{"id":79573,"date":"2026-09-24T07:48:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T11:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/?p=79573"},"modified":"2026-09-24T07:49:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T11:49:21","slug":"for-brian-freeman-the-work-is-the-reward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utc.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/for-brian-freeman-the-work-is-the-reward\/","title":{"rendered":"For Brian Freeman, the work is the reward"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Brian

Brian Freeman will complete his UTC Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Leadership after returning to school this year.<\/p><\/div>\n

Brian Freeman\u2019s 42-year journey toward a degree wasn\u2019t a matter of if, but of when, and he learned that the journey itself matters.<\/p>\n

Freeman credits the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u2019s support for helping him reach his upcoming graduation in December 2026. He has spent the past two semesters working toward it through the Leadership and Learning (LEAP) program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for UTC and the support systems\u2014from the IT to the counseling, to the Studio, the writing clinics, math labs\u2014everything is undergirded,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s not impossible for you to fail, but there are so many safety measures to catch you, and I\u2019ve taken advantage of all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman, an Aramark employee, serves as a sous chef at UTC\u2019s Crossroads Dining Hall. After graduating from high school in 1984, he attended Tennessee State University.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile there, I found a love for student government, matriculated while there, and got a chance to be a part of what they call TISL, the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cWe had access to the state capital. I thought my life dream was to be a politician after being involved with student government.\u201d<\/p>\n

While there, Freeman worked at the campus cafeteria.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started out in the dish room and slowly worked my way up to scrambling eggs for breakfast,\u201d Freeman recalled.<\/p>\n

While working full time and attending TSU, Freeman said grades were never the problem. When his senior year came, the money \u201ccalled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unable to finish his degree, he had the opportunity to train under a sous chef who prepared food for cruise ships. In the years that followed, he returned to Chattanooga and began cooking around the city, which eventually led him to UTC.<\/p>\n

But the thought of returning to school was never far from his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would always see graduations and you have this one person that was a senior, 50 or 60 years old, going back and getting their degree,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019m going to go back one day.\u2019 At this time, I already had a family but it was always back there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Brian

Brian Freeman, in the UTC Crossroads Dining Hall, said the work ethic he learned in the kitchen helped prepare him for his return to attending university.<\/p><\/div>\n

One daunting obstacle stood in the way of that dream: online classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put a limitation on myself,\u201d he explained. \u201cI have to be in the classroom. As a chef, you can\u2019t cook with videos. You have to get in there and manipulate the ingredients. That\u2019s how I saw education. I thought, \u2018No, I have to go back full time, but how can I do that?\u2019 I would have to quit working and be in a classroom. It would be such a conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n

At a homecoming event at TSU, Freeman ran into an old classmate who prompted him to reevaluate his educational path. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Freeman decided to return to school.<\/p>\n

The next step was where and how.<\/p>\n

Because of proximity and his desire to attend in-person courses, Freeman chose UTC and was surprised by what he learned in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI left Tennessee State with 121 hours, six hours shy of graduation,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t even know I was that close. I applied to UTC and was accepted. All the credits actually applied. They accepted all the credits.\u201d<\/p>\n

When deciding on a major, he was introduced to the Applied Leadership (BAS-AL) program through the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies. The program offers flexible online courses, allowing students to balance work and school.<\/p>\n

Although there was a learning curve after joining the BAS-AL program in the spring 2026 semester, Freeman was on the Dean\u2019s List in both the spring and summer semesters.<\/p>\n

He credits his success to spending a considerable amount of time in the UTC Library and the Library Studio, studying and learning tools like Excel, Adobe and PowerPoint.<\/p>\n

Dr. Mike Breakey, an associate professor of practice in the BAS-AL program, said Freeman\u2019s determination to learn stands out.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrian\u00a0has a tremendous drive to succeed, but I think what impresses me even more is his willingness to learn,\u201d Breakey explained. \u201cIt would have been very easy for someone returning to college after almost 40 years to become frustrated by the technology, the pace or simply being back in an academic environment.\u00a0Brian\u00a0never used any of that as an excuse. If he did not know how to do something, he learned how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman drew on years of kitchen lessons to prepare himself for his return to school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI use my profession as a chef: you get to experiment, you get to do over, you get to try and throw it away,\u201d he explained. \u201cApplying that to academics, there is a script that you must follow. Same thing with food service. It\u2019s a recipe. If you come off script or change lanes, the results will be different.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no one to tell you, \u2018Hey, time to go to bed or do your homework.\u2019 You are responsible for that totally. That\u2019s been the biggest challenge. I can say that it\u2019s cross-trained me. Let\u2019s get it right the first time, without any shortcuts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Brian

