Dr. Lisa Piazza came to UTC in 2018 with a goal to help more students see themselves as researchers. As a first-generation college student, Piazza learned much of higher education as she went, often with the help of mentors who took the time to guide her. That perspective carries over into her work at UTC, where she aims to make research feel approachable rather than intimidating.
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey to speak at UTC
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and two-term U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey will deliver a free, public lecture titled “The Role of the Humanities in Our Personal and Civic Lives” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, in the University Center Tennessee Room. The event is presented as part of the O’Dea Lecture in the Humanities series.
Known as ‘Sarge,’ UTC engineering student earns Gilman Scholarship after years away from college
At the start of her college journey, she was a nursing student at Chattanooga State Community College who felt lost when she realized that the profession may not be for her. Nearly a decade later, Hobbs is nearing graduation from UTC with a degree in chemical engineering. She is also an Innovations in Honors student in the UTC Honors College and the recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, which will allow her to travel to the Netherlands this spring free of charge.
Winter Welcome Week rings in the new semester
New and returning students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are heading back to campus for the spring semester with opportunities to connect during the 2026 Winter Welcome Week. The week of festivities will begin Monday, Jan. 12—when students start classes—and continue through Friday, Jan. 16.
Two UTC Honors College students win big at national conference
Vio Midgett’s research was driven by two childhood memories. The first came from the Japanese nursery rhymes her grandmother—who grew up on a United States Navy base in Japan—sang to her when she was a child. The other memory derives from her second-grade history textbook.
Top 20 of ’25: A year’s worth of cheers
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.
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.
Crossing the finish line: UTC to celebrate fall 2025 commencement
On Dec. 12-13, UTC will celebrate fall commencement at McKenzie Arena, honoring the accomplishments of approximately 670 undergraduates and 160 graduate students earning their degrees. Many of the 198 undergraduate and 95 graduate students who completed their degrees in August are also expected to return to campus to join in the celebration.
UTC marks a new chapter as Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce is formally invested
On Friday, Nov. 21, Chancellor Lori Bruce was formally installed as the 19th leader in the University’s 139-year history. The event brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni, state and community leaders, and members of the UT System, each playing a part in a day that will be remembered at UTC for years to come.
Prospective UTC students explore campus life during Blue and Gold Preview Day
Blue and Gold Preview Day, UTC’s comprehensive open house, took place Saturday, Nov. 15. Blue and Gold provides prospective students with a broad introduction to campus life, admissions, housing and scholarships.