Dr. Courtney Crittenden (right) tables at a Love, Period. event. Photo courtesy of Courtney Crittenden.

In 2019, Dr. Courtney Crittenden led a Sunday school class at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Athens, Tennessee, which sparked an idea. 

A biblical passage about menstruation led her to research period poverty, or the lack of access to affordable menstrual products. 

She learned that an estimated one in five girls nationwide missed school because they didn’t have access to period products. 

“It’s just so unfair,” said Crittenden, a UC Foundation Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “It is biological and happens to 50% of the population. It’s not talked about and kids are missing school. That was insane to me.” 

Crittenden brought the issue to her church community, where four other women offered to help. Together, they founded Love, Period., a ministry that provides free menstrual products to people across East Tennessee. 

Seven years later, the organization expects to distribute a record 120,000 to 125,000 period products in 2026. 

“We just decided to do something about it,” Crittenden said. 

Love, Period. supplies products to schools throughout McMinn, Meigs and Polk counties. It also distributes products to local libraries, the YMCA, public bathrooms, food pantries and correctional facilities.  

Crittenden, who now chairs the organization’s executive committee, said the group aims to keep expanding. 

“From the beginning, our focus was on sustainability,” she said. “We didn’t want to have this go for two or three years and have people start to depend on us and then we fade out.” 

At UTC, Crittenden teaches students about the criminal justice system, including corrections and the experiences of women who enter the system. She discusses issues of fairness and access to basic necessities, including menstrual products. 

Those concerns led her to push for Love, Period. to expand into local jails. 

“When we were able to get buy-in from our supporters to go into jails, it was probably the proudest I was,” she said. “This is just a basic human dignity issue and women should not be without products.” 

Love, Period. now supplies products to jails in McMinn, Meigs and Polk counties. 

Crittenden said her students have also helped Love, Period. with the work. 

After learning about the organization, UTC Associate Professor of Psychology Ruth Walker added it to a list of community service opportunities for students in one of her courses. Several traveled to Athens to help pack bags of menstrual products for distribution. 

The organization also participates in UTC’s annual Health Fair, where volunteers distribute products and talk with students about menstrual health. 

Love, Period. accepts monetary donations and menstrual products. People can reach out through its social media accounts (@loveperiodchatt) to request supplies or learn how to help. 

Crittenden said she is encouraged by younger generations, especially her students. 

“I really love that this generation that we have in college and the ones coming after them talk about periods more and more and are less ashamed about it,” she said. 

After seven years of helping people access menstrual products, Crittenden still sees how necessary the work is. 

“If you miss school, you miss opportunities,” she said. “If we can keep people in the classrooms where the opportunities are, especially in those formative years, but also in college, where period poverty is a huge issue.” 

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Dr. Ashley Schilling has special interests in adaptive equipment used to promote development across domains, serving children from early infancy through the transition to adulthood.

Dr. Ashley Schilling is bringing pediatric care to the bike lanes.

As the Sharon Vanderbilt Professor of Physical Therapy in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Physical Therapy, Schilling is researching pediatric movement.

As a board-certified pediatric physical therapy specialist, she combined her passion for pediatric care with cycling to help identify appropriate adaptive cycling equipment for children with neuromuscular disabilities.

Her research examines movement, something she has “always been interested in.”

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Why did you pursue a career in physical therapy?

“I always knew I wanted to do something medical. My grandmother was a nurse and I grew up on my grandparents’ family farm. So I saw a lot of medical care, not for humans, but for animals. I knew I wanted to be involved in that, so I majored in biology in undergrad, thinking I might go to medical school, and I got a job at a hospital as a nursing assistant. The physicians I worked for said, ‘If we had to choose it all over again, we’re not sure we would go to medical school, maybe something a little bit different because we’re not getting to spend the time with our patients that we would really like to and you seem to be the type of person that really wants to build relationships with folks.’

“They picked up on something that I’m grateful for because they were absolutely right. I got to go into the athletic training room at Iowa State University and watch a physical therapist work with a collegiate basketball player over a couple of different sessions. He spent time educating her on what happened to her knee structurally and what the surgical procedure looked like, and he pulled out a model. He walked her through everything, what had been done, and where she was going to rehab to get back to what she loved most: playing basketball. Through that interaction, I said, ‘I want to do that.’ I want to build a relationship. I want to have the knowledge to be able to support somebody to do what they want to do in terms of movement.”

How do you develop those relationships?

“I teach the pediatric content here and like to tell my students, you’re not treating just the child; you’re treating their family. The relationship isn’t just me and the kiddo. It’s me, the kiddo, and whoever the caregivers are, whether that’s mom and dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles or foster parents.

“It’s child-centered, but it is also really important that we build it with a family because I get to spend between 45 minutes and an hour, sometimes once, if I’m lucky, twice a week with a child and their family. That’s not when the changes happen. The changes we want to see, improvements in motor skills, strength, coordination and activity, happen at home and in the community.”

What research are you currently working on?

“I just published this summer an article on using an IMU, which is an inertial measurement unit. It literally looks like a little matchbook that has a gyroscope and an accelerometer in it. Those are just big, fancy words for measuring movement. So measuring movement in terms of how fast something is rotating around a certain axis or how fast it is moving in a certain plane. With that device, I wanted to see whether it would be sensitive to changes in children’s postural control.

“In the future, we’re looking to do similar work, but with kids with neuromuscular disabilities because hopefully then it will be sensitive enough to pick up on the changes that we see in our kids with neurodevelopmental issues. We are lucky here at UTC in the physical therapy department because this summer we upgraded our system; now we can do it without markers. It’s called a markerless system, and it really reduces the burden of placing markers in very specific places.

“We’re trying to connect all of these dots so that clinicians can figure out what level of support they or I need to provide to this child so they can functionally use their hands and maybe even their eyes to be able to look around the room. If you don’t have good trunk control, it’s really hard to rotate your head, look around, or even make eye contact with your caregiver so you can have some social moments.”

Students in Dr. Ashley Schilling’s class helped construct adaptive equipment.

How important is collaboration to this process?

“We have a new initiative that started this summer through the Biomechatronics in Healthcare Initiative. Working with Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu is amazing and he’s so collaborative. The IMU study with the motion capture—I recently got a grant through this initiative to work with engineering students and potentially computer science students.

“That’s the really cool part about being on a campus like UTC. We’re not trying to work in silos. We’re trying to help one another. Whenever I read that somebody else is doing something on campus, I’m like, ‘Ooh, I should ask them about X, Y, Z.’ I encourage students to think about that too.

How has collaboration like that helped in other areas of research?

“I am a cyclist, and 16 years ago, in 2010, I got roped into assisting with starting a nonprofit in Nashville when I worked at Vanderbilt with another pediatric PT to get children with disabilities adaptive bikes.

“I fell in love with it. It became an absolute passion of mine. I volunteered with that nonprofit for many years and developed a continuing education program for physical therapists to help them choose the best frame for the potential rider in front of them.

“It’s not how you would normally set up somebody on a typical bike because there’s a whole line of how do you get perfectly fit on your bike if you’re a cyclist. It is different because the biomechanical principles change if you have weakness or a contracture.

“I have, for many years, used clinical reasoning to set riders up a particular way. I have to say every time I teach this class, I have no evidence. I have no quantitative empirical evidence to stand up here to tell you that this is how you should do it. I have only my clinical experience. When I finally got the opportunity to do that quantitative empirical research, I wrote a grant, and now we have adaptive bikes here. We’re working in the motion lab, and I have a group of DPT second-year students working with me. We are going to see if what I’ve been teaching all these years from a clinical experience lens works.

“The whole idea is not a perfect bike fit, but instead it’s the bike fit that allows that rider to ride the furthest, the fastest, the longest alongside their brothers, their sisters, their cousins, their neighbors and have fun. As a therapist, I see that type of intervention as something the kids don’t think of as therapy at all. It is a bike. They’re just out here to have a great time with their friends. If I can help them be as independent as possible by making sure that seat position is correct the first time, then I’ve done a good job in terms of getting them that access to their community that they need, deserve and want.”

What advice would you give to students interested in physical therapy?

“Observe, go find a clinic, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the population you’re interested in. I didn’t get to observe pediatrics. I was with the student-athlete population at the collegiate level when I was like, ‘Yeah, I like this. I like this a lot. You’re going to need a strong foundation in the sciences in terms of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology, but you will also get more of that in PT school.

“Make sure that you take time as an undergraduate to learn about things that you’re passionate about that might marry well with what you want to do someday and support you as a whole, holistic thinking human. It’s really important to remember that the people that come into our clinic, the kids that come into our clinic, they’re not just the prescription or the diagnosis on the prescription. They’re a whole human who wants to do other things outside of there, and so are you. So get a really well-rounded education.

“And ask questions, come see us in the PT department. If students on campus are interested, our program coordinator, Dr. Rebecca Littleton, is amazing. She runs our admissions process. She handles everybody who’s got a question or wants to go on a tour. She rolls out the red carpet. We love to see our UTC student undergrads in here checking it out.”

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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga brought back the early 2000s for Homecoming 2026. 

The week of Y2K festivities wrapped up Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Mocs faced Mercer University at Finley Stadium. Although UTC lost to the Bears 14-7 in overtime, the clear fall weather and Homecoming activities kept spirits high. 

Jayda Turner and Mason Lowe took the crowns as UTC’s 2026 Homecoming queen and king. 

Turner is the founder and president of Her Wellness, a women’s health awareness organization. She is also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and serves as media director for the Hamilton County Democratic Party. 

Lowe is a Gary W. Rollins College of Business Scholar and serves as an ambassador for the Hamilton County Youth Court. He also volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House.

