Chattanooga Today Online
Skip to Navigation
Alumni News
- Dr. Harold A. McAlister and Obears to be honored at Legends and Leaders Dinner
- Call to Apply – New UTC GOLD Alumni Council
- UTC to Host the 2009 ASAP District 3 Conference
Dr. Harold A. McAlister and Obears to be honored at Legends and Leaders Dinner
Dr. Harold McAlister
The Office of Alumni Affairs is pleased to announce the 2008 UTC Distinguished Alumnus is Dr. Harold A. McAlister, UTC Class of 1971. He will be honored at the annual Legends and Leaders Dinner on Friday, May 2, at the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club.
Established in 1969 by the UTC Alumni Council, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award bestowed upon an alumnus/alumna of Chattanooga’s University. It is bestowed upon alumni who have made significant contributions to the community and society, and whose accomplishments and career activities have “reflected glory on the University.”
Born and raised in Chattanooga, McAlister graduated from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1971. He attended the University of Virginia and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in astronomy in 1973 and 1975. Following a two-year appointment as a post-doctoral researcher at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, McAlister joined the faculty of Georgia State University in 1977. His research in high resolution astronomical imaging has been continuously supported by the National Science Foundation since 1978 with additional grant support from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Naval Research Laboratory, the Space Telescope Science Institute as well as from private foundations. The total of this support exceeds $12M.
McAlister, left, with Dr. Karel Hujer at Jones Observatory
in 1967.
McAlister founded the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) at Georgia State in 1983, and CHARA has gone on to build the world's most powerful optical interferometric telescope array. He is the author or co-author of some 150 research publications and has served on numerous review, advisory and oversight panels for the NSF and NASA. In addition to teaching and directing CHARA, McAlister also serves as Director of the Mount Wilson Institute, a non-profit organization now housed at Georgia State, which manages the historic Mt. Wilson Observatory under an agreement with the Carnegie Institution of Washington. McAlister is the recipient of the 2007 Maria and Eric Muhlmann Award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for “significant observational results made possible by innovative advances in astronomical instrumentation.”
Ruth and Fred Obear
The Outstanding Service Award, an honor given to recognize enthusiastic and committed service to the University will also be presented at the Legends and Leader Dinner. This year’s most deserving honorees are Fred and Ruth Obear. Dr. Obear, Chancellor Emeritus of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, served 16 years as chancellor of our campus. In that role he led the University in its development as a metropolitan campus, emphasizing its important role as a true partner with the community it serves and taking full advantage of its unique blend of both public and private traditions. As “First Lady,” Ruth Obear organized support for the Lady Mocs basketball team with pre-game suppers and was an event planner and organizer in support of UTC’s mission.
“UTC alums and friends all know and love the Obears,” said Jayne Holder, Director of Alumni Affairs. “They truly 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. They are UTC’s greatest fans and proudly wear their blue and gold.”
For more information about the May 2 Legends & Leaders Dinner, call the UTC Office of Alumni Affairs at (423) 425-4785 or (800) 728-4882.Call to Apply – New UTC GOLD Alumni Council
The UTC Office of Alumni Affairs has embarked on a strategic effort to strengthen its services for the University’s newest alumni with a new program for Graduates Of the Last Decade, or UTC GOLD Alumni. To ensure that this program is meeting the needs and interests of its membership, the alumni office will set up a new GOLD Council. This will be the crucial piece of the GOLD Alumni program’s strategic plan at UTC.
“We are looking for interested alumni who have graduated within the last ten years from UTC to serve on the GOLD Council,” said Patrick Miles, Assistant Director, Alumni Affairs.
Applicants who choose to apply to the GOLD Council will be asked to fulfill their commitment, which 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 specific regions throughout the United States. Those interested in applying do not have to live in the greater Chattanooga area.
To apply for a position on the new UTC GOLD Council, or to nominate someone, please submit the GOLD Council application along with a copy of the applicant’s resume to the Alumni Office by Wednesday, April 16, 2008. Send the application via e-mail to letusknow@utc.edu, fax it to (423) 425-5277, or send by US Mail to the Patten House. A committee will meet to select the first class of council members and they will be notified of their selections by May 1, 2008. The first council meeting will occur in May or June; a specific date will be announced soon.
“Through the service of the GOLD Council, we hope that our alumni will continue to be involved and connected with UTC,” said Miles.
For more information, please contact Patrick Miles at (423) 425-4785 or e-mail him at Patrick-Miles@utc.edu.
UTC to Host the 2009 ASAP District 3 Conference
In 2009, the Association of Student Advancement Programs (ASAP) District 3 Conference will be held in Chattanooga. The UTC Student Alumni Council (SAC) and Future Alumni Members (FAM) will host more than fifty institutional student programs from across the southeast. The conference will take place on February 19-22, 2009 at the Downtown Chattanooga Marriott Hotel, Chattanooga Convention Center and on campus at UTC. UTC hosted the SAA/SF Conference in 1994.
The co-chairs for the 2009 ASAP District 3 Conference are UTC students and SAC members Emily Martin and Shamika Malone.
Five members of the UTC SAC recently attended the ASAP District 3 Conference in Savannah, Georgia.
As a subset program of the Council on the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), ASAP serves as an umbrella organization to assist collegiate student groups who fall under advancement departments - alumni, university relations and development. Student groups are typically categorized under one of the following areas: student alumni programs such as The Future Alumni Members and Student Alumni Council; student foundations or university ambassador programs.
ASAP-sponsored student groups pledge to assist in the advancement and support of their institution. The UTC Student Alumni Council has participated as a member of ASAP (formerly the Student Alumni Association/Student Foundation, SAA/SF) for more than twenty years.
Sponsorship opportunities to underwrite this conference are available. If interested, please call Patrick Miles at (423) 425-4785. For more information on the 2009 ASAP Conference, visit www.utcfam.com.
Navigation
