The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga annually celebrates staff and faculty who have reached notable career milestones.
This year, 183 employees will be honored during the UTC Service Awards Annual Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The luncheon, a signature event of Founder’s Week, offers University leaders an opportunity to recognize the dedication and commitment of longtime members of the UTC community.
Service awards are presented in five-year increments, beginning with an employee’s fifth year of regular service. They highlight the value of employee contributions while reinforcing UTC’s culture of appreciation and retention.
This year’s honorees include 37 employees who have achieved at least 20 years of service.
The 2026 Service Award recipients are listed below, courtesy of the UTC Office of Human Resources.
5-Year Service Awards
- Gassim Abazid: Police Department
- Dana Adams: Recruitment
- Kelli Baker: Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research
- Michelle Baksh: Center for Global Education
- Meredith Barbee: Chemistry
- Christopher Bolenbaugh: Facilities, Planning Management
- James Bradshaw: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Marykathleen Branwell: Advancement
- Mark Buzbee: Modern Classical Language and Literature
- Vinod Changarath: Finance
- Randall Coleman: Music
- Jacob Collum: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- David Conner: Housing and Residence Life
- Jana Cox: Financial Aid
- Casey Croft: Police Department
- Ginger Dockery: Police Department
- Lorna Durrant: School of Education
- Rachel Ellis: Academic Affairs
- Cori Forte: Rollins College of Business
- Adelia French: Facilities, Planning Management
- Christopher Frishcosy: College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Maurice Green: Student Support Services
- Gary Haber: Facilities, Planning Management
- Dana Hall: Human Resources
- Portia Hammonds: Facilities, Planning Management
- Teresa Harrison: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- Hannah Hartman: CAS Student Success Center
- Stephen Hebert: Facilities, Planning Management
- Corbin Hedges: Campus Recreation
- Joshua Hodge: Sociology, Anthropology, Geography
- Roland Howell: College of Computer Science and Engineering
- John Huber: Psychology
- Subin Im: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Ryan Jones: Advancement
- Hyeyoon Jung: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Laurie Kianka: Facilities, Planning Management
- Kaelin King: Athletics Academics
- Cicely Lardizabal: Registrar
- Stacy Lightfoot: Access and Engagement
- Kenneth Lloyd: Police Department
- Jennifer Lynberg: School of Education
- Jody Massey: Housing and Residence Life
- Sylvana Matthews: Veteran and Military Affairs
- Robert McLeod: Athletics
- Eisa Mohamed: College of Computer Science and Engineering
- Gerard Pacitti: Athletics
- Marshall Parrent: Health and Human Performance
- Bailey Payne: Health and Human Performance
- Ashleigh Pipes: Applied Learning and Leadership
- Charlie Reed: Communications and Marketing
- Nicholas Riehle: Facilities, Planning Management
- Janet Robinson: Facilities, Planning Management
- Stacie Rolax: Facilities, Planning Management
- Emma Sampson: Health and Human Performance
- Amanda Sehic: Housing and Residence Life
- Anita Shoemaker: Facilities, Planning Management
- Rebecca Shortridge: Accounting
- Kristen Singletary: College of Nursing
- Haley Solomon: WUTC Radio Station
- Jessica Taylor: Applied Learning and Leadership
- Kathryn Taylor: History
- Barbara Thompson: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- Rebekah Thompson: Walker Center for Teaching and Learning
- Melissa Tinkham: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- Yan To: Art
- Benjamin Torok: Information Technology
- Anna Turner: College of Nursing
- Xiunan Wang: Mathematics
- Tyrus Ward: Football
- Doreen Watt: Children’s Center
- Jill Williams: International Education
- Brittney Wilson: Athletics
- Taylor Winnie: Children’s Center
- Luz Zuluaga: Counseling Center
10-Year Service Awards
- Rafayet Alam: Economics
- Alison Allerton: Music
- Anitra Barrett: Dean of Students
- Deanna Beasley: Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
- Donald Behneman: Information Technology
- Tina Benkiser: Accounting
- Lacy Bobo: Police Department
