{"id":39345,"date":"2021-12-14T07:52:14","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T12:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=39345"},"modified":"2024-07-12T09:45:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T13:45:29","slug":"looking-back-on-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking back on 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"745\" data-attachment-id=\"39351\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/yearend\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,745\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"YearEnd\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-1024x636.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-39351 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-1024x636.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-768x477.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-580x360.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-610x379.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-250x155.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/YearEnd-600x373.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As 2021 winds down, looking back shows another a jampacked year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. A five-year strategic plan. Dealing with COVID. Honors and accolades for students and faculty. Construction across campus. The first year of a new program to help new students throughout their UTC career.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some stories that stand out this year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Future plans<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The University&#8217;s five-year strategic plan for 2020-2025 was finalized and calls for innovative approaches to academic instruction, problem-solving, critical thinking and faculty-student collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>Among the goals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recruit a larger and more diverse student population to increase total enrollment from 11,457 to 12,950, with a focus on traditionally underrepresented groups. Within that increase are more new transfer, graduate and freshmen students.<\/li>\n<li>Improving student performance with increases in freshman fall-to-fall retention, six-year graduation rate, student-athlete graduation rate and a reduction in gaps in achievement and learning.<\/li>\n<li>Define and promote UTC\u2019s distinctive educational experience with a reimagined general education curriculum intended to satisfy academic requirements while also making sure students are prepared to live, work and engage in reasoned discourse in a diverse, global society.<\/li>\n<li>Offer academic courses and programs that meet to regional workforce needs.<\/li>\n<li>Double the number of online degree programs from nine to 20.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"642\" data-attachment-id=\"39353\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/cohort\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1050,642\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"cohort\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-1024x626.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-39353 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-1024x626.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-768x470.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-580x355.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-610x373.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-250x153.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cohort-600x367.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/>Cohort 2025<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Introduced in fall 2021, Cohort 2025 represents a new approach to ensuring every member of each incoming freshman class is part of a community of fellow students, whether based on major, campus residential location, extracurricular interests or other shared factors.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout their four years in college, the initial cohort\u2014to graduate in 2025\u2014and those to follow will have a shared campus community, enhancing both student retention and graduation, as well as their university experience.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to communities involving campus housing residents, those students also may have access to the support of an on-site faculty member, as several residential complexes also are home to \u201cfaculty-in-residence\u201d instructors.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"532\" data-attachment-id=\"39356\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/vaccine\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"750,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"vaccine\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-39356 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine-580x411.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine-610x433.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine-250x177.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/vaccine-564x400.jpg 564w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>Dealing with COVID-19<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>No different than the rest of the world, UTC faced challenges and difficult decisions in 2021 when it came to dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/coronavirus\/covid-19-information\/policies-and-protocols\/covid-policies\/\">COVID-19<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>All classes were online in fall semester 2020, and most spring 2021 courses began that way when the semester started on Jan. 19. Only those designated \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/coronavirus\/2021\/01\/13\/face-to-face-essential-courses-listing\/\">face-to-face essential<\/a>\u201d by UTC academic officials were held in the classroom.<\/p>\n<p>But on Feb. 1, all classes transitioned to either face-to-face or hybrid format, a combination of online and face-to-face. That same month, UTC instituted a routine testing program to help manage the risk of the virus across campus.<\/p>\n<p>In March, UTC was approved as a COVID-19 vaccine distribution site for UTC students, faculty\u00a0and staff.<\/p>\n<p>For summer semester, classes again were a combination of face-to-face and hybrid, but fall semester 2021 reverted to the standard setup with all classes being face-to-face except for those that were specifically designed to be all-online.