Despite the heavy rain, music still echoed, smiles still spread across faces and belongings still rolled into on-campus housing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Operation Move In, which began Wednesday, Aug. 13, welcomed hundreds of first-year students as they moved into their new homes for the semester.
“It’s exciting. I think the parents’ and the students’ energy is so contagious,” said Dr. Artanya Wesley, UTC vice chancellor for enrollment management and student affairs. “Just to see the parents smiling in the rain, the volunteers, the energy—it’s still exciting and I’m just very proud.
“People still showed up. Our volunteers were here bright and early, our parents were here, students were in line, and our staff—who have worked together to pull this entire event together—have done a spectacular job.”
Chancellor Lori Bruce helps students moving into the Lockmiller Apartments. Photo by Angela Foster.
For new Chancellor Lori Bruce, it was an introduction to Operation Move In and the festivities that came with it.
“I’m on day 44,” Bruce said with a smile as she stood outside of West Campus Housing, where she briefly lived in her first few weeks as chancellor.
Operation Move In was her first opportunity to interact with a large group of UTC students.
“It’s fantastic to see new students, most of them here for the first time, and to see them so excited. It’s high energy, and it really makes me look forward to next week when everyone is here and classes have started,” Bruce said. “I’ve asked parents if this is their first child to go off to college, and many say yes. I just reassure them—everything’s good, we’ve got it and their students are in good hands.”
Jason Harville, assistant director of academic initiatives, was this year’s Operation Move In committee chair. He commended the many departments that came to assist new students with moving in.
“Seeing all of our campus partners here is exciting because I want our students to know we’re all here to support them as they start this,” Harville said. “We were intentional this year; we’ve ordered balloons and added music at most of our complexes. That energy is important, and sometimes it can even help calm nerves.”
For students, the day marked the beginning of a new chapter.
“I like it here a lot. I’ve liked every tour and orientation was really nice, so I’m excited,” said Katelyn Shipman, a Memphis native who plans to major in psychology.
Her mother, Kristy, said, “Every time we’ve come, I’ve gotten more and more comfortable that this is where she’s going to be. She seems to really already have a grasp of things.
“It was important to have a campus she could walk to everything she needed.”
Darian Macon (right), his stepmother, Jona (left) and his grandmother stand outside of West Campus Housing.
Business administration student Darian Macon came with his family—including both sets of grandparents—from Knoxville, Tennessee. Macon is also in the Army Reserves and said he is excited to take military science classes.
“The campus looks interesting. I’m going to try to look around as much as I can,” Macon said.
His stepmom, Jona, called the experience “just wonderful.”
“Being able to come out and see all the people, everybody moving in together. It’s just exciting,” she said.
Alexis Gonzalez, a business management major from Smyrna, Tennessee, spoke about moving out on her own for the first time.
“It’s kind of crazy to think that I am, but it’s exciting,” Gonzalez said. Her father, Eddie, described the moment as “a whole mix of emotion, but excitement outweighs the rest. She’s toured Chattanooga three times … the campus is gorgeous, the city is amazing. We’re excited to just see her take off.”
Some students were already thinking about ways to get involved.
“I want to find my people,” said Noah Gaines, a computer engineering major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “I love trying new things and I just can’t wait to start my first year off with a bang.”
Phoenix Owens, a computer engineering major from Jefferson City, Tennesssee, said he’s “more excited” than anything else and plans to explore activities and student organizations.
“The engineering classes seem really cool,” Owens said. “Moving away, that’s also very exciting.”
Alexis Gonzalez and her dad, Eddie.
To cap off the day’s hard work, students and their families gathered in the University Center’s Tennessee Room for “Snow Cones and Send-offs.”
The new event allowed families to meet the chancellor, campus leaders and academic deans. Students learned about upcoming events and said farewell to their families.
Jordyn Wilson, a first-year marketing major from Cordova, Tennessee, said she enjoyed getting to meet Bruce.
“You would think it might be intimidating, but it wasn’t at all,” Wilson said.
Chasity Woodfork, a pre-professional biology major from Memphis and a Brock Scholar in the Honors College, shared a similar sentiment.
“She gave some incredible advice,” Woodfork said. “It can kind of feel intimidating when you hear your chancellor is coming to talk to you, but actually sitting down and having a conversation with her made us more comfortable with her right off the bat.”
Chancellor Lori Bruce and Scrappy show Jordyn Wilson (blue shirt), Chasity Woodfork (gray shirt) and their friends how to do a “Power C.”
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Operation Move In photo gallery by Angela Foster
