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Alumni News
- Alumni Profile: Paul Smith
- Homecoming Review: Discovering the Gold in the Deep Blue C
- Student Alumni Council’s Angel Tree spreads some holiday cheer to local children
- Alumna decorates White House tree
- Young alums create online university communities
- Friedl and Hood named UTAA Outstanding Teachers
Alumni Profile: Paul Smith
Class of 1998
Degree: B.S. in Education
Profession: Principal, Howard School of Academics and Technology, Chattanooga, TN
Family: wife, Sherron; children, Paul II and Bethani
In late July 2007, Hamilton County Department of Education Superintendent Jim Scales hired one of the youngest principals ever to take the reigns of a secondary school in the Chattanooga area. Dr. Paul Smith (UTC '98) took over as Principal of Howard School of Academics and Technology, which has been placed on the state's corrective action status as a result of the school's high dropout rate and low test score percentage. Recently, the UTC Alumni Office had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Smith about his new administrative role, his vision in helping to reverse the school's academic path and his experience at UTC.
Q. First, congratulations on your new position at Howard. What did you do prior to joining Howard?
A. I taught English and U.S. and World History for eight years at Tyner Academy. I also wrote and taught a curriculum on African American studies. I then served as assistant principal, in the principal trainee track, at Orchard Knob Middle School for one year.
Q. What led you to apply for school administration and specifically for the Howard principal position?
I absolutely love teaching and for most of my years in the classroom, the students would vote me as one of their favorite teachers. Through those years I learned and developed effective techniques to meet the individual academic needs of each of my students. After a period of time, I felt that I could have more of an impact on a larger group of people in an administrative role. I also went to school here in Chattanooga (Tyner Academy) and I felt like I had first hand experience of what it was like to attend a public school in this county.
Q. So how is it different being in administration now?
There is definitely more pressure and stress as well as important decision making. Unfortunately, when you are in administration everything you say is scrutinized, and often is misrepresented. I've had to change my perspective from just focusing on students to pulling together all functions as a whole - students, teachers, administration and even facility staff.
Q. What are the biggest challenges you feel the students and faculty face at Howard?
It would be easy for me to say that public opinion hinders our school's success, but to me that's not our biggest challenge. Again, to me, I think the only thing that hinders success at Howard is Howard. In regards to the students specifically, it is vital that they begin to develop a better frame of mind for school; that they would value the importance of education. And I try to personally model that standard at all times when I interact with them by dressing appropriately and professionally, keeping my home and public speech separated, showing that I love and respect my wife and children, and by personally reading to further my own education.
I think it's also important to hire and retain good teachers. Right now we have an incentive program set up for both the teachers and students to do well and try harder, but eventually they need to adopt a more intrinsic attitude about the importance of education themselves, rather than doing it just for a prize or reward.
I'm not changing too much initially, but I'm working on the avenues to prepare students individually. I'm a big believer of that approach. I believe in the statement that if you can't learn the way I teach, then I will teach the way you learn. I want our teachers to be the best teachers for every student.
Q. You graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Education degree from UTC. What led you to pursue education and how did you enjoy the education department at UTC?
When I graduated from high school I was told that I wasn't college material by some of the teachers. So I took some time and traveled around the world. My mother is from Jamaica so I went there for a bit too. Eventually I ended up back in town and my mother told me about substitute teaching to earn a little money. So in 1993 I went back to Tyner to substitute teach. And at the end of the first day I called my mother and told her that I had found my calling. I fully believed that I'd be a good teacher. So I decided to go back and study education. I ended up being mentored by Ray Swafford and Lebron Sterchi, even after I started classes at UTC in 1994. And I was hooked at that point.
UTC was a great university for education compared to other universities. When I was searching for universities I looked all over the country. But after my mother and I did some research we discovered that the graduates of the education program at UTC all seemed to do well at the education placement exams in several states. So that's where I chose to go. And I loved it.
Dr. [Dan] Baker and Dr. [Valerie] Rutledge were great professors. They tailor designed a student teaching experience that just really met my personal interests and goals.
Q. Who was your favorite teacher and favorite course?
I actually have two. Dr. [Jim] Ward and [the late] Dr. [Russell] Linneman both made history come alive for me. They really modeled the classroom practices on how to teach history, especially using the Socratic seminar where the class sits in a circle and discusses a piece of work, not just for the point of discussion but also so that we as a class would spark understanding as a collective whole. It made me want to pursue teaching history.
Q. What type of non-academic activities were you involved in while at UTC?
The only thing I was really involved in was the B.S.A. [Black Student Association] and the Littleton H. Mason Singers, which was a part of the B.S.A. I didn't want to pledge [a fraternity or social organization] because I really wanted to focus on my academics. And I'm glad that I didn't pledge because I ended up creating great friends with other students in the education department, like Brent Eller (UTC '98), who is now an administrator in Hamilton County as well. These were friends that I probably wouldn't have interacted with if I did pledge. To this day I still interact with them and we continue to share strategies and seek advice from each other. We bonded in our pursuits and were involved in positive extracurricular activities together.
Q. What advice do you have for current UTC students?
The best advice I have for them is like I said above, that is to develop relationships with their professors that are positive and appropriate. That way they would have their finger on the pulse of their [professors'] expectations for the classroom. For me, I got to know my professors very well and they really were eager to get to know me personally. I think that is why they helped to customize my student teaching experience. In the same way, I also think getting involved in extracurricular activities that are again positive and appropriate is vital.
Q. What about those students seeking a career in education. Any advice for them?
First, please continue to pursue it [an education profession]. Be one. We need more teachers. The pay may not be as good but to me there isn't a more noble profession.
