial aid experts and current students and learn about the seamless transition to pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UTC. Click here to learn more.
* * * * *
March 11 marked the beginning of Ramadan, a month of prayer, reflection and fasting for Muslims around the world and here in Chattanooga. As we near the end of the semester, faculty should know that students who participate in fasting may need extra support to complete their work.
The end of Ramadan, called Eid al-Fitr, is one of the most important Muslim holidays. This year it will occur on April 9 or April 10 depending on the sighting of the moon.
- If you’d like to learn more about Ramadan, reach out to the UTC Muslim Students Association. Students can connect with the MSA for iftar and other general Ramadan support.
- Click here to learn more about this holiday.
* * * * *
On Tuesday, March 19, Campus Recreation and UTC MPH nutrition student interns will host a “Lunch and Learn” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in ARC Room 129 focusing on myths and facts about carbohydrates.
Enjoy lunch, compliments of UTC Dining Service, while future dieticians lead an informative discussion about carbs. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Please click here to reserve your spot.
* * * * *
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, 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.
* * * * *
Join UTC Veteran and Military Affairs for a celebration of women veterans. A buffet lunch event, open to staff, faculty and students, will take place from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, in the University Center Tennessee Room. Come meet women veterans and learn about their military service and unique experiences. Please RSVP as seating may be limited.
The guest speaker is Cmdr. Elaine Brunelle (U.S. Navy, Retired). Cmdr. Brunelle served for 10 years as an enlisted airman in the U.S. Air Force and was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy after earning her bachelor’s degree.
Veteran and Military Affairs is gathering photos of women veterans in uniform or during their service to be featured at the luncheon. Photos may be sent to vma@utc.edu.
* * * * *
The Department of Political Science and Public Service invites the UTC community to our spring Sweet Research series, where we share our research along with dessert. All events are on Wednesdays from noon-12:50 p.m. in 540 McCallie Building Room 462D (PSPS suite).
- Wednesday, March 20: Dr. Hassan Afzal, “Navigating through Educational Pathways to Political Participation”
- Wednesday, March 27 (Student Edition): Sophia Chrisco, “How Misinformation Regarding Covid-19 Caused a Decline in Childhood Vaccination Rates in the United States,” and Kristina Thompson, “Asian American Women: Political Prowess and Effective Participation”
- Wednesday, April 3: Dr. Sarah Heise, “The Left-Right Spectrum: Another Look at Ideology and Partisan Sorting in the United States”
- Wednesday, April 10: Dr. Christopher Horne, “Christian Public Administrators’ Integration of Faith and Work”
* * * * *
Writer, actor, comedian and award-winning Los Angeles-based art critic Christina Catherine Martinez and four writers whose passion for creative writing blossomed during their undergraduate days at UTC— L.S. McKee, Emilia Phillips, Alice Smith and Cynthia Young—will be featured at the upcoming 2024 Spring Meacham Writers’ Workshop.
The workshop will take place March 21-23 at various UTC campus locations, ArtsBuild (301 E. 11th St.) and Stove Works (1250 E. 13th St.). The workshop’s mission is to give UTC students and underserved members of the community access to the literary arts.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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.
* * * * *
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, March 19: Connor Firat, Zoom, 1 p.m., Calendar
- Wednesday, March 20: Maxine Otieno, ECS Building Maytag Conference Room, 1 p.m., Calendar
- Wednesday, March 20: Milan Artis, Zoom, 2 p.m., Calendar
- Thursday, March 21: Jeremiah Rhodes, University Center Room 359, 9 a.m., Calendar
Campus Updates
Campus Recreation is hiring lifeguards for this summer, and interested college and high school students can apply now. Certification scholarships are available for UTC students willing to work full-time during the summer. Email Chelsey-Voigt@utc.edu or call 423-425-4222 for information about certification training and employment.
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.
* * * * *
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.
Looking ahead
 Dalton Chuba (photo credit: GoMocs.com) This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- Saturday (March 16): Women’s tennis vs. Wofford, UTC Tennis Center, 10 a.m.
- Sunday (March 17): Men’s tennis vs. The Citadel, UTC Tennis Center, 11 a.m.
Looking back
The fall 2024 “A Moc’s First Year” roster of first-year experience courses, including the faculty and staff who will be teaching them, has been launched. “A Moc’s First Year” will connect current and new initiatives toward a centralized learning community model that increases student and faculty interaction, the sense of community on campus, new students’ connectedness to Chattanooga, and overall UTC student success.
* * * * *
Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
WUTC Spotlight: The Story of Fust
 Fust (photo credit: Charlie Boss) WUTC-FM’s Haley Solomon recently spoke with Aaron Dowdy, the lead singer and songwriter for Fust. This month, Fust—on the way to South by Southwest—came to Chattanooga to play a show at The Woodshop Listening Room in St. Elmo.
Be Well Tip: Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
March 10 was the 19th anniversary of Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a reminder that HIV remains a significant public health challenge, particularly affecting various cultural groups such as Hispanic and African American communities. Regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, prioritizing prevention and testing is imperative.
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day serves to shed light on the impact HIV has on women and girls while offering support to those vulnerable to and living with HIV. Take action today to help in the fight against HIV:
- Know your HIV status: Regular testing for both you and your partner is crucial.
- Utilize STI prevention resources: Consistently using condoms and other preventive measures is essential.
- Consult medical specialists: Seek advice from health care professionals on maintaining health while living with HIV, including adhering to prescribed medication.
- Prompt action: If you suspect exposure to HIV, seek medical attention promptly to determine eligibility for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)—a medication that can protect you and should be taken within 72 hours of potential exposure to reduce the risk of transmission.
- Consider PrEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventive medication that can reduce the risk of HIV transmission during sexual activity.
UTC offers support for some of these services. The Center for Wellbeing, located in University Center Room 350, provides free sexual health resources such as condoms and oral dams along with information about off-campus resources. You can schedule appointments for STI testing through University Health Services by calling 423-425-2266.
Let’s empower ourselves with knowledge and proactive measures to combat HIV/AIDS and safeguard the well-being of women and girls in our communities.
|
