The UTC School of Nursing will launch a new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program this fall to help meet urgent workforce needs across the region and state. The PMHNP concentration, part of UTC’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, offers two pathways: a full-time, eight-semester post-BSN track for students pursuing a doctoral degree and a five-semester post-graduate certificate for advanced practice registered nurses who already hold a master’s degree.
UTC’s I-O psychology conference celebrates two decades of impact
For 20 years, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Psychology has hosted the River Cities Industrial-Organizational Psychology Conference (RCIO), where people across the country come to learn about I-O psychology and opportunities available to those who decide to pursue human resources and other related fields.
UTC professor earns patent for new tech blending rehab and robotics
Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu, who heads the Department of Engineering Management and Technology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has secured his first U.S. design patent for a pneumatically powered balance board designed to support patients with chronic lower back pain or those recovering from injury or surgery.
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.
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.
A small grant, a big idea and a lot of UTC support
It started at Thanksgiving dinner. Megan Cales watched her partner’s 5-year-old son—who is autistic—struggle to manage his voice in a noisy room full of family. She searched online for a discreet, wearable tool that might help him self-regulate. Nothing existed. She made a mental note and moved on. Then, an email from the University of…
First-gen, second degree: Bailee Smith’s journey through UTC and beyond
Bailee Smith didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a college professor. In fact, she didn’t even start college planning to pursue cognitive science. But as she prepares to walk across the McKenzie Arena stage on May 2 to receive her master’s degree, she is already envisioning life as Dr. Smith.
Social work students take advocacy to heart during State Capitol visit
For social work students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the 2025 Social Work Day on the Hill was more than a visit to the Capitol—it was an opportunity to bring real-world advocacy to life. Day on the Hill, organized by the Tennessee chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, gives social work students the chance to see the legislative process in action while learning how advocacy can shape their professional paths.
Taking nursing where it’s needed: AHEAD-RN program prepares students for rural impact
Through the AHEAD-RN traineeship led by Dr. Brooke Epperson, associate director of the School of Nursing and the undergraduate program coordinator, eight nursing students are diving into the realities of rural health care. They’re learning that providing quality care in these communities isn’t just about medical skills—it’s about adaptability, cultural sensitivity and resourcefulness in environments where health care access can be severely limited.
UTC rolls out MobileMOC health clinic
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 25, to mark the official launch of MobileMOC—the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing’s new mobile outreach health clinic designed to expand health care access for older adults and caregivers in rural Southeast Tennessee.