The excitement of Homecoming for Turner and Lowe came before they knew they had won. 

“Honestly, the campaign was the best part,” said Lowe, a senior business management major from Chattanooga. “I’ve met so many amazing Mocs who I would’ve never met otherwise without this program. I’m just really grateful.” 

Turner, a senior human resource management major from Knoxville, Tennessee, agreed. 

“It’s an honor to be up here with everybody,” Turner said. “There are a lot of close personal friends and new people I got to meet.” 

Homecoming King Mason Lowe (left) and Homecoming Queen Jayda Turner pose with Chancellor Lori Bruce.

The awards announcement, held during halftime of the football game, included the presentation of Public Service awards to Samantha Hite and Rachel Smalley. 

The awards, presented by the UTC Alumni Board and the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, recognize students for their commitment to service. 

Smalley, a sophomore business administration major from Lilburn, Georgia, is a Brock Scholar in the Honors College with a minor in nonprofit administration/public administration. 

She serves as community service specialist and director of philanthropy for Alpha Delta Pi sorority, where she has helped organize events supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities. She also serves on the Greek Cru executive board and as a Young Life leader. Her volunteer work includes Hurricane Helene relief efforts, IRONMAN Chattanooga and Scrappy’s Cupboard, among other organizations. 

Hite, a senior pre-professional exercise and health science major from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, serves as a resident assistant, physiology supplemental instruction leader and campus ambassador. She is also involved in Sigma Kappa sorority, the Pre-Occupational and Physical Therapy Society, and Students Providing Aid. 

Hite had already spent three and a half hours volunteering at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that morning before heading to the Homecoming game. 

She said receiving the Public Service Award came as a surprise. 

“When I got that email, I was just shocked and so happy,” Hite said. 

“Rachel and Samantha show how much of a difference students can make when they give their time and talents to others,” said Molly Cooper, executive director of alumni affairs and annual giving. “Through their leadership on campus and service throughout the community, they are meeting real needs and encouraging others to get involved. We are proud to recognize them as our 2026 Public Service Award recipients.” 

Rachel Smalley (plaid dress) and Samantha Hite were recognized with Public Service awards. The awards were presented by UTC Alumni Board of Directors President Claire Smith (left) and Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Artanya Wesley.

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UTC students picked up free swag during the First Gen Week kickoff event on Monday, Nov. 9, at Heritage Plaza. Photo by Angela Foster.

For first-generation college students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, earning a degree means more than reaching graduation. It represents years of learning to navigate college, find support and build a path that once felt unfamiliar.

For Rudy Tomas, becoming a first-generation college graduate is a milestone he hopes to dedicate to his family. The construction management major with a minor in business will graduate from UTC in December.

A Chattanooga native, Tomas grew up in an immigrant household where his parents encouraged him to pursue higher education. Although his parents supported his decision to attend college, Tomas said they could not always guide him through the university experience.

“I didn’t know anyone who went to college,” Tomas said. “It’s not like I could go to my parents and ask, ‘Hey, what do I do?’ because I had to figure that out by myself.”

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Nov. 8 was selected as the date for the annual National First-Generation College Celebration to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Each year, UTC hosts a week-long celebration to recognize first-generation college students, faculty, and staff. 

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When he first arrived at UTC in 2023 after graduating from Notre Dame High School, Tomas said he struggled to adjust to the unfamiliar environment. Finding his way around campus, meeting new people and understanding academic expectations were all new challenges for him.

His older brother, who began college a year before him, became one of his first sources of guidance. Tomas also turned to UTC’s Student Support Services for guidance. He credits Melissa Laseter, now director of Student Success Programs, as his strongest resource during his time at UTC.

“She’s been my biggest support,” he said. “I probably wouldn’t have gone as far without her.”

Through his UTC support system, Tomas received help with resume building, networking and pursuing professional opportunities. He has spent nearly two years interning with local general contractor EMJ and expects to move into a full-time position after graduation.

As he prepares for December commencement, Tomas said earning his degree is a way to recognize his family’s encouragement and the work that brought him to this point.

“I’m just so honored to make my parents proud and kind of dedicate this to them,” he said.

Taylor Bishop, another upcoming December graduate, is majoring in exercise science. A native of Collierville, Tennessee. She said her experiences as a first-generation student have taught her the importance of seeking support and guidance.

Bishop chose to pursue a college degree to experience an opportunity unique to her family.

“I wanted to do it just because nobody else in my family had,” she said.

Wanting to stay in Tennessee while moving far enough from home to grow independently, Bishop decided UTC was the right fit for her.

When she first arrived on campus, she said she struggled adjusting to college life. Unsure how to navigate campus, manage coursework and build new connections, Bishop realized how difficult it was to manage it all on her own.

“I was very sunken in on myself trying to figure it out all on my own,” Bishop said, “which of course made it harder.”

Her perspective began to change when she started working as a peer academic coach with the Center for Academic Support and Advisement. Through that role, she connected with Academic Coaching Program Coordinator Teresa Harrison, who helped guide her through challenges she had previously tried to manage alone.

Bishop also became involved with Student Success Programs as a first-generation mentor, giving her the opportunity to help incoming students find resources and support.

Looking back, she said she wishes she had participated in the First-Generation Student Summit when she first arrived at UTC.

“It’s a big thing that first-generation students struggle with, thinking they need to do it all by themselves,” Bishop said. “As soon as you get that help, you can get so much further and feel so much better about who you are.”

After graduation, Bishop hopes to remain at UTC and work in a student support position, helping other students navigate the college experience.

A Moc’s First Year Coordinator Heidi Maradiaga participated in a Mocs in the City first-year experience trip to Maclellan Island on Oct. 30. Photo by Angela Foster.

While each first-generation student experience is different, the journey does not end at graduation. Several UTC faculty and staff members who were once first-generation students now use their experiences to support and guide students to success.

2024 UTC alum Heidi Maradiaga, who graduated with a degree in political science and a minor in Spanish, works as A Moc’s First Year coordinator in Academic Affairs. She said her experience as a first-generation college student helped shape her path into higher education.

Maradiaga first arrived on campus in 2019 from Lavergne, Tennessee, with no prior visits to UTC and little idea of what to expect. She said navigating college independently brought challenges, especially with financial aid, time management and understanding the resources available to students.

“I filled out the FAFSA and asked my dad for his phone,” Maradiaga said. “Then I filled out his side of the FAFSA.”

As a student, Maradiaga served as a first-generation mentor, first-year experience mentor and a tour guide. Through these experiences, she built connections across campus and learned about opportunities in higher education.

After graduating, Maradiaga worked as an admissions counselor before moving into her current role. She said her own experience navigating college has made her more resolute to help students find the support they need.

“I think it’s made me more determined,” Maradiaga said. “If you’re not first gen, you wouldn’t really know the level of determination it takes.”

She said she hopes students understand that asking for help is part of the college experience and that they do not have to figure everything out alone.

“Support and knowing your resources help you understand that there are people who can help if you need it,” Maradiaga said. “It’s OK to ask for help.”

Juan Aponte, shown in 2023, is a two-time UTC alum. Aponte is now an academic advisor in the Center for Academic Support and Advisement.

For Juan Aponte, support as a first-generation student at UTC helped shape his career. Now as an academic advisor for campus, he uses his experience to help students navigate college life.

Aponte moved to Tennessee from Puerto Rico at 16 and attended Watertown (Tennessee) High School. After a teacher recommended UTC during his senior year, he applied without visiting campus.

“I pretty immediately felt like, ‘Hey, this is a place that I can make home,” Aponte said.

As he began college life, learning to navigate daily responsibilities and finding resources became his strongest priority. Getting involved with UTC’s first-generation student programs helped him find a community where he could ask questions.

Through Student Support Services, Aponte found mentors, friendships and professional opportunities. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public service in 2023 and a master’s in public administration in 2025, crediting the first-generation community as a cornerstone of his college experience.

During his master’s program, he worked in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

“I’m here because of the programs that were there and because of all the resources that they poured into me,” Aponte said. “I’m really grateful.”

Today, those experiences have shaped his approach to advising, encouraging students to use the resources UTC offers. As an academic advisor, he gives students guidance on academic progress, classes and registration.

Aponte said he wants students to feel comfortable asking questions and understand that learning to navigate college is part of the process.

“It’s my job to teach you and inform you of these things,” Aponte said. “Coming from a nonjudgmental place and being open with students is really big for me.”

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MOCS2K brought back flip phones, roller skates, CD artwork and early-2000s music to showcase school spirit. Photos in this gallery include UTC football facing Virginia Military Institute at Finley Stadium; the unveiling of the Homecoming Court; a Party Like a Moc-Star block party; banner and window painting; Donut Stop the Music; Terrell Owens’ return to campus; lip sync battles photographed by Ashlyn Yoes; and the Nov. 7 Homecoming game against Mercer. Click the link for the Flickr gallery.

The Marching Mocs march down Vine Street on their way to Chamberlain Field. Photo by Angela Foster.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga launched a new Homecoming tradition Friday, Nov. 6, with a parade through campus and a pep rally on Chamberlain Field that brought together students, alums, faculty, staff and members of the Chattanooga community.

Hundreds of people lined Vine Street as the parade began in Lot 52, traveled along Vine and turned near Brock Hall before making its way to Chamberlain Field. Twenty-six groups representing approximately 600 people registered to participate.

The procession included members of the Homecoming Court, local competitive dance teams and marching bands. The College of Nursing added a manikin to the mix. By the time the parade reached Chamberlain Field, food trucks, campus tables and blue-and-gold crowds had filled the area.

Sponsored by the Division of Advancement, the event expanded the traditional Homecoming pep rally into an evening that paired a parade with music, food and Mocs spirit. The UTC Marching Mocs opened the pep rally, followed by performances from the UTC Spirit Squad and the Ladies of GOLD.

