November 3-9, 2026

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

UTC News  |  UTC Events Calendar  |  Campus Updates  |  In the Media

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Highlights

IT’S MOCS2K

Homecoming 2026 is here! Students, alumni, faculty, staff and the Chattanooga community are invited to celebrate MOCS2K through Saturday, Nov. 7, with a week of events and UTC traditions.

The 4th Annual Homecoming Food Fight will take place through Saturday, Nov. 7, giving UTC students, faculty and staff the opportunity to support Scrappy’s Cupboard.

Homecoming Week will conclude with Mocs Football vs. Mercer at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Finley Stadium. Cheer on the Mocs during the Homecoming game and watch the halftime presentation, when the 2026 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced.

Visit the UTC Homecoming page for the full calendar of events, including a “Party Like a Moc-Star” block party, recycled CD painting, lip sync and much more.

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CHEER ON THE MOCS IN THE HOMECOMING PARADE

Mark your calendar to watch the Homecoming parade on Friday, Nov. 6. You are invited to line Vine Street at 4:30 p.m. to watch the parade that will come down the street beginning at 5 p.m. As the parade passes, follow the route to Chamberlain Field for a pep rally, which will include entertainment by DJ Redd and special guests Terrell “T.O.” Owens and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. Food and drink vendors will be available for purchase. RSVP here to start your Homecoming weekend off in blue and gold style.

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Terrell Owens Returns to UTC for Homecoming 2026

Terrell Owens

UTC football legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens returns to Chattanooga for Homecoming 2026 with a week of community engagement and campus activities. Owens, a Mocs standout from 1992 to 1995, will visit local schools, reaching approximately 2,000 students with messages of perseverance and hard work.

On Friday, Nov. 6, Owens will host a meet-and-greet and launch his T.O. + UTC apparel collection from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Mocs Bookstore, followed by a documentary premiere and Q&A in the University Center Auditorium. He will also serve as a grand marshal of the 5 p.m. Homecoming Parade and help provide 1,000 complimentary game tickets to local students, teachers and families.

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UTC Selected for National Mobility Design Challenge

UTC’s SAE CivicProgress Challenge team poses with the rolling chassis provided by General Motors. Top row, from left: Morgan Zukas, Ryan Haye, Phoenix Moore, Logan Pendergrass, Carson Hendricks, UC Foundation Professor Trevor Elliott and Dr. James Newman, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Bottom row, from left: Nathan Moser, Joseph Dawson and Garren Lockhart. Photo by Angela Foster.

UTC was one of 12 universities nationwide selected to participate in the SAE CivicProgress Challenge, a multi-year design challenge focused on developing mobility solutions for wheelchair users and other people with disabilities. SAE International, in collaboration with General Motors, created the challenge, emphasizing “innovation, accessibility and sustainable mobility while preparing students for real-world engineering challenges.”

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Complete the Student Experience Survey

Mocs students, you will be receiving an email this week about the Student Experience Survey. This survey is administered to all students across the UT System to learn about your current needs, well-being and preferences, and we need everyone’s help in completing the five-minute questionnaire. Click here to go to the survey. Student feedback informs us about the Mocs experience and helps identify opportunities for the future. Students are encouraged to complete the survey by Friday, Nov. 6.

Outstanding People of UTC

Dr. Murat Barisik

UTC’s Nanoengineering Center, a research center within the UTC Research Institute, has received a $600,000 award to contribute advanced computational modeling expertise to an Army-supported research project focused on developing and manufacturing advanced materials for demanding applications. Dr. Murat Barisik, director of the Nanoengineering Center and an associate professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is leading UTC’s work on the project.

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Dr. Meagan Oslund

Dr. Meagan Oslund, an occupational therapist who helps lead the UTC College of Nursing’s MobileMOC, has received the 2026 Mobile Health Clinics Innovation Award from the Mobile Healthcare Association (MHA).

The award, announced at the MHA’s annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri, recognizes an individual or organization that has made significant, innovative contributions to a mobile health program and the field.

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UTC’s Center for Applied Geospatial Data Science, including Director Charlie Mix and Assistant Director Nyssa Hunt, was featured by Esri for their use of imagery and geoAI to guide urban tree canopy restoration in Chattanooga. Mix was also introduced by Esri as a judge in the 2026 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition.

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Check out these Mocs in the news:

• A Teknovation.biz article featured students Katelyn Hamilton and Autumn Reagan, who participated in the UTC fall research pitch competition.
• Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Elizabeth O’Brien joined Jed & JR Mornings to discuss how parents should handle their children seeing distressing content in the news.
• Heather Thach, learning technology specialist in UTC’s Walker Center for Teaching and Learning, spoke to Local 3 News about the future of AI in the workplace.
• A Times Free Press article mentioned UTC’s national recognition for transportation technology research, including its third-place finish in a U.S. Department of Transportation competition.
• UC Foundation Associate Professor of Political Science Saeid Golkar spoke to The Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera about the war in Iran.
• Center for Regional Economic Research Director Howard Wall talked to NewsChannel 9 about sales tax in Catoosa County.

