Chancellor Lori Bruce (photo by Angela Foster)
On June 30, 2025, Dr. Lori Bruce became the chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the 19th leader in the University’s history.
As she gets ready to begin year two, Dr. Bruce sat down for a Q&A about what surprised her most in year one, what she has learned about UTC and herself, and what she sees ahead.
As you wrap up your first year at UTC, what surprised you most, both about the job and the University?
“How fun the job is.
“I knew the job would be a heavy responsibility with hard days when the stars didn’t align. But I think my biggest surprise is how much joy I have personally gotten from doing this job.
“The joy of getting to see impact on students and being able to help, whether it’s individual students or groups of students or faculty or a department. They come with an idea and I get to help them make it a reality. Going out and telling the story of UTC and the individuals that make up the University, I didn’t realize how much positive energy that would bring into my life personally—to be able to be that face and that voice for the campus.
“The other thing that surprised me was UTC itself. I had this impression that UTC was not super integrated into the community, that UTC sat in Chattanooga and Chattanooga was a backdrop. In my mind, I made this assumption that it was a University that happened to be in this city.
“What surprised me is that the University is very much integrated into the city. Whether that’s student clubs doing service projects in the surrounding community, or faculty research being hand in hand with partners in the community, or the care that is taken to align academic programs with workforce needs.
“So that true integration of campus life with the community, I did not think was there, but it is. I was really wrong about that. It isn’t a University that simply resides in Chattanooga. It is Chattanooga.”
How did that change the way you lead and talk about UTC?
“It definitely made me think much more about any decision we make. Does it enhance that relationship? Does it strain that relationship? Does it interconnect us more or less? It really makes me think through my decisions because I know the relationship is special, and I want to make sure I’m preserving it and growing it.
“It also changed the way I talk about the University because I don’t think I’m the only person who had that assumption. There’s maybe a little bit of an urban myth that we’re the ‘light upon the hill,’ that we’re this separate thing that happens to sit here in Chattanooga. I want people to understand how interconnected the University and the surrounding community are.
“It is humbling to be that voice, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I want to be a cheerleader for campus. I want to be telling our story boldly.”
Chancellor Bruce tosses a hat to an attendee at Riverfront Nights, a free weekly concert series at Ross’s Landing in Downtown Chattanooga.
What have been your favorite things about campus life and Chattanooga?
“The first things that come to mind are all food-related. I have enjoyed eating at Crossroads, seeing students, listening to them and meeting them. Sometimes I go and sit with them. Sometimes it freaks them out, but I really enjoy meeting them.
“I enjoy having time to walk around campus, which is rare, so I have to squeeze it in at lunch. I enjoy just seeing the students being students, and that helps me remember why we’re here and what we’re doing.
“The quality and variety of the food and the customer service of the people who are preparing and serving the food have been very enjoyable. Crossroads gives me an opportunity to be with students and faculty in a very unstructured way and listen to people.
“As far as Chattanooga goes, I’d say kind of the same thing. Chattanooga is a foodie town, and some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at in my life have been here in Chattanooga.
“I have really enjoyed spending time on the Riverwalk, riding my bicycle or walking my dogs. I run into students on the Riverwalk. I run into coworkers and alumni, so it’s fun.”
At the beginning of your first year, you were very intentional about being out and about and meeting people. Do you plan to keep doing that?
“I want to continue that in year two. I have heard very positive feedback from people on and off campus, business leaders and alumni about the fact that there is a person representing the University who is at the table and present at community meetings and events.
“I have also spent a lot of time just meeting people on campus, and I will continue that by meeting people in small groups, whether that’s the staff that runs a certain part of campus or the faculty from a particular academic unit.
“Sometimes you have to meet with people two or three times before they really feel comfortable opening up and sharing, so that will be just as important in year two as making sure a leader for UTC is at the table when opportunities are unveiled and decisions are made. That’s positive for the University and positive for the students in the long term.”