“Homecoming brought a special energy to campus, and our new parade ending with a pep rally added to that excitement,” said Dr. Lee Williams Weldon, vice chancellor for advancement and executive director of the University of Chattanooga Foundation. “It was wonderful to see students, alumni, faculty, staff and our Chattanooga community come together, show their blue and gold pride and help launch a new Homecoming tradition.”

The pep rally at Chamberlain Pavilion featured Chancellor Lori Bruce, Mocs senior linebacker Zion Rutledge—who was accompanied by his teammates—and Student Government Association President Zachary Lewis. Claire Smith, president of the UTC Alumni Board, and Terrence Banks, associate director of recruitment in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and a two-time UTC graduate, also addressed the crowd.

“Right here in Chattanooga, 140 years ago, our University opened its doors with a bold vision: opportunity through education,” Bruce said. “When I look across Chamberlain Field today, I know that vision has never been stronger.”

Rutledge, a fifth-year player from Marietta, Georgia, said the crowd added to the excitement heading into Saturday’s Homecoming football game.

“It’s exciting,” Rutledge said. “We’re competing for a ring, and I’m not leaving without one. It’s definitely exciting. Cool to see all these people out here, for sure.”

Mocs linebacker Zion Rutledge addresses the Pep Rally crowd.

Terrell Owens, a UTC alumnus and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, served as one of the parade’s grand marshals and spoke during the pep rally. He was joined on the Chamberlain Pavilion stage by his former NFL teammate Chad Johnson, better known during his playing career as Chad Ochocinco.

“These guys are in a three-way tie for first place tomorrow, and I’m predicting it right now: They’re going to win,” Owens said, encouraging the crowd to fill Finley Stadium for Saturday’s game. “I need all you guys out here. I want Finley Stadium packed.”

Erik Gray, a 1996 UTC graduate and former mascot, came to Homecoming to support Owens and enjoy the occasion. Gray said UTC helped shape his path after he arrived in Chattanooga from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

“Everything that I’ve done in my life started here,” Gray said. “I came to Chattanooga to become an adult, and that molded me.”

Gray encouraged fellow alumni to return and stay involved, whether through volunteering, mentoring, attending events or giving back in other ways.

“Just come back,” he said. “If you feel so inclined, give back, whether monetarily, non-monetarily, volunteering, being a mentor. Go to a class or speak at an event. Get involved with the alumni office. Get involved with the college that they graduated from.”

For Sandy Hartley, who earned a mathematics degree in 1970 and later completed a master’s degree at the University, Homecoming offered another chance to reconnect with a campus that has been part of her family for generations. Her parents met on the Quadrangle, and she returned after graduation to teach math classes at UTC before beginning her career as a high school teacher.

Hartley said she once thought she would never attend UTC because her parents spoke so fondly of it. “Then I ended up staying here and I loved it, too,” she said.

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Photo gallery by Angela Foster

A College of Nursing manikin “waves” to parade watchers.

Dr. Venkatesh Pulletikurthi joined the UTC faculty at the start of the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Angela Foster.

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Venkatesh Pulletikurthi arrived at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in August. Within weeks, he learned that research he began at Purdue University had resulted in a U.S. patent, opening another path for his work on urban airflows and energy sustainability for nextGen cities.

Pulletikurthi is one of five inventors on U.S. Patent No. 12,746,507 B2, issued for a “carbon capture entrainment system and method.” The work asks a practical question: What if wind turbines could do more than generate electricity?

Pulletikurthi and his co-inventors developed a system that uses the wind turbine’s wake, along with data about wind conditions and carbon dioxide concentrations, to guide the placement and adjustment of direct-air-capture equipment.

Direct air capture, he explained, removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, typically by drawing air through materials that trap the gas. The challenge is that carbon dioxide is spread thinly through the air, making the process energy-intensive and expensive.

Wind turbines leave a changing wake behind them. Rather than treat that wake as an energy-depleted zone, the patented system helps to determine where to place and adjust a capture device for maximum output.

“It’s about translating the physics that’s well known,” Pulletikurthi said. “The wind turbines create a local region where we can increase the concentration of carbon dioxide and make direct air capture more efficient.”

This computer simulation shows changing airflow in the wake of wind turbines. Simulation provided by Dr. Venkatesh Pulletikurthi.

The idea that led to the patent began with a bicycle ride. While at Purdue, Pulletikurthi was biking with a mentor when they began talking about how airflow around wind turbines might help carbon capture. The conversation became a research question.

Pulletikurthi worked with a master’s student in the lab to test the idea, which later developed into research published in the “Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy.”

For Pulletikurthi, the work supports a line of thinking he intends to broaden at UTC.

“It is not just about the patent,” he said. “ I am excited about the expandability of this patent into multiple innovations.”

Pulletikurthi’s research studies airflow in and around cities, including the urban boundary layer, the lower portion of the atmosphere affected by buildings, roads, terrain and daily human activity. He also studies flow dynamics around structures and how to reduce noise, including noise related to drones and urban air transportation.

Those studies, he said, can help researchers better understand how air and pollutants move through a city.

Chattanooga’s landscape offers a useful setting for that work. The city’s valleys, mountains, river, freight traffic and urban setting create conditions that matter when studying how air moves and where pollutants can collect.

“There are pockets of pollutants being trapped,” he said. “The idea behind it is, ‘How can we have cleaner air locally by making modifications to the boundary layer?’”

He sees potential applications far beyond a wind farm. The same fundamental understanding of airflow could inform the design and innovation of engineering devices on tall buildings, in valleys or hilly areas, with the long-term aim of reducing pollutant buildup.

For industry, the research could help make direct-air-capture systems more efficient. For communities, it could provide better information about local air conditions and ways to improve them.

A graphical abstract illustrates a carbon-capture approach developed by Assistant Professor Venkatesh Pulletikurthi and his co-inventors. Illustration courtesy of Dr. Venkatesh Pulletikurthi

Pulletikurthi has applied for a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation grant to collect real-time data and study boundary-layer interactions in urban settings. The proposed work would pair measurements with simulations to build a more detailed picture of how air moves through complex environments.

The opportunity to combine research with hands-on student work was part of UTC’s appeal. Pulletikurthi said UTC’s student community, collegial environment and the chance to grow as a researcher and teacher drew him to campus.

He wants students to be involved from the earliest stages.

“I’m looking for students who want to work in urban boundary layers, machine learning, hands-on work and simulations,” he said. “I’m very much looking for students to hire to work with me on this project and get more patents and innovations.”

Dr. Kumar Yelamarthi, dean of the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science, said Pulletikurthi’s patent is an early sign of the expertise and ambition he brings to the college.

“Dr. Pulletikurthi’s patent is an exciting example of research with purpose,” Yelamarthi said. “By combining innovation in sustainability with student engagement, his work demonstrates how engineering can create practical solutions while preparing the next generation of engineers and researchers.”

For now, Pulletikurthi is continuing to develop the idea with his co-inventors while beginning the next chapter of his research. The patent is a milestone, he said, but it is just a starting point.

“Moving forward, I see several implications towards innovative technologies,” he said. “There is a lot we can build from this.”

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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s RN-BSN Gateway Program has been ranked No. 3 in RNtoMSN.org’s 2027 ranking of the best online RN to BSN programs in Tennessee.

The ranking recognizes UTC’s 100% online program for registered nurses who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing while continuing to work and meet family responsibilities. The RN-BSN Gateway program includes 22 nursing credit hours completed over three semesters, or 12 months.

RNtoMSN.org evaluated online RN to BSN programs using a weighted algorithm that considers completion rates, admission rates, debt rates and median earnings.

“I think what that designation says about our program is that we’re accessible to working nurses,” said Dr. Brooke Epperson, associate dean of the UTC College of Nursing, UC Foundation associate professor and H. Clay Evans Johnson Professor. “We have figured out how to create a program and an environment that’s conducive to their learning, but also allows these working nurses to maintain a full-time job.”

The UTC RN-BSN Gateway Program is designed for licensed registered nurses seeking to advance their careers, move into leadership roles or prepare for graduate education. Students complete courses in professional nursing, pathophysiology, nursing research, health assessment, leadership and community health nursing, along with a community health clinical experience and a culminating senior experience.

The curriculum gives nurses an opportunity to build on their existing education and clinical experience while gaining knowledge in research, leadership and professional practice.

RN-BSN Gateway students complete all coursework online. An online orientation is held before the program begins, and students work with a professional academic advisor through admissions and graduation. Faculty members are available by phone, email and virtual appointment.

New RN-BSN Gateway cohorts begin each August. Applications are due June 15 for fall admission.

“For a lot of these nurses, it’s a stepping stone,” Epperson said. “They come to this program to be able to take on leadership roles or to go on to grad school.”

Epperson knows the impact firsthand. After being offered a nurse manager role, she enrolled in UTC’s RN-BSN Gateway Program and graduated in 2010. She later earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2020 and a Master of Business Administration in 2021 from UTC.

“I decided to come back and do the RN to BSN because I wanted to get into leadership,” she said. “I really wanted to succeed in that nurse manager role and do it well.”

While completing the degree, Epperson found another direction for her career: nursing education.

Near graduation, Epperson met with Dr. Susan Davidson, director of the RN-BSN Gateway Program, and shared her interest in teaching nursing. Davidson, now in her 38th year as a UTC professor, encouraged her to pursue it.

“It’s full circle that I am now in this role and working here because I’m a product of the RN to BSN program,” Epperson said.

Epperson said the program also helps associate degree-prepared nurses return to an academic setting and develop skills that support their long-term goals.

