Updates and news for the week of March 28 – April 3, 2023

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.

Campus Updates  |  University Events Master Calendar  |  UTC News

Blue and Gold Preview Day

The Undergraduate Admissions Office will be hosting the annual Blue and Gold Preview Day-Spring Edition for prospective students and their families on Saturday (April 1).

Blue and Gold Preview Day includes a tour of campus, an academic department fair, a student organization showcase and a residence hall open house. Click here for a link to the online registration.

Staff and faculty who are available to come and greet prospective students and guests from 10 a.m.-noon that day should reach out to Carrie-Sherbesman@utc.edu.

Watch: Chatt State UTC Connect

Last Tuesday, a dual admission agreement between UTC and Chattanooga State Community College was formalized during a celebration of the partnership on the Chatt State campus. The Chatt State UTC Connect agreement reiterates a commitment to ensure a smooth transfer of Chattanooga State students to UTC to complete their bachelor’s degree programs.

Gig City Goes Quantum

During a major announcement by city, school and business leaders about the future of quantum technology called “Gig City Goes Quantum,” UTC was recognized for its significant role in quantum research and workforce development and its commitment to the future.

WUTC Spotlight: Spring Pledge Drive

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, WUTC—the NPR station on the UTC campus—is holding its Spring Pledge Drive through Friday (March 31).   

Listeners provide two-thirds of the funding that enables WUTC to fulfill its mission and bring the best in public radio to Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. 

Please help fund the future of WUTC by clicking here to donate.

March Through History

Credit: Lenfest Institute for Journalism

Credit: Lenfest Institute for Journalism

UTC Women’s History Month activities include a “March Through History” exhibit in the Center for Women and Gender Equity’s Lupton Hall office and special events throughout the month. Events this week include:

  • Wednesday (March 29): Run the World Luncheon, University Center Tennessee Room, noon
  • Thursday (March 30): Neurodivergence and Gender, University Center Room 352, noon
  • Friday (March 31): Meet-up for Researchers (RSVP here), Mapp Building Room 212, 11 a.m.

Animal attraction: UTC becomes zooTC

Over three hours last Friday, UTC students, faculty and staff were given the chance to pet a host of animals—including goats, rabbits, donkeys, sheep, Highland cows and an alpaca—at the I Love UTC Week “zooTC” petting zoo.

The outstanding people of UTC

May 2022 UTC graduate Oleander Reagan-Artemis (pictured) has won a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Romania. Reagan-Artemis is the third UTC student in recent years selected for the prestigious Fulbright award. Participants in the ETA program help teach English while representing the U.S. as cultural ambassadors.

Check out these Mocs making a difference:

  • The annual Scholarship Luncheon, a yearly celebration of UTC student scholarship recipients and their academic achievements, included a video thank you from five student scholarship recipients from across campus—Jannat Saeed (Brock Scholar), Justin Strauss (Rollins Scholar), Charlie Jeffries (Paramedical Careers Scholarship), Malik Norwood (Edmonia J. Simmons Scholarship) and Reuben Lowery (Parks McCall Memorial Athletics Scholarship and FCA Scholarship).
  • Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton was one of four athletic directors at the Football Championship Subdivision level to win the Cushman and Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
  • UC Foundation Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Donald Reising was named the 2022 Engineer of the Year by the IEEE Chattanooga Section.
  • Soon-to-be UTC student Devyn Johnson, who will be graduating from Chatt State in May, was the winner of a $1,000 Power C Scholarship. She was featured in a WDEF-TV report about last week’s Chatt State UTC Connect event.
  • Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Rick Dierenfeldt was interviewed by the Times Free Press for a story about police clearance rates.
  • A Master of Public Health class was at a City Council hearing last week on Chattanooga’s draft Climate Action Plan. MPH student Allie Beukema spoke at the hearing and was quoted in the Times Free Press.
  • Walker Center for Teaching and Learning Director Victoria Bryan was featured in a NewsChannel 9 segment about ChatGPT.

Campus Survey for Students

The Office of Title IX will be launching a campus survey for students. All students will receive an email on April 3 inviting them to participate in the survey, which is completely anonymous. Each email contains a unique URL, so students must check their email for their link to participate. Students have from April 3 until midnight on April 24 to complete the survey.

The survey only takes about 15 minutes, but it will have a far-reaching impact for years to come. The survey’s goal is to measure how people of different backgrounds and identities experience our campus and to use that data to further enhance campus programs and services. The more students participate, the deeper our understanding will be about the experiences of students on our campus. Click here to learn more.