<\/p>\n<p>Then the arrival of the delta variant of COVID-19 forced more changes. Vaccines were highly recommended. Social distancing and masks were required in all instructional spaces on campus, at University Health Services, the Collins Street Annex while testing or getting a vaccine, the Counseling Center and the Mocs shuttle.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39358\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"604\" data-attachment-id=\"39358\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/edjohnson\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1050,604\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"edjohnson\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-1024x589.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-39358 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-1024x589.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-768x442.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-580x334.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-610x351.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-250x144.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/edjohnson-600x345.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist Jerome Meadows stands within the sculpture he created as part of the Ed Johnson Memorial.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Ed Johnson Memorial<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>On Sept. 19, UTC participated in a ceremony to dedicate the Ed Johnson Memorial, a bronze statue honoring Johnson, falsely accused of rape and lynched from the Walnut Street Bridge in 1906, and his Black attorneys, Noah Parden and Styles Hutchins, who appealed his case to the Supreme Court after white lawyers refused. Among the UTC\u2019s multiple connections to the memorial events is LaFrederick Thirkill, a longtime Hamilton County educator, 1997 UTC graduate and a leading advocate for telling Johnson\u2019s story. While some memorials are designed to evoke emotion, Thirkill said, the Ed Johnson memorial\u00a0is\u00a0intended to educate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeeing Ed Johnson walking away from the noose and being set free\u2014or being just beyond the reach of the justice system\u2014is beautifully illustrated in this memorial,\u201d\u00a0Thirkill said. \u201cI know there are going to be people who might be upset about it,\u00a0be\u00a0it\u00a0Black people who are upset that it happened or white people who are upset that it\u2019s acknowledged; but those conversations are healthy because then you can examine why you have those feelings, and when conversations happen, it gives you the opportunity to see it from a different perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chattanooga native and UTC Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Engagement Stacy Lightfoot was involved in conversations from the start of planning for the Johnson memorial and, in spring, 12 UTC Honors College students captured Johnson\u2019s story in a five-part serial podcast as part of a semester-long course, Storytelling Through Podcasts, led by instructor Will Davis. Organizers with the Ed Johnson Project shared plans for the commemoration with listeners of WUTC-FM\u2019s\u00a0<em>Scenic Roots<\/em>\u00a0with Ray Bassett.<\/p>\n<p>Extensive support also has come from the UTC Department of History and Africana Studies\u00a0program, associate professors Michael Thompson and Susan Eckelmann\u00a0Berghel\u00a0and students of both who have served as interns with the Ed Johnson Project over the years.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Ed Johnson Memorial\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\"src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nn9E2DL28YA?rel=0&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;autohide=1&#038;showinfo=0&#038;controls=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39360\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"829\" height=\"1200\" data-attachment-id=\"39360\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/multicultural-advisory-council-17\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"829,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Angela Foster&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D750&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Multicultural Advisory Council luncheon Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 in the Mapp Building.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1505792670&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;University of Tennessee at Chattanooga&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;112&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Multicultural-Advisory-Council-17&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Multicultural-Advisory-Council-17\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Multicultural Advisory Council luncheon Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 in the Mapp Building.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-707x1024.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-39360\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17.jpg 829w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-207x300.jpg 207w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-707x1024.jpg 707w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-768x1112.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-580x840.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-610x883.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-138x200.jpg 138w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/stacy-lightfoot-17-276x400.jpg 276w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 829px) 100vw, 829px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stacy Lightfoot<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Stacy and Kim<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In May, Stacy Lightfoot was named UTC&#8217;s first vice chancellor of diversity and engagement. Starting July 1, she came to UTC after spending the last 12 years with the Public Education Foundation (PEF), most recently as the organization\u2019s executive vice president. A native of Chattanooga, Lightfoot began working at PEF\u2014a nonprofit organization that provides training, research and resources to teachers, principals and schools in Hamilton County and surrounding areas\u2014as a lead college advisor in 2009. Prior to being named executive vice president, she oversaw college access and success programs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI value relationships, and that is what diversity and engagement work is about,\u201d Lightfoot said. \u201cI care about each and every individual that crosses my path and what makes them special and different. Building relationships and trust are critical in the DEI space. I have been able to connect to a variety of networks and individuals enhancing my knowledge around systems change work and what it takes to change or create a system so that everyone who is a part of that system is elevated in some way, especially minoritized groups. That is what my life\u2019s work has been.