Celebrating 140 Years and Looking Ahead: On Sept. 15, 1886, Chattanooga University was founded with a purpose that continues to guide us today: creating opportunity through education. As we mark UTC’s 140th anniversary, Founder’s Week, which begins Sept. 14, is a time to reflect on the generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners who have helped build this University and to celebrate the many ways UTC continues to serve Chattanooga, our region and the state of Tennessee.
Throughout the week, I hope you will take part in the events that bring our campus community together, from recognizing the faculty and staff members whose years of service have shaped the UTC experience to opportunities to give back through the Founder’s Week food drive. These moments prove that UTC is strengthened by people who care deeply about one another and about the community we call home.
This anniversary invites us to look back with gratitude, but it also calls us to look ahead with purpose. Our ambitions for UTC are rooted in the belief that a strong University creates a stronger community—through accessible, high-quality education, research that addresses real needs, and partnerships that move Chattanooga and Tennessee forward. I hope you will join me throughout Founder’s Week as we honor our history and begin writing UTC’s next chapter together.
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Looking Ahead at the State of the University: I invite our campus and community to join us for the State of the University address at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, in the University Center Auditorium. This will be an opportunity to share where UTC stands today, reflect on the progress underway across our University and look ahead to the work before us.
We are building momentum by investing in the people and places that make our work possible, expanding opportunity for students, and deepening the partnerships that connect UTC to Chattanooga and the region.
Our University’s future is rooted in creating opportunity through education. I look forward to sharing more about how we will continue to build on that purpose—strengthening student success, advancing innovation and serving the communities that depend on UTC.
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Are You Ready for Some Football? I look forward to joining the UTC community at 6 p.m. this Saturday (Sept. 5) when Head Coach Rusty Wright and the Mocs host Tennessee Tech at Finley Stadium.
Tennessee Tech holds a special place in my own professional journey, and I have great respect for the people and institution I came to know during my time in Cookeville. That said, when the game begins, I will be proudly cheering for the Mocs.
Our home opener is an opportunity to support our student-athletes, the Marching Mocs, spirit squad, Ladies of Gold and Scrappy; welcome alumni and friends to Finley Stadium; and enjoy the energy that makes fall at UTC so special. I hope you will join me in filling the stands and showing Tennessee Tech what Mocs pride looks like.
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Exploring History Beneath the Surface: Visiting lecturer Andrew Van Slyke, anthropology major Tom Laufenberg and 2025 UTC graduate Faith Johnson’s archaeology research in Jamaica was featured on Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Unknown.” In the episode titled “Sunken City of Pirates,” the UTC team joined an international effort to investigate Port Royal and search for the long-lost fleet of pirate Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts.
Guided by centuries-old documents and remote-sensing technology, the team surveyed Kingston Harbour and identified the remains of HMS Aboukir, a British warship destroyed in 1881. Tom helped identify the wreck from the survey boat, while Faith documented features of the suspected Great Ranger site for continued study. I am also grateful to UTC alum Vann Cunningham, whose support through the Vann Cunningham Internship Fund helped students prepare for and participate in this work. His investment made meaningful field experiences possible for our students.
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Advancing Research: Juniors Adam Williams and Samuel Jayroe traveled to Chile this summer to take part in a long-running research project examining how changing environmental conditions affect degus, a small mammal found only in Chile. Under the guidance of Dr. Loren Hayes and Dr. Azad Hossain, the students collected field data and used geospatial tools to better understand how habitat changes shape where degus live.
Their work reflects the value of giving students opportunities to learn through research that reaches beyond the classroom and across the world. I am proud of Adam and Samuel for their commitment to this important project, and grateful to Dr. Hayes, Dr. Hossain and the National Science Foundation’s International Research Experiences for Students program for making this experience possible.
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Honoring a Future Nurse: Kate Powers, a student in UTC’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, has received a 2026 March of Dimes Nursing Scholarship. Kate’s path to nursing has included public health education, and she brings that experience to her goal of supporting mothers, babies and families through compassionate, informed care.
This recognition shows Kate’s commitment to improving health outcomes and to serving people at vulnerable moments in their lives. I am proud of Kate for this meaningful achievement and grateful to the College of Nursing faculty and staff who help prepare students to meet our community’s evolving healthcare needs with confidence and compassion.
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Connecting Ideas to Impact: Chattanooga Connect returns Sept. 14-16, bringing together leaders from industry, government, academia and entrepreneurship to explore the future of transportation, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and connected mobility. Hosted by the UTC Research Institute, the conference creates space for collaboration around the ideas and partnerships shaping what comes next.
Preparing students for the opportunities of tomorrow while helping strengthen the community we serve is among the most important responsibilities of a public university. Chattanooga Connect reflects that commitment by connecting discovery to implementation, supporting the workforce of the future and strengthening Chattanooga’s role in Tennessee’s innovation economy.
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Open the Door to UTC: Do you know a high school student, transfer student, working professional or someone ready to take the next step in their education? Please encourage them to consider UTC during Free App Week, Sept. 14-18. Applicants can use the code FREEAPP27 in the UTC application portal to have the $30 undergraduate application fee—or the $35 domestic Graduate School application fee—waived.
An application can be the first step toward a life-changing opportunity, and removing that cost can make it easier for someone to take that step. Help us connect prospective Mocs with an opportunity to see what is possible at UTC.
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Making Mocs Feel at Home: I want to once again thank our staff, faculty and returning students who helped welcome our newest Mocs to campus. New students, including first-time freshmen and transfers, were introduced to a UTC community ready to support them as they begin the next chapter of their college careers.
Whether you volunteered during Operation Move In, participated in Convocation, hosted a Moc’s first class, led a Weeks of Welcome event or simply took time to offer a warm greeting, your care makes a difference. The first days on campus help students see that they belong here, and I am grateful for the many ways our UTC community helped make that message clear.
