When Teresa McKinney walks out of her office at the end of June, she will close the book on a 42-year chapter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga that began when she was a student worker in the Department of Music.
Headstrong: One stubborn puppy, one determined student
For UTC mechanical engineering grad student Connor Mackey, what started as an engineering experiment quickly turned into a year-long test of creativity, grit and compassion. With no blueprint to follow, Mackey leaned into his problem-solving instincts—producing more than a dozen helmet prototypes for a tiny puppy.
Highly decorated UTC alum named Pickering Fellow
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga alum Emma Sprayberry has been selected for the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship—a prestigious U.S. Department of State program that prepares individuals for careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. The May 2024 graduate is the first UTC student or alum to earn a Pickering Fellowship.
URaCE meet-and-greet sparks conversation and collaboration
For dozens of students spending time at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this summer, a gathering hosted by the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE) offered a chance to meet their peers and get a feel for the academic journeys ahead.
From classroom to certification, UTC’s Job-Embedded program opening doors for aspiring educators
Johanna Gabriela Castillo Pineda is a Spanish teacher at East Brainerd Elementary School and the 2025 recipient of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Job-Embedded Award—an honor given to a student in UTC’s Job-Embedded licensure program who exemplifies commitment, growth and the spirit of teaching.
New research by UTC sociologist challenges one-size-fits-all intervention models
Changing behavior is hard. Changing identity—especially the deeply ingrained ideas of what it means to “be a man”—is even harder. Dr. Chris Vidmar, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, explored that challenge in a recent ethnographic study of court-mandated intervention programs for abusive and controlling men.
Trailblazers: University High’s first graduating class shows what’s possible
Cheers and applause filled the Roland Hayes Concert Hall on Friday, May 9, as the inaugural graduating class of University High crossed the stage—celebrating both their diplomas and a pioneering partnership between UTC and Hamilton County Schools.
University High to UTC: How an incoming freshman stitched together passion and purpose
Shi Mae Bowling has known for years that she wanted to become a costume designer. What she didn’t know was that a high school initiative located on a college campus would turn that dream into a real, reachable goal—and connect her with a mentor who could help make it possible. But thanks to her time at University High, a collaboration between UTC and Hamilton County Schools, Bowling—a graduating senior from the program’s first cohort—has found guidance and a sense of belonging while earning college credit.
UTC’s Arts-Based Collaborative uses teaching artists to inspire, educate and engage
With spring in full swing, the Arts-Based Collaborative (ABC) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been bringing the arts to life in classrooms and communities across the area.
From holistic healer to social worker, Lori Coletta’s path to purpose
As advanced degree recipients from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Graduate School crossed the McKenzie Arena stage on Friday, May 2, one in particular stood out—not because of a number, but because of her story. At 62 years of age, Lori Coletta accepted her Master of Social Work degree—a moment of “legitimacy” marking the culmination of a decades-long path rooted in advocacy, exploration and the pursuit of purpose.