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39362\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"835\" height=\"1200\" data-attachment-id=\"39362\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/white-kim-21\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"835,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON Z 6&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1638539964&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"White-Kim-21\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-713x1024.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-39362 \" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21.jpg 835w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-713x1024.jpg 713w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-768x1104.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-580x834.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-610x877.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-139x200.jpg 139w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/White-Kim-21-278x400.jpg 278w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 835px) 100vw, 835px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kim White<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Kim White was named vice chancellor of development and executive director of the UC Foundation in October and assumed the role, officially, on Dec. 1. A former candidate for mayor of Chattanooga, White received a bachelor\u2019s degree in art from UTC in 1982. She has held multiple leadership positions at UTC and within the UT System over the past 18 years. She has been president of the UTC Alumni Board and an active member of the UC Foundation Board.<\/p>\n<p>She represented represented UTC on the board of the UT Foundation, chairing the real estate committee and serving as a member of the Foundation\u2019s executive committee. She was the second woman to work as vice chancellor of development at UTC. Margaret Kelley served in the position from 2000 until her retirement in 2002.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnybody that knows me knows there are two things that are always part of me, and it\u2019s the passion I have for this city and the University; they go hand in hand,\u201d White said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to be able to spend the next part of my career giving back to a University that has given so much to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other leadership appointments:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shewanee Howard-Baptiste, vice provost for academic outreach<\/li>\n<li>Lauren Ingraham, vice provost for curriculum and new program development<\/li>\n<li>David Steele, chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor<\/li>\n<li>Tyler Forrest, vice chancellor for finance and administration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39365\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"797\" data-attachment-id=\"39365\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/frist-demolition\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,797\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Angela Foster\/University of Tennessee at Chattanooga&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON Z 6&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Frist demolition, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1628233750&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;56&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;320&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Frist Demolition&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Frist Demolition\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Frist demolition, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-1024x680.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-39365\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-580x385.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-610x405.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-250x166.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/Frist-Demolition-21-71-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Knocked down this year, the 71-year-old Frist Building was donated to UTC in 1985.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Renovations, remodels and removals<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Hunter Hall is undergoing a complete renovation. Built 64 years ago, much of the building&#8217;s original interior finishes remained at the start of the project, which also is addressing building utilities and exterior maintenance.<\/p>\n<p>One aspect of the project, which will benefit pedestrian traffic for the entire campus, is the redevelopment of Campus Drive to improve access to multiple buildings and parking areas.<\/p>\n<p>Anticipated improvements include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prioritized classroom accessibility<\/li>\n<li>Lighting<\/li>\n<li>Acoustics<\/li>\n<li>Sight lines<\/li>\n<li>New heating and cooling<\/li>\n<li>Flexible seating and furnishings to promote student collaboration<\/li>\n<li>New monitors and whiteboards<\/li>\n<li>State-of-the-art digital instruction technology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>During renovations, the departments and administrative offices inside temporarily moved to various locations around campus. Relocations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>College of Health, Education and Professional Studies administrative offices, 540 McCallie, second floor.<\/li>\n<li>School of Education, 540 McCallie, second floor.<\/li>\n<li>Department of Social Work, 540 McCallie, second floor.<\/li>\n<li>School of Professional Studies, Davenport Hall, 529 Oak St., first floor.<\/li>\n<li>Department of Social Work, 540 McCallie, second floor.<\/li>\n<li>Department of Interior Architecture and Design, Davenport Hall, 529 Oak St., first floor.<\/li>\n<li>The top floor of the 540 McCallie Building is being renovated to be the new home of radio station WUTC-FM\/88.1, formerly in the basement of Cadek Hall.<\/li>\n<li>The Fifth Floor of the 540 McCallie Building also will serve as a new home for Information Technology, consolidating the department into one location. IT is now located in the Doctors Building on McCallie Avenue, which is to undergo demolition in the future.