Updates and news for the week of November 14 – 20, 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.

UTC News  |  UTC Events Calendar  |  Campus Updates

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Don’t forget to register for commencement tickets!

UTC is excited to host fall 2023 commencement to celebrate graduates’ achievements, with ceremonies taking place over two days:

  • Friday, Dec. 15: Graduate School, 2:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 16: College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering and Computer Science, 9 a.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 16: Gary W. Rollins College of Business and College of Health, Education and Professional Studies, 1 p.m.

Due to McKenzie Arena construction limiting attendance capacity, students must register in advance to get tickets for themselves, family and friends. Please complete the survey from the Registrar’s Office to walk at commencement and request tickets to enter McKenzie Arena.

It’s International Education Week

Join the Center for Global Education for International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education recognizing the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

Every fall, UTC celebrates IEW through special events related to international learning, leadership and exchange. IEW events celebrate cultural diversity, global awareness and the value that international scholars and students bring to campus communities. Attend events listed below for a chance to win a sweatshirt.

NREA national conference taking place in Chattanooga

Photo credit: Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau

Photo credit: Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau

The National Forum to Advance Rural Education will be held Thursday and Friday (Nov. 16-17) at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Hosted by the National Rural Education Association and the Rural Schools Collaborative, the event is designed to create an environment for collaboration and innovation with a diverse community that includes national experts, K-12 and higher education practitioners, leading researchers, policymakers, and philanthropic leaders from around the country.

Submit Your Events for the Winter Welcome Calendar

The Office of Student and Family Engagement is excited to announce the dates for our Spring Welcome Week: Jan. 8-12, 2024.

During the week, we offer a wide variety of events for our students. If you are hosting an event or program during the first week of classes, please consider submitting your event to the official  calendar found on the Winter Welcome website.

  • To submit an event, please complete this form.
  • The priority deadline for the Winter Welcome calendar is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. The final deadline to submit events is 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5.

Email kidron-bullock@utc.edu with questions.

Beating the drum to Beat Hunger

Members of the UTC Percussion Ensemble, including (from left) From left: Lucas Marsicano, Scott Keil, Logan Brown, Trevor Kight, Corbin Winters, Roland Pullen and Colton Brown, will Beat Hunger in support of Scrappy's Cupboard.

Members of the UTC Percussion Ensemble, including (from left) Lucas Marsicano, Scott Keil, Logan Brown, Trevor Kight, Corbin Winters, Roland Pullen and Colton Brown, will Beat Hunger in support of Scrappy’s Cupboard.

The UTC Percussion Ensemble annually hosts a concert/food drive on the Monday before Thanksgiving. This year’s Beat Hunger concert, taking place at 7:30 p.m. on Monday (Nov. 20) in the Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall, is partnering with Scrappy’s Cupboard to raise food for students on campus.

Admission to the concert is two cans of non-perishable food items or any other donation to Scrappy’s Cupboard. Click here to find the list of approved items.

The UTC Percussion Ensemble is a chamber music group comprised of music and non-music majors. At the Beat Hunger event, everyone will get to hear the beautiful sound of the marimba paired with the thundering sound of drums—and also get to hear our amazing students play percussion solos throughout the concert.

The outstanding people of UTC

Congratulations to UTC faculty and staff who received awards or submitted proposals for sponsored programs in October. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced that faculty and staff attracted $17,789 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $1,009,122 in external funding, if awarded.

Among those receiving awards in October was Health and Human Performance Associate Professor Jennifer Hogg (pictured), who received $13,789 from Trazer, Inc. for the project titled, “Reliability & Validity of Trazer XP.”

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Biochemistry major Zayda Dominick and Assistant Professor Benjamin Stein

Biochemistry major Zayda Dominick and Assistant Professor Benjamin Stein

In late October, Zayda Dominick and 13 other UTC undergraduates, accompanied by faculty from the Department of Chemistry and Physics, had the opportunity to present the results of their research at the Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Durham, North Carolina. Dominick, who presented research she began during her freshman year titled “Understanding how NtrZ affects NtrY in Caulobacter crescentus,” received an undergraduate poster award.

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Check out these Mocs making a difference:

  • The Times Free Press came to the Challenger STEM Learning Center on Friday for “Pouring for Purpose: Building Pathways to Ethics and Equity.”  The event, organized by Assistant Professor Katelyn Hancock, was a pour-painting collaboration between UTC criminal justice students and University High juniors.
  • To help promote Sunday’s UTC Symphony Orchestra concert, seniors Meaghan Hibbs and Sarita Jetton were guests on WDEF’s Let’s Chatt morning show.
  • Three UTC Police Department officers—Gassim Abazid, Jeffrey Muzyn and Jason Tillison—have been promoted to corporal.
  • Soccer midfielder Birna Johannsdottir was named the Southern Conference women’s soccer Player of the Month for October.

