Updates and news for the week of October 4 – October 10, 2022

It’s Mocs Give Day 2022
Today is Mocs Give Day, and we need all Mocs to join in on UTC’s annual day of giving. With a goal of raising $500,000 from 750 donors in 24 hours, all gifts in any amount to UTC will help us reach our goal and support the great work that’s happening around campus.
What’s special about Mocs Give Day?
- There are several ways you can double your impact just by giving today. The College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Rollins College of Business, Honors College and College of Health, Education and Professional Studies all have $1 for $1 matches up to $10,000 today. Turn your gift of $25 into $50 just by giving today to one of these colleges. When Mocs Club reaches 300 donors, they’ll receive an additional $150,000 gift to support our student-athletes.
- UT System President Randy Boyd has committed to a $50,000 matching gift if we can raise an additional $50,000 for the Denise and Tim Downey Student Emergency Fund. The Student Emergency Fund provides limited funding for UTC students experiencing financial hardship due to an accident, emergency, illness or other unforeseen events.
So whether it’s $5 or $500, making a gift to UTC on Mocs Give Day truly goes far. Come join the Mocs Give Day celebration with us on Chamberlain Field today between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. We’ll have special swag and treats to celebrate the day.
From Kyiv to Chattanooga
 Photo courtesy of Kyiv City Ballet
Ukraine’s Kyiv City Ballet is on a 15-city U.S. tour and performs on stage at the UTC Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall Wednesday through Friday (October 5-7). The dance troupe hopes to introduce Ukrainian culture to a wider audience.
- Chattanooga Ballet joins performances Thursday and Friday.
- On each night, other performers, organizations and artwork will be featured in the Fine Arts Center lobby beginning around 6:30 p.m.
- At 5:30 p.m. today (October 4) in the Honors College’s Guerry Center Reading Room, Irina Khmelko, UC Foundation professor of political science and public service, and Marina Peshterianu, executive director of Bridge Refugee Services in Chattanooga, will join in a panel discussion on policies and politics surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, how that situation impacts refugees from Ukraine and refugee needs in greater Chattanooga, and how individual citizens might be able to help.
Moreland Scholarship Celebration Event
 Tennessee Sen. Todd Gardenhire and Chancellor Angle.
A celebration honoring community leader James Moreland, Tennessee Sen. Todd Gardenhire and the recipients of Moreland Scholarships took place last Thursday in the Guerry Center Reading Room.
This year, 25 UTC minority engineering students are Moreland Scholars, while the scholarship program impacted 21 students during the 2021-2022 academic year.
High-Speed Progress: What 25-Gig Internet Will Do for UTC

What happens when unprecedented innovation meets unprecedented opportunity? Billions in economic activity, millions in research funding and one very productive partnership.
In August, EPB announced it is taking its fiber-optic network from the 10-gig capacity it established in 2015 up to 25 gigs. The goal is expansion across the EPB coverage area with good results all over the city, and what’s good for Chattanooga is expected to be very good for UTC and its urban-environment campus.
FAFSA Fridays

Need help filling out your FAFSA Application? Excellent news: the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office wants to help you. We are offering virtual Zoom sessions to assist students complete their FAFSA throughout October on FAFSA Fridays.
During this virtual session you will meet one-on-one with a Financial Aid Counselor who can assist with any questions. Zoom links also will be posted each week on the Financial Wellness Center’s Instagram bio.
Engineering and Computer Science Info Session

Thinking about advancing your education following your bachelor’s degree? Come to the College of Engineering and Computer Science Graduate Program Info Session, taking place today (October 4) from noon-1 p.m. in CECS Maytag Room 426. Lunch is provided for attendees.
Learn about master’s, Ph.D. and certificate programs in Engineering, Engineering Management, Computer Science, and Computational Science.
Chemistry and Physics Undergraduate Research Program poster session

You’re invited to the Chemistry and Physics Undergraduate Research Program poster session on Friday (October 7) from 3-5:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of Grote Hall. Students will present research they have done in the form of research posters.
Come and walk around and talk to undergraduate students or to professors about the department’s research programs. Refreshments will be provided.
(Paleolithic) Tool Time

“Atlatls,” friction fire and flint knapping will be on display Saturday (October 8) from noon-2 p.m. on Chamberlain Field, as Department of History Associate Lecturer Carey McCormack and Assistant Professor Brooke Persons, an anthropologist and director of the Jeffrey L. Brown Institute of Archeology in the Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies, team up to host a paleo skills learning workshop for students.
Don’t know about paleolithic tools? Click to watch the Walker Center for Teaching and Learning Innovations in Teaching video presentation from last fall’s event.
Deadline Approaching for Read to Achieve Suggestions