<\/li>\n<li>A $40-million renovation to the third and fourth floors of Stophel Apartments was completed in 2021, and plans are to renovate the first and second floors in summer 2022.<\/li>\n<li>Renovations to 80 apartments on the third and fourth floors included the removal of all existing flooring and carpeting, installing ceramic tile, installing new lighting, water heaters, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, appliances, air conditioning and furniture. Hallway lighting and carpeting were replaced, and hallway walls were painted.<\/li>\n<li>Walker Apartments are scheduled for renovation in summer 2023, followed by UC Foundation in the summer of 2024.<\/li>\n<li>The 71-year-old Frist Hall was knocked down. In the short term, the former building&#8217;s grounds will become a green space while repair work is done to address the location&#8217;s history of water retention challenges. Long-term plans are to use the site for a combination parking garage\/housing complex.<\/li>\n<li>The roofs of Lupton Hall and Crossroads dining hall were replaced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe title=\"Frist Hall Demolition Timelapse\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\"src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LjiIV8GquIA?rel=0&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;autohide=1&#038;showinfo=0&#038;controls=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39368\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"628\" data-attachment-id=\"39368\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/rotc-commissioning-21\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"750,628\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Michelle Pelfrey\/University of Tennessee at Chattanooga&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;ROTC Commissioning, Saturday, May 15, 2021. 2LT Megan Hawkford\\u2019s mother and sister pin her gold bars on her shoulders&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1618323238&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;University of Tennessee at Chattanooga&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;ROTC Commissioning-21&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ROTC Commissioning-21\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;ROTC Commissioning, Saturday, May 15, 2021. 2LT Megan Hawkford\u2019s mother and sister pin her gold bars on her shoulders&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-39368\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC-580x486.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC-610x511.jpg 610w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC-239x200.jpg 239w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/ROTC-478x400.jpg 478w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">In May, 12 graduates of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program were commissioned as U.S. Army second lieutenants., the largest ROTC class of graduates since the program was reactivated at the University in 2007.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Military Science<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The year saw the Department of Military Science recognized as among the best programs by national organizations and also achieve a milestone.<\/p>\n<p>In February, UTC was designated as a Military Friendly School for 2021-2022 by the organization of the same name. In April, Military Friendly chose the University as a Military Spouse Friendly School for 2021-2022.<\/p>\n<p>More than 1,200 universities participated in the 2021-2022 Military Friendly School survey, with 747 earning the designation as Military Friendly. Of those, 194 were selected for the Military Spouse Friendly Schools list.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSchools who achieve designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources and support services, focusing on the betterment of the educational landscape and providing positive outcomes and economic opportunity for the military community,\u201d said Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships at Military Friendly<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe value our military spouses who have made momentous sacrifices, and it is our duty to support them in their educational pursuits,\u201d said Squoia Holmes, assistant director for Veteran Student Services. \u201cOur Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program provides financial assistance for military spouses.<\/p>\n<p>In June, UTC was selected as one of the nation\u2019s 30 Best for Vets colleges in 2021. The University was ranked No. 30 in the list, which looked at 366 universities\u2014both public and private\u2014in the United States. UTC also was the highest ranked Best for Vets university in Tennessee. The rankings were compiled by <em>Military Times<\/em>, which publishes a print version and hosts a website with news about service members around the world.<\/p>\n<p>In May, 12 graduates of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program were commissioned as U.S. Army second lieutenants., the largest ROTC class of graduates since the program was reactivated at the University in 2007.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are continuing to grow and produce quality officers for the United States Army,\u201d said Capt. A.J. Herink, head of the Department of Military Science. \u201cWe have between 60 to 70 cadets in the program every year, but they don\u2019t have to make a decision if they want to contract with us until junior year\u2014and getting up at 6 a.m. to go running every morning isn\u2019t for everyone.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>CUIP<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For the third year in a row, innovative projects by the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) were declared among the world&#8217;s best.<\/p>\n<p>In October, the 2021 Smart 50 Awards, which select the best \u201cSmart Cities\u201d research projects around the globe, chose CUIP\u2019s research on predicting and reducing vehicle crashes at various intersections in Chattanooga and its project to improve pedestrian safety citywide, using a section of East Martin Luther King Boulevard as a testing area.<\/p>\n<p>CUIP partnered with Chattanooga, Hamilton County and Seoul Robotics on the projects.<\/p>\n<p>Smart City projects conduct research in such areas as energy, transportation, health care and education with ultimate goals, among others, of improving quality of life, environmental sustainability and financial transparency in their city.