Chancellor Lori Bruce chats with Associate Professor of History Edward Brudney during her first Coffee with the Chancellor. Photo by Angela Foster.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s new chancellor, Dr. Lori Bruce, hosted her first Coffee with the Chancellor on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Wolford Family Athletic Center.
Part of the University’s 139th Founder’s Week celebration, the morning gathering drew faculty and staff for casual conversation over coffee and pastries. Bruce spent most of Coffee with the Chancellor moving from table to table, chatting one-on-one and in small groups.
She shared a few highlights with the crowd, noting record overall enrollment this fall—more than 12,000 students—and strong growth in graduate programs. She also applauded a nearly 5% increase in transfer students, emphasizing UTC’s commitment to accessibility and welcoming new Mocs at every stage.
“I want to say thank you for being so welcoming and open to me as the new chancellor,” Bruce told the group. “I’m still in learning and listening mode, so I want you to share with me what you want me to know about UTC.”
Her advice before setting the microphone aside: “Eat all the pastries so we don’t have leftovers.”
Coffee with the Chancellor is a recurring series at UTC, giving faculty and staff a chance to connect with the chancellor in an informal setting. Each UTC chancellor has made the series their own, and Bruce’s debut marked the beginning of her own tradition of small-group conversations.
The next Coffee with the Chancellor will take place Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Lupton Hall.
Photos by Angela Foster