At the beginning of the fall 2025 semester, students lined up to meet with Chancellor Bruce on Chamberlain Field.
What do you want incoming students and new faculty and staff to know about UTC?
“When people come to UTC, they’re looking to be a part of a community and they’re looking for opportunity. They’re looking for an education that will put them on a purposeful and successful career trajectory. Maybe if it’s a new faculty member who is moving here from across the country, they’re looking for an opportunity to build their career here. But they’re also looking for purpose and impact.
“UTC is a place that gives you opportunities for growth, but also real purpose and the ability to see the impact of what you’re doing. There’s an opportunity for good internships and to study with or conduct undergraduate research with a nationally known faculty member.
“I think the same thing about the employees. UTC is a place where, if you commit yourself, you can have a positive impact on students’ lives so that—decades later—they remember you went the extra mile for them and helped them overcome an obstacle. That’s the thing I want people to really focus on: the opportunity, the purpose and the impact.”
Chancellor Bruce helped students and their families move into residence halls as part of “Operation Move In.”
After a year on campus, what has stood out to you about the research going on at UTC?
“The quality of the research.
“When it comes to research, we’re not trying to be all things to all people. We’re working to be nationally known and world-class in a few areas. When I reviewed the promotion and tenure dossiers this year, I was very impressed by the quality of our faculty’s scholarly and creative work.
“When I talk about research in terms of going after big funding to support some R&D effort, I’ve been very pleased that we’re really well known in a handful of areas. In those areas, I would argue we’re competitive against any R1.
“The only difference is that an R1 has more of those areas. They just have a larger volume. The thing I want people to understand about R2 and R1 is that they’re based on numeric metrics, not on the quality of our work. How many doctoral students did you graduate? How much research and development funding did you bring in?
“In our areas of strength, we’re competitive with anybody. There’s a hyperfixation on R2 and R1 status, and those labels don’t speak to the quality of our work. They speak to volume, and volume will come with time.”
On July 28, 2025, Bruce joined city and University leaders at a news conference announcing a $500,000 state grant to support UTC-led research intended to improve pedestrian and driver safety at Chattanooga intersections.
What have you learned about yourself over the last year?
“I’ve learned that I’m a better listener than I thought I was because I’m careful about what I say. I learned very early on to be careful about what I verbalize, because people will go do it. In my mind, I’m just thinking out loud, but a week later I find out they went and did that thing because they thought I was telling them to do it.
“If people are around me and they feel me being cautious with my words, it’s because I’m trying to make sure I’m not causing undue work for people or that they don’t think I’m telling them to go do something when I’m really just brainstorming. I have learned that I can be a much more careful listener and, as a result, a more intentional leader.
“I’ve also learned that I have more patience than I thought I had. Listening and patience often come hand in hand, and I’ve learned to accept help from other people more than I ever have in the past. I’ve learned that I can delegate and let things go beyond my personal control better than I thought I could.”
As year two begins, what’s at the top of your mind?
“There are two big things I will be focused on in year two. One is ensuring that we continue the momentum of our strategic plan. We have strong momentum in our enrollment and research, and we are making sure that continues. When you’re the brand-new chancellor, there’s excitement and people rally around you, and you get some momentum just from that.
“Many people put so much thought and effort into our strategic plan, so we must ensure that we’re paying attention to it and doing the things that move it forward. We’re keeping our eye on the ball. We’re not letting our foot off the gas, but we’re doing it in a way that doesn’t leave people feeling worn out or stretched thin.
“The second thing is our 140th celebration and honoring what our University has accomplished up to now. I tend to be someone who’s always looking forward. I don’t spend a lot of time looking in the rearview mirror; I look out of the windshield 99% of the time.
“But we have to stop and celebrate successes. I have to remind myself to look back and celebrate where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished.
“For me, this year is about balancing our 140th celebration and taking time to honor what this University has done and where we are, while at the same time continuing to build momentum in teaching, research and service.”
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