Read To Achieve, UTC’s campus-wide reading program, needs your help selecting the title for the 2023-2024 school year. The deadline to submit is tomorrow (October 5).
The Read to Achieve Steering Committee seeks a book that offers accurate and respectful portrayals of diverse cultures and identities; relevance to first-year students, current society, and/or our local community; possibilities for additional programming, especially inclusion in first-year courses or other areas of the curriculum; at a reasonable cost (less than $20) and manageable length (around 200-300 pages). If you know of a book that would make an excellent choice, please submit your ideas.
It’s Open Enrollment Season

Annual enrollment is your opportunity to choose benefits or make benefit changes that will become effective on January 1, 2023. The annual enrollment period for calendar year 2023 coverage is October 1-October 14.
October is Security Awareness Month

October is Security Awareness Training Month, and IT security awareness training consists of six videos spanning approximately 25 minutes. You should receive an email from K@TE with instructions for logging in and accessing training. Training will be due December 31, with reminders starting in November.
Exercise is Medicine on Campus Month

October is Exercise is Medicine on Campus Month at UTC, a social media-driven initiative that promotes physical exercise through activity challenges for students, faculty and staff.
Activities for employees include an October Employee Step Challenge and an October 11 Introduction to Walking/Running for Fitness Workshop (with faculty and staff registration links).
- Month-long activities include McKamey Mocs and Mutts; you can borrow dogs from McKamey Animal Center for afternoon hikes or morning coffee dates.
- Don’t forget to fill out your EIMOC bingo card throughout the month. Each bingo earns you an entry in a raffle for a Series 3 Apple Watch.
In Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
 UTC student Joanna Maldonado is the public relations manager for HOLA.
Hispanic Heritage Month continues through October 15, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs has several more festivities planned as part of “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.” This week’s activities include:
- Today (10/4): Game Night: Loteria, Lupton Hall first floor, 6 p.m.
- Thursday (10/6): Screen on the Green: Movie Night, Chamberlain Field, 8:30 p.m.
- Friday (10/7): Fiesta Friday, Lupton Hall 119, noon
Embracing and Engaging Our Diverse Community

MOC Forward Week is October 10-17, and the theme is “Embracing and Engaging Our Diverse Community.” For a list of events or to learn more about MOC Forward Week, click here. For questions, email the Division of Diversity and Engagement at dde@utc.edu.
The activity schedule includes a pair of events next Monday (October 10) featuring Ed Garnes:
- Cornbread Consortium: Student Success Strategies, 11:30 a.m. in the University Center Tennessee Room
- Ballin’: Power, Purpose and Sport, 5:30 p.m. in the University Center Auditorium
Building Your Personal Brand

You’re invited to lunch October 17 to continue the UTC LeadHERship journey, as we remain committed to embracing and engaging our diverse community.
The luncheon session topic—Building Your Personal Brand—will be addressed in a panel discussion among women representing various perspectives of leadership and the journey of building a personal brand. The event is from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the UC Tennessee Room. Register here by October 12.
Southern Lit Alliance Book Discussion

The Southern Lit Alliance will offer a free book club discussion of William Faulkner’s readable third novel, Flags in the Dust (1929), Tuesday, October 11 at 6 p.m. in the Arts Building at 301 E. 11th Street (second floor). The discussion will be led by UTC English professor Aaron Shaheen. Space for the free, in-person event is limited; use this link to register.
Songbirds Documentary Screening

The Music Division of the UTC Department of Performing Arts hosts the campus premiere of Songbirds, the Emmy Award-winning documentary that tells the story of the world’s largest collection of vintage guitars. The screening is at 7:30 p.m. on October 20 in the Roland Hayes Concert Hall. Admission is free and all are invited.
Director Dagan Beckett, a 2012 graduate of UTC, will be in attendance along with producer Irv Berner and composer Brook McGarity.
As part of its entrepreneurship lunch-and-learn series, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is hosting Briana Garza, co-founder of Chatt Taste Food Tours. After losing her job of 10 years due to COVID-19, Garza decided to take a chance on herself.
The event, which will take place from noon-1 p.m. on October 20 in the Mapp Building, is open to all UTC students, faculty and staff. Space is limited and lunch will be provided, so register by October 13 to ensure you will receive lunch.
Thinking Ahead: A call for November notes

