UTC, ChattState sign environmental science MOU

UTC Chancellor Steven R. Angle, left, and Chattanooga State Community College President Rebecca Ashford sign the associate to bachelor’s environmental science transfer agreement on June 21, 2024, in the ChattState Omniplex Building. Photo by Angela Foster.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Chattanooga State Community College signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday, June 21, creating a seamless pathway for ChattState students to transfer into UTC’s Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science program following the successful completion of their associate degree program.

The ceremony, featuring the agreement signing by UTC Chancellor Steven R. Angle and ChattState President Rebecca Ashford, was held in ChattState’s Omniplex Building.

“Anytime we have a new articulation agreement, this is an opportunity for our students; it’s a door that opens for our students to take the education that they’ve gained from us at Chattanooga State and build on it to have it as a career,” Ashford said. “Not only does it help our students to have a pathway and a career, but it also helps our workforce and our entire ecosystem here in our community. So I’m really grateful for the opportunity and the partnership.

“When UTC and Chattanooga State work together, our students win and our community wins.”

Angle said he appreciated the opportunity to tell Chattanooga State students, “We are here and reaching out. We want to help these students pursue the rest of their education.”

“When you look at an affordable path to a four-year degree—Tennessee Promise with community colleges, the Hope Scholarship—it could be $10,000 for a student for tuition and fees to get a four-year degree in the state of Tennessee,” he said. “Tennessee is doing a really good job, and we certainly want to make sure that students are able to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Angle noted that—before traveling to ChattState—he had chatted with some incoming UTC transfer students.

“Today, as luck would have it, is a transfer orientation—and I talked to a number of Chattanooga State students who are coming to UTC in the fall,” he said. “I talked to 10, and every single one was from ChattState. So that was really fun to see.”

From left: Chattanooga State Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Mosunmola George-Taylor; Biology, Geology and Environmental Science Department Head Gretchen Potts; UTC Chancellor Steven R. Angle; ChattState President Rebecca Ashford; ChattState Sciences Department Head Bobbie Meyer; and ChattState Environmental Science Professor Richard Clements.

Other speakers at the event included ChattState Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Mosunmola George-Taylor, ChattState Sciences Department Head Bobbie Meyer, and UTC Biology, Geology and Environmental Science Department Head Gretchen Potts.

Potts worked closely with ChattState Dean of Math and Sciences Karen Eastman—who was unable to attend the signing ceremony—on the transfer collaboration.

Meyer, speaking on Eastman’s behalf, said one of the most exciting aspects of the agreement is the opportunity for local high school students to have “a clear academic pathway” from dual enrollment courses to a master’s degree in environmental science from UTC.

“Dual enrollment students can complete 15 hours of the associate degree while still in high school, finish the environmental science A.S. degree in three more semesters at Chattanooga State, and seamlessly transfer to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for the environmental science bachelor’s and master’s degree,” Meyer said.

Potts hopes that students transferring into the UTC environmental science program will extend their education into the new “Tadpoles” Joint Undergraduate to Masters Program, allowing them to begin graduate coursework in their final undergraduate semester.

“ChattState has this dual enrollment with students starting in high school,” she said. “They can then start the graduate program while they’re in their undergraduate education; they will take graduate classes that double count in the undergraduate and graduate programs. It’s pretty exciting.”

She noted that environmental science is the fastest-growing major in the department.

“As environmental challenges expand, this is the time for well-educated, passionate individuals who can bridge scientific research with actionable solutions,” Potts said. “By joining forces, we are expanding opportunities for students to contribute meaningfully to sustainable practices and policies that will impact our region and beyond.

“Our partnership reflects an alignment of outcomes to empower students with the knowledge, practical skills and real-world experiences that will enable them to become leaders in environmental science.”