Hiren Desai (’91), Tennessee Sen. Bo Watson (’83) and Hallie DeHart (’18) have been recognized by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Service and GOLD Excellence Award recipients, respectively.
UTC’s Nancy Mullins honored with UTFI President’s Award
Nancy Mullins, assistant director of events in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Division of Advancement, has been named a recipient of the prestigious 2025 University of Tennessee Foundation (UTFI) President’s Award. The annual award recognizes advancement professionals across the UT System who demonstrate exceptional dedication, creativity and leadership in support of fundraising and alumni engagement.
UTC celebrates historic year in fundraising and alumni engagement
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga achieved a remarkable fundraising milestone in fiscal year 2025, securing $31.9 million from 7,086 donors.
UTC receives multiple College of Distinction accolades from national higher ed resource
UTC has been designated a 2025-2026 College of Distinction for undergraduate education and was recognized as both a top Tennessee and public institution. The University also attained College of Distinction status for its business, education, engineering and nursing programs; for affordability and career development; and for its support of international students.
In the world of micro life, Francesca Leasi’s name looms large
The microscopic animals Dr. Francesca Leasi studies can’t be seen with the naked eye. Yet for all their size, they may hold vital clues to how life adapts to environmental change and what traits allow organisms to survive it.
UTC wins gold in international CASE awards for Olivia Reeves social media campaign
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Division of Communications and Marketing has earned a gold award in the 2025 Circle of Excellence competition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The award recognized a UTC social media campaign celebrating student and Olympic gold medalist Olivia Reeves. Social Media Director Laura Bond and…
UTC receives $2.4 million HRSA award to address behavioral health workforce needs in Southeast Tennessee
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is the recipient of a $2.4 million federal grant to bolster the pipeline of highly trained behavioral health professionals serving children, adolescents and young adults in underserved areas of Southeast Tennessee.
UTC’s Rick Dierenfeldt and Erica Holmes Trujillo honored with 2025 UT System President’s Awards
Two University of Tennessee at Chattanooga standouts, UC Foundation Associate Professor Rick Dierenfeldt and College of Arts and Sciences Student Success Center Director Erica Holmes Trujillo, have been named recipients of the 2025 UT System President’s Awards—the highest honor a faculty or staff member can receive from the UT System.
Fish feast: UTC professor reels in national award
Dr. Rich Walker’s project, titled “The Cicadian Rhythm: Integrated Research And Education To Reveal The Cascading Effects Of A Rare But Massive Terrestrial Resource Pulse In Stream Ecosystem,” is now drawing national recognition. He is one of just 36 early-career faculty members nationwide to be named a 2025 recipient of the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of over 160 colleges and universities that collaborates with federal agencies to advance health and scientific knowledge.
UTC’s Rahul R. Bhosale becomes first chemical engineering professor from Tennessee to receive early-career NSF ERI award
Guerry Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Rahul R. Bhosale has become the first chemical engineering professor from both the state of Tennessee and UTC to be awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) Award.









