{"id":72704,"date":"2025-11-21T19:29:37","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T00:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=72704"},"modified":"2025-12-01T08:48:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T13:48:31","slug":"utc-marks-a-new-chapter-as-chancellor-lori-mann-bruce-is-formally-invested","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/utc-marks-a-new-chapter-as-chancellor-lori-mann-bruce-is-formally-invested\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC marks a new chapter as Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce is formally invested\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chancellor

Dr. Lori Mann Bruce is the 19th chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

The procession entered McKenzie Arena to the sound of the UTC Brass Quintet, faculty banners rising above the crowd and the Chattanooga Pipe Band leading the way. At the center of it all was Dr. Lori Mann Bruce, taking part in her investiture as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u2019s chancellor.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Friday, Nov. 21, Bruce was formally installed as the 19th leader in the University\u2019s 139-year history. The event brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni, state and community leaders, and members of the UT System, each playing a part in a day that will be remembered at UTC for years to come.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Click here<\/span><\/b><\/a> to watch the full Chancellor\u2019s Investiture ceremony.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Vice Chancellor for Access and Engagement Stacy Lightfoot opened the ceremony, calling it \u201ca historic day for the University.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lightfoot reminded the audience that \u201con June 30, she officially assumed her role as chancellor, becoming the first woman to lead this University,\u201d before inviting guests to stand for the presentation of the colors and the National Anthem performed by the UTC Chamber Singers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jerold Hale reflected on what the moment represented.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a historic occasion,\u201d Hale said, noting that an investiture offers the opportunity \u201cto recognize both where we\u2019ve been and where we are going.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hale thanked student leaders, faculty, staff, delegates, elected officials and former chancellors for attending, describing how leadership is felt \u201cnot only in significant decisions but also in the day-to-day encouragement to strive for continuous improvement.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chancellor

Chancellor Lori Bruce and UT System President Randy Boyd<\/p><\/div>\n

UT System President Randy Boyd followed, thanking the audience and recognizing the significance of the day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Boyd reflected on the responsibility of selecting campus leaders and the impact those decisions have on the UT System.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery great university is shaped by great leadership and one of the most important responsibilities I have as the UT President is selecting strong campus leaders,\u201d he said. \u201cToday affirms that Chancellor Bruce is the right leader at the right time for the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Faculty Senate President Elizabeth Crawford offered congratulations on behalf of UTC faculty members, calling the investiture a moment that \u201creminds us that leadership changes, but the academic mission endures.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs faculty, we are inspired by Dr. Bruce\u2019s dedication to student success, her commitment to research and innovation, and her belief in the power of community partnerships to transform lives,\u201d Crawford said. \u201cFrom her first days on campus, Dr. Bruce has led with authenticity and collaboration\u2014listening carefully, inviting different perspectives and empowering others to lead.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Representing the student body, Student Government Association Vice President Bridgette Greene shared her perspective on finding a sense of belonging on campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComing to Chattanooga from a small town in Middle Tennessee\u2014just like Dr. Bruce\u2014I know what it feels like to find your place in a community that quickly begins to feel like home,\u201d said Greene\u2014a junior marketing and professional sales major from Portland, Tennessee. \u201cThat sense of belonging doesn\u2019t happen by accident; it grows when leaders genuinely care about the student experience.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She thanked Bruce for leadership grounded in connection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThrough your openness and encouragement, you\u2019ve shown how leadership built on connection can inspire confidence and possibility in every student,\u201d Greene said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UTC Alumni Board President Claire Smith welcomed guests \u201con behalf of our nearly 80,000 alumni across 50 states and 72 countries.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlumni are the living history of our institution,\u201d said Smith, who graduated in 1974 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in education. \u201cWe carry UTC into the community and beyond through classrooms and clinics, startups and studios, courthouses and community centers.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing Bruce directly, Smith added, \u201cWe look forward to walking beside you on this continued journey for our institution.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"JW

Professor JW Bruce<\/p><\/div>\n

When it came time for a more personal introduction, Bruce\u2019s husband, UTC Professor of Electrical Engineering JW Bruce, stepped to the podium.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have had a front-row seat to watch Lori grow from a determined engineering student into the leader we are celebrating here today,\u201d JW Bruce said. \u201cIt has been a remarkable journey.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThrough it all, she’s been the same person the entire time: bold, driven, fun and grounded.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He shared stories from their undergraduate years, their marriage and moments that shaped their partnership.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer background is also the source of her unshakeable belief in the power of education,\u201d he said. \u201cLori believes that education will change the trajectory of your life. That is why she fights to keep the doors of education open wide to everyone and keeps students at the center of every one of her decisions. When a student succeeds, she feels like she has succeeded.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

