Chancellor Steve Angle with Robert Fisher, UTC’s first Rhodes Scholar, and Nathan Harlan—the student who suggested the Chamberlain Field Power C and fire pit.
This is not a goodbye. It’s a hello to my next chapter. And the best part is that I get to do it right here at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
As I think back on the last 11.5 years, I am struck not by the buildings we have built or the programs that have been launched—although those are significant—but by the people who have made it all possible.
UTC is people. It is our students who come here to find their path and discover their passions and purpose. It is our faculty and staff who dedicate themselves to shaping those students’ futures. It is the Chattanooga community that has supported and challenged us in equal measure.
That spirit of collaboration and shared purpose is what has defined my time as chancellor.
At the heart of all these accomplishments is our commitment to students. The “students first” mantra is not just a slogan—it is a guiding principle that has shaped every decision we have made. It means putting students at the center of everything we do, from designing new programs to creating opportunities for hands-on learning. It also means recognizing that every student’s journey is unique.
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A legacy of transformation: Highlights of Chancellor Angle’s leadership at UTC
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When I arrived at UTC in 2013, I found an institution with immense potential—but in search of an identity. Students were walking across campus wearing sweatshirts from other schools—every school, it seemed, except UTC. It was an unspoken reminder of the work ahead. UTC was known for what it was not: “Not Knoxville” or “not the flagship.”
We could not define ourselves by what we were not. My goal from the very beginning was to help UTC move beyond those comparisons. I wanted us to define ourselves by what we are: Chattanooga’s University, deeply connected to this community and proud of our role in the lives of our students.
One of the most significant challenges I faced early on was rebuilding trust between UTC and Chattanooga. Andy Berke, the city mayor at the time, told me directly that the relationship between the community and the University was so badly fractured that he didn’t think it could be repaired.
That wasn’t easy to hear, but it also gave me clarity. If UTC was to succeed, it could not exist in isolation; it needed to be woven into the fabric of Chattanooga. Community engagement became the heart of this transformation. We invited leaders, organizations and residents to see UTC as a true partner and a vital force in the region’s growth and future. From research collaborations to service-learning projects, we have found countless ways to connect our students, faculty and staff with the city’s needs.
Jim Coppinger, the Hamilton County mayor at the time, also became a great partner for us. We all worked together—UTC, the city and the county—for the good of the region and the people.
The vision was clear: to provide outstanding educational experiences for our students while forging strong connections with the community—which, in turn, created a vital pipeline for workforce development. Our students gained much-needed opportunities to secure internships with community partners, and many have chosen to remain in the Chattanooga region after graduation—contributing their talents to the local workforce.
Today, I am proud to say that UTC and Chattanooga are not just neighbors. We are collaborators, working together to address challenges and create opportunities. There is a genuine partnership here—and everyone owns the accomplishments.
When the announcement went public in early November that I had decided to return to the faculty, one of the first people who called me was Andy Berke—wishing me well and congratulating me on what we have been able to do.
As we strengthened our ties to the community, we also worked to build pride within the University. Branding was a major part of that effort. When I arrived, UTC lacked a cohesive identity. There were multiple logos and inconsistent messaging. We introduced the Power C as a unifying symbol, one that represents both the University and its connection to Chattanooga. Today, that logo is everywhere—on buildings, in classrooms and on the sweatshirts students proudly wear.
The Power C is more than a logo. It is a statement of who we are and what we stand for.
Physical spaces also play a critical role in shaping an institution’s identity, and over the last decade, we have transformed UTC’s campus. Projects like the naming of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business and the upcoming expansion of Fletcher Hall, the new Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building—the future home of the School of Nursing—and the Wolford Family Athletic Center reflect our commitment to creating environments where students can thrive.
One of the projects I am most proud of is the renovation of Lupton Hall. Initially, the design plans for Lupton focused on classrooms. After meeting with Hannah Turcotte, at the time the SGA president, it became clear that we needed more student-centered space. Together, we reimagined Lupton with first-floor offices for student organizations, the Multicultural Center, WAGE, and areas for collaboration and connection.
Lupton Hall became a lasting testament to what happens when we listen to our students and prioritize their needs.
Another defining project was Chamberlain Field. Eleven years ago, the field itself was little more than a mud pile. But thanks to the vision of students like Nathan Harlan, it became one of the most important spaces on campus.
I vividly remember Nathan telling me, “What you need to do is to put a Power C on that hillside and a fire pit right in front of it, and it will be an iconic place on campus.” He also said we needed a big Power C next to the University Center.
His idea helped transform Chamberlain Field into a central gathering place for the UTC community, while the silver Power C statue is a campus icon. Every time I see students celebrating milestones or taking photos at Chamberlain Field, I am reminded of the importance of creating spaces that bring people together.
Our growth includes achieving record enrollment figures, expanding our academic programs, increasing the University’s research activity and investing in student-athletes. A specific area of pride was completely refocusing the SimCenter into a much broader and more interactive UTC Research Institute that interacts with mathematics, physics, the social sciences, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, our community, and industrial and academic partners—an interdisciplinary collaboration fostering innovation.
By leveraging partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other organizations, we have positioned UTC as a leader in areas such as mobility and quantum technology. What a draw to recruit top faculty in the computational science and engineering fields. These advancements are not just about research; they are about preparing our students to tackle the challenges of the future.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a chancellor has been educating and empowering students to help them discover their potential and equip them with the tools they need to grow. Watching a student who struggled in their first year find their footing and graduate, seeing faculty step up to mentor students who are unsure of their path, and hearing from alumni about how UTC changed their lives are a few of the special moments that remind all of us why what we do matters.
None of this would have been possible without the dedicated faculty and staff who have worked tirelessly to support our mission. UTC is not one individual; it is a team effort. Whether it is a faculty member mentoring a student through a challenging project or a staff member ensuring our campus is welcoming and accessible, every person at UTC plays a crucial role. I have always believed that leadership is about creating an environment where people can succeed, and I am proud to have played a part in fostering that environment.
As I prepare to transition back to the faculty, I am filled with excitement and gratitude. Teaching has always been my passion, fueled by the energy of a classroom and the joy of helping students connect their learning to the real world. Organic chemistry, my area of expertise, is often seen as daunting, but I see it as an opportunity to inspire curiosity and wonder. I want students to leave my class not only with knowledge but with a sense of possibility and a spark of creativity. Engaged learning fosters critical thinking and reveals the relevance of what they study to the world around them. My goal is for students to see themselves as part of discovery and innovation.
It has been an honor to serve as your chancellor and I am excited to continue contributing to this incredible University. I am proud of what we have accomplished over the past 11.5 years. We have transformed this campus, strengthened our ties to the community and created a culture of collaboration and pride.
More than that, we have built a foundation for the future. UTC is a place where people matter, students come first and teamwork drives success. I am excited to see what the future holds.
Go Mocs!
Dr. Steve Angle is the fourth-longest-serving leader in the institution’s history and the second-longest since UTC joined the University of Tennessee System in 1969.