- Bradley Bond: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- Chad Camper: Women’s Tennis
- Stephan Davenport: Accounting
- Abigail Davis: Library
- Aramis Douglas: Dean of Students
- Stephanie Epperson: College of Nursing
- Michelle Evans: Political Science and Public Service
- Chelsie Ewing: Facilities, Planning Management
- Sarah Farnsley: Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
- Brett Fuchs: Police Department
- Monica Garoiu: Modern Classical Language and Literature
- Carole Geter: Facilities, Planning Management
- Jason Gordon: School of Education
- Adrian Gustus: Facilities, Planning Management
- Willie Hall: Parking Services
- Kara Hamilton: Health and Human Performance
- Christopher Hansen: School of Education
- Jason Harville: Housing and Residence Life
- Elizabeth Hathaway: Health and Human Performance
- Azad Hossain: Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
- Hemant Jain: Data and Analytics
- Eun Young Kim: Interior Architecture and Design
- Mary King: Auxiliary Services
- Ahmet Kule: Criminal Justice
- Noah Lasley: Library
- Casey Lee: Information Technology
- David Locander: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- David Lyon: Facilities, Planning Management
- Lloydia Murillo: School of Education
- Edwin Murillo: Modern Classical Language and Literature
- Andrea Neely: Management
- Adam Nimmo: Information Technology
- Lauren Ouwerkerk: EMSA Student Success
- Karissa Peyer: Health and Human Performance
- Allen Pratt: School of Education
- Rhonda Runion: Accounting Services
- Albert Salatka: Library
- David Seidel: Parking Services
- Priscilla Simms-Roberson: College of Nursing
- Jennifer Stewart: English
- Sean Stewart: Fine Arts Center
- Jeremy Strickler: Political Science and Public Service
- Anne Swedberg: Theatre
- Christopher Thornton: College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Michael Twomey: Facilities, Planning Management
- Oscar Vazquez: Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research
- Scarlett Vineyard: Campus Recreation
- William Weeks: Communications
- Lakmali Weerasena: Mathematics
- John Zibluk: Communications
15-Year Service Awards
- Sandra Cordell: Rollins College of Business
- Robert Dooley: Rollins College of Business
- Christine Estoye: Rollins College of Business
- Samantha Freeman: CAS Student Success Center
- Leah Gill: Athletics
- Katie Gohn: Library
- Hope Klug: Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
- Ronald Matlock: Philosophy
- James Newman: Mechanical Engineering
- Melita Rector: Budget and Finance
- Kim Sapp: UTC Research Institute
- Michael Scruggs: Parking Services
- Perry Ward: Music
- Cynthia Williamson: Accreditation and Assessment
- Jonathan Yeager: Philosophy
20-Year Service Awards
- Amy Blackburn: Children’s Center
- Robert Boyer: Fine Arts Center
- Hilary Browder-Terry: Modern Classical Language and Literature
- Virginia Cairns: Library
- Matthew Evans: English
- Joshua Hamblen: Physics
- Kenneth Hood: Facilities, Planning Management
- Christopher Horne: Political Science and Public Service
- Christopher Howard: Information Technology
- Michael Jaynes: English
- Elizabeth Johnson: Center for Academic Support and Advisement
- Lisa Keatley: Parking Services
- Andrew Najberg: English
- Paula Ortega: Facilities, Planning Management
- Lynn Purkey: Modern Classical Language and Literature
- Mina Sartipi: UTC Research Institute
- Brandalyn Shropshire: Recruitment
- Mark Stotts: Information Technology
- Christi Wann: Finance
25-Year Service Awards
- Nicholas Boer: Health and Human Performance
- Cindy Hornsby: Children’s Center
- Tonia Martin: Strategic Enrollment Technology
- Brian O’Leary: Psychology
- Frank Reed: Athletics
- Christine Smith: College of Nursing
- Valerie Taylor: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Kathleen Wheatley: Rollins College of Business
30-Year Service Awards
- Jerry Ball: Facilities, Planning Management
- Twyler Boykin: Center for Community Education
- Hill Craddock: Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
- Lauren Ingraham: Academic Affairs
- Reuben Snow: UTC Arena
- Brian Townsend: UTC Arena
35-Year Service Awards
- Aniekan Ebiefung: Mathematics
- Jacqueline Tate: Children’s Center
40-Year Service Awards
- Jina Johnson: Human Resources
- Marcia Noe: English
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