Q. What about you, any other pursuits that you are seeking down the road?
Well, I'd love to be an adjunct professor and teach a lower level education class on multi-cultural education. And I am very active with my church and I am hoping that I can balance my work here at Howard with some future pastoral work. But that is down the road. Right now, I just want to focus on our students here.
Homecoming Review: Discovering the Gold in the Deep Blue C
A look back at 2007 Homecoming and 50-Plus Reunion events
Homecoming 2007 challenged thousands of alumni and students to “Discover the Gold in the Deep Blue C” with a campus celebration of school colors and our new “C” athletics logo for the Chattanooga Mocs.
Members of the Class of 1957 returned to campus for induction into the University’s 50-Plus Club. Class President Pier Morgan led the reunion committee in recognizing over 21 members from the class of 1957. Five members from the class of 1947 were also honored.
UTC Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Phil Oldham welcomed the group, and congratulations were offered by Jayne Holder and Pat Miles from the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs. Walt Meyer Trio provided the music for an evening of dancing.
UTC Distinguished Alumnus and Five-Star General B.B. Bell, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs John Delaney and UTC Alumni Board President Kayvon Sadrabadi congratulated the group at their 50-Plus Induction Ceremony and 50-Plus luncheon.
Homecoming 2007 was memorable for many alumni, students and friends who were able to meet with General Bell. He participated in numerous homecoming activities, including the student parade, the R.O.T.C. re-dedication ceremony, tailgating in Scrappy’s Nest and the homecoming football game.
And to top off the weekend, the Chattanooga Mocs football team beat the Western Carolina Catamounts 39-21.
To view more photos from Homecoming 2007, please visit:
Student Alumni Council’s Angel Tree Spreads Some Holiday Cheer to Local Children
It took three trucks to deliver to the Hamilton County Regional Office of the Tennessee Department of Children Services (TDCS) more than 200 wrapped gifts destined to reach 116 children who were “adopted” by students, faculty, staff and alumni at UTC. The Student Alumni Council’s (SAC) annual Holiday Angel Tree community service project, led by Angel Tree Chair Laura Davies, recruited approximately 90 participants to help provide gifts for children in group homes and programs from the TDCS.
Marsha Boyd, the coordinator for the Angel Tree program for the Department of Children Services, said that the SAC’s effort makes UTC the single entity that produces the largest number of gifts for the greatest number of children. She also mentioned that in its six year history, the SAC Angel Tree grows in giving.
“We are so thankful for the students at UTC for all they do to help us with gifts for the children. I remember when we first started the program about six years ago and it really seemed like the students were the ones who took on the leadership to make this happen,” Boyd said. “We look forward to working with the UTC Student Alumni Council for many more years to come.”
For more information on the SAC Angel Tree, or to view photos from this year’s giving, please visit www.utc.edu/sac/angeltree.htm.
Alumna decorates White House tree
Alumna Gay Arthur of the Class of 2003 was chosen to paint an ornament to be hung among the 347 ornaments on the Christmas tree in the Blue Room at the White House. Arthur’s contribution depicts the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The theme of this year’s White House holiday decorations honors our National Parks.
Arthur and her husband, George, attended a reception recognizing the artists on November 28, 2007.
Visit Arthur's online studio. For more information about White House holiday decorations, visit the White House web site.
Young alums create online university communities
The UTC Young Alumni Council and the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs are offering another way to stay in touch, by having online communication and conversations with social network sites MySpace and Facebook.
“In just five years, the ways that people communicate, especially students and young adults, have drastically changed due to technological improvements and inventions,” said Pat Miles, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs. “It is easy to understand the reason why university groups, including alumni associations, have jumped at this opportunity.”
One great tool in Facebook is the formation of online groups. “Go MOCS!!!...UT Chattanooga Alumni,” is the UTC Young Alumni Facebook group. This unique service helps current UTC students understand the role of the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs and keeps UTC graduates updated on University news and events. Participants are also able to create an online event through Facebook that correlates with major University events or activities that are occurring on campus.
Third Thursdays is one event promoted on UTC alumni's online communities. On the third Thursday of every month, young alumni are invited to get together to socialize, network and reconnect under the banner of our Chattanooga University at Market Street Tavern at Miller Plaza, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Not only can the UTC Young Alumni utilize these tools to communicate with alumni and students, but they can also make personal contact by posting to a user’s “wall,” which is the web version of a bulletin board for comments.
UTC also has several MySpace profiles, including one for the UTC Young Alumni (www.myspace.com/utcmocs) and one for the UTC Student Alumni Council (www.myspace.com/utcsac). There are over 470 MySpace friends for the Young Alumni profile, allowing the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs to reach a wide audience as it post bulletins on newsworthy events and activities occurring on campus, and at the same time communicates with alums who now reside in locations around the world.
“Even though e-newsletters, such as the Chattanooga Today Online, and printed magazines are still the preferred way for UTC alums to get up to date news and information on the happenings at UTC, these new enterprises continue to allow the UTC Alumni Office to better reach its alumni,” said Miles.
Friedl and Hood named UTAA Outstanding Teachers
UTC Professors Dr. John Friedl, accounting, and Dr. Ralph Hood, psychology, have been selected as recipients of the 2008 University of Tennessee Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award.
Nominated by peers and students within the University for their outstanding service in the classroom, Friedl and Hood were selected by the Outstanding Teacher Award selection committee. Each recipient will be recognized during the year-end meeting of the UT Alumni Association Board of Governors, and each will receive a $1,000 stipend/travel award.
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