University High launched in fall 2023 and is aimed at Hamilton County students who can earn college credit hours. Photo by Angela Foster.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall was filled with proud parents, excited students and a genre-spanning soundtrack on Friday, May 8, as the second-ever University High graduating class prepared to receive diplomas.
UTC Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jerold L. Hale explained the origin of University High. It was created to encourage students to attend college, to demonstrate student success in college-level coursework through dual enrollment, and to provide an affordable option while working toward a degree.
“These graduates were fully embedded on our campus,” he told the audience. “As far as most people knew, you were just like every other UTC student as you were completing your high school studies and taking some college classes.”
With those goals in mind, University High offers students greater freedom to explore their interests and discover what they are most passionate about.
That freedom was on display when four graduates—electric guitarist Andrey Ramirez, bass guitarist Landon Thomas, acoustic guitarist Jackson Allen and drummer Gavin Chamberlin—performed at the ceremony as members of the University High Music Club.
Ramirez, Thomas and Allen founded the club after the trio approached science teacher Juney Shober—who played electric guitar at the ceremony—to propose starting it.
“I always wanted to start a club here,” Thomas said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to start, and I was like, ‘Oh shoot.’ We could always start a music club. We could perform because I always thought it’d be really fun in past lessons. I didn’t really have an opportunity to play.”
The club also performed at the 2025 University High graduation at the last-minute request of a teacher.
“It was a week before graduation, and another teacher was like, ‘Hey, why don’t you all play “Pomp and Circumstance”?’” Shober recalled. “They’re like, ‘We’ll probably need some other stuff.’ And credit to these guys because we’ve put in a lot of work together. They’ve put in even more work on their own outside of the times that I’ve been present. They were saying they’re more confident this year.”
The University High Music Club practices before the graduation ceremony begins.
This year’s setlist included the 2000 alternative rock song “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus, and Bill Withers and George Washington Jr.’s classic “Just the Two of Us.”
Shober said the songs came from the students, even though they were already among his personal favorites. The freedom to choose songs was again a way to highlight the autonomy University High offers its students.
“We allow kids to be themselves, give them empowerment and independence to be on a campus,” said University High Principal Arielle Hayes. “We really trusted them in this process. We handpicked each student, and by the first semester of their junior year, they had already transformed.
“The rest of it was just an enhancement. They have been enhancing themselves and refining themselves as individuals.”
Club members praised the independence they were granted.
“I probably wouldn’t get the chance to play a graduation at a regular high school, be able to start a club or get the space to practice,” Thomas said.
Jackson emphasized that a college schedule offers an opportunity to explore one’s passions.
“It’s given me freedom to get to know those around me,” he said. “It’s definitely nice having a college schedule with more space in between classes. We’ve been able to practice pretty much every day, and we wouldn’t be able to get that at a normal high school.”
Ramirez appreciated the club’s community and willingness to add new students.
“It changed my life completely because I have done things that I don’t think I could have done if I stayed in the old public school,” Ramirez said. “It’s been a change of environment that I’m really happy with. I’ve met amazing people and am really proud of that.”
Hayes ended the graduation ceremony by telling the graduating class how much she loves them and how much she looks forward to seeing their success in the next phase of their lives.
“I am so proud of them,” she said. “They’re the second graduating class of this program. We had no idea what it was going to be, how it was going to operate or what was going to happen, but with UTC support and partnership, it’s been absolutely amazing. I know they’re going to go to college and excel because of the experience they’ve had here.”
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