Mark Your Calendar

Photo credit: Ray Soldano

This week’s Mocs home athletics calendar:

• Thursday, Nov. 5: Volleyball vs. Mercer, Maclellan Gym, 6 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 6: Volleyball vs. Mercer, Maclellan Gym, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Men’s Tennis UTC Alumni Match, UTC Tennis Center, all day
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Women’s Tennis UTC Alumni Day, UTC Tennis Center, all day
• Saturday, Nov. 7: Football vs. Mercer, Finley Stadium, 1 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 8: Women’s Basketball vs. Florida, McKenzie Arena, 2 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 9: Men’s Basketball vs. Covenant, McKenzie Arena, 7 p.m.

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Learn about the “Doing Business in Germany” study abroad course for spring 2027 during one of several upcoming virtual information sessions. Open to all UTC students with no prerequisites, the course includes a two-week study trip to Berlin, Wolfsburg and Cologne in May 2027 and is led by Dr. Michael Jones, senior associate dean of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.

• Today (Nov. 3): 4:15 p.m., Zoom
• Wednesday, Nov. 4: 12:30 p.m., Zoom
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: 4 p.m., Zoom

Students earn three credit hours on the undergraduate level (MGT 4950) or graduate level (MGT 5950). For more information, contact COBInternational@utc.edu or visit COB International Programs.

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Scrappy’s Market offers free, fresh produce to students from 2-4 p.m. on Vine Street near Derthick Hall or in the University Center second-floor lobby, depending on weather. Check MocSync for location updates. Fall market dates include:

• Wednesday, Nov. 4
• Tuesday, Nov. 17

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The Keese Lecture Series will welcome Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, legal director of the ACLU of Tennessee, for “Inside a Supreme Court Case” at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, in the Guerry Center Reading Room.

Cameron-Vaughn will discuss his involvement in United States v. Skrmetti, a Supreme Court case concerning gender-affirming care, and share his perspective on constitutional litigation and civil rights advocacy.

The event is co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences,  UTC Honors College, Walker Center for Teaching and Learning, Department of History, and the Women, Gender and Sexuality studies program. It is open to all UTC community members, and no registration is required.

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Myra Ann Thomas, Travis Chapel Methodist Church, Cleveland, Georgia, 2016. Photo by Chris Aluka Berry.

Documentary photographer Chris Aluka Berry and oral historian, writer and poet Kelly Elaine Navies will visit UTC on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Friday, Nov. 6, for public events connected to Berry’s exhibition, “Affrilachia: Testimonies,” at the Institute of Contemporary Art Chattanooga.

Berry and Navies will take part in “Affrilachia: Testimonies in Text and Image” on Thursday, Nov. 5. A reception will begin at 5 p.m. at ICA Chattanooga, followed by a public conversation at 6 p.m. in the Card Family Auditorium. Berry will return for a First Friday book signing from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6.

“Affrilachia: Testimonies,” an eight-year photographic survey of Black Appalachian life and culture, will be on display through Friday, Dec. 4, at ICA Chattanooga in the Fine Arts Center.

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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.

MSM Information Sessions

• Friday, Nov. 6: Noon: Register Here
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Noon: Register Here … 5 p.m.: Register Here

MAcc Information Sessions

• Tuesday, Nov. 10: Noon: Register Here … 5 p.m.: Register Here

MSDA Information Sessions

• Thursday, Nov. 12: Noon: Register Here … 5 p.m.: Register Here
• Friday, Nov. 20: Noon: Register Here

MBA Information Sessions

• Friday, Nov. 13: Noon: Register Here
• Wednesday, Nov. 18: Noon: Register Here … 5 p.m.: Register Here

Business Analytics Certificate Information Sessions

• Thursday, Nov. 19: Noon: Register Here … 5 p.m.: Register Here

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Love history? Explore careers in digital curation, archives and libraries during an online panel discussion at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, via Zoom.

Panelists Carolyn Runyon, director of Special Collections at the UTC Library; Al Salatka, director of Acquisitions and Content Management at the UTC Library; and Yingying Han, assistant professor in the UT Knoxville School of Information Sciences, will discuss their career paths, advice for current students and graduate school opportunities, including UT Knoxville’s ALA-accredited MSIS program.

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The UTC I-O Psychology M.S. program will hold its annual River Cities I-O Psychology and Talent Management Science Conference on Saturday, Nov. 7, at UTC.

This year’s theme, “Work in an Age of Division: Understanding and Addressing Social and Political Tensions at Work,” will explore how social and political divisions affect the workplace.

Visit the conference website for the full schedule, speaker information and registration details. For questions, contact Dr. Chris Cunningham, conference chair.

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Join Mocs Recovery for the next Recovery Allyship Training for faculty and staff from 10-11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, in the Center for Wellbeing’s new location, University Center Room 318. Attendees should enter through the foyer in Room 316.

Register through K@TE. Student Recovery Allyship sessions will launch this spring, with more information to come through MocSync.