Brian Freeman sits in the Library Studio, where he has spent many hours studying for courses.<\/p><\/div>\n

Along with the countless hours spent in the library, Freeman regularly asked questions and met with Breakey, calling it an \u201copen-door policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While LEAP has adult learners returning to school, it also has traditional-age students and student-athletes. Breakey explained that they all share one thing in common in their academic journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat they share is that connection matters,\u201d he said. \u201cRegardless of whether someone is returning to college after 30 years or coming to us directly from a more traditional college experience, we want students to know who we are. And just as importantly, we want to know who they are. We work very intentionally to make LEAP personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is one reason every LEAP course includes a Zoom-based connecting exercise\u2014not simply to cover course content, but to create space for students and faculty to interact with one another. The flexibility of an online, accelerated program is important, but flexibility alone is not enough. Students also need relationships. They need to know that there are real people on the other side of the screen who are invested in their success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman called returning to school and joining the program \u201cone of the best decisions I\u2019ve ever made.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breakey has had many conversations with Freeman over the past several months, but one stood out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made a comment about life being more about the journey than simply reaching the destination,\u201d he said. \u201cI honestly did not think much about it at the time.\u00a0Brian\u00a0did. He has brought that conversation up to me several times since then.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat tells me something important about him:\u00a0Brian\u00a0does not simply complete assignments and move on. He thinks about ideas, connects them to his own life and carries the ones that matter with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Freeman, the moment he walks across the McKenzie Arena stage will be one he\u2019s waited for nearly 42 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to pat myself on the back and cry and say I did it,\u201d Freeman said. \u201cI was speaking with one instructor and he said, \u2018Consider this: You can hang it up on the wall, and friends can come over and take a look at it. Your family can be proud of it. Put stock in your journey. What did it take to get you here? When you\u2019re sitting in that chair, and that person goes up on a stage before you, that is the moment of impact where you can say, I\u2019m here, and I\u2019ve done it.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when the reflection will take place. Walking across the stage and then there\u2019s the \u2018Pomp and Circumstance,\u2019 the hurrah and the picture taken. At that point right there, I can say, \u2018I\u2019ve earned it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Applied Leadership and Learning Programs<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brian Freeman\u2019s 42-year journey toward a degree wasn\u2019t a matter of if, but of when, and he learned that the journey itself matters. He has spent the past two semesters working toward it through the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Leadership and Learning (LEAP) program.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2058,"featured_media":79624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119405,70,123864,122460,56,7712,58,64,661],"tags":[123940,123827,123826,127069,127098,127071,127739,127738,123828,124955,124776,123829,127736,127737],"class_list":{"0":"post-79573","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-applied-science","10":"category-college-of-health-education-and-professional-studies","11":"category-faculty-and-staff","12":"category-feature-story","13":"category-library","14":"category-news","15":"category-students","16":"tag-brian-freeman","17":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","18":"tag-cultivating-a-culture-of-innovation","19":"tag-goal-1-2-enhance-learner-success-strategic-plan-2030","20":"tag-goal-1-3-placement-strategic-plan-2030","21":"tag-goal-2-2-faculty-staff-success-strategic-plan-2030","22":"tag-leadership-and-learning-leap-program","23":"tag-leap-program","24":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","25":"tag-mike-breakey","26":"tag-mocs-learn-mocs-do-mocs-lead","27":"tag-operating-with-excellence","28":"tag-tennessee-intercolleague-scholastic-legislators","29":"tag-tennessee-state-university","30":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nFor Brian Freeman, the work is the reward | UTC News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Brian Freeman\u2019s 42-year journey toward a degree wasn\u2019t a matter of if, but of when, and he learned that the journey itself matters. 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