The November edition of the UTC Parent and Family Association newsletter will be emailed to members on November 2.
If you have information to share with the families of UTC students—upcoming events, important deadlines, helpful suggestions and departmental news—email details to hannah-turcotte@utc.edu no later than Friday, October 21. This monthly newsletter is distributed to more than 3,000 parents/family members; you can view the September newsletter here.
- Keep info to one paragraph of 200 (or fewer) words.
- Images or logos to accompany the paragraph may be submitted.
A ‘Boo and Gold’ Halloween

The Mocs’ men’s and women’s basketball teams and UTC Athletics will host a Halloween-themed “Boo And Gold” event on Thursday, October 27. The McKenzie Arena doors will open at 6 p.m. and admission is free.
“Boo and Gold” will feature live scrimmaging, trick-or-treating, games for kids and autographs, and one lucky fan will go home with a year’s supply of Papa John’s pizza.
Save the Date: 2022 Study Abroad Fair

Mark your calendars for the 2022 Study Abroad Fair. If you’re interested in studying abroad at all during your time at UTC, you can’t miss our biggest event of the year. Stop by the UC Tennessee Room on November 9 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. to talk to our partners from across the globe, chat with study abroad alumni, eat food from around the world and grab some swag—t-shirts, magnets, stickers and more.
If you’re interested in studying abroad and haven’t joined the Study Abroad 101 Canvas course, you can sign up for it here.
The outstanding people of UTC

Germyah Batey (pictured above at the 2019 Scholarship Luncheon) received a bachelor’s degree in communication from UTC in 2020. Following an internship, she joined the Local 3 News team this August as a multimedia journalist.
Check out these Mocs making a difference:
- Health and Human Performance Associate Professor Jamie Harvey has donated 17 gallons of blood since making her first donation as a student. She was interviewed by reporters from News 12 Now and Local 3 News during last week’s Bloodanooga blood drive at the University Center.
- UC Foundation Assistant Professor Saeid Golkar was the guest for an extended segment on the Sirius XM nationally broadcast “The Briefing with Steve Scully” to talk about what’s going on in Iran.
- On Sunday, Maggie Shaw played in and started her 78th game for the Mocs’ soccer team, the highest total for anyone who has played for UTC.
Campus Updates