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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. 9: Prof. John Tucker, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, UTC
• Nov. 16: Ryan Davenport, University of New Hampshire
• Nov. 23: Dr. Jane Kenney-Hunt, Department of Biology, Valparaiso University
• Nov. 30: Speaker to be announced

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The UTC School Psychology Program will celebrate National School Psychology Week with an open house from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, in Hunter Hall Room 104.

This year’s National School Psychology Week theme, “Inspire Connection,” highlights the role school psychologists play in building relationships that support students, families and school communities. Attendees can tour the School Psychology suite and libraries, examine assessment materials, connect with current students and enjoy free snacks. For questions, email Amanda Hardin or call 423-425-4540.

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The George C. Connor Professorship and Department of English will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” with a free public lecture at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9, in the University Center Tennessee Room.

Dr. Suzanne del Gizzo, editor-in-chief of “The Hemingway Review,” will discuss the novel’s enduring legacy before joining UTC professors Andrew McCarthy and Aaron Shaheen for a panel discussion.

The event will also serve as a preview of Take Five 2027, themed “the passage of time,” with next year’s presenters and book selections announced that evening. The Mocs Bookstore will have all five books available for purchase before and after the event. Click here to learn more.

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The Department of Philosophy and Religion will continue its “What’s the Big Idea?” faculty talk series with Dr. Jonathan Yaeger’s presentation, “Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?” from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Lupton Hall Room 235. The event is open to all, and pizza will be provided.

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The Gary W. Rollins College of Business has upcoming events and opportunities focused on entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and the economy.

• Tuesday, Nov. 10: The Economic Impact of AI, hosted by the Probasco Chair, will take place from 3:30-5 p.m. in Fletcher Hall Room 200. Bitcoin expert Jimmy Song will explore how advances in AI are reshaping productivity and the modern economy, including potential effects on growth, incentives and long-term economic trends.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: Ladder or Lottery will take place at 4:25 p.m. 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 Department of Mathematics’ Math Colloquium Series will feature William Erickson on Friday, Nov. 13, sharing their work, followed by a Q&A and conversation from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Lupton Hall Room 393.

Undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and anyone curious about mathematics are invited to attend, ask questions and connect with the Math community.

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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. Nov. 17-21, 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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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.

Campus Updates

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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For the second year in a row, UTC is hosting Open Source Camp Chattanooga on Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, at the UTC Library. The two-day event brings together developers, designers, marketers, content editors, project managers and anyone interested in what’s happening on the web.

Friday will feature hands-on workshops in Drupal, WordPress and Laravel, including options for beginners. Saturday will feature a full day of seminars covering topics such as UX and design, accessibility, digital marketing, SEO, content strategy, analytics, AI, project management and more.

UTC students, faculty and staff can attend for free using the code OSCHA2026. Lunch, swag and opportunities to connect with other web-minded folks will also be available. Click here to learn more or register now.

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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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UTC Newsroom

For a Halloween Week class, Belmin Kojic (in white T-shirt) and Braden Tomlinson came as skateboarders, fellow student Jim Green was a dinosaur and Dr. JW Bruce dressed as Carl from the movie “Up.”

Every Monday this fall, UTC juniors Belmin Kojic and Braden Tomlinson have arrived for Professor of Electrical Engineering JW Bruce’s Embedded Systems class with more than laptops and coursework. They come in costume.

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UTC Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia students traveled to Guaymaca, Honduras, in late September as part of a medical mission with Commissioned International. The team provided surgical care to women from across Honduras, including a patient who had lived for two years with complications from an unrepaired childbirth injury.

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Dr. Kristin Pope

Dr. Kristin Pope wants you to get a job. As director of Career Connections at UTC, Pope and her staff help students and alums take the first steps into their careers.

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Dr. Ethan Mills

How do people know things? What is real? What is the right thing to do? UTC Professor of Philosophy Ethan Mills seeks to provide context for these big-picture questions through his classes and research.

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Students dance in Lisa Bellino’s First Year Experience Ballet class in the ARC.

From exploring Chattanooga through community service to discussing true crime, students at UTC can find a learning community that connects their interests with their first-year college experience. A Moc’s First Year learning communities give students unique opportunities to experience community outreach and build connections as they adjust to campus life. Each learning community allows students to explore interests related to their majors.

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The fifth annual Power C Tour made its final stop of 2026 in Chattanooga, bringing prospective students and their families together with UTC faculty, staff and current students. 

The statewide initiative traveled to Memphis, Knoxville and the Nashville area this fall, giving attendees a chance to explore academic programs, admissions, financial aid, housing and campus life. 

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

• UTC raised $2,764,195 from 2,671 donors during its seventh annual Mocs Give Day, setting a new participation record for the University’s annual day of giving. UTC exceeded both its fundraising goal and its goal of 2,500 donors, with gifts supporting scholarships, academic programs, Athletics and other priorities across campus.
• UTC hosted the second Point On Wave Applications (POWA) Conference recently, bringing more than three times as many participants as the inaugural event and reinforcing the growing interest in using high-resolution electrical data to strengthen the power grid.

WUTC

On WUTC’s “Scenic Roots,” Isaiah Smallman, creative director of the Chattanooga History Experience, talked about the downtown pop-up and how it shares stories from Chattanooga and Hamilton County’s history.