November 17-23, 2026
Updates and news for the week of November 17-23, 2026
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
All aboard: Mocs to Memphis (and points in between)
The Mocs to Memphis (and points in between) initiative provides safe and affordable charter bus transportation during selected school breaks for UTC students living in Nashville, Jackson, Memphis or surrounding areas. The cost is $55 per seat for either one-way or round-trip travel.
Upcoming transportation dates include:
- Thanksgiving Break: Depart Wednesday, Nov. 25, and return Sunday, Nov. 29. Registration closes Friday, Nov. 20.
- Winter Break: Depart Wednesday, Dec. 9, and return Sunday, Jan. 17.
- Spring Break: Depart Saturday, March 20, and return Sunday, March 28.
Buses departing UTC will leave from Lancing Court on Terrell Owens Way at 9 a.m. Eastern time, with stops in Nashville, Jackson and Memphis. Return trips will leave Memphis at 11:30 a.m. Central time, stop in Jackson and Nashville, and arrive on campus at approximately 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Students are limited to one suitcase stored under the bus and one small carry-on item. A separate reservation is required for each trip, and students should use the personal email account and password they used when applying to UTC to purchase a ticket. Riders should also plan to arrive early at their pickup location and arrange for timely transportation from their drop-off location, as buses cannot wait with individual students. Click here for more information and to buy your ticket.
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UTC named one of Tennessee’s top universities for military-connected students
UTC has been recognized by Military Times as one of the nation’s top universities for veterans and military-connected students, placing second among Tennessee universities in the publication’s 2026 Best for Vets: Colleges rankings.
Military Times recognized 370 colleges and universities across the U.S. in this year’s rankings, up from 357 in 2025. The rankings evaluate how institutions serve service members, veterans and military families from application through graduation.
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Outstanding People of UTC
 Dr. Kimberly Wingate (left) and Dr. Stephanie Brennan 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 $536,900 in external grant and contract awards during the month and submitted proposals for the potential to generate over $33,184,896 in external funding, if awarded.
Among those receiving awards in October were Dr. Kimberly Wingate and Dr. Stephanie Brennan (School of Education), who received $301,090 from the Tennessee Department of Education for the project titled “UTC Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program (RTAP) Expansion Grant Application.”
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 Dr. Ashley Schilling Dr. Ashley Schilling, the Sharon Vanderbilt Professor of Physical Therapy in the UTC Department of Physical Therapy, is researching pediatric movement. As a board-certified pediatric physical therapy specialist, she combined her passion for pediatric care with cycling to help identify appropriate adaptive cycling equipment for children with neuromuscular disabilities.
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UTC K-9 handlers Sgt. Aaron Bayer and Cpl. Ginger Dockery, law enforcement officers and first responders took part in an Operational K-9 Emergency Care and Transport course at UTC on Friday, Nov. 6, with a few UTC pre-veterinary students also attending.
Offered in partnership with the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and LIFE FORCE Air Medical, the course combined classroom instruction with hands-on training in emergency care for working dogs. Topics included airway management, hemorrhage control, chest trauma, burns, poisonings and other medical emergencies.
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 Dr. Courtney Crittenden (right) tables at a Love, Period. event. Photo courtesy of Courtney Crittenden. In 2019, Dr. Courtney Crittenden led a Sunday school class at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Athens, Tennessee, which sparked an idea. A biblical passage about menstruation led her to research period poverty, or the lack of access to affordable menstrual products. Crittenden brought the issue to her church community, where four other women offered to help. Together, they founded Love, Period., a ministry that provides free menstrual products to people across East Tennessee.
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Check out these Mocs in the news:
- A Livability article about UTC’s computer science degree programs featured two-time UTC alum and TVA software engineer Cristian Rudas.
- Director of the UTC Nanoengineering Center Murat Barisik was featured in a Science Magazine article about Tennessee’s expanding role in additive manufacturing technology.
- Center for Regional Economic Research Director Howard Wall spoke to the Times Free Press about future job gains in Chattanooga.
Mark Your Calendar
This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:
- DATE: Sport vs. opponent, site, x p.m. SOCCER PLAYS AT FINLEY!!!
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Scrappy’s Market will offer free, fresh produce to students from 2-4 p.m. on today (Nov. 17) on Vine Street near Derthick Hall or in the University Center second-floor lobby, depending on weather. Check MocSync for location updates.
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The Gary W. Rollins College of Business will host Ladder or Lottery at 4:25 p.m. today (Nov. 17) in Derthick Hall. Dr. Gary Hoover will draw from his book to explore economic mobility, the social contract and how much control people have over their position on the economic spectrum.