Hatch It! Mocs Big Business Idea Competition is our fall pitch competition where a good idea can earn you some cash and start-up resources to get your business going. This year, we will have two tracks and the winners of each track will be eligible to compete in the SOCON Challenge pitch competition to be held at Mercer University in 2023.
Has a UTC employee gone the extra mile to help you or offered outstanding service to others? Is there someone who continues to smile and have a positive attitude, even when the workload is heavy? If you know the person who fits this description, please acknowledge their hard work and dedication by nominating him/her/them for the Chancellor’s Blue Ribbon Award. This month’s nominations must be received by next Monday (October 10) to be considered for the award. Please click here to submit your nomination.
The UTC Graduate School is pleased to announce that Tanner Smith will present Doctoral research titled, Optimization for a Sturm-Liouville Problem with the Spectral Parameter in the Boundary Condition on October 6 from 1-3 p.m. in Grote 317. Everyone is invited to attend.
The Institutional Review Board shared new information about best practices in the areas of research involving students as participants; privacy protections; and use of incentives in research. The new guidance can be found on the Participant Recruitment page on the IRB website.
The Finance and Administration Division continues to share policy updates and reminders with the campus community on a monthly basis. The information is intended to serve as a quick refresh for departments as they navigate various fiscal and human resource policies.
The Offices of Equity and Inclusion and Human Resources announced Search Committee Training dates for Fall 2022. Search Committee Training is mandatory for anyone serving on a faculty or exempt staff search committee at UTC, and the training must be repeated after two years. This Zoom training provides essential information and resources for search committee members.
The Tivoli Foundation has partnered with the UTC Division of Diversity and Engagement with a special deal for their upcoming show, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, offering UTC students, faculty, and staff $30 (plus fees) tickets for seven of the performances taking place between October 4-9 at the Memorial Auditorium.
UTC is committed to assisting all members of the UTC community in providing for their own safety and security. The 2022 annual security and fire safety compliance document is now available on the UTC website.
Interested in implementing better sleep habits over the long term? Refresh Sleep is a weekly email-based sleep intervention available for students, faculty and staff. Register here for Refresh Sleep.
On October 19-21 from 6-9 p.m. each day, the UTC Police Department is offering R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) training at the Challenger Center Building Room #148 (755 Mocs Alumni Drive), across from the UTC Police Department. To register for this important training, you must RSVP and fill out the forms available on the UTC Emergency Services MocSync page.
The Undergraduate Admissions Office will be hosting the annual Blue and Gold Preview Day for prospective students and their families on Saturday, November 5. We anticipate hosting over 700 prospective students and their family members on campus for this event. 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.
Jeff Flowers CRPC®, our Retirement Plan Advisor with Empower Retirement (aka Retire Ready Tennessee), the 401k and 457 will be on campus October 4, October 24, November 14 and December 13 for in-person retirement planning meetings. These meetings are beneficial for employees at all stages of their careers.
Looking ahead
Events posted to this week’s University master calendar include:
- Today (10/4): Mocs Give Day, Chamberlain Field, all day
- Today (10/4): Graduate Program Information Session, CECS Maytag Room, noon
- Today (10/4): Library Workshop: How to Sell Your Stuff, Library, 2 p.m.
- Today (10/4): International Tea Time, Lupton Hall, 3 p.m.
- Today (10/4): Policies and Politics Discussion, Guerry Center, 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday (10/5): Be Well Wednesday, Chamberlain Field, 11 a.m.
- Thursday (10/6): Exercise is Medicine Field Day, Chamberlain Field, 1 p.m.
- Thursday (10/6): Dissertation Presentation: Tanner Smith, Grote Hall, 1 p.m.
- Friday (10/7): Chemistry and Physics Undergraduate Research Program, Grote Hall, 3 p.m.
- Monday (10/10): Cornbread Consortium: Student Success Strategies, University Center, 11:30 a.m.
- Monday (10/10): Ballin’: Power, Purpose and Sport, University Center, 5:30 p.m.
 Junior Birna Johannsdottir and her soccer teammates take on Samford on the UTC Sports Complex pitch Friday at 6 p.m. The Mocs are 4-0 in Southern Conference play for the first time since 2004. Photo credit: Chattanooga Athletics/Phil Thach.
This week’s Mocs Athletics calendar:
- Tuesday (10/4): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Tuesday (10/4): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Wednesday (10/5): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Wednesday (10/5): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Thursday (10/6): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Thursday (10/6): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Thursday (10/6): Softball Blue-Gold World Series (Frost Stadium), 3:30 p.m.
- Friday (10/7): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Friday (10/7): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Friday (10/7): Women’s Tennis at the Georgia Southern Invite (Statesboro, Ga.)
- Friday (10/7): Women’s Golf at the Ron Moore Invitational (Denver, Colo.)
- Friday (10/7): Softball Blue-Gold World Series (Frost Stadium), 3:30 p.m.
- Friday (10/7): Soccer vs. Samford (UTC Sports Complex), 6 p.m.
- Friday (10/7): Volleyball at Western Carolina (Cullowhee, N.C.), 6 p.m.
- Saturday (10/8): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Saturday (10/8): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Saturday (10/8): Women’s Tennis at the Georgia Southern Invite (Statesboro, Ga.)
- Saturday (10/8): Women’s Golf at the Ron Moore Invitational (Denver, Colo.)
- Saturday (10/8): Softball Blue-Gold World Series (Frost Stadium), 11 a.m.
- Saturday (10/8): Volleyball at UNCG (Greensboro, N.C.), 5 p.m.
- Sunday (10/9): Men’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Tulsa, Okla.)
- Sunday (10/9): Women’s Tennis at the ITA All-American Championships (Cary, N.C.)
- Sunday (10/9): Women’s Tennis at the Georgia Southern Invite (Statesboro, Ga.)
- Sunday (10/9): Women’s Golf at the Ron Moore Invitational (Denver, Colo.)
Looking back

Capt. Stuart Allgood (pictured) recently began a two-year stint as head of the Department of Military Science. As part of his position, he oversees the UTC Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
Here are some other recent UTC stories featured in the Newsroom:
Be Well Tip of the Week: Grit and Resiliency

What are grit and resiliency? Why are they so valuable?
Grit is the passion and persistence toward long-term goals. It’s about pursuing—and developing the ability to achieve—what is important to you.
Resiliency is the ability to recover—or bounce back—from stress and difficulty. Building resiliency is like developing a strong emotional “immune system.”
- Oftentimes, when we try something new, try to pursue a goal or experience a disappointment or failure, we tend to surround ourselves with negative self-talk. This has a huge impact on our grit and resiliency.
- To learn more about building these resiliency skills, sign up for “Getting Gritty”—with weekly sessions beginning today (October 4) or Wednesday (October 5).
If you have news, events or announcements you would like shared in UTC Campus Weekly, Campus Updates and the University events calendar, please email Chuck Wasserstrom in the Division of Communications and Marketing.
- Please submit your information by 3 p.m. on Friday for placement in the following Tuesday’s newsletter.
- The Division of Communications and Marketing will work with campus calendar users to ensure events are properly posted so they can be featured in the newsletter.
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