Seven UTC Department of Communication students placed either first or second in nine different categories at the Tennessee Golden Press Card Awards.
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.
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 behind the scenes to center stage: April Van Brunt finds her calling in the classroom
April Van Brunt, a mother of four and a nontraditional student in the UTC Master of Education: Elementary Education program, has spent the past year participating in the “Grow Your Own” initiative—which aims to help address the current teacher shortage and get more qualified teachers in classrooms. She now teaches kindergarten at Red Bank Elementary School and will graduate with honors during UTC’s Graduate School commencement on Friday, May 2.
UTC honors outstanding graduate students during appreciation celebration
As part of UTC’s Graduate Student Appreciation Week, which recognized the contributions, impact and value of UTC’s graduate and professional students, students were honored by their respective programs during a celebration event on Friday, April 11.
UTC graduate student Andrew Calkins finds his calling through Noyce Fellowship
Offered through UTC’s School of Education and funded by the National Science Foundation, the Noyce Fellowship Program provides STEM graduates with a fully funded pathway to earn their M.Ed. in Secondary Education in just 14 months. The program covers tuition, fees and books—and offers a $10,000 salary supplement during the first four years of teaching. In return, fellows commit to teaching for four years in a high-need Hamilton County School.
UTC theatre students take center stage in national social venture competition
A social entrepreneurship team comprised of two UTC theatre students has been selected to compete in the Hult Prize 2025 United States National Competition—a contest challenging students to develop innovative business solutions for global issues. Senior Pearson Smith—UTC’s first theatre entrepreneurship major—and junior Harrison Faulkner, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in theatre, will represent the University at the Hult International Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 21-22.
Surprise gift hits the right note for recent UTC graduate
A heartwarming surprise awaited UTC alum Lauren Cardenas when she walked into her DuPont Elementary School music room on Friday, Feb. 28. Members of UTC’s Music Educators Social Society student organization, accompanied by the group’s faculty advisor—Associate Professor Ali Allerton—had come to DuPont to present her with more than $1,000 raised to support her classroom. The visit, staged under the pretense of observing her in the school, left Cardenas both shocked and overjoyed as she accepted the generous gift.
UT Leadership Institute comes to Chattanooga
The UT Leadership Institute recognizes and trains leaders within the UT System to develop their skills and understanding of leadership’s role in higher education. Approximately 50 participants from UT institutions and administrative units are invited to attend.
Summer blast: UTC’s Challenger STEM Learning Center relaunches summer camp
UTC’s Challenger STEM Learning Center is hosting day camps for children throughout the summer. Starting in June, rising second to sixth graders in the Challenger Exploration Camp will have the opportunity to participate in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) challenges, rocket launches and explorations of space and Earth.