Momentum That Matters: UTC has recorded an unofficial spring 2026 enrollment of 11,085 students, marking the first time in University history that spring enrollment has exceeded 11,000. Even more encouraging, our preliminary fall-to-spring retention rate stands at 91.4%—the highest mark on record.
These numbers tell a clear story. More students are choosing to stay, continue their progress and advance closer to graduation because they see opportunity here and feel supported along the way. This momentum reflects the daily work of our faculty and staff, the strength of our academic and student support programs, and our shared commitment to student success. I’m grateful to everyone who is helping UTC grow in ways that are intentional, student-centered and focused on outcomes that truly matter.
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Keeping Our Campus Safe: The safety of our campus community is always our top priority. During the wintry weather that moved through our region last week, that commitment guided every decision we made. I want to thank the many teams who worked behind the scenes to monitor conditions, communicate clearly and make timely decisions that allowed students, faculty and staff to prioritize their well-being while essential services continued where needed.
My sincere appreciation goes to our Public Safety team, the Facilities Planning and Management staff, UTC Police, Housing, Dining, Campus Recreation, the Library, Information Technology, and all essential employees who reported to campus and adjusted operations under challenging conditions. Their coordination and care ensured that our campus remained informed, supported and safe—and reminded us that a university runs not only on classrooms and schedules, but on people who step up for one another when it matters most.
What makes this moment especially meaningful is that the Wind Ensemble includes not only music majors, but students from majors such as engineering, biology, English and business who have chosen to continue their artistic pursuits.
As someone who played piano and clarinet in high school, I understand the discipline and focus it takes to continue developing as a musician while pursuing academic work. For these students, performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
My thanks to Professor Randall Coleman and everyone who supports our student musicians as they prepare to represent UTC on a truly global stage.
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The Road to Health: In its first nine months, UTC’s MobileMOC traveled 7,529 miles, delivered more than 2,200 health care touch points and provided over 600 hours of hands-on learning for our students, bringing care directly to older adults and caregivers across rural Southeast Tennessee.
Those numbers tell a powerful story. MobileMOC reflects what’s possible when education, service and partnership come together with purpose. Through an interprofessional team spanning nursing, occupational therapy, nutrition, social work and advanced practice providers, this mobile clinic is expanding access to preventive care while preparing the next generation of health professionals.
As MobileMOC continues to grow in 2026, reaching more communities and expanding its focus on heart health, I’m grateful to our faculty, staff, students and partners whose work shows the value of every mile traveled.
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RAIL Delivers Immediate Savings: In its first semester, UTC’s Rural Assessment Intervention Library (RAIL) system saved participating rural Tennessee school districts more than $22,000 by providing free access to critical student assessment tools and resources many districts would otherwise be unable to afford.
Launched last fall, RAIL supported 19 school districts across the state in its first few months, helping educators and specialists assess developmental, learning and behavioral needs while easing financial strain on limited budgets.
I’m grateful to Department of School Psychology Program Director Amanda Hardin for leading faculty, staff and partners in bringing this program to life, and I’m equally excited about the difference it is already making for students and schools.
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Teaching That Makes an Early Difference: One of the most meaningful measures of our University’s impact is what our graduates do once they step into the world—and three recent School of Education alumni are already making a powerful difference in Tennessee classrooms.
Recent UTC alums Lauren Cardenas, Reagan Lowrie and Madisson Mantooth have each been recognized as Novice Teacher of the Year award recipients in their respective school districts, an honor that reflects excellence in instruction, professionalism and student engagement during their first years in the classroom. Their early success speaks volumes about their dedication and about the strength of UTC’s teacher preparation model, grounded in clinical experience, mentorship and sustained time in real classrooms.
I’m proud of these graduates and grateful to the faculty, mentors and school partners who helped prepare them to lead with confidence and care.
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Advancing Care Through Partnership: UTC and Erlanger recently marked a significant milestone with the graduation of the first resident from our jointly developed Acute Care Physical Therapy Residency.
This residency was designed to deepen expertise in acute care physical therapy while strengthening health care across our region. By pairing rigorous clinical experience with advanced instruction and integrating residents into the education of our own DPT students, we are creating pathways for continued learning that directly benefit patients and communities.
Congratulations to Dr. Cheryl Self on this accomplishment, and my sincere thanks to the faculty, clinicians and leaders at UTC and Erlanger who brought this program to life. Together, you are raising the standard for advanced clinical training in Chattanooga and beyond.
