UTC orientation leaders pose for photos Friday, June 3, 2022, on Chamberlain Field. Photos by Angela Foster.
When Tucker Berry started his first semester at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in fall 2021, COVID-19 was in full swing. Safety precautions prevented any on-campus orientation sessions.
After two years of online new student orientation (since summer semester 2020), in-person is back. Berry and 31 other students are orientation leaders for summer semester 2022, bringing the first on-campus, in-person orientation sessions in two years. Berry figures he’s in the same spot as brand-new freshmen.
“I would say I’m sort of on the same playing field as the incoming freshmen because I’ve never been to one or seen one. I’m very excited,” said Berry, a junior in public law and a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.
He and the other orientation leaders are getting ready to lead new students on a campus tour, pointing out important and interesting places. They also will offer advice on, for many new students, how to maneuver through their first time living away from home.
Excitement runs through student orientation leaders.
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Travis Smith
Junior, Communications
Jackson, Tennessee (University School of Jackson 2019)
What are you going to explain to incoming students?
“What it means is having to rechange everything, having to restart, rebuild and try to create something to adapt to the current climate and world that we were living in post-COVID.
“My first step on campus was when my first relationships were developed, different people I was able to meet. I was able to see all the resources that were available to me. To see how this could be a home for me.”
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Jessica Smith
Junior, Psychology
Clarksville, Tennessee (Rossview High School 2019)
What types of wisdom do you want to impart to the new students?
“Try new things. Life is short. It might seem difficult to get out of your shell, but once you do, it’s very much worth it.”
What are your personal feelings about this year’s orientation?
“We haven’t had an orientation since my freshman year, so it’s exciting with everyone being back on campus and getting back in the swing of things. I am really excited for the freshman and all the different activities we have for them to show them about UTC.”
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Isaiah Owens
Senior, Theatre
Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Oakland High School 2019)
What will being a UTC student do for them?
“This is truly important for me. As a senior, I’ve been in multiple productions for theatre and multiple music concerts and such, and to see an audience full of students makes our hearts even heavier, full of love, life and happiness. It’d be great to get them out, see the art on campus and utilize that culture in a way that allows them to be the best they can be.”
What hidden gem are you anxious to show off?
“No one really utilizes the Fine Arts Center much, and that’s a shame because it was renovated. It’s great atmosphere and great sitting spaces, so I’ll be utilizing that in my showcasing.
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Madison Van Horn
Senior, Communications
Germantown, Tennessee (Houston High School 2019)
What was your orientation experience?
“It really made me excited for the school year. I don’t know if I could 100 percent say the same for the people that were online for orientation because they didn’t get that whole being nervous to meet people and seeing the campus in person.”
“I’m very grateful that I had it in person, and I’m just excited to show the students what I got to experience.”
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Mackenzie Clark
Senior, Communication
Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Riverdale High School 2019)
Why did you become an orientation leader?
“Honestly, it really fit my personality and these seem like the type of people I’d love to be friends with. I also was trying to find more ways to be involved with UTC. I’m currently on the Ladies of Gold dance team. It’s very time consuming, but I wanted to find another way I could get involved. This was a great way to do that with it being primarily in the summer.”
How will you introduce the campus to incoming students?
“This is going to be the first time we’re having an in-person orientation in a while, and I was part of the last bunch to get that in-person experience. For me, it was such a great experience and it kind of really hyped me up to come to UTC. So I’m really excited to kind of do that same thing for them and bring them that comfort. I think a lot of people come in really nervous. I know for me, I was a little shy and reserved coming in because I didn’t know what to expect and to be so far from home, but I hope I can be that quote unquote big sister to them that they can see as someone they can come up to on campus even after orientation.
“We’re definitely going to try to do some ice breakers. I want to get to know some of them personally, try to find ways to make connections with them and just let them know that I’ll be a friend to them outside of orientation.”
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Mallary Quaderer
Senior, Exercise Science
Sevierville, Tennessee (Pigeon Forge High School 2019)
How do you handle being away from home, maybe for the first time?
“When you actually see it and it feels like home, that’s the huge impact that having an in-person orientation has.
“I was the only person from my high school to come here and coming in completely kind of blind, so it was a little bit more intimidating. It was scary, but then once you came and saw other people excited about it, it kind of eases the nerves.”
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Chris Rivera
Senior, Entrepreneurship
Cleveland, Tennessee (Bradley Central High School 2019)
How do you make new students feel comfortable?
“Introducing new students to UTC is something I really love to do. I used to be a resident assistant in West Campus, and one of the reasons that I did that is not only because of orientation. I love being able to introduce incoming students and let them know about the resources and the organizations and things that we have to offer. I also just like helping them become more comfortable here.
“When I came here, I came all by myself; I had no friends that came here. I kind of had to learn how to maneuver and find my sense of home and belonging here myself. If I can help someone else and be that person for them that I didn’t have, I think that would be awesome.”
What hidden gem are you anxious to show off?
“The top floor of Fletcher Hall is a big study lounge that was newly renovated a year or so ago. A lot of students don’t know that it’s there. It’s usually a little bit quiet and there’s a lot of variety when it comes to seating. I am a College of Business student; I love my college and I love being able to study up there where it’s quiet and nice.”
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Orientation dates for incoming UTC freshmen occur June 6-7, June 13-14, June 16-17, July 11-12, July 18-19, and July 25-26. The two days of orientation will focus on three central locations:
- The UTC Library for academic advisement.
- The University Center for orientation activities, meals in the food court and the Mocs One Center—home of the Registrar, Bursar and Financial Aid offices. The UC is also home to key campus resources, including the Center for Wellbeing, the Disability Resource Center, the Mocs Nest bookstore and the UC Auditorium.
- Most students spend the night in West Campus Housing, which will include learning UTC chants, games, late-night pizza and Jenga in the courtyard. Doors in West Campus will be locked at 11 p.m.
As part of orientation, new Mocs will also learn about different locations on campus.
- Shakespeare Garden, located outside Patten Chapel, is full of beautiful flowers, creating a quiet, Zen-like place to relax.
- The Hatch It Lab! in the James R. Mapp building can be used by any course on campus. Its equipment will turn a photo into a T-shirt image, build items with a 3D printer and turn a piece of wood into a jigsaw puzzle.
- The UTC Sports Complex is set up for intramural teams such as dodgeball, wheelchair basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, soccer and softball
- Esports teams can use the Sports Complex’s gaming room for “Rocket League,” “Super Smash Brothers,” “Call of Duty Gunfight (2v2),” “NBA 2k20,” “Madden 20” and “FIFA 20.”
- At the Aquatic and Recreation Center, visitors can swim, lift weights, play basketball, take spin and aerobics classes, rent camping equipment, kayaks and canoes, test rock-climbing skills, soak in hot- and cool-water spas, run on indoor tracks or float down the Lazy River.
- The Fine Arts Center houses the Dorothy Ward Theater for live performances, the Roland Hayes Concert Hall for music and the George Cress Gallery for artwork.
For additional information, please visit utc.edu/orientation.