“I think the skills that you get from an RN to BSN program, the leadership, the research piece, the professionalism, set you up for success to pursue your professional goals,” she said.

For information about admissions, the program of study and how to develop a BSN completion plan, visit utc.edu/nursing.

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Proposed Police Science and Corrections Science programs would expand affordable pathways to career advancement while addressing critical workforce needs

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is advancing plans for two proposed 90-credit-hour bachelor’s degrees designed to expand access to workforce-focused higher education in Tennessee. The proposed programs are designed to recognize professional training, reduce the cost of earning a degree and create career advancement opportunities for law enforcement and corrections professionals.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has determined that UTC’s proposed 90-credit-hour programs in Police Science and Corrections Science meet the criteria for focused baccalaureate degrees, allowing the University to begin the formal academic program approval process.

The milestone positions UTC among Tennessee’s early adopters of a degree model that connects higher education to workforce needs.

Developed by UTC’s Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Arts and Sciences, both programs target an August 2027 launch, pending required approvals from THEC and the UT System Board of Trustees.

“These two programs represent an exciting opportunity for UTC to help shape the future of higher education in Tennessee,” said UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce. “By creating more affordable, accessible pathways for law enforcement and corrections professionals, we’re recognizing the value of their experience while maintaining academic excellence. This is exactly how universities can respond to workforce demands, strengthen communities and expand opportunities for Tennesseans.”

Unlike traditional bachelor’s degrees requiring 120 credit hours, focused baccalaureate degrees require 90 credit hours, providing a shorter, potentially more affordable pathway to a degree while emphasizing occupation-specific knowledge and skills.

The proposed Police Science degree would serve professionals who have completed a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)-certified academy. Coursework would address policing strategies, criminal investigations, community relations, legal issues, ethics and leadership.

“Student success is at the heart of everything we do, and that means being willing to think differently about how we deliver education,” UT System President Randy Boyd said in a systemwide announcement. “We want to expand access and find innovative ways to help more Tennesseans earn a high-quality UT degree in less time, at a lower cost and with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. By recognizing the knowledge and experience students already bring to the table, we can open more doors to educational opportunities and help students achieve their goals.”

The Corrections Science degree would serve professionals who have completed a state corrections academy, emphasizing offender management, rehabilitation strategies, correctional law, ethics and research.

Through UTC’s Prior Learning Credit Portfolio course, eligible students in either program could receive nine credit hours for their academy training. Both degrees would be available fully online or in person to accommodate the working professionals statewide.

“These programs demonstrate how higher education can be nimble and respond to the people and industries we serve,” said Dr. Matt Matthews, UTC interim provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We’re upholding our rigorous academic standards while reducing unnecessary barriers to degree completion. By building on existing professional training, we can make bachelor’s degrees more affordable and accessible while preparing the leaders that Tennessee’s workforce needs.”

Both programs address projected employment growth and increasing demand for qualified public safety professionals.

As public safety agencies have sought to increase the number of officers with postsecondary credentials, these focused bachelor’s degrees have the potential to prepare thousands of Tennessee residents for high-demand jobs in corrections and law enforcement, positioning these future graduates for long-term careers of upward mobility and growth within the public safety environment.

UC Foundation Professor Rick Dierenfeldt, head of UTC’s Department of Criminal Justice, said the programs reflect a practical approach to professional development.

“Police officers and corrections professionals bring specialized training, demanding responsibilities and valuable experience to their work every day,” Dierenfeldt said. “These degrees recognize that expertise while providing additional academic preparation for supervision, leadership and advancement. We’re creating affordable educational pathways that reflect the realities of these professions and the evolving needs of agencies across Tennessee.”

Both proposed degrees would provide opportunities to continue toward UTC’s traditional 120-credit-hour Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice through additional coursework. Applicable transfer credits, including associate degrees through the Tennessee Transfer Pathways, would be recognized.

UTC is now moving forward with the formal approval process for both degrees. Final approval by both THEC and the UT System Board of Trustees is required before either program can be offered.

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Osprey Initiative recently participated in a recycling effort at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Photo courtesy of Osprey Initiative.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Environmental Studies program and Osprey Initiative will launch a Green Game Recycling Pilot Project during UTC’s Homecoming football game on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Finley Stadium. The Mocs take on Mercer University at 1 p.m.

The recycling effort is part of ongoing work to increase recycling and student involvement in sustainability initiatives across the UTC campus.

The Green Game pilot adds a student-engagement and data-collection component to the recycling process at Finley Stadium. Results from the effort will help UTC and Osprey Initiative better understand materials collected during the game and identify opportunities for future recycling projects on campus and at other UTC events.

“When it comes to sustainability projects that attract student interest, recycling is consistently at the top of the list,” said Catherine Meeks Quinlan, associate lecturer of English, co-director of Environmental Studies and coordinator of student sustainability initiatives. “Our hope is that involving students in collecting, sorting and analyzing data will provide experiential learning in sustainability and lead to improvements in on-campus recycling.”

Sophia Ciesielski, a UTC senior majoring in Environmental Studies and Spanish, said the event could help make environmental health opportunities more visible and accessible to students.

“I’m excited about this recycling event because it has the potential to become another consistent opportunity to promote environmental health at UTC,” said Ciesielski, a native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “We don’t have a lot of those that are readily apparent and accessible to students, so I think showing this off after a football event is a great way to spread awareness about these kinds of opportunities.”

The pilot is supported by Osprey Initiative’s Give Five program and a grant from American Water awarded to UTC’s Environmental Studies program.

“Osprey helps universities build programs like these so they can better understand their recycling streams and their impact, as opposed to putting their items in a recycling bin and then never hearing about it again,” said Ryan Singer, regional business development lead for Osprey Initiative.

After the game, UTC students will collect recyclable materials from existing blue-bagged bins around Finley Stadium, as well as recyclables inside the stadium, and sort the materials using Osprey Initiative’s mobile sorting tables. Aluminum cans collected during the effort will support Finley Stadium’s partnership with TriStar Beverage, which directs proceeds from recycled cans to Habitat for Humanity.

Data gathered from the pilot project will be used to inform additional recycling projects at UTC.

Students who want to get involved in recycling or other sustainability initiatives on campus can contact Catherine Meeks Quinlan at catherine-meeks@utc.edu.

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Maclellan Gymnasium (photo by Angela Foster)

Between 1945 and 1965, the University of Chattanooga’s student population more than doubled, from just under 1,000 to more than 2,000. During that rapid growth, the institution lacked an indoor facility large enough for campuswide gatherings and relied instead on outdoor spaces, nearby churches, and other venues for events such as commencement and convocations.

This situation changed with the dedication of Maclellan Gymnasium in September 1965. With a seating capacity of more than 4,000, the gymnasium could accommodate the campus community, including students, faculty, staff and distinguished guests such as Chattanooga Mayor Ralph Kelley and representatives from the Chamber of Commerce. Warren Averitte, head of Health and Physical Education, stated in advance of the gymnasium’s opening that “The Board of Trustees and the University Administration should be applauded for their foresight” in planning the new facility to accommodate the whole student body.

Robert L. Maclellan (1906-1971), son of Robert J. and Cora Maclellan, the namesakes of Maclellan Gymnasium, at the dedication ceremony with William E. Brock, Jr. University Echo, October 1, 1965. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Anticipated for years, Maclellan Gymnasium was the fourth building in a University development program that included the Guerry Student Center (1958), Hunter Hall (1958), and Cadek Hall (1961). It fulfilled many needs of the growing institution.

In addition to serving as the assembly area for campuswide occasions, it was the University’s primary arena for intercollegiate athletics, indoor recreation and intramurals, and provided classroom space for health and physical education instruction. The main gymnasium was originally used for varsity basketball and wrestling. The complex also included a natatorium with racing and diving pools and seating for about 600, a smaller gym for classes and recreational activities, handball courts, offices and classrooms.

Architects’ proposal for Maclellan Gymnasium exterior. University Echo, December 7, 1962. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Designed by local architect Selmon T. Franklin, the structure was completed at a cost of $2 million. The building was named for and dedicated to the memory of Robert J. Maclellan (1874-1956) and his wife, Cora Llewellyn Maclellan (1875-1957).

Robert J. Maclellan was president of Provident Life and Accident Insurance, now known as Unum, for over 30 years and a University of Chattanooga trustee for over 20 years. The Maclellans were well-known local philanthropists, and at the dedication, former University President David A. Lockmiller remarked that “their good names … richly merit any memorial in our power to bestow.”

Maclellan Gymnasium groundbreaking ceremony. University Echo, February 14, 1964. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Following the 1969 merger that established the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the institution grew rapidly, creating the need for a larger basketball facility. McKenzie Arena was completed in 1982.

Until the first phase of the Aquatic and Recreation Center opened in 2009, Maclellan Gymnasium served as the primary student exercise and fitness center on campus. In 1996, the University invested $930,000 in extensive building renovations, including a new HVAC system, locker rooms and lighting upgrades. The original wooden flooring of the gymnasium was replaced in 2023 to meet the needs of modern athletic programs.

Maclellan Gymnasium center court view, circa 1965. UA-00-03-01-28-018. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

As of 2026, Maclellan Gymnasium serves as the home for Mocs volleyball and wrestling, campus recreation events and activities, University Health Services, and—most recently—the Esports Complex.

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In his role as University archivist, UC Foundation Associate Professor Noah Lasley works to acquire, arrange and describe official University of Tennessee at Chattanooga records and other valuable materials that document the University’s history and functions. His research interests include digital humanities, digital curation and archival instruction.

Lasley received a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in information science from UT Knoxville. Before joining UTC Special Collections in July 2016, he worked for several library units at UT Knoxville, including Modern Political Archives, Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project and Digital Production Area.