Announcing the 2023 BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition

The Department of Art, along with the Institute of Contemporary Art, will host the annual 2023 BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition from March 29-April 22 in the UTC Fine Arts Center.

The annual BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition is the capstone achievement of graduating BFA studio majors, comprised of a public exhibition and artist lecture series, which represents the culmination of two years of intensive artistic and intellectual development for the department’s Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates. This year’s class is a cohort of 24 artists from four BFA studio concentrations—graphic design, painting and drawing, photography and media art, and sculpture.

Another Busy Week at UTC

The next Coffee Chats monthly workshop will take place today (March 28) in Lupton Hall Room 105.

Coffee Chats is a student organization workshop series focused on helping organization leaders refine the skills needed to successfully lead registered student organizations and make a positive impact on our campus (plus free coffee). This month’s workshop will cover how your organization can use Mocsync for officer elections and how to plan and execute effective officer transitions. Click here for more information and to register to attend.

On Wednesday (March 29), the UTC Social Work Program is participating in Social Work Day on the Hill. This is an annual event that highlights the legislative process and the importance of social work in the process.

UTC Social Work is hosting a 2023 Virtual Social Work Day on the Hill “watch party” from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the University Center Signal Mountain Room.

Please join the Division of Advancement for a high-level overview of Mocs Give Day. Two different sessions will take place to educate faculty and staff about what Mocs Give Day is, how it works and how you can be a part.

Mark your calendar to stop by the University Center Raccoon Mountain Room from 10-11 a.m. on Wednesday (March 29) or from 3-4 p.m. on Thursday (March 30). Light refreshments will be provided.

Join faculty and staff in walking “the big lap.” Employee Wellness and the Walker Center for Teaching and Learning are leading walks for faculty and staff around campus during the lunch hour (noon-1 p.m.) on Wednesday (March 29) and next Tuesday (April 4). Meet at the UTC Library by Starbucks to participate.

The Walker Center for Teaching and Learning’s Let’s Talk Books: Guest Series continues with Meghan O’Rourke’s “The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness.” The first 10 people who register will receive a copy of the book.

The series will take place with readings Thursday (March 30) (Part One, Intro-Chapter 9) and April 13 (Parts Two and Three, Chapters 10-20) from 4-5 p.m. in Lupton Hall Room 118. The guest facilitators are Center for Women and Gender Equity Director Sara K. Peters and Disability Resource Center Associate Director Erica Hausler. Register here for the event. For more information, contact Jennifer-Glaab@utc.edu.

UTC’s History Department welcomes Dr. Michael Toomey, a 1980 UTC graduate, and visiting scholar Dr. Charles Hubbard for a discussion of “Lincoln’s Dilemma: Slavery, Morality and Politics.” The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday (March 30) in the Guerry Center Reading Room.

Toomey and Hubbard are recent retirees from Lincoln Memorial University. They will offer brief presentations, engage each other in conversation and answer audience questions.

The next Badge in Applied Politics event will feature Lauren Gilmore, Master of Public Administration candidate and community cultivator at On Point. The event will take place from 9 a.m.-noon on Friday (March 31); breakfast will be provided.

In this session, Gilmore will introduce students to R and R Studio, both of which are free, open-source data analysis and visualization applications that have become some of the most-used tools by researchers and data scientists in recent years. Only a limited number of spaces are available, so register by Wednesday (March 29).

Meet-up for Researchers is an opportunity to share research interests and projects with other faculty, staff, and graduate students and learn more about research and innovation happening at UTC. 

The next event takes place from 11 a.m.-noon on Friday (March 31) in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Mapp Building, 2nd floor) featuring Dr. Sandra Affare, adjunct professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. She will talk about the Agriculture & Nutrition for Girls While Encouraging Leadership & STEM-Enrichment (ANGELS) program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and led by Dr. José M. Barbosa. Lunch will be provided. Contact jennifer-skjellum@utc.edu with questions. Register here to attend.

The Department of Chemistry and Physics will continue its spring seminar series with a lecture by Dr. Michael Kienzler, a member of the University of Connecticut Department of Chemistry, from 3-4 p.m. on Friday (March 31) in Grote Hall Room 411.

The topic: “Small Molecule Photoswitches To Remotely Control Protein Function.”

