Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt (left), Dr. Chandra Ward, Joshua Clay, Rep. Greg Martin, and Rep. Harold Love Jr. pose at the 2026 Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award ceremony. Photo courtesy of TN Photo Services.
Three members of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga community—Dr. Chandra Ward, Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt and student Joshua Clay—have been named recipients of the 2026 Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award, one of the state’s highest recognitions for public service in higher education.
Presented annually by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Harold Love Award honors 10 individuals statewide—five students and five faculty or staff members—who demonstrate a sustained commitment to volunteerism, civic engagement and community leadership. The award is named for the late Rep. Harold Love Sr., whose legacy of service continues to guide the selection.
“The Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award represents the very best of what higher education can contribute to our communities, and we are incredibly proud to see Dr. Chandra Ward, Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt and Joshua Clay recognized at the state level,” said UTC Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce. “Each of these individuals embodies UTC’s commitment to civic engagement—using knowledge, leadership and compassion to create meaningful, lasting impact. Their work reflects not only personal dedication, but also the deep partnerships that define our role in Chattanooga and across Tennessee.”
This year’s honorees from UTC represent a broad spectrum of service, each grounded in long-term partnerships and a clear sense of responsibility to the region.
Dr. Chandra Ward, UC Foundation associate professor of sociology, has focused her work on issues of equity and access, particularly in transportation. Her research examines how mobility barriers shape access to jobs, health care and education, and she regularly connects that work to community-based efforts in Chattanooga.
“I am so honored to be a recipient of the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award,” Ward said. “Service is at the heart of who I am as a person, and the discipline of sociology compels its practitioners to apply their work to both provide understanding and service to society.”
Ward emphasized the connection between her academic work and the city itself, noting that UTC offers “a dynamic urban laboratory” where students and community partners can work together to address local challenges.
“To have the opportunity to leverage my skills as an urban researcher, to shine a light on community issues and place UTC at the forefront of cultivating future urban researchers … that is what this award means to me,” Ward said.
In addition to her research, Ward has partnered with the City of Chattanooga’s Office of Multicultural Affairs on fair housing education initiatives and serves on the board of Humanities Tennessee.
Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt, UC Foundation professor and head of the Department of Criminal Justice, has built his service work through long-standing partnerships focused on public safety. As director of the UTC Violence Reduction Initiative, he collaborates with law enforcement agencies and community organizations to address violent crime using data-informed strategies.
“I am well acquainted with Representative Love’s inspirational work and his remarkable commitment to improving the lives of others—and I am humbled to have even been nominated for the award that honors his legacy,” Dierenfeldt said.
He pointed to the collective nature of the work, crediting partners across the region.
“The work these people and organizations are doing has been so critical to reducing gun violence, recidivism and opioid-related overdoses in our community,” he said. “It is such a privilege, as their research partner, to have a front-row seat as they develop and implement models for addressing issues that are of critical importance.”
Dierenfeldt added that the role of the University is clear.
“We all embrace the truth that research is an important form of service,” he said. “That is the gap that we can fill—the meaningful contribution we can make to the larger mission of making Tennessee a safer place to live and work.”
Joshua Clay, a Chattanooga native and graduating senior pursuing a Bachelor of Integrated Studies, has focused his service on mentorship, student support and campus engagement. His involvement includes roles as a Chancellor’s Ambassador, orientation leader, Student Government Association senator and events manager.
“I am unable to formulate a sentence or comments that would encompass how much this nomination means to me,” Clay said. “The recognition alone means the world to me.”
Clay described service as something measured less in outcomes and more in impact on others.
“Being able to improve the lives of others and have proof in the thank yous, tears of joy and other forms of appreciation is something that fulfills you better than anything else can,” he said.
He also pointed to the mindset that has guided his approach.
“From networking with donors to helping underclassmen find their way, I have always tried to promote access, connection and opportunities for success,” he said. “A big part of that is remaining consistent, continuing to learn and being ready to take on the next task—whether there is an immediate benefit or not.”
Clay said that perspective is rooted in lessons from his family. “Victory loves preparation,” he said, quoting his father, Michael Clay. He also shared a guiding principle from his mother: “The more you bless others, the bigger your blessings are going to be.”
Established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1991 and later renamed in honor of Love, the award recognizes individuals who make lasting contributions to their communities. Recipients are selected by a statewide committee and receive a $1,000 prize.
Though their work looks different, Ward, Dierenfeldt and Clay share a sustained commitment to civic engagement and the communities they serve. Their recognition points to the range of service tied to UTC and the role the University continues to play across Chattanooga and the state.
UTC Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award Recipients (since 1998)
Students
2026 – Joshua Clay
2024—Chamyra Teasley
2020—Briana Brady
2019—JJ Lewis
2001—Andrew Smith
1998—Isaac Connor
Faculty/Staff
2026 – Dr. Rick Dierenfeldt, Dr. Chandra Ward
2022—Dr. Courtney Crittenden
2020—Dr. Priscilla Simms-Roberson
2019—Dr. Tammy Garland, Dr. David Ross
2018—Dr. Richard Brown, Dr. June Hanks
2011—Dr. Roger Thompson
2009—Dr. Zibin Guo
1998—Dr. Barbara Wofford
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