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Andrew Cecil “Scrappy” Moore, Sr. portrait in Maclellan Gymnasium, 1965. UA-00-03-02-13-091. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Bibliography

Griscom, Frank. “Dedication Program Planned for Thursday.” University Echo, September 17, 1965. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5319/rec/13.

Atwater, Barbara. ”2,000 Attend Dedication of Maclellan Gymnasium.” University Echo, October 1, 1965. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5321/rec/33.

Higgins, Bill. “New Athletic Center to be Ready for Use next Fall.” University Echo, May 7, 1965. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5302/rec/1.

McAllister, Matt. “More Than Games: Inside the minds of the UTC esports program.” UTC News Blog, October 10, 2025. https://blog.utc.edu/news/2025/10/more-than-games-inside-the-minds-of-the-utc-esports-program/.

Maclellan Gymnasium file, 1963-1979. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus building and construction files. Box UA-00-02-06 002, Folder 13. https://findingaids.utc.edu/repositories/4/archival_objects/19483.

Neale, John. “Fund Drive Set for Gym, Pool.” University Echo, December 7, 1962. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5053/rec/5.

Office file on Maclellan Gymnasium, 1960-1968. LeRoy A. Martin papers. Box UA-04-01-10 005, Folder 1. https://findingaids.utc.edu/repositories/4/archival_objects/18753.

Office file on Maclellan Gymnasium dedication ceremony, 1964-1968. LeRoy A. Martin papers. Box UA-04-01-10 005, Folder 2. https://findingaids.utc.edu/repositories/4/archival_objects/18754.

Owens, Brian. “Campus Renovations Getting Underway.” University Echo, November 30, 1995. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/20384/rec/3.

“UC Gym Week Set May 6-9.” University Echo, May 3, 1963. https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5096/rec/19.

Wasserstrom, Chuck and Peyton Schultz. “Game on: How UTC esports is leveling up.” UTC News Blog, March 24, 2025, https://blog.utc.edu/news/2025/03/game-on-how-utc-esports-is-leveling-up/.

Weintraub, Rick. “Ground-Breaking ceremony Sets Beginning for New Gym.” University Echo, February 14, 1964, https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll9/id/5164/rec/24

Maclellan Gymnasium natatorium bird’s eye view, 1965. UA-00-03-01-28-016. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Maclellan Gymnasium exterior view, 1965.
UA-00-03-01-28-007. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

Maclellan Gymnasium Intramural Foul Shooting Contest flyer, undated. UA-04-01-10-50. Courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections.

In 2024, Dennis Waters returned to campus as a member of the UTC Police Department. Photo by Angela Foster.

There is nothing more satisfying for a football placekicker than watching a ball soar through the uprights.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Police Department Corporal and former Mocs kicker Dennis Waters explained that the moment is almost instantaneous.

“When you make contact with the ball, you know if it’s going to go or not,” Waters said.

The Mocs football team’s current placekicker, Jude Kelley, recently surpassed Waters (40) in career field goals made.

“I’m sure the kicker they have now, Kelley, who’s very, very good, will tell you the same thing,” Waters said.

1988 football headshot.

On Oct. 24, Kelley kicked a school-record 57-yard field goal against Western Carolina University. Coming into the 2026 season, Waters had recorded two of UTC’s seven 50-plus-yard field goals, both from 52 yards.

Waters learned to kick barefoot and used his ingenuity to simulate how kicking would feel in games. 

“When I was a kid, I built some wooden goalposts in my front yard when I was probably around 10 or 11 and just started kicking,” Waters said. “I didn’t know the first thing about it. Self-taught and never played soccer, I just got out in the front yard and learned how to kick. I used a piece of PVC pipe as my tee when I first started.”

The Chattanooga native attended City High School before joining UTC’s football team in 1985.

“I walked on my freshman year,” Waters said. “I wasn’t even supposed to be at practice until the season started, but I was down on the practice field kicking one afternoon. A couple of coaches saw me and told me to come on in when the other players came in. I came in in August back when we had two-a-days.

“I did kickoffs my freshman year, then between my freshman and sophomore year, Head Coach Buddy Nix had a school here for kickers on the former Chamberlain Field. He sent me to that and it was very, very helpful. It was one of the best schools for kicking, and he sent me through that since they hosted it. Between my freshman and sophomore year is when he offered me the scholarship.”

Dennis Waters kicking a game-winning field goal against Furman University on Sept. 26, 1987. Photo courtesy of the University Echo through UTC Special Collections.

Waters studied criminal justice, a field he’d been passionate about since childhood, and knew he wanted to become either a police officer or a professional kicker. 

“I don’t know why or how,” he said. “Everybody tried to deter me, but here I am 33 years later still doing it.”

Waters played from 1985 through 1988. During his senior year, his wife gave birth to their daughter, Nikki, who later followed in her father’s athletic footsteps, playing on the UTC softball team from 2010 to 2011. 

After his daughter was born, Waters decided not to return to school that spring and began working to support his family. He spent 14 years with the Chattanooga Police Department and another 16 years with the Soddy-Daisy Police Department before returning to campus in 2024 as a member of UTCPD.

“Dennis has been a great addition to the UTC Police Department,” said UTC Deputy Chief of Police Matt Holzmacher. “He brings many years of supervisory and investigative experience and a commitment to encourage and train other officers with fewer years in law enforcement. We are grateful that Dennis decided to return to UTC after serving in law enforcement roles across Hamilton County during his career.”

As UTC prepares for its Homecoming game against Mercer University on Nov. 7, Waters said Homecoming week “brings back a lot of memories.”

“My final Homecoming here when we played on Chamberlain Field was against ETSU and I kicked four field goals in that game,” he recalled. “We blew them out. That was a fun time. That’s the only one I remember because it was my senior year. I mean, there were others, but it just meant another day that I had to go out and perform.”

For Waters, the biggest differences since he was a student on campus have been the new facilities. 

“I did go downstairs in the arena to look at their dressing room compared to ours,” Waters said. “Oh Lord, huge difference. Theirs looked like NFL dressing rooms and ours were literally nothing. We had wooden benches and stuff to hang your pads and helmet.”

While campus has changed, Waters still holds onto memories of his time as a student-athlete and now attempts to show students that he was once where they are. 

“We try to show the kids here that we’re just like them, just older,” Waters said. “It’s fun to work down here; it just brings back memories.”

Cpl. Dennis Waters brings over 30 years of experience to UTCPD.

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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been named a Top Veteran School by U.S. Veterans Magazine, recognizing UTC’s continued commitment to supporting veterans, military-connected students and their educational success.

The recognition appears in the magazine’s November 2026 issue, available in print and digital formats.

U.S. Veterans Magazine identifies schools that demonstrate long-term commitment, measurable impact and support for veterans and transitioning service members.

“Veterans and military-connected students bring leadership, discipline and life experience that strengthen our campus,” said Sylvana Matthews, director of UTC’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. “Our responsibility is to make their transition to UTC clear and personal, then provide the support they need from enrollment through graduation and into the workforce. This recognition reflects the people across campus who make that commitment every day.”

More than 15% of UTC’s student body is military-connected, including veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve personnel, and military spouses and dependents.

UTC’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs provides admissions assistance, GI Bill® and financial aid guidance, veteran-specific scholarships, mental health resources and a dedicated lounge space in the University Center. The office also connects students with campus events, community partners, professional development opportunities and one-on-one support.

The Veteran and Military Affairs Student Ambassador Program provides peer mentorship and outreach for military-connected students. Ambassadors help new students navigate campus, connect with resources and build relationships with other members of the UTC community.

UTC also awards academic credit for military training or experience and offers personalized advising and career support. Partnerships with Career Connections, the American Job Center and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs help connect students with employment resources and services.

“Being recognized as a Top Veteran School by U.S. Veterans Magazine matters because it affirms what our students should experience when they come here: They are seen, they are supported and they belong,” Matthews said. “We are proud to serve those who have served, and we will keep working to ensure UTC is a place where veterans and military-connected students can reach their goals.”

According to the magazine, schools may be selected through a formal survey or independent evaluation. The publication considers factors that include a dedicated veteran resource center or office, a Student Veterans Organization, a VA certifying official on campus, academic credit for military training or experience, and career services tailored to veteran needs.

The publication lists its Top Veteran School honorees in alphabetical order and recognizes organizations that support veterans and military-connected communities.

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Map for the “Lights Out Chattanooga” event at Greenway Farm Park, courtesy of Google Earth and Scenic City Dark Sky Project

The Scenic City Dark Sky Project invites the community to turn down the lights and look up during Lights Out Chattanooga, a free public event from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Greenway Farm Park, located at 4960 Gann Store Rd. in Hixson.

The Scenic City Dark Sky Project is a collaboration between the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Clarence T. Jones Observatory and the Barnard Astronomical Society of Chattanooga. Co-sponsors of the event include Chattanooga National Park City, Outdoor Chattanooga, Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors, and the Chattanooga Audubon Society.

The collaborative event promotes safe, responsible outdoor lighting to reduce light pollution, protect local ecosystems and preserve the night sky for the community.

“Lights Out Chattanooga gives people a chance to learn about dark-sky initiatives and the practical steps they can take, both individually and locally, to make a difference in what we see at night,” said Steven Kline, lecturer of astronomy in the UTC Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Clarence T. Jones Observatory. “It is not solely about viewing the night sky. Responsible lighting also relates to safety, wildlife and our connection to nature.”

Kline said event attendees will learn how outdoor lighting affects bird migration, insects, wildlife and people; take part in hands-on activities; and learn practical ways to use outdoor lighting responsibly.