From left: Student composers Malik Norwood, Christopher Ware, Gabriel Pell and Katherine Fair (photo courtesy of Jonathan McNair)

From left: Student composers Malik Norwood, Christopher Ware, Gabriel Pell and Katherine Fair (photo courtesy of Jonathan McNair)

The UTC Division of Music will present the 2023 Campus Composers Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday (April 3) in the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall. Students, faculty and guest artists will perform new and recent music by UTC music composition students and faculty members. Most of the program selections at the free concert, open to the public, will be their first public performances.

“It is exciting to offer engaging new music created by talented student composers, one of whom is now a prize-winning composer, and the two faculty composers represented on the program have both had their works performed across the U.S. and internationally,” said Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music Jonathan McNair.

College of Arts and Science Diversity Committee to honor Dr. Gale Iles

On Thursday, April 6, the College of Arts and Science Diversity Committee will honor Dr. Gale Iles, associate professor of criminal justice, at a celebration event beginning at 6 p.m. in the UTC Library Roth Grand Reading Room.

The event, free and open to the public, will begin with a presentation by Iles titled “The Symbolism of Lady Justice.” A Q&A and reception will follow. Click here to RSVP.

Protecting Emails Containing Sensitive Information

Any university email that contains the following protected or sensitive information must be encrypted:

  • Protected health information (i.e., patient record information)
  • Personally identifiable information (i.e., Social Security number)
  • Credit card information
  • Any information protected by governmental or institutional regulations

Did you know you can send encrypted emails to other employees in Outlook by putting the word “encrypt” in the subject line of your email? For more information and step-by-step instructions, visit the IT Knowledge Base.

The UT Vault is another method for securing sensitive emails. This tool is especially useful if you are sending a sensitive email to a student, someone with another email service provider, or if someone outside of UT needs to send you sensitive information. The UT Vault is also useful if you need to send an email with a large attachment. Visit UT Knoxville’s OIT webpage for more information.

Let your talent shine in the UTC Color Guard

Join the UTC Color Guard and showcase your talents on a national and international stage. We perform at various events throughout the year and offer opportunities to develop dance, flag and rifle skills while building friendships and leadership abilities.  The Color Guard welcomes individuals from every walk of life and experience and embraces diversity in all forms.

This year, the Marching Mocs have been invited to participate in the 2024 London New Year’s Day Parade in London, England, attracting millions of viewers from around the world.

As an added bonus, UTC Color Guard performers are eligible to receive a stipend. To audition or for information about audition dates and requirements, contact utcbands@gmail.com or visit utc.edu/band.

Student Employee Celebration

Are you a student who also works on campus? If so, the Center for Career and Leadership Development wants to celebrate you. Join us from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, in the University Center Game Room for the Student Employee Celebration. There will be food, games and lots of “Thank You’s” for all your hard work on campus.

All student employees and supervisors of students are invited to this celebration. Check out MocSync for more information or reach out to endia-butler@utc.edu or mandy-mcallister@utc.edu. You can also call (423) 425-4948.

April is Financial Literacy Month

The Department of Finance and Economics will host a virtual financial literacy lecture from noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, featuring Dr. Carly Urban—professor of economics at Montana State University and research fellow at the Institute for Labor Economics. Click here to register.

Financial education is a popular tool to keep up with an ever-evolving and complex financial system. But how has financial education changed behaviors? Which behaviors can and should change and at what cost? This talk will review research findings pertaining to the effectiveness of financial education and for whom financial education is most effective.

Campus Updates

Research Dialogues, Tuesday, April 12, 2022 in the University Center.

The UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference is only a few weeks away, with the event taking place April 12 in the University Center. This conference, which provides a place for students to showcase their academic and creative endeavors, will feature displays, presentations and posters from UTC undergrads, graduate students and faculty. Community college students and community partners are also invited to present.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science is looking for judges for the upcoming Technology Symposium taking place on April 20. All professions and backgrounds are needed.

For more information about the Technology Symposium and to register to be a judge, click here.

Are you a graduate student seeking work on campus? Housing and Residence Life has graduate assistantships. Visit utc.edu/ga and scroll to “Assistantship Job Postings.” 

The 2nd Annual Fly for Researchers pitch competition for UTC faculty and graduate student innovators will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on April 19 at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Mapp Building. This event will spotlight ideas that have the potential to be commercialized or licensed. For more information, email jennifer-skjellum@utc.edu.

The TRIO Upward Bound Math Science program has a summer opportunity for anyone interested in leading a STEM research project/class with high school students.

UBMS hosts a residential summer program for low-income, first-generation, college-bound high school students Monday-Thursday during the month of June. These classes focus on enrichment rather than remediation. UBMS is looking for staff who can introduce STEM concepts to high school students through activities that pique their interests and give them deeper insights into STEM. If you are interested, click here. For more information, click here. 

