Founder’s Week is an uplifting time as we commemorate our University’s 135th birthday. Tomorrow (September 17) at noon, the annual State of the University address will be available to watch online at utc.edu.
I want to congratulate staff and faculty who were recognized this week at our annual Service Awards program. It is a pleasure to work with such exemplary people who bring out the best in our students and prepare them to take on the world. Special thanks to UT President Randy Boyd for coming to campus and participating in the event.
This Sunday (September 19), a memorial dedication honoring the legacy and memory of Ed Johnson and his attorneys, Noah Parden and Styles Hutchins, will take place on the south end of the Walnut Street Bridge. If you are unfamiliar with the Ed Johnson story, 12 UTC Honors College students recorded a serial podcast this spring in instructor Will Davis’ Storytelling Through Podcasts course titled “We Care Now: A Podcast for Ed Johnson.” The powerful five-part student-produced series can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15, honoring the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. The Office of Multicultural Affairs has a number of events planned as part of “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope,” collaborating with campus and community partners to honor Latin American heritage. For calendar information, please visit the MCC’s Hispanic Heritage Month web page.
National Voter Registration Day, known on campus as Moc the Vote, occurs September 28. Hamilton County election commission deputies will be stationed outside the UTC Library from 2:00-3:30 PM to register voters. The event is a quick and convenient way to register. Please remember to bring your state or federal ID (driver’s license or passport).
On October 5, the second annual Mocs Give Day, a 24-hour digital fundraising initiative, will take place. The whole Mocs family—alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students—comes together socially and digitally to support the University during the Mocs Give Day event. Last year, the Mocs Family came out in force, with 600-plus donations raising over $175,000. I invite everyone to get involved and help make this a day to remember!
The Arbor Day Foundation has once again named UTC as a Tree Campus Higher Education institution. Our green campus is a source of constant pride for us, and maintaining it is one way we contribute to Chattanooga’s national recognition as an environmental and outdoor activity leader. The Arbor Day Foundation recognizes institutions that promote healthy trees while also involving students and staff in conservation efforts. This campus is stunning, and the UTC community should be proud of the efforts of our facilities team and the grounds crew.
Congratulations to Rob Liddell, executive director of the UTC Center for Career and Leadership Development, who recently wrapped up his term as president of the Tennessee Association of Colleges and Employers—an association of Tennessee colleges and universities, state and technical institutes, and employers of students and graduates of these institutions. Liddell was the first UTC representative to lead that prestigious organization in nearly 30 years.
Five former UTC athletes representing a variety of sports and eras have been selected to the Class of 2021 UTC Athletics Hall of Fame: men’s basketball player Greg Andrews, this University’s first African-American scholarship athlete; women’s tennis player Rosalinda Baron; football player Jim Bradshaw; wrestler and former wrestling head coach Heath Eslinger; and women’s basketball player Shanara Hollinquest. The athletes will be honored in October at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet along with special award winners Terry Denniston and Jayne Holder (Harold Wilkes Award), Robbie Jones (Gordon Davenport Award), Richard Sander (Joe Morrison Award) and Drew Nicholson (Scrappy Moore Award).
We are doing everything we can to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 on our campus. Thank you to our students, faculty and staff for working so hard to help us manage and deal with the virus. I strongly encourage you to get vaccinated. We must all continue to do what we can to keep our campus healthy and safe.