After sunset at 5:42 p.m., the event will use red lighting to help guests move through the park while preserving night vision. Red light lets people see where they are going without the bright white light that forces eyes to readjust to darkness. Visitors will receive small hand-held red lights as they enter the park.

At 7:09 p.m., when astronomical nighttime begins, all remaining non-red lights in the park and activities area will be turned off. The event then shifts to a star party, with Barnard Astronomical Society and UTC observatory volunteers operating a variety of telescopes for public viewing. The information, education and activities area will remain open until at least 9 p.m.

Light pollution has increased worldwide, and about 80% of the global population lives under sky glow—including Chattanooga and surrounding communities. Excessive or poorly directed outdoor lighting limits views of the night sky, while thoughtful lighting choices can improve safety and reduce costs.

Kline encouraged attendees to arrive before the park becomes dark.

More information about Lights Out Chattanooga and dark-sky initiatives is available by clicking here.

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Photo by Angela Foster.

A college online search can only tell a family so much. On Saturday, Nov. 14, prospective students and their families can visit the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus, meet the UTC community, explore academic options and learn what it’s like to be a Moc during Blue and Gold Preview Day.

From 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time, the UTC visit will put families face-to-face with faculty, current students and staff; offer student-led tours and residence hall visits; and provide hands-on academic experiences. Attending students can apply to UTC for free, and the event offers free food and UTC giveaways throughout.

Blue and Gold Preview Day, the first major campus event after UTC Homecoming Week, gives prospective students and their supporters a full day to ask questions, compare options, and see what life as a Moc looks like. Students and families can register at go.utc.edu/blue-and-gold.

“Blue and Gold Preview Day really helped us get a feel for UTC and picture Kennedy being there,” said Linsey Spilis, whose daughter, Kennedy Davidson, attended the event last year before enrolling at UTC. “It gave us the opportunity to see the campus, learn more about what UTC had to offer and get excited about this next chapter in her life.

“As a mom, it helped ease some of my worries and gave me confidence that she was making a great choice for her future.”

Davidson is a freshman majoring in secondary education. The Lexington, Tennessee, native is also a UTC campus ambassador and will welcome prospective students and families during Blue and Gold Preview Day.

“It makes me so proud to see Kennedy giving other families the same reassurance and excitement that we experienced,” Spilis said. “Sending your child off to college is a big step, and knowing she gets to be part of making that transition a little easier for other students and parents means so much to me. It’s amazing to see her growing into a confident young woman and making UTC feel like home for others, just as it has for her.”

The day begins with check-in, a grab-and-go breakfast and photos with Scrappy, followed by a “Welcome to UTC” pep rally at Chamberlain Pavilion. Families can then tour campus, meet representatives from student organizations and student services, visit the Academic Department Fair and explore housing showrooms.

Faculty, staff and current students will be available to discuss academic programs, student life, transitioning to UTC, accessibility services, housing and A Moc’s First Year—the University’s First Year Experience program. During afternoon academic experiences, visitors can participate in mock classes, labs, demonstrations and activities offered by UTC’s academic colleges.

The UTC Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC) will be one of the campus sites during Blue and Gold Preview Day.

Student Government Association President Zachary Lewis, a junior from Livingston, Tennessee, pursuing bachelor’s degrees in political science and communication, will attend Blue and Gold Preview Day as a UTC campus ambassador.

“Serving as both student body president and a campus ambassador, I feel like I have the opportunity to connect UTC students to prospective students and how our campus really impacts the students that attend,” Lewis said. “I feel like I can really connect with students that may be unsure about their future in college. UT Chattanooga has brought me so many opportunities that I am very blessed and grateful to have, and without UTC I don’t know if they would have been possible.”

For families weighing the cost of college, Blue and Gold Preview Day offers opportunities to learn about financial aid, scholarships and ways to make UTC affordable. The Admissions and Scholarship Application Workshop gives prospective students the chance to apply to UTC for free, while admitted students can apply for scholarships.

Food trucks, Crossroads Dining Hall and the University Center Food Court will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can tour the Aquatic and Recreation Center and UTC Library, shop at the Mocs Bookstore and—for accepted students—attend MOCtails and Cookies.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at Chamberlain Field, and free parking is available in the Mocs Alumni Drive Parking Garage. Visitors should follow event signage from the garage to Chamberlain Field. Activities may change and a detailed schedule will be provided at check-in.

UTC welcomed 11,809 students this fall, the second-highest enrollment in the University’s 140-year history, and set an all-time high for graduate enrollment. This fall’s students represent 93 of Tennessee’s 95 counties, 45 states and 52 countries.

Through its five academic colleges, Honors College and Graduate School, UTC offers 48 bachelor’s degrees with 138 program concentrations; nine undergraduate certificate programs; 31 graduate certificate programs; 24 master’s degree programs with 56 program concentrations; an education specialist program with three program concentrations; and six doctoral degrees with 13 program concentrations. For more information, visit utc.edu.

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UTC senior graphic design major Caleb Connery displays artwork created for the “MOCS2K” Homecoming 2026 theme. His designs brought a Y2K-inspired look to Homecoming visuals, including Scrappy illustrations and sticker sheets. Photo by Angela Foster.

Homecoming 2026 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga started with a blank canvas—and Caleb Connery behind it.

As a senior graphic design major, Connery was charged with designing the visual aspects for UTC Homecoming 2026. He crafted the “MOCS2K” theme into illustrations and graphics, bringing a student touch to one of the University’s biggest traditions. 

Connery had the opportunity to build the visual concepts from the ground up. From bold and colorful patterns to sticker sheets featuring Scrappy, Connery brought the theme to campus life.  

“Every visual aspect has a purpose,” said Connery, a graduate of McGavock High School in Nashville. “Even the colors we’re choosing—the bright blues, pinks and yellows that give it that Y2K feel.”

His approach to Scrappy was especially personal. Rather than redesigning UTC’s mascot to fit the Y2K aesthetic, Connery wanted to capture the personality he sees in Scrappy as a student. 

Connery’s illustrations allowed Scrappy to step outside his usual role as UTC’s mascot. He said he wanted his designs to show Scrappy as a character students could relate to while keeping qualities that make him Scrappy.

In the illustrations, Scrappy can be found relaxing on a beanbag with music, rolling on roller skates and chatting on the phone.

Some of Connery’s other designs bring the early 2000s theme to life through a Mocs fanny pack, a smiley face and a “MOCS2K” banner.

“It was important to me to make sure he retained his character,” said Connery. “To me, he’s a little grumpy, but in a very kind and polite way.”

Caleb Connery’s “MOCS2K” illustrations reimagine Scrappy with early-2000s-inspired accessories, outfits and activities for UTC Homecoming 2026.

According to Meghan Phillips, art director in UTC’s Division of Communications and Marketing, Connery’s willingness to bring his own perspective to the project helped his work stand out.

Phillips said Connery’s ability to balance creativity with strategy was central to his work. She said his process of researching the theme, thinking of the purpose and finding ways to make his work stand out made him essential to the team.

“He is light years ahead in terms of his career trajectory in understanding,” said Phillips. “He understands branding and he understands how to be experimental and break certain rules for a good effect.”

Connery’s attention to detail has changed the way he approaches his own work. According to Phillips, a finished graphic or sticker sheet may look simple, but a lot of strategy goes on behind the scenes.

“One thing students might not realize is the visuals and design work that goes into Homecoming,” said Connery. “Even with something as simple as the stickers, it takes so much more work than people think.”

Working on these projects also changed how Connery experiences Homecoming itself. Before working on the designs, he said he was not strongly drawn to sports or campus athletic life. Homecoming was something happening in the background of campus life for him; however, crafting the visuals allowed him to contribute in a way that felt natural and meaningful. 

“I can make this thing that people will get to enjoy and experience,” said Connery, “and I get to be involved in those things even without having to compromise who I am and my enjoyment.”

As Connery looks towards graduating in spring 2027, he said he hopes his work will become part of a larger tradition of student creativity. Inspired by past student designers, he hopes to offer the same to the next.

“I hope that the next student who does the designs can look at my year and the years before me and be inspired to put their own spin on the illustration,” said Connery.

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UTC senior Caleb Connery stands with a sticker sheet he designed for Homecoming 2026’s “MOCS2K” theme.

Photo by Angela Foster

Flip phones, roller skates, CD artwork and early-2000s music will set the tone for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Homecoming 2026, bringing students, alumni and the Chattanooga community together for MOCS2K.

UTC Homecoming 2026 runs Oct. 31-Nov. 7. The week culminates Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Mocs host Mercer at 1 p.m. at Finley Stadium. An event schedule is available on the UTC Homecoming webpage.

The MOCS2K look began with a student-led process, from selecting the theme to developing how it appears across campus. Senior graphic design major Caleb Connery turned the concept into illustrations, graphics and sticker sheets that give the week its Y2K feel.

Connery’s work includes Scrappy relaxing in a beanbag chair, using a flip phone, playing a Tamagotchi and roller skating. Bright colors, along with a MOCS2K banner, fanny pack and smiley face, carry the visual identity through the week’s materials.

“Every visual aspect has a purpose,” Connery said. “Even the colors we’re choosing, the bright blues, pinks and yellows that give it that Y2K feel.”

Hannah Turcotte, assistant director of UTC’s Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community (CSLEC), said the theme has given students a chance to take ownership of Homecoming before the first event begins.

“I think our students are really excited about the theme,” said Turcotte, a 2016 UTC graduate. “The theme was very student-driven from when we were generating ideas all the way through when we made the final decision.”

Senior graphic design major Caleb Connery created MOCS2K-themed illustrations of Scrappy for UTC Homecoming 2026.

