August 7, 2026

Honoring the legacy of Chancellor Emeritus Fred Obear: In the days since the passing of Dr. Fred Obear, many across our campus and community have reflected on the extraordinary impact he had on UTC. Dr. Obear was a beloved leader whose influence helped shape this University for generations, and his leadership continues to be felt across our campus. Serving as UTC chancellor from 1981 to 1997 and later returning as interim chancellor from 2004 to 2005, he guided the University through years of significant growth and progress while expanding opportunities for students.

What made Dr. Obear so special was not only what he accomplished, but also the way he led. He demonstrated that strength and humility can go hand in hand, and he was admired for his kindness, integrity and genuine care for others. Because of his vision and his commitment to students, generations of alumni were able to earn degrees, pursue their ambitions and create brighter futures for themselves and their families. His legacy endures in the success of those students and in the culture of excellence and service he helped cultivate at UTC.

As we remember Dr. Obear, we also remember the example he set for all of us. He remained deeply connected to UTC throughout his life and took great pride in this University and its people. On behalf of the UTC community, I again extend heartfelt condolences to the Obear family and to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

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Welcoming faculty, staff and students: As we prepare to begin a new academic year, I want to warmly welcome our new faculty and staff to UTC and thank you for joining a University community defined by purpose, opportunity and a strong commitment to student success.

Our campus comes to life in especially meaningful ways at the start of the semester. Later this month we will introduce new students to UTC through Operation Move In, First Flight—a pre-welcome-week experience held Aug. 20-23—and our newly expanded Weeks of Welcome, kicking off with the Oak Street Roast Aug. 23 on Chamberlain Field.

First Flight is designed to help first-year and transfer students navigate life in and out of the classroom, and this year’s schedule includes the Moc Essentials Resource Fair, a Mocs Fan Fest, New Student Convocation, Mocs First Class, downtown tours, opportunities to take care of last-minute campus business, and events focused on helping students find community. These experiences help students begin building connections to campus, to one another and to the many resources that support their success.

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A new home for the Chancellor’s Office: The Chancellor’s Office has relocated from Founders Hall to the Alumni House at 551 Oak St., one of the most historic buildings on our campus. In addition to the Chancellor’s Office staff, the move also includes Dr. Matt Matthews and the Office of the Provost, as well as Jermaine Freeman, executive director of economic and workforce development.

This new location brings several key offices together in a space that shows both the history of our University and the work ahead. I hope you will stop by when you have the opportunity, and I encourage you to be on the lookout for details about an upcoming open house.

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Marking the beginning of our 140th year: This fall, UTC begins a yearlong celebration of a remarkable milestone: 140 years of transforming lives through education. Since its founding in 1886, the University has grown and evolved alongside Chattanooga, helping shape our city and region through teaching, research, service and opportunity. As we approach Founder’s Day and the State of the University on Sept. 15, I am excited for the many ways we will honor that history and the people who have built UTC across generations.

Our 140th year is a time to both reflect and engage. Through Founder’s Week, the 1886 Challenge, 140 Community Events for 140 Years and Gold Fridays, we will celebrate our history and our connection to the community we serve. Most importantly, this milestone gives us an opportunity to recognize the strong foundation beneath us while looking ahead with purpose to what comes next for our University.

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A summer of recognition: Throughout the summer months, members of the UTC family and community received outstanding honors that reflect the talent, service and leadership connected to our University. These recognitions span alumni achievement, teaching, public service, research and professional excellence, and they are a powerful reminder of UTC’s impact on our campus, in Chattanooga and far beyond. I want to congratulate the many individuals whose accomplishments brought distinction to the University during the summer. Among the recipients:

• UTC’s top 2026 University award recipients: Gary W. Rollins was selected for the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University’s highest honor presented to an alumnus; Movita Steiner received the Outstanding Service Award; and Dr. Alexis Bennett was chosen for the GOLD Excellence Award honoring exceptional achievement by a recent graduate.
• 2026 UT System President’s Awards: Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu and Christopher Stokes were named recipients of the UT System President’s Awards, the highest honor a faculty or staff member can receive from the UT System. Kaplanoglu, department head and professor of engineering management and technology, was recognized in the “Optimistic and Visionary” category, and Stokes, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life in the Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community, received the award in the “Embrace Differences” category.
• 2026 University of Tennessee Alumni Association awards: Emily Alonge, lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, and Michael Standard, assistant professor and studio librarian in the UTC Library Studio, each received an Outstanding Teacher Award. Julia Bursch, chief operating officer of the UTC Research Institute, received a Public Service Award for contributions to the welfare and good of the public.
• National and international research recognition: Assistant professor of chemical engineering Venkat Kode received a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation award to support his work in sustainable water-harvesting research.
• Professional honors in athletic training: Dr. Lynette Carlson was named the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society Educator of the Year, and Dr. Marisa Colston received the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award.
• National academic leadership recognition: Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien, UTC’s vice provost for faculty affairs, was selected for the 2026-27 Becoming a Provost Academy, a yearlong leadership program of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities designed to prepare aspiring chief academic officers. She is one of 37 higher education professionals nationwide chosen for the cohort.

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Bringing civic learning to life: I want to recognize Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Government Michelle D. Deardorff for bringing “The Supreme Court in My Hometown” to UTC, marking the second time in three years that our campus has hosted this important national civics education program. Through this initiative, local high school students spent part of their summer learning how the federal court system works by hearing from judges, attorneys and faculty, visiting the courthouse and exploring the lasting significance of United States v. Shipp, a landmark Supreme Court case rooted in Chattanooga history.

What makes this program especially meaningful is the way it connects students not only to the judicial branch, but also to the history of their own community. With support from UTC student mentors, participants examined how a case that began in Chattanooga reached the nation’s highest court and helped shape public understanding of justice and constitutional protections. I am grateful to Dr. Deardorff for her leadership in creating opportunities like this that strengthen civic education and deepen community connection.

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Restoring an American icon: Congratulations to UC Foundation Robert M. Davenport Professor of Biology Hill Craddock on the publication of his American chestnut research in Science, one of the world’s leading scientific journals. This recognition follows decades of patient, careful work to help restore a tree species whose loss was one of the great ecological tragedies in North American history. Dr. Craddock’s contribution to this national effort—growing, cloning and studying chestnut trees to support genomic research—shows the power of long-term scholarship and the important role UTC faculty play in work that reaches far beyond our campus.

What makes this achievement especially meaningful is that it also shows the lasting value of mentorship and hands-on research at the University. Through Dr. Craddock’s work, UTC students and graduates have become part of an effort to better understand and restore the American chestnut, carrying that work into careers and leadership roles of their own.

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Connecting research to opportunity: Registration is now open for Chattanooga Connect 2026, the UTC Research Institute’s third annual conference bringing together leaders from government, industry, academia and entrepreneurship to explore the future of transportation, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and connected mobility. Hosted Sept. 14-16 in Chattanooga, the conference reflects an important part of UTC’s mission as a public University: preparing students for the opportunities of tomorrow while helping strengthen the community we serve.

I encourage faculty, staff, students and community partners to be part of the ideas, conversations and collaborations that will help shape what comes next.