On April 11, UT System President Dr. Joe DiPietro will be at Chamberlain Field Pavilion for “Eat with Joe,” his annual event recognizing UTC faculty and staff for their contributions to the university. The free, picnic-style tribute is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature games, giveaways and live music. To RSVP, go to https://utk.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9nqQxn7DJpXACbP. I hope to see you there.
Four UTC faculty members were nominees this year for the UT System President’s Awards: Dr. Henry Spratt from Biology, Geology and Environmental Science; Dr. Mina Sartipi from Computer Science and Engineering and the SimCenter; Nikolasa Tejero from Performing Arts; and Laurie Melnik from the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts. Congratulations to each of them; their commitment to UTC is integral to our ongoing goal of providing a quality education and supportive community for our students.
The redesign of Martin Luther King Boulevard will continue for about a month, so take that into consideration when coming to campus. Work is scheduled in different phases and is expected to be completed by mid-April. For a map that details the phases of construction, go to http://connect.chattano.
Furniture is being moved into our new West Campus Housing in anticipation of its grand opening for fall semester. We look forward to the freshmen students who will be living in the complex starting in August. Please make them feel welcome when they come to campus.
John Swanson, department head and faculty member in the Department of History, was in Europe over spring break with a group of students studying three minorities: Germans, Jews and Roma, all three of which are present in modern-day and historic Hungary. Students visited several cities and villages, meeting other university students and natives of the region. This course exemplifies the best of experiential learning at UTC and offers lessons that can’t be taught in the classroom.