Mark your calendar

Senior Maegan Whitlock, left, and junior Calista Geralds

Senior Maegan Whitlock, left, and junior Calista Geralds star in “Alabaster”

A darkly comic Southern drama about love, art and the power of women will soon be coming to the Fine Arts Center’s Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre stage. The UTC Theatre Co. continues its 2023-2024 season with “Alabaster,” written by award-winning playwright and Alabama native Audrey Cefaly.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14-18, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday (Nov. 18). Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Box Office—in person or by phone (423-425-4369). Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.

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The College of Engineering and Computer Science is hosting two graduate program informational sessions this week. If you’re interested in Graduate School and want to learn more, we will discuss our programs in Engineering, Engineering Management and Computer Science. Bring any questions you may have, and food will be provided.

The following sessions will take place in the Maytag Room (Engineering and Computer Science Room 426):

  • Today (Nov. 14): 2:45 p.m.
  • Thursday (Nov. 16): 4:45 p.m.

Email Mackenzie-L-Clark@utc.edu with questions and to RSVP.

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Please join UTC’s Interdisciplinary Geospatial Technologies Lab (IGTLab) for GIS Day on Wednesday (Nov. 15)—a day for users of GIS technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society. Calendar

GIS Day will take place from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Multidisciplinary Research Building, including a workshop and special guest Sunny Fleming—a UTC alum and environment lead at Esri. This event is open to all UTC students, faculty and staff and the general public. To learn more, click here.

Please RSVP here so the IGTLab knows how many visitors to expect.

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The UTC Department of Political Science and Public Service will be hosting a November PSPS Sweet Research series, where PSPS faculty share their research and favorite desserts. Everyone is welcome to bring a lunch. All Sweet Research events take place from noon-12:50 p.m. in the 540 McCallie Building Room 462D. Upcoming events include:

  • Wednesday (Nov. 15): Dr. RJ Groh, “Diaspora Reimagined: Understanding the Generational Component to Victim Diaspora”
  • Wednesday, Nov. 29: Dr. Michelle Deardorff, “Rethinking Political Science Education: American Political Science Association’s Presidential Taskforce Preliminary Report”

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The Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures will host a general information meeting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 15) in Lupton Hall Room 239 for students interested in a summer 2024 study abroad program in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The program will be explained in detail, including options for scholarships and other forms of aid. Please bring your questions (or even better, send them by email in advance). Also, bring friends or classmates you think could be interested. Everybody is welcome. Calendar

Located 22 miles northeast of Madrid, Alcalá de Henares is UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. Students go for a month (June, 9 credit hours) or two months (June-July, 15 credit hours). Courses embrace different aspects of language, culture and literature and include diverse content like arts, film, gastronomy, politics and sports. Students interested should email jose-luis-gastanaga@utc.edu to discuss the benefits of a study abroad program and the details of this program in particular.

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Everyone is invited to celebrate the commitment of our students, their stated goals and what they will continue to do to impact UTC and the Chattanooga community at the Moc LEAD graduation celebration and reception, taking place from 1:45-3 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 16) in University Center Chattanooga Room C. Calendar

The fall 2023 cohort of the Moc LEAD Self-Awareness Experience has spent the last 10 weeks putting a magnifying glass on their “why” statements, values, strengths and pertinent leadership practices. Through experiential workshops, reflection prompts and exercises, each active participant has grown in skills such as adaptability, accountability, authenticity, communication and relationship building.

  • RSVP is not required but highly appreciated. Refreshments and dessert will be served.
  • A program beginning at 2:05 p.m. will include brief remarks from select Moc LEAD Self-Awareness Experience graduates and special guest Shadrina Booker, director of community engagement for the City of Chattanooga.

Email Daniel-Grzesik@utc.edu, the director of Leadership Development and Programs, if you have any questions, or call 423-425-4252. To learn more about Moc LEAD, click here.

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The post-Halloween Philosophical Horror Film Fest, sponsored by the UTC Department of Philosophy and Religion, will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday (Nov. 16) in the University Center Auditorium. Calendar

Come for free pizza and candy and watch films created by UTC students—with prizes being awarded for the top films.

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The Office of Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research (OPEIR) is hosting a series of workshops for faculty to learn about and be guided through the policy for proposing a new academic degree program at UTC. These workshops will cover the various stages of the process and feature guest speakers from departments on campus as well as the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). RSVP is not required but will help with planning and communication of events.