<\/p>\n<p>The Smart 50 Awards are selected through a partnership of the Smart Cities Connect Foundation and U.S. Ignite, a National Science Foundation concern that connects and helps find funding for public and private groups, including universities and cities, to encourage smart city initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>In July, partnering with Chattanooga&#8217;s Smart City Division, Seoul Robotics and the Ouster technology company, CUIP also was a winner of IDC Government Insights\u2019 fourth-annual Smart Cities North America Awards, which recognize the progress municipalities have made in executing Smart Cities projects and provide a forum for sharing best practices.<\/p>\n<p>In Tennessee, CUIP won the \u201cBest Lightning Talk\u201d award at the Smoky Mountains Computational Sciences Data Challenge, sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n<p>CUIP Director Mina Sartipi also was selected to serve on the EPB board of directors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a huge honor,\u201d Sartipi said. \u201cEPB does phenomenal, people-focused work and has been a great partner to CUIP and UTC. The fiber-optic network has been a critical resource for the Smart City research initiatives of CUIP and the city. I am excited for this opportunity to be a part of a company that works hard to make the community stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39370\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"377\" data-attachment-id=\"39370\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/smile-fund-21-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"600,377\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Angela Foster&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON Z 6&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Drew Reynolds, Daniel Trentham, Leanah Chestnut, Hunter Holzhauer, Jacob Snook and Reedhi Bamnelkar, from left, stand Friday, March 12, 2021 near Warehouse Row.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1615557448&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;University of Tennessee at Chattanooga&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;640&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;SMILE Fund-21&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"SMILE Fund-21\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Drew Reynolds, Daniel Trentham, Leanah Chestnut, Hunter Holzhauer, Jacob Snook and Reedhi Bamnelkar, from left, stand Friday, March 12, 2021 near Warehouse Row.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile.jpg\" class=\" wp-image-39370\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile-580x364.jpg 580w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/smile-250x157.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The SMILE Fund team, from left, Drew Reynolds, Daniel Trentham, Leanah Chestnut, Hunter Holzhauer, Jacob Snook and Reedhi Bamnelkar.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Big SMILE<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For the fifth consecutive year, a team of UTC students with the Gary W. Rollins College of Business SMILE Fund team won a statewide financial competition. The five-member team earned top honors in the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Greater Tennessee Research Challenge.<\/p>\n<p>They work together in the SMILE Fund (Student Managed Investment Learning Experience), but the group of students came from different majors across campus. Fund President Jacob Snook, the captain of this year\u2019s team, and Daniel Trentham are finance students. Reedhi Bamnelkar (accounting), Leanah Chestnut (creative writing) and Drew Reynolds (engineering) also are member of the competition-winning crew.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: normal !msorm\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"441\" height=\"315\" data-attachment-id=\"39372\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/cwct\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"441,315\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"cwct\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct.jpg\" class=\"alignright wp-image-39372\" src=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct.jpg 441w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/files\/2021\/12\/cwct-250x179.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/>Cybersecurity<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With a grant of almost $9.8 million, UTC partnered with the U.S. National Security Agency to launch a program to address the growing cybersecurity needs worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>The Cybersecurity Workforce Certification Training (CWCT) is focused on preparing military veterans and first responders\u2014police, fire, EMTS and others\u2014to transition to careers in cybersecurity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe believe the pedagogy used and the training methods developed in the program will quickly become national standards in preparing those, throughout the nation, who are seeking to transition to cybersecurity careers,\u201d said Daniel Pack, dean of the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science.<\/p>\n<p>The program is a collaboration between UTC, Purdue University Northwest, Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"CWCT\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"style=\"max-width: 100%;\"src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/klAcfPHN_2s?rel=0&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;autohide=1&#038;showinfo=0&#038;controls=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The biggest stories of UTC in 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><span><a class=\"more-link button text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/looking-back-on-2021\/\"><span>Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1105,"featured_media":39551,"comment_status":"open","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":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[7232,119131,83283,119132,90831,119133,8317,83211,117323,83256,117309,48192,70452,117217],"class_list":{"0":"post-39345","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-army-rotc","9":"tag-cohort-2025","10":"tag-cuip","11":"tag-cwct","12":"tag-cybersecurity","13":"tag-cybersecurity-workforce-certification-training","14":"tag-department-of-military-science","15":"tag-ed-johnson","16":"tag-ed-johnson-memorial-dedication","17":"tag-ed-johnson-project","18":"tag-frist-hall","19":"tag-kim-white","20":"tag-smile-fund","21":"tag-stacy-lightfoot","22":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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