Johanna Gabriela Castillo Pineda is a Spanish teacher at East Brainerd Elementary School and the 2025 recipient of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Job-Embedded Award—an honor given to a student in UTC’s Job-Embedded licensure program who exemplifies commitment, growth and the spirit of teaching.
Trailblazers: University High’s first graduating class shows what’s possible
Cheers and applause filled the Roland Hayes Concert Hall on Friday, May 9, as the inaugural graduating class of University High crossed the stage—celebrating both their diplomas and a pioneering partnership between UTC and Hamilton County Schools.
University High to UTC: How an incoming freshman stitched together passion and purpose
Shi Mae Bowling has known for years that she wanted to become a costume designer. What she didn’t know was that a high school initiative located on a college campus would turn that dream into a real, reachable goal—and connect her with a mentor who could help make it possible. But thanks to her time at University High, a collaboration between UTC and Hamilton County Schools, Bowling—a graduating senior from the program’s first cohort—has found guidance and a sense of belonging while earning college credit.
UTC’s Arts-Based Collaborative uses teaching artists to inspire, educate and engage
With spring in full swing, the Arts-Based Collaborative (ABC) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been bringing the arts to life in classrooms and communities across the area.
From behind the scenes to center stage: April Van Brunt finds her calling in the classroom
April Van Brunt, a mother of four and a nontraditional student in the UTC Master of Education: Elementary Education program, has spent the past year participating in the “Grow Your Own” initiative—which aims to help address the current teacher shortage and get more qualified teachers in classrooms. She now teaches kindergarten at Red Bank Elementary School and will graduate with honors during UTC’s Graduate School commencement on Friday, May 2.
UTC graduate student Andrew Calkins finds his calling through Noyce Fellowship
Offered through UTC’s School of Education and funded by the National Science Foundation, the Noyce Fellowship Program provides STEM graduates with a fully funded pathway to earn their M.Ed. in Secondary Education in just 14 months. The program covers tuition, fees and books—and offers a $10,000 salary supplement during the first four years of teaching. In return, fellows commit to teaching for four years in a high-need Hamilton County School.
UTC to introduce changes to academic calendar starting in 2026
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is making a significant shift in its academic calendar, with changes set to begin in spring 2026 as part of a transition to a new long-term structure.
‘Empower Your Future’ at UTC points high schoolers to their futures in finance and economics
The Empower Your Future event on Wednesday, Feb. 8, taught high school students about career and degree opportunities in finance and economics.
Pitching solutions: UTC’s Inventanooga 2024 encourages innovation across all ages
On Dec. 12, UTC hosted its third annual Inventanooga competition—where K-12 students could pitch solutions to real-life problems like runoff water pollution and damage, efficient grocery packaging and rampant cheating at local pickleball courts.
UTC School Psychology student wins ‘Student of the Year’ award
Alicea Wilson, a Chattanooga native and third-year student in the School Psychology graduate program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was awarded the 2024 William Ballard Award.