Upcoming sessions:

  • Thursday (Nov. 16): General information and assistance workshop, UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m., Calendar
  • Thursday, Nov. 30: Allison Evans (Budget and Finance), Joel Wells (University Registrar) and Rebecca Dragoo (Associate Registrar), UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m., Calendar
  • Thursday, Dec. 14: General information and assistance workshop, UTC Library Room 118A, 2:30 p.m., Calendar

For further information, email kelli-baker@utc.edu, program coordinator for OPEIR, or call 423- 425-2216.

Notice of Final Defense: Upcoming Research Presentation

The UTC Graduate School announced that the following student will be presenting final works of research as an advanced degree candidate.

Campus Updates

A message from UTC Transportation Services

UT Safety and Risk Management has created an online portal for vehicle accident and incident reporting. This applies to accidents or damage while driving a University-owned vehicle, a rental vehicle or a personal-owned vehicle while on official University business. The attached PDF instructions review the steps to take after being involved in an accident as well as the information needed to report the accident to the State of Tennessee Call Center (855-253-0629) when a vehicle not owned by UT is also involved. Note: If the Call Center is not contacted, a fine of $1,000 may apply.

Please click here for the Campus Updates post. For additional information, email  Motorpool@utc.edu or Debby-Corey@utc.edu.

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Math Kangaroo, an international mathematics competition, is returning to UTC.

Math Kangaroo 2024, open to students in grades 1-12, will be held at UTC at 5:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024. Information about the competition and registration can be found on the Math Kangaroo website.

The deadline for registration is Friday, Dec. 15. The registration fee is $21 per student, and financial assistance is available.

Please share this message, the event PDF and the registration information PDF with anyone who might be interested in participating. For more information, click here. If you are new to this program, please read Math Kangaroo History.

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Free short-term physical therapy services are available for UTC students, faculty and staff.

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.

Looking ahead

Soccer midfielder Birna Johannsdottir was named the Southern Conference women's soccer Player of the Month for October.

Soccer midfielder Birna Johannsdottir was named the Southern Conference women’s soccer Player of the Month for October.

This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:

  • Today (Nov. 14): Men’s basketball vs. Bellarmine, McKenzie Arena, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday (Nov. 18): Women’s basketball vs. UVA Wise, McKenzie Arena, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday (Nov. 19): Men’s basketball vs. Tennessee Tech, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.

Looking back

Twelve UTC accounting students recently participated in a daylong forensic accounting exercise thanks to a collaboration between the Gary W. Rollins College of Business and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division.

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

Tales from the UTC PodLab

Lily Ford, left, and Helene Haile

Lily Ford, left, and Helene Haile

“Tennessee Valley Across the Table” is a student-led podcast that brings locals, often strangers with different views, together to learn who we are as people. It is inspired by StoryCorps’ One Small Step program.

In 2022, community members came to the UTC PodLab and opened their lives with stories about their families, their politics and their hopes for the future. This year, UTC Honors students, under the direction of Will Davis, studied the recordings and chose the material that most resonated with them. This episode by UTC history and international studies student Jeneva Midgett features a conversation between Lily Ford and Helene Haile.

You can subscribe to “Tennessee Valley Across the Table” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

WUTC Spotlight: Randy Boyd on Rural Education

UT System President Randy Boyd (photo credit: UT System)

UT System President Randy Boyd (photo credit: UT System)

The National Forum to Advance Rural Education will be held Thursday and Friday (Nov. 16-17) at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

UT System President Randy Boyd will give the welcome on the first day of the conference. He recently was a guest on WUTC-FM’s Scenic Roots to talk about rural education.

Center for Wellbeing Medication Take Back Event

The Center for Wellbeing is holding a Medication Take Back Event from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the University Center Lobby. Stop by their table to drop off unused or expired medication and let them dispose it for you. They will also be providing Deterra medication disposal packs for home disposal and free prescription lockboxes—which keep your medications safe and ensures only the person prescribed the medication has access to it.

Bring expired or unused prescription, over-the-counter, or pet meds to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card.

Why should you participate?

  • Flushing and throwing away medication pollutes our water system.
  • Leaving unused medications around provides an opportunity for misuse by others.
  • Sharing prescribed medication is illegal and dangerous.
  • It keeps you organized and frees space in your cabinets.

The collection process:

  • Please bring prescriptions in the original containers with your personal information crossed out.
  • Bring prescription, over-the-counter and even pet medication.
  • DO NOT bring needles, IV bags or radioactive medications. Contact your health care provider for information regarding disposal of these items.

This initiative is aimed at providing our community with a safe way to dispose of expired or unused medication. UTC also has a permanent disposal box located at the UTC Police Department.
 

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