JW Bruce gave the final introduction: \u201cIt is my great honor to introduce not only an extraordinary leader, but a wonderful human being, my college sweetheart, the mother of our son, and the woman I\u2019ve had the privilege of learning from, laughing with and loving for the past 35 years.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chancellor

Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce<\/p><\/div>\n

When Chancellor Bruce stepped to the podium, she opened with a simple acknowledgement of the moment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a truly beautiful day to be a UTC Moc,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cStanding here with all of you\u2014our students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, community and state partners\u2014is humbling and inspiring.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday is not just about one person stepping into a role. It\u2019s about all of us, together, celebrating the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in our history, our mission, and our shared belief in the transformative power of education.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruce reflected on the University\u2019s origins, noting that UTC\u2019s story stretches across nearly a century and a half of change. She traced its roots to 1886, when leaders from the Methodist Episcopal Church opened Chattanooga University, an institution that would evolve \u201cthrough growth, through mergers and transformation\u201d into what UTC is today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She noted that UTC now serves more than 12,000 students from across Tennessee, the nation and the world.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before outlining her vision for the future, Bruce took the opportunity to acknowledge the people who shaped her journey. She thanked her parents, Charles and Judy Mann, for teaching her to \u201cwork hard and to meet challenges with creativity and persistence.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She also recognized her husband and their son, Walker, saying they \u201chave made many personal sacrifices,\u201d and JW has \u201calways encouraged me to dream bigger than I believed possible.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruce then shifted into a broader reflection on the institution itself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s celebration is as much about you as it’s about me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is a celebration of our University\u2019s legacy, a legacy of vision and impact.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She highlighted alumni whose achievements reflect the University\u2019s reach, including William \u201cMickey\u201d Barker, B.B. Bell, Max Fuller, Tom Griscom, Davan Maharaj, Terrell Owens, Olivia Reeves, Gary Rollins, Irvine Grote, Diane Schmidt, David Wade, Dorothy Hackett Ward, Dennis Haskins, Hugh Beaumont and others. She also recognized alumni from City College and the University of Chattanooga who were pivotal to UTC\u2019s formation, including Wilma Scruggs and Dr. Horace Traylor.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUTC doesn\u2019t exist alongside Chattanooga,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cWe are woven into its fabric. Our successes are shared and our futures are intertwined.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She then spoke about her personal journey.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was not born into privilege,\u201d she said. \u201cLike many of our students, I worked hard for every opportunity that came my way.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She explained how mentors shaped her path and why that experience influenced her approach to leadership.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first visited UTC, I felt that unique combination immediately,\u201d she said. \u201cI saw a University with incredible academic strength, a student body full of talent and promise, and a community deeply committed to its success.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Bruce outlined three priorities that will guide the institution.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, we will champion student success,\u201d she said. She described a commitment to ensuring that every decision \u201cbegin and end with our students\u201d and emphasized the importance of both academic and co-curricular experiences.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSecond, we will leverage our faculty expertise and student energy to tackle real-world challenges,\u201d she said, referencing areas such as sustainability, mobility, health and education.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThird, we will deepen our partnerships with our community and state,\u201d she continued, noting UTC\u2019s role in addressing shared needs alongside local and statewide collaborators.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bruce acknowledged that higher education continues to change but said she views those shifts not as obstacles but as openings.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see these not as threats but as invitations to innovate,\u201d she said. \u201cThe world needs what UTC offers: an education that is personal, practical and powerful.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She closed her address with a call to action grounded in UTC\u2019s motto.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe shall achieve,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cIt is a simple phrase, but it is also a promise.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Achievement, she reminded the audience, is a collective effort.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we shall achieve,\u201d she said. \u201cGo Mocs!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dignitaries in attendance included:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • UT Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman; UT Martin Chancellor and UTC alum Yancy Freeman; UT Health Science Center Chancellor Peter Buckley; UT Southern Chancellor Melinda Arnold; Tennessee Wesleyan President and UTC alum Tyler Forrest; Tennessee Tech University President Phil Oldham\u2014a mentor to Chancellor Bruce and former provost at UTC; and several other presidents and delegates from other institutions both in Tennessee and around the country<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Tennessee Senators Bo Watson and Todd Gardenhire; State Representatives Greg Martin, Esther Helton-Haynes, Michelle Reneau and Yusuf Hakeem; Hamilton County Commissioners Chip Baker and Jeff Eversole; Chattanooga City Council members Ron Elliott, Cody Harvey, Jeff Davis and Jenny Hill; and representatives from the offices of the United States Senate, the Hamilton County Mayor\u2019s Office and the City of Chattanooga Mayor\u2019s Office<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n