The International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security—ISDFS 2023—will be held both online and in person at UTC on May 11-12. This symposium has been supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers since 2016. All papers approved by the referees and presented at the symposium will be sent for publication in the IEEE Xplore library. For information or questions, email Asaf-Varol@utc.edu.

Looking ahead

Events posted to this week’s University master calendar include:

Sophomore Garrett Engle was recently selected as the SoCon Golfer of the Week (photo credit: Laura O’Dell/GoMocs.com)

This week’s Mocs Athletics calendar:

  • Wednesday (March 29): Softball vs. Lipscomb (Warner Park), 6 p.m.
  • Friday (March 31): Outdoor Track and Field at UAB Spring Invite (Birmingham, Ala.), All Day
  • Friday (March 31): Beach Volleyball vs. UT Martin (UTC Sports Complex), 11 a.m.
  • Friday (March 31): Beach Volleyball vs. UT Martin (UTC Sports Complex), 3 p.m.
  • Saturday (April 1): Outdoor Track and Field at UAB Spring Invite (Birmingham, Ala.), All Day
  • Saturday (April 1): Men’s Tennis vs. Furman (UTC Tennis Center), noon
  • Saturday (April 1): Beach Volleyball vs. Liberty (UTC Sports Complex), 1 p.m.
  • Saturday (April 1): Softball at Mercer (Macon, Ga.), 2 p.m.
  • Saturday (April 1): Softball at Mercer (Macon, Ga.), 4 p.m.
  • Saturday (April 1): Beach Volleyball vs. Carson-Newman (UTC Sports Complex), 5 p.m.
  • Sunday (April 2): Women’s Golf at the Chattanooga Classic (Black Creek CC), All Day
  • Sunday (April 2): Women’s Tennis vs. UNCG (UTC Tennis Center), 10 a.m.
  • Sunday (April 2): Softball at Mercer (Macon, Ga.), 1 p.m.
  • Sunday (April 2): Men’s Tennis vs. Wofford (UTC Tennis Center), 2 p.m.

Looking back

On Tuesday, March 21, a dual admission agreement between UTC and Chattanooga State Community College was formalized. The Chatt State UTC Connect agreement reiterates a commitment to ensure a smooth transfer of Chattanooga State students to UTC to complete their bachelor’s degree programs.

Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:

  • The Marching Mocs were officially invited to participate in the London New Year’s Day Parade and Festival during a ceremony taking place last Wednesday.
  • The Triple E Awards: Entrepreneurship and Engagement Excellence in Higher Education have chosen the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, part of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, as a finalist in the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team of the Year” category.
  • For the fourth time in eight years, the UTC Mock Trial team has advanced to the national championship tournament. The tournament, which takes place April 14-16 in Memphis at host site Rhodes College, features 48 mock trial teams from across the country.
  • After graduating from UTC in 2020 with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics, the guiding light in Ashwyn Sam’s career path was academia.
  • Dr. Tommie Brown, a former state legislator and professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has donated her personal papers to the UTC Library Special Collections.
  • The 2023 Scholarship Luncheon, hosted by the Division of Advancement, brought nearly 200 people to the University Center Tennessee Room. The event provided an opportunity for students to thank their benefactors and for donors to get to know the students who benefited from their generosity.
  • The Campus Composers Concert “will offer high-level performances by professional musicians on the UTC faculty and guest artists, along with some fine student performers,” said Dr. Jonathan McNair, Ruth S. Holmberg Professor of American Music at UTC.

WUTC Spotlight: The Haley Solomon Show

A recent episode of WUTC Radio’s The Haley Solomon Show featured Ashley Capps, the founder and executive director of Big Ears Festival. The festival, now in its 10th year, takes place Thursday-Sunday (March 30-April 2) in Knoxville.

To secure entry to Big Ears Festival 2023, click here to purchase passes.

Be Well Tip of the Week: Financial Literacy Month

April kicks off Financial Literacy month. Did you know the Financial Wellness Center can help you with anything from budgeting to debt management? We are a resource to all students, alumni, staff and faculty.

Quick tips for jumpstarting your financial journey:

  • Track your spending: Use a mobile app, excel budget template, or create your own.
  • Start saving no matter the amount: Use convenient features from your financial institution or start with a dollar a week.
  • Ask for help: If there is an area you consistently struggle in, ask for advice from a friend, family member or a trusted resource.

Finances can be hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Feel free to reach out to us at FinancialWellness@UTC.edu.
 

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