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 The cast of the UTC Theatre Co.’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” includes Thatcher Schulmeister (left) as Robin Goodfellow/Puck and Jacob Belcher as Nick Bottom. Photo courtesy of UTC Theatre Co. The UTC Theatre Co.’s production of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” takes audiences from the ordered city of Athens into an enchanted forest where lovers, fairies and amateur actors collide.
Directed by Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing Drew Davidson, the production will be presented at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Nov. 17) through Saturday, Nov. 21, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Nov. 21, in the Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fine Arts Center.
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here and through the UTC Fine Arts Center Box Office, either in person or by phone at 423-425-4269. Tickets are $20 for general admission (plus service fees) and $15 for students with a valid student ID and seniors.The Fine Arts Center is located at 752 Vine St. Parking is available in the adjacent Lupton Hall Parking Garage (700 Vine St.).
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The UTC Center for Applied Geospatial Data Science and the City of Chattanooga GIS Division will co-host Chattanooga GIS Day 2026 from 10-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Multidisciplinary Research Building Auditorium, 701 E. M.L. King Blvd.
Andrew J. Van Slyke, an underwater archaeologist specializing in shipwrecks and maritime cultural landscapes, will present “Submerged Landscapes and Sunken Ships: Mapping the Underwater Cultural Heritage.” The presentation will explore how geospatial technology, marine remote sensing and GIS are used to discover, document and preserve submerged cultural heritage and historic shipwrecks, with examples from Jamaica and the Tennessee River in Chattanooga.
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The Gary W. Rollins College of Business will hold virtual information sessions for the Master of Business Administration, MS Management, MS Data Analytics, Business Analytics Certificate, and Master of Accountancy graduate programs. The Rollins College of Business graduate programs provide flexible course options and exclusive career support resources to elevate your education and advance your career.
MBA Information Sessions
Business Analytics Certificate Information Sessions
MSDA Information Sessions
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The Pouring for Purpose Gallery will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, in University Center Room 315, formerly the Chickamauga Room.
The gallery will showcase artwork created during the recent Pouring for Purpose painting event, with proceeds benefiting Bridge Outdoors.
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The Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science is hosting its fall 2026 seminar series every Monday from 12:40-1:35 p.m. in Holt Hall Room 229. Events are open to all.
Fall 2026 speakers include:
- Nov. 23: Dr. Jane Kenney-Hunt, Department of Biology, Valparaiso University
- Nov. 30: Speaker to be announced
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UTC faculty and staff are invited to try the Aquatic and Recreation Center for free on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Faculty and staff who purchase a membership that day can receive access for December and January for $25, the cost of a one-month membership.
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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.
Welcome to UTC
The following employees joined UTC in May:
- Caitlan Hendrickson – Ombudsperson, Chancellor’s Office
- Akhil Reddy Peeketi – Postdoctoral Researcher, Mechanical Engineering
- Megan Slatton – Instructional Designer, Gary W. Rollins College of Business
- Audra Teresa Bean – Housing Facilities General Custodial Technician Supervisor, Housing Administration
- Brittany Lockwood – Assistant Director of Regional Engagement, UTC Foundation
- Timothy Eugene Lawson – Groundskeeper, Men’s Golf
- Ariel Beam – Assistant Athletic Trainer, Athletic Training Medical
- Yolanda Berduo Perez – Senior Custodian, Building Services
- Beth Langford – Assistant Bursar Fees, Bursar’s Office
Campus Updates
Faculty and staff are invited to serve as marshals for UTC’s fall commencement ceremonies. Volunteers can indicate which ceremony or ceremonies they are available to support. Sign up to serve as a commencement marshal.
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 Terrence Banks with his First Year Experience class. A Moc’s First Year (AMFY) is seeking instructors interested in teaching a first-year seminar in fall 2027. AMFY courses help new students transition to UTC by building connections, supporting academic success and introducing students to campus resources and opportunities.
Instructors have the opportunity to develop meaningful connections with students in a small-class environment while sharing their expertise, interests and experiences. Returning instructors and those interested in teaching AMFY for the first time are encouraged to apply.
Instructor applications are due Friday, Dec. 11. Apply here. Visit the AMFY website for more information. For questions or to discuss the program, contact Dr. Delight Yokley.
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Spaces and scholarships are still available for a spring break study abroad experience from March 19-28, 2027.
