Alumni News
Alumni snapshot
Bill Colrus, Editor of The Pulse
Since graduating in 2000, Bill Colrus hasn’t slowed down in Chattanooga’s media and communications scene and now serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Pulse, Chattanooga’s weekly arts and news publication. We recently sat down with Bill to ask him about his position at The Pulse and his UTC experience.
Q. What have you been up to since graduation?
I’ve written for a handful of publications, had a few media and nonmedia-related jobs, created and produced two local television series, and since the fall of 2003, have served as the editor of The Pulse.
Q. Which published articles in The Pulse make you proud?
We published a series of stories that helped clear a man wrongly accused of murder. I’m probably most proud of those.
Beyond that, there are really too many to count – and I mean that sincerely. We have, and have had, a great roster of writers who’ve done great work in virtually all areas of our paper. And, of course, our annual satire-laden April Fool’s issue always makes me proud – albeit in a different way.
Q. Why did you choose to attend UTC?
UTC was on a big list of schools I was considering. I visited the campus, liked what I saw and heard, applied, and was accepted. Plus, my girlfriend (and now wife) had recently moved to Chattanooga, so that helped a bit with my decision to attend, too.
As expected, my English classes struck a nice balance between intense literature study and solid writing instruction. My communication courses allowed me to get my feet wet in a variety of media settings while, at the same time, focusing in depth on the trends, mechanics, politics, and social issues related to the media as a whole.
Q. What is your favorite UTC memory?
Everybody probably says this, but I really don’t have just one. I learned a lot from my professors, loved living on campus, made a lot of friends, and went on bunches of road trips. A dorm mate and I made a movie about our dorm, and we used to organize poetry nights in the basement. They were always hilarious.
It was great to be able to walk from my dorm room to Chamberlain Field to watch the Mocs play. Terrell Owens was still here then. It was also cool to watch Dick Vitale and ESPN broadcast from the arena when Michigan came into town to play us. We almost beat them, too.
Q. What do you miss about UTC?
I had a great time at UTC. I had great professors and met a lot of great people. I don’t get to see them nearly as much as I’d like to these days. I also miss the many heated in-class debates and discussions we had.
UTC helped to polish my skills and opened a lot of doors for me. Since graduation, my former professors have always been willing to help me and give me advice whenever I’ve needed it.
Read more alumni profiles.
Engineering Alumni Hall of Achievement
A partnership between the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Alumni Office has been formed to create the Hall of Achievement, which will recognize alumni who have made particularly meaningful contributions to their profession, to the community, and to society in general. Criteria for induction is under development, according to Dr. Ronald Bailey, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
“With the establishment of the Hall of Achievement, the College of Computer Science will recognize outstanding alumni. The College also believes the greatest positive impact will be on enrolled students who will be inspired by the achievements of those who are inducted into the Hall,” Bailey said.
To determine those who serve on the Hall of Achievement Selection Committee, senior faculty members in the College provided Bailey a list of alumni who live close enough to campus to be within accessible driving distance during the initial phase of the program’s development.
“Since its inception, the selection committee has begun to lay out the foundation for the establishment of the awards,” Bailey said.
With modest beginnings as an Engineering and Physics program before the 1969 merger of the University of Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee, and Chattanooga City College, the college has experienced significant growth. In five decades over 3,000 engineering and computer science graduates have experienced its evolution with the addition of new degree programs in engineering and computer science, the increase of faculty and staff to 60 people, the construction of a new building to house the college, and recently the addition of the nationally renowned SimCenter.
The Hall of Achievement selection committee is also working to introduce a New Graduate Recognition Program that will honor every student who graduates from the College.
For more information about the Hall of Achievement or the New Graduate Recognition Program, please email Jayne-Holder@utc.edu.
New UTC License Plate available for purchase.
Any Tennessee resident registering a private passenger motor vehicle can purchase a new UTC license plate for $56.50. Personalize a plate with a maximum of five characters, and the cost is $91.50. Check out the design of the license plate and place your order.
Upcoming Alumni Events 
Save the date!
- April 18 – Student Alumni Council Favorite Faculty Reception
- May 4 – Legends & Leaders Banquet
- May 6 – Graduation Commencement
- May 25 – Tricia Obear Memorial Tennis Tournament
- June 4 – Alumni Board Appreciation Picnic
- June 8-16 – Young Alumni Pre-Riverbend Gathering
- August 17 – Freshman Legacy Reception
- August 18 – Alumni Board/Alumni Leadership Council Retreat
- October 8-13 – 2007 Homecoming Week
- October 12-13 – Fifty Plus Reunion
- October 13 – Homecoming Game vs. Western Carolina
- November 13-14 – SAC Silent Auction
For more information, please call the Alumni Office at (423)425-4785 or (800)728-4882.
Stay Connected
Just blog it! Alumni share their views using the new MocBlog.
One of the many ways in which the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs is trying to keep the University’s alumni connected is through its website. With the new alumni blog, or online bulletin board, UTC alumni and friends of the University are invited to return frequently and post their views on University events, news stories and issues that are being discussed. In the initial phase, news stories and topics will be introduced on a bi-weekly basis and will cover a variety of subjects.
Help, I’m lost!
Help us find our lost alumni.
What’s up with our alumni?
Share information about class notes… marriages, families and new jobs.
Let us know
The UTC Alumni Board encourages alumni and friends to use a new email address to share views on current topics related to the University. Please letusknow@utc.edu your thoughts on a variety of topics, including favorite memories at UTC, suggestions for improvements at the University, ideas to connect the University with the community, new alumni ideas (program events, job connections, etc.).
Trivia
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