The UTC Office of Alumni Affairs has initiated a new program for recent graduates titled UTC GOLD, or Graduates Of the Last Decade. UTC GOLD encompases all alumni of UTC who have graduated or passed at least 24 semester hours from the University in the last ten years.  The goal of the program is to help recent graduates stay connected through targeted social and career networking events and also to give them opportunities to learn important skills to help them get established in life after school.

The program will be led and organized by the UTC Alumi Office and a new UTC GOLD Council, comprised of recent alumni. The commitment to the council, will consist of attending two meetings a year in Chattanooga (spring/summer and fall), periodic conference calls, and periodic committee meetings as needed. In addition, this council will be asked to support various special events throughout the year in Chattanooga and in your specific regions throughout the United States. Those interested in applying do not have to live in the greater Chattanooga area. Applications for the new UTC GOLD Council are due by Friday, May 2, 2008.

Learn more about the UTC GOLD program here.

The 2008 Trisha Obear Memorial Tennis Tournament, sponsored by the UTC Alumni Board of Directors, will take place on May 30, 2008 at the UTC Tennis Courts and Manker Patten Tennis Center. The tournament is named after Trisha Obear, former wife and first lady of UTC Chancellor Emeritus Fred Obear, who always played in the UTC Alumni tennis tournament. Partial proceeds from the tournament will go to the Jimmy Jackson Memorial Scholarship Endowment, which is awarded each year to junior and senior students who demonstrate outstanding campus and community service.

Any person may register to play in the tournament, which includes a doubles, round robin mixed format in both a mens and womens division. The registration fee for the tournament is $25 and is due with the registration form no later than Monday, May 26.

For more information, please click here.

Each year the Alumni Board comes together to celebrate and recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the recipients of the two highest honors bestowed on a UTC alumnus at the annual Legends and Leaders dinner. The two honors are that of Outstanding Service Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award. These awards are to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the community and society and whose accomplishments and career activities have reflected glory on UTC.  This year’s Legends and Leaders Banquet will take place on Friday, May 2, 2008 at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.

 HAROLD McALISTER (UTC ‘71) - DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

Dr. Harold A. McAlister has been named the 2008 UTC Distinguished Alumnus. After completing his bechelorís degree at UTC, McAlister attended the University of Virginia and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in astronomy. He joined the faculty of Georgia
State University in 1977, where he founded the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA). CHARA built the world’s most powerful optical interferometric telescope array.

McAlister has written numerous research publications and has served on review, advisory, and oversight panels for the NSF and NASA. He teaches and directs CHARA and serves as Director of the Mount Wilson Institute, a nonprofit organization which manages the Mt. Wilson Observatory.

FRED & RUTH OBEAR - OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD

Chancellor Emeritus Fred Obear and Ruth Obear will be presented with the Outstanding Service Award, an honor given to recognize enthusiastic and committed service to the university. Dr. Obear is currently Chancellor Emeritus of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, following 16 years as chancellor of our campus. As UTC’s chancellor, he led the University in its development as a metropolitan campus, emphasizing its important role as a true partner with the community while taking full advantage of its unique blend of both public and private traditions.

At UTC, First Lady Ruth Obear organized support for the Lady Mocs basketball team with pre-game suppers and was an event organizer in support of UTC’s mission. The Obears demonstrate their love for the campus through their total dedication to UTC. They are actively involved with all athletics teams, academic programs, fine arts presentations, and alumni events and are UTC’s greatest fans, proudly wearing their blue and gold.