Aug. 7, 2025

A New Chapter Begins: It’s been a whirlwind first month since I officially joined the UTC community, and I want to begin my first C-Note by thanking you for the incredibly warm welcome. I’ve spent these early days learning, listening and connecting with the people who make this University such a special place—and I’m excited to keep those conversations going.

In particular, I want to thank Chancellor Emeritus Steve Angle and Dr. Robert Dooley for their leadership and for recognizing the importance of sharing our campus stories through this newsletter.

I’m especially grateful to the Executive Leadership Team and the many campus leaders and staff members who have helped make my transition to UTC feel seamless. This is a community that leads with care, pride and purpose, and that spirit has been clear from day one.

Special thanks to the staff at West Campus Housing—where I lived during my first few weeks in Chattanooga—who made me feel right at home, and to my assistant, Christy Waldrep, whose support and guidance have been invaluable.

The C-Note has long been a space to celebrate progress and spotlight the people and partnerships that move us forward, and I look forward to continuing that tradition—with a few touches of my own along the way.

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Welcome, Dean Yelamarthi: I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to Dr. Kumar Yelamarthi, our new dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Kumar and I worked together for several years at Tennessee Tech, and I’m excited for UTC to get to know a colleague I’ve long admired. He’s deeply student-focused, brings a spirit of collaboration to everything he does, and leads with energy, positivity and a genuine desire to make a difference. He’s going to be an outstanding addition to our team and a driving force for CECS.

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Building for the Future: On July 21, we officially broke ground on UTC’s newest residence hall—a significant milestone in our efforts to grow enrollment, expand access and enhance the student experience.

The new Oak Street Residence Hall will add nearly 800 beds to campus, helping meet housing demand and ensuring more students can live, learn and flourish in the heart of our community. I want to thank the UT System and President Randy Boyd for their support and vision, as well as Vice Chancellor Brent Goldberg and our exceptional facilities team, and Vice Chancellor Artanya Wesley and our outstanding housing team, for their leadership.

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UTC Honored 10 Times Over: A big congratulations to everyone across campus whose work contributed to UTC being recognized in 10 categories by Colleges of Distinction.

This national honor affirms what we already know: UTC delivers a student experience rooted in academic excellence, real-world preparation and meaningful engagement. It’s also a powerful reflection of our mission to develop talent, solve problems and serve as a strong community partner.

Thank you to the faculty, staff and support teams who make the Mocs experience what it is. Your dedication is being seen—and celebrated—on a national stage.

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A Historic Year of Support: Congratulations to the Division of Advancement on a truly historic year in fundraising and alumni engagement. Thanks to their efforts and the incredible generosity of our donors, UTC raised more $31.9  million during fiscal year 2025.

That support is already helping our students prosper, from scholarships and academic programs to campus initiatives and hands-on learning experiences. Thank you to Vice Chancellor Kim White and our Advancement team and to every member of our community who gave, volunteered or helped share the story of UTC’s impact.

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Teamwork in Action: Congratulations to a collaborative faculty team, led by School of Professional Studies Director Elizabeth O’Brien, who contributed to UTC receiving a $2.4 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to strengthen the behavioral health workforce in Southeast Tennessee.

This award is a powerful example of what happens when we work across disciplines, listen to community needs and lead with purpose. We possess expertise and agility, and this grant reflects the collaborative spirit that defines UTC—as well as our commitment to preparing students to serve where they’re needed most.

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Faculty Excellence on a National Stage: It’s been an extraordinary summer for UTC research, with several faculty members earning significant support from the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Murat Barisik (mechanical engineering) received a prestigious NSF CAREER Award for his work on heat transfer in nanoporous materials. Dr. Rahul Bhosale became the first chemical engineering faculty member in Tennessee to receive an NSF ERI award. Dr. Xiunan Wang (mathematics) received an NSF LEAPS-MPS award to develop advanced forecasting tools that combine mathematics, machine learning and environmental data to better predict and understand the spread of diseases like influenza. And Dr. Tian Li (physics) and Dr. Don Reising (electrical engineering) are leading an NSF-funded project to advance metro-scale quantum sensing, leveraging Chattanooga’s EPB network and UTC’s growing strengths in quantum research.

These awards are recognition of the innovation and impact our faculty are bringing to the national stage and another sign of UTC’s upward momentum as a research institution.

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Athletics Are the Front Porch of the University: Our athletics programs and student-athletes are often the first connection people have to our institution, whether through the roar of a football game, the pride of wearing blue and gold, or the way our teams represent UTC. But athletics aren’t just about competition—they’re deeply tied to student success, community engagement and institutional visibility.

I’ve seen firsthand how being involved on campus makes a difference, and that includes showing up for our student-athletes who continue to excel in the classroom. This spring, UTC Athletics set a program record with a 3.4339 GPA, with nearly 72% of our student-athletes earning Dean’s List honors.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting the Mocs this fall at our football games. UTC was picked second in the Southern Conference preseason poll, and our Finley Stadium home opener against Stetson is set for Saturday, Sept. 13. Season tickets are on sale now, including a $20 discount for faculty and staff on Chairback Reserved seating (use promo code FACSTAFF).

Let’s pack the stands, cheer on our Mocs and keep building momentum—together.

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The New Year is Almost Here: There’s nothing quite like welcoming students and families to campus, and Operation Move In kicks off for first-year and transfer students next Wednesday, Aug. 13. Please join me in showing our new Mocs and their families just how special this campus community is. Whether you’re helping carry a suitcase or simply offering directions with a smile, your presence matters—and it sets the tone for an incredible UTC experience.

I’m also excited to attend my first Convocation on Friday, Aug. 15, at McKenzie Arena. I’m hopeful that all of you, especially those new to campus, can join me for this welcoming event recognizing the beginning of our new students’ UTC story.