As the Kay K. Chitty assistant professor in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing, Dr. Kate McKinney divides her week between educating future nurse practitioners and caring for patients who otherwise might not receive care.
Service in the blood: A UTC professor’s call to action helping “true heroes”
Born into a family willing to protect and serve, Terry Ellis—an assistant professor of practice in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program—decided to add to his family’s military lineage dating back to the Revolutionary War.
Ribbon-cutting held for Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center at UTC
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Monday, Oct. 27, to officially open the Parkridge Mental Health Therapy Center at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, marking the launch of a new on-campus resource for comprehensive mental health care.
College of Nursing to become UTC’s fifth academic college
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga announced today that the UT Board of Trustees has approved the elevation of the School of Nursing to the UTC College of Nursing—pending final approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission— marking a significant academic milestone for a program that has prepared nurses for the region for more than five decades.
UTC’s Chris Smith earns national recognition for military support
Dr. Chris Smith, director of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing, has been recognized with the Patriot Award from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) program.
Critical moments, confident leaders: UTC paving the way in CRNA education
In surgery, it’s not just the surgeon’s hands that matter. As patients “go under,” the nurse anesthetist takes command, managing the delicate line between unconsciousness and stability. At UTC, CRNA expertise is cultivated with care, preparing future nurse anesthetists to handle operating room pressures with confidence and skill.
UTC’s Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building breaks ground
The future home of UTC’s School of Nursing, the Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building, broke ground on Monday, Nov. 4. Located at the corner of Palmetto and East 3rd streets, this new building will be approximately 90,000 square feet with state-of-the-art classrooms and a cutting-edge simulation lab. The new facility will also allow for a 152% enrollment increase in the School of Nursing, which currently accepts approximately 50% of applicants and turns down eligible students due to space and class size limitations.
UTC’s May nursing graduates achieve 100% pass rate on licensure exam
Every May 2024 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate has passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on the first attempt, fulfilling the requirement for licensure as a registered nurse.
UTC nurse anesthesia program earns 10-year accreditation
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga/Erlanger Health System Nurse Anesthesia Concentration has achieved a significant milestone, being granted a 10-year continued accreditation through spring 2034 by the directors of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The COA recognized the School of Nursing concentration for providing graduate-level curriculum leading to the award of a Doctor of Nursing Practice.
UTC’s School of Nursing announces significant impact grant for mental health from Unum Group
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga announced that Unum Group, a leading international provider of workplace benefits and services, has made a $500,000 grant and become the School of Nursing’s Premier Mental Health Partner at the new Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building, slated to begin construction later this year.