Students will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, meet with German and Polish Holocaust scholars, learn about Jewish life in Europe before and after the Holocaust, and examine how the past has been remembered and memorialized. Students from all majors are welcome and must enroll in HIST 3280, The Holocaust, during the spring semester. For more information, contact Dr. John Swanson.
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The Chattanooga AI Summit will bring together business leaders, educators and technology professionals on Thursday, Dec. 3, at Erlanger Park, home of the Chattanooga Lookouts.
The daylong event will explore how artificial intelligence is changing the workplace, education and the community, with speakers and interactive workshops covering AI tools, workplace integration, privacy and security, and technology adoption. Attendees will also learn about AI initiatives underway across Chattanooga, including work at UTC.
The UTC Center for Professional Education is supporting the event. Learn more, view the agenda and register.
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The UT Innovative Technologies Symposium is seeking presenters for its 2027 conference, taking place March 23-25 at the Knoxville Convention Center.
Higher education professionals from across Tennessee are invited to submit proposals highlighting innovative IT solutions, collaborations, research, education and more. Topics include:
- AI in higher education
- Leadership and professional development
- Infrastructure and security
- Research computing
- Automation and application development
- Teaching with technology
- DASH and Oracle Cloud ERP
Proposals may be submitted for presentations, hands-on workshops or panel discussions.
The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, Dec. 11.
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Math Kangaroo, an annual international mathematics competition for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, is returning to UTC. Registration is now open for the competition, which will take place from 5-6:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2027, in Grote Hall.
UTC’s competition center is open to Tennessee students in grades K-12 and has a capacity of 50 participants. Kindergarten students will take the Grade 1 test and must be able to read and work independently.
Regular registration is $20 through Thursday, Dec. 31, with late registration available for $35 from Friday, Jan. 1, through Monday, Feb. 1. All registered students will receive mathematical gifts and participation ribbons, with additional awards available for top performers nationally and statewide.
Click here to learn more and register. For questions, contact Dr. Tatiana Allen, UC Foundation Professor of Physics and associate department head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
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Have a rock, mineral or fossil you’d like identified? The UTC Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science is hosting free identification nights on Mondays every four weeks from 5-7 p.m. on the first floor of Grote Hall (701 Vine St.).
Visitors should enter through the double doors on the exterior of the building. Free parking is available in Lot 10 after 5 p.m.
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The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters are returning to Chattanooga on Friday, Jan. 29, at McKenzie Arena. The show will feature basketball skills, trick shots, laughs and family-friendly entertainment. Click here to purchase tickets.
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Measles is highly contagious—even more so than COVID-19. To ensure campus is healthy, it is vital that you know your immune status by verifying your vaccination records or laboratory proof of immunity.
Take action today:
- Check your status: Log in to the UTC Medicat Patient Portal to review your records.
- Need a blood titer? If you do not have documentation of immunity through vaccination, call UTC Health Services at 423-425-2266 to schedule a blood test.
- Titers can be billed through insurance or paid out of pocket for $11
- Feeling sick? Do not walk into the clinic. Call first to help protect others.
UTC reports that 98% of students on campus have immunity, which serves as a strong shield for the community. Having immunity significantly reduces the chances of getting measles and keeps you from needing to be quarantined for up to 21 days if you are exposed.
Click here for more information.
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The National Science Foundation Noyce Track 2 fellowship project is accepting applications from STEM-degreed professionals to prepare to teach secondary mathematics and science through the Master of Education degree program. Please contact Deborah McAllister or click this link for project details.
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The Counseling Center has partnered with Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center to offer extended services on the UTC campus. Parkridge at UTC is open from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and offers individual therapy, group therapy and intensive outpatient services for students, faculty and staff.
The Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center is located off the UC Foundation Apartments courtyard (Suite 5217). To schedule an initial appointment, call 423-468-5213. Students who are already receiving services through the UTC Counseling Center are encouraged to speak with their provider about whether Parkridge at UTC is a good fit for their needs.
UTC Newsroom
For first-generation college students at UTC, earning a degree means more than reaching graduation. It represents years of learning to navigate college, find support and build a path that once felt unfamiliar.
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Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
WUTC
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IN Memoriam
Dr. Finn Bille, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga adjunct professor, poet and author, passed away Oct. 21, 2026, at the age of 84. Bille taught at UTC in both the English and Health and Human Services Departments from the late 1970’s through the early 1990’s. He also taught at Chattanooga State and the Baylor School. An accomplished writer and member of the Chattanooga Writers’ Guild, he was also known for his contributions to the region’s literary and educational communities. His full obituary is available here. * * * * *
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.
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