CSLEC will host familiar Homecoming events, including banner painting, the Homecoming Court announcement and the Lip Sync competition. This year’s calendar includes events sponsored by Advancement, Athletics, Campus Recreation, Housing and Residence Life, Student Success Programs and the UTC Library.

Kidron Bullock, coordinator for CSLEC, said Homecoming’s value lies in both its big traditions and the many ways to participate.

“It’s a high-energy week of events, not just from our center but across campus, that gets people engaged and active,” Bullock said. “I think people really get excited about the week, especially the traditional ones that we do.”

Student involvement also drives the planning. The center’s Engagement Leadership Board, made up of 22 student leaders, helped plan and staff the week’s events.

The week includes the fourth annual Homecoming Food Fight, a Nov. 1-7 collection competition supporting Scrappy’s Cupboard, UTC’s on-campus food pantry. Registered offices, departments and campus organizations will collect donations for the pantry.

A newly reimagined Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally will take place from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. The parade will start at the intersection of Vine and Lindsay streets and end at Chamberlain Field, where the celebration continues with a pep rally featuring the UTC Marching Mocs, spirit squads, members of the Mocs football team and more—including food trucks and entertainment from DJ Redd.

As of Oct. 28, more than 500 parade participants had been confirmed, and there’s still time to register.

Homecoming remains a reunion point for alumni. Turcotte remembers being deeply involved in Homecoming as a student and now helps plan the experiences current students will share with returning Mocs.

“It’s fun to get to plan some of the experiences that they’ll engage with whenever they come back to visit campus,” Turcotte said. “It’s like a high-energy week, lots of fun for our students on campus, but I think that bleeds over into our alumni base too.”

Alumni events include the UTC GOLD Tap Party from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at Southside Social and the Alumni Mocs vs. Mercer Tailgate from 10:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, before the game. Registration for both events is required through UTC Alumni.

Alumni and supporters can also order an exclusive MOCS2K Homecoming T-shirt for pickup at the alumni tailgate. Details and ordering information are available online.

Pro Football Hall of Famer and UTC alumnus Terrell Owens will take part in Homecoming 2026 events.

The week will again include UTC alumnus Terrell Owens, the Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who returned last year for school visits, a pep rally appearance, and a ticket giveaway that brought local students, teachers and families to Finley Stadium.

Owens, a Mocs standout from 1992 to 1995, played professionally for 15 seasons after the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He finished his career with 1,078 receptions, 15,934 receiving yards, and 153 receiving touchdowns while playing for the 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

His 2026 Homecoming schedule begins Tuesday, Nov. 3, with a youth pickleball clinic for Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga students and UTC’s pickleball team at ACE Pickleball in Hixson. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, he will visit East Ridge Middle and High Schools, then visit Red Bank High School on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The school visits are expected to reach about 2,000 Hamilton County middle and high school students and will include student-led Q&A sessions focused on hard work, perseverance and possibilities.

On Friday, Nov. 6, Owens will appear at a 12:30-1:30 p.m. meet-and-greet and T.O. + UTC apparel launch at the Mocs Bookstore. He will then take part in a Prime Video documentary premiere and Q&A session from 1:45-4:45 p.m. in the University Center Auditorium before the 5 p.m. Homecoming Parade.

On game day, Owens will make a brief appearance at a 9:30 a.m. complimentary ticket pickup at the Division of Access and Engagement tailgate space in the First Horizon Pavilion. The initiative will provide 1,000 tickets for students, teachers and families in Hamilton County Schools and neighboring counties, plus 200 Chick-fil-A lunches for early attendees.

Neel Patel and Carolina Shank were crowned Homecoming King and Queen at the 2025 Homecoming game.

Saturday’s game will include the announcement of the 2026 Homecoming Queen and King at halftime. The recipients of the Public Service Award will also be recognized. The UTC Alumni Board of Directors and the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs award the $1,000 scholarships to two undergraduates who have demonstrated distinguished service to UTC and the Chattanooga community.

The full Homecoming Week calendar includes:

Saturday, Oct. 31

• Mocs football vs. VMI, 1 p.m., Finley Stadium. Sponsored by UTC Athletics.

Sunday, Nov. 1

• Banner Painting, 1-5 p.m., Vine Street near the UTC Library. The rain location is Maclellan Gym. Sponsored by the Center for Student Leadership, Engagement and Community (CSLEC).

Nov. 1-7

• Fourth annual Homecoming Food Fight, supporting Scrappy’s Cupboard. Registered offices, departments and campus organizations will collect donations for UTC’s on-campus food pantry.

Monday, Nov. 2

• Homecoming Promo Tables, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Library Courtyard and at top of Cardiac Hill. Sponsored by CSLEC.
• Library Window Painting, 3-5 p.m., Vine Street outside the UTC Library’s ground floor. Sponsored by UTC Library.
• Party Like a Moc-Star!, 5-7 p.m., Chamberlain Field. Sponsored by CSLEC.
• Mocs women’s basketball vs. UVA Wise, 6 p.m., McKenzie Arena. Sponsored by UTC Athletics.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

• Recycled CD Decorating, 4-5 p.m., UTC Library Room 101. Sponsored by UTC Library.
• Party in the A.R.C., 5-7 p.m., ARC basketball courts. Sponsored by Campus Recreation.
• Youth pickleball clinic with Terrell Owens, Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga students and UTC’s pickleball team, ACE Pickleball in Hixson (private event).

Wednesday, Nov. 4

• Lip Sync: All or Nothing, 8-10 p.m., McKenzie Arena. Sponsored by CSLEC.
• East Ridge Middle and High Schools visit with Terrell Owens (private event).

Thursday, Nov. 5

• Donut Stop the Music, 9-11 a.m., Chamberlain Pavilion. Sponsored by Student Success Programs.
• Mocs volleyball vs. Mercer, 6 p.m., Maclellan Gym. Sponsored by UTC Athletics.
• Alumni GOLD Tap Party, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Southside Social. Sponsored by UTC Alumni.
• Now That’s What I Call Singo: Y2K Edition, 8-10 p.m., University Center Tennessee Room. Sponsored by Housing and Residence Life.
• Red Bank High School visit with Terrell Owens (private event).

Friday, Nov. 6

• Terrell Owens meet-and-greet and T.O. + UTC apparel launch, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mocs Bookstore.
• Prime Video documentary premiere and Q&A session with Terrell Owens, 1:45-4:45 p.m., University Center Auditorium.
• Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally, 5-7 p.m., beginning at the intersection of Vine and Lindsay streets and ending at Chamberlain Field. Sponsored by Advancement.
• Mocs volleyball vs. Mercer, 6 p.m., Maclellan Gym. Sponsored by UTC Athletics.

Saturday, Nov. 7

• Complimentary-ticket pickup and an appearance by Terrell Owens, 9:30 a.m., Division of Access and Engagement tailgate space, First Horizon Pavilion.
• Gameday Experience IRL, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., First Horizon Pavilion. Sponsored by CSLEC.
• Alumni Mocs vs. Mercer Tailgate, 10:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., First Horizon Pavilion. Sponsored by Advancement.
• Mocs football vs. Mercer, 1 p.m., Finley Stadium. Sponsored by UTC Athletics.

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Dr. Murat Barisik is director of the Nanoengineering Center and an associate professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Photo by Angela Foster.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Nanoengineering Center, a research center within the UTC Research Institute, has received a $600,000 award to contribute advanced computational modeling expertise to an Army-supported research project focused on developing and manufacturing advanced materials for demanding applications.

Dr. Murat Barisik, director of the Nanoengineering Center and an associate professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is leading UTC’s work on the project, titled “Advanced Materials Manufacturing for Army Modernization.” The research is supported by the U.S. Department of the Army through the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM.

The project brings together research capabilities across the UT System and connects academic research with broader Army and industry needs. UTC is collaborating with UT Knoxville, the lead institution for the project. The effort also includes engagement with Leidos, reflecting DEVCOM’s broader approach of bringing together government, academic and industry capabilities to address Army modernization needs.

“UTC’s role in this collaboration reflects the growing research capacity across the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Nanoengineering Center and the UTC Research Institute,” said Dr. Mina Sartipi, interim vice chancellor for research and executive director of the UTC Research Institute. “By pairing UTC’s advanced computational modeling expertise with UT Knoxville’s experimental capabilities, the team can accelerate the knowledge needed to develop and manufacture materials for demanding applications.”

The Nanoengineering Center is a key modeling partner in the collaboration. Its high-fidelity computational capabilities complement UT Knoxville’s advanced experimental work.

One important focus is advanced materials for extreme environments, where materials must withstand severe operating conditions. UTC researchers can predict the conditions acting on the material and how the material changes and degrades in response.

“Our capabilities help us understand the connection between the extreme environment and the material response,” Barisik said.

This modeling is also valuable for interpreting experiments under extreme conditions. Many physical and chemical effects occur simultaneously, so an experiment may show how a material behaves without clearly revealing why.

Computational modeling can help separate those effects and explain the experimental observations. That understanding can then guide material development with less reliance on trial and error.

“By combining experiments and modeling, we can learn more from each experiment and use that knowledge to guide material development,” Barisik said.

Dr. Murat Barisik (center) and members of the Nanoengineering Center research team.

At UTC, the Nanoengineering Center uses high-performance computing and AI-assisted upscaling to connect detailed simulations with predictive models for materials development and manufacturing.

“High-fidelity calculations give us detailed physical information, but they are too computationally expensive to perform for every material and every condition,” Barisik said. “AI-assisted upscaling helps us use those detailed results in predictive models at the application scale much more efficiently.”

The broader effort draws on complementary strengths across the UT System in advanced materials, experimental research, manufacturing and computational science.

“Projects like this show how UTC can contribute specialized expertise to a larger research effort,” Sartipi said. “The Nanoengineering Center’s modeling capabilities add an important perspective as the team studies how advanced materials are made and perform.”

