A lot of great things happened at UTC during the 2025 calendar year. We celebrated student and faculty research, welcomed new faces (including Chancellor Lori Bruce), broke ground on new buildings and commemorated big wins. With so much happening across campus, the UTC newsroom published 427 stories over the course of the year. Here are our top 20 personal favorites in chronological order of website publication.
Dr. Mina Sartipi named interim vice chancellor for research at UTC
Dr. Mina Sartipi has been appointed interim vice chancellor for research, effective January 2026. Sartipi currently serves as the executive director of the UTC Research Institute and as the founding director of the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP). She is a Guerry Professor and UC Foundation Professor in UTC’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering and holds a joint faculty appointment with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Ask, observe, connect: Finding answers that make an impact
“When a faculty member is actively practicing their discipline through research, the classroom benefits. Students benefit,” Chancellor Lori Bruce said. “When a student is getting to participate in the research and be at the cutting edge of their discipline, it’s even more powerful.”
UTC Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann announces retirement
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor for Research Reinhold Mann has announced his retirement, effective at the end of December. Since joining UTC in 2015, Mann has helped shape a new era for the University’s research enterprise, building faculty capacity, deepening community partnerships, and advancing major strategic initiatives that have elevated UTC’s role in regional innovation and discovery.
A decade, four sisters and one University at fall 2025 commencement
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s fall commencement ceremonies were a time for families to celebrate their students’ hard work and accomplishments. Natale Mertens graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the fall 2025 commencement, joining her three sisters as UTC alumni.
Firsts and finish lines: UTC celebrates fall 2025 commencement
The Graduate School commencement took place Friday, Dec. 12, recognizing students who earned advanced degrees across UTC’s academic programs.
“Sometimes, the right place finds you”: A student writer shares his UTC story
Matt McAllister spent the fall 2025 semester as a student writer in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Division of Communications and Marketing, completing his bachelor’s degree in communication. He is a 2021 graduate of Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
“I will forever be grateful”: Psychology student Kristopher Ware finds opportunity and mentorship at UTC
Kristopher Ware can trace much of his growth at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to the conversations that happened after class. When he earns his bachelor’s degree in psychology, Ware will carry with him the confidence built through his accomplishments, the power of mentorship and a deep appreciation for his field.
Durand Henderson’s journey to community and opportunity at UTC
Durand Henderson has spent the last three years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga balancing life, work and school. He is now ready to walk across the McKenzie Arena stage on Saturday, Dec. 13, to receive a degree in business administration with a concentration in economics, along with minors in personal finance and political science.
Charles in charge: Storyteller turns his UTC student experience into a career
When Charles Kemp walks across the McKenzie Arena stage at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 13, he’ll be thinking about how far he’s come—both as a student and as a storyteller.