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Dr. Jason Harville (far left) and his First Year Experience class visit Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union. Photo by Angela Foster.

From exploring Chattanooga through community service to discussing true crime, students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga can find a learning community that connects their interests with their first-year college experience.

A Moc’s First Year learning communities give students unique opportunities to experience community outreach and build connections as they adjust to campus life. Each learning community allows students to explore interests related to their majors.

Dr. Jason Harville, assistant director of academic initiatives, leads the Mocology learning community, introducing students to UTC history and traditions.

Mocology, he explained, is a crash course in the Mocs experience.

“You’re studying what it means to be a Moc,” Harville said. “That looks different for every student.”

This is the first year Mocology has been offered. Harville has centered his course on UTC partners and alumni. He has connected with the Athletics department, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, and other on- and off-campus organizations.

These connections allow students to build networks throughout the Chattanooga community and discover what being a Moc means to them personally. Harville also teaches UTC’s history and encourages students to become involved in campus and community life.

“We can all find our place,” Harville said, “but we must study about it and figure out what that looks like.”

Harville said an important part of helping students feel comfortable and connected through learning communities is building relationships with one another. He encourages students to find familiar faces in their shared English 1011 course and connect outside of the classroom and learning community.

“When we walk into a room and see at least one other person we know, it’s helpful,” he said.

Students dance in Lisa Bellino’s First Year Experience Ballet class in the ARC.

Lisa Bellino, a visiting lecturer in the Department of English, combines her personal interests with UTC’s first-year program. Bellino leads the Tiptoeing through College and Life learning community, merging ballet with community engagement.

A lifelong dancer, Bellino created the learning community to introduce students to ballet while helping them develop skills they can carry into college and beyond. Through dance, she encourages students to step outside their comfort zones, support one another and work through challenges.

“I just wanted to bring that to people because it’s such an elite, high-class thing that we all have these perceptions of,” Bellino said. “I just wanted to share that with people.”

Students take a weekly ballet class, giving them a chance to try something new while stepping away from the pressures of college coursework. The class also incorporates discussions about well-being, including study habits, sleep schedules and self-care during stressful periods.

Students participate in community experiences such as attending local ballet performances, viewing ballet films and connecting with dancers in Chattanooga. By sharing these experiences, Bellino said these experiences help students build relationships with classmates while discovering interests they might not have explored otherwise.

According to Bellino, one of the biggest challenges first-year students face is loneliness, even when surrounded by thousands of other students. The learning community provides a more relaxed environment where students can talk openly about their struggles and learn that they are not alone in navigating college.

“I always joke that college is your time to find your weirdos,” Bellino said. “I’m constantly telling them to go to some random event that you have a mild interest in attending and just show up.”

Through ballet, shared experiences and conversations about student well-being, Bellino hopes to help students build confidence and find a sense of belonging at UTC.

“You’re a new college student and you want to be in it for the long haul,” Bellino said. “You must figure out how to take care of yourself in the process.”

Bryant Fairley’s Mocs in the City learning community offers unique interior design and architecture opportunities for students to partner with organizations such as the Austin Hatcher Foundation, Children’s Kennedy Outpatient Center and the Chattanooga Fire Department.

For the third academic year, Bryant Fairley, the director of engagement for the Division of Access and Engagement, has led the Mocs in the City learning community. Mocs in the City helps students build local connections and networks by involving them in projects throughout Chattanooga.

Fairley encourages students to explore their career interests and passions through volunteering, merging service with coursework and community engagement.

“You can make all these meaningful contributions,” Fairley said. “You can also be very intentional about trying out your major at the same time.”

According to Fairley, Mocs in the City began with mostly undeclared students but has focused more on interior design and architecture opportunities over the past two years.

The program offers unique interior design and architecture opportunities for students to partner with organizations such as the Austin Hatcher Foundation, Children’s Kennedy Outpatient Center and the Chattanooga Fire Department.

“It has given us the opportunity to be so much more intentional about how we find that intersection for the students between community engagement and design,” Fairley said. “When you take programs like these, it gives you a chance to be in a learning community where you can test things out before you get locked into a major.”

Terrence Banks’ First Year Experience class on its way to take the Mocs Express.

Associate Director of Recruitment and two-time UTC alum Terrence Banks leads the T. Bank’s Classified College Survival Guide learning community. Banks focuses on helping first-year students build healthy habits and make sound choices as they navigate new responsibilities.

Drawing on his own time as a student after coming to Chattanooga from Memphis, Banks centers much of his work on what he wishes he’d known as a first-year student. He builds assignments around life skills such as public speaking, navigating the Chattanooga transit system and building connections among peers.

“We do different assignments that are based on my previous college experience that I felt really helped me be successful,” Banks said.

According to Banks, his goal is to help students develop positive behaviors and build skills to navigate college.

“I want you to learn to be your best advocate,” he said. “That makes the college experience a whole lot more manageable.”

He encourages students to use the resources that UTC offers and ask for help when needed. College, he said, is a time for exploration, allowing students to find what works for them both collectively and individually.

“Doing college the right way means you’ve made mistakes and changed your mind,” Banks said. “You’ve been able to pivot and still were able to be successful.”

Students in Dr. Cindy Williamson’s True Crime Conversations, Student Success Techniques and Navigating College learning community.

Dr. Cindy Williamson, director of assessment in the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Institutional Research, uses true crime discussions to engage students in meaningful conversations about navigating college and student success. She has led the True Crime Conversations, Student Success Techniques and Navigating College learning community for two years.

The learning community has run for four years, with students paired in the Criminal Justice 1100 course. Williamson connects activities to law enforcement or investigative work.

According to Williamson, students compare information with detectives and investigators, develop research skills and connect with professionals in the field. Students also analyze data—such as victim support services—across campus, the state and the country.

“We compare information literacy for a student with a detective or an investigator trying to figure out what sources to use when investigating a crime,” she said.

Williamson also connects criminal justice students with lecturers and guest speakers and offers opportunities for off-campus activities. Students will soon take part in a murder-mystery history tour in Chattanooga.

“It’s just really fun to be able to tie the first-year experience in with something that they’re interested in that relates to their major,” she said.

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Braden Tomlinson (dressed as DoodleBob) and Belmin Kojic (dressed as SpongeBob) wear costumes in Dr. JW Bruce’s Embedded Systems class in the Engineering and Computer Science building. Photo by Angela Foster.

Every Monday this fall, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga juniors Belmin Kojic and Braden Tomlinson have arrived for Professor of Electrical Engineering JW Bruce’s Embedded Systems class with more than laptops and coursework.

They come in costume.

The idea started as something fun for Bruce’s class. Kojic and Tomlinson had taken a class with him before and knew he would be game for it.

“We know he’s very outgoing,” Tomlinson said, “and we thought he’d be very chill.”

“We thought he would love it,” Kojic said. “Out of all the teachers, I feel like we’d be able to do it in his class the most. So we chose to do it only in his class.”

Dressing as Mario and Luigi drew wider attention after Bruce posted about them on Facebook.

The pair, who met in UC Foundation Professor Raga Ahmed’s Introduction to Electrical Engineering class last spring, have turned Mondays in the senior-level Embedded Systems course into a running challenge: How do they top last week’s look?

In early October, Belmin Kojic came to class dressed as Mario and Braden Tomlinson dressed as Luigi, a nod to “the favorite video game” of Professor JW Bruce’s childhood.

In the weeks before and after, the costumes have included prisoners in black-and-white stripes, scrubs, suits, overalls, matching sports jerseys and—most recently—SpongeBob and DoodleBob.

“We’re in that boat right now,” Tomlinson said, wearing the white DoodleBob costume. “How are we going to top this?”

“Sometimes it’s sort of a last-minute thing,” added Kojic, wearing a SpongeBob SquarePants outfit complete with brown shorts. “We’re just like, ‘What are we going to do that’s going to either outdo last week or just something we can do to get a costume going?’”

The answer has required more planning than either expected.

“Coming into this, we didn’t think we’d be putting this much time and effort into it for sure,” Kojic said.

Tomlinson said the costumes fit the tone Bruce sets in a demanding class.

“Coming in, it’s an upper-level engineering course, so the general environment of the class is more stressed out,” Tomlinson said. “So we thought we’d bring some positive energy into it to match how he approaches the class. It just spiraled up from there.”

Kojic said the goal was to get a laugh at the beginning of the week.

“We just thought if everybody got a little laugh out of it, it might make the week a little better,” he said. “It is Monday, the most hated day of the week. And he has a very hard class. So if people came in here and saw us every Monday dressed up, it might make it a little easier on them as well as encourage us to show up every Monday.”

For Bruce, the effort lands exactly as intended.

“It just really energizes your day,” he said. “It makes you smile. It puts a little extra pep in the class and the lecture, knowing someone’s there, excited to learn and happy to be here. And it really makes my job so much easier.”

For a Halloween Week class, Belmin Kojic (in white T-shirt) and Braden Tomlinson came as skateboarders, fellow student Jim Green was a dinosaur and Dr. JW Bruce dressed as Carl from the movie “Up.”

Bruce said students occasionally come up with a fun idea and run with it, and he is happy to play along. But this is different because the costumes keep getting more elaborate.

His favorite so far is Mario and Luigi, a nod to “the favorite video game of my childhood.” The prisoners’ outfits, with black-and-white stripes and small caps, are close behind.

Kojic, a native of nearby Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, who transferred to UTC from Dalton State University, and Tomlinson, who hails from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, are not ready to reveal what comes next. They have ideas, but keeping the surprise is part of the fun.

For now, their classmates know that Mondays will likely begin with a costume and a laugh.

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