The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Alumni Association

Chancellor Roger Brown and his wife Dr. Carolyn Thompson welcomed UTC Alumni Board of Directors and UTC supporters to their home for an appreciation picnic.  Outgoing Alumni Board President Kim White and incoming president Mike Purcell attended.  Chancellor Brown thanked outgoing members and welcomed new members on the Alumni Board of Directors and the UTC GOLD Council.

2009-2010 UTC Alumni Board of Directors

Rodney Allen, 1993
Kino Becton, 2003
Doug Brown, 1985
Bert Caldwell, 1963
Vince Carelli, 1990
Chantel Christian, student rep
Yancy Freeman, 1992
Lori Govan, 1993
Stacy Gray, 1996 - Secretary
Michael Griffin, 1985
Dale Ledford, 1999
Don Lepard, 1982
Scott LeRoy, 1979 - Treasurer
Tom Losh, 1971 – President-elect
Kimberly McCormick, 1989
Jean Payne, 1982
Nate Pinkard, 1976
Mike Purcell, 1998 - President
Tahnika Rodriguez, 1999
Britt Tabor, 1989
Susie Thompson, 1993
Mary Thompson, 1992 – Vice President
Kim White, 1982 – Immediate Past President
Conrad Woods, 1987
Steve Ziegler, 1981

Kim and Joe Dan White

Mike Purcell

Gold Council Members

Kim and Tahnika Rodriguez

UTAA president Ford Little

Dr. Carolyn Thompson and Kim White

Chancellor Roger Brown

Four freshmen engineering students designed a new way for a 2 ½-year-old boy of short stature to use his parents’ toilet seat.

Dr. Cecelia Wigal’s students Zach Bell, Tim Boerema, Benjamin Barrow and Michael Sherrit were asked to design a toilet seat that integrates into the child’s parents existing toilet seat.

“He had been unable to potty train because he could not properly access his parents’ toilet seat. We added handles and used a smaller step-up,” said Michael Sherrit.  “We measured the distance from the floor to his hip.  He weighs fifteen pounds.”

The students’ main objectives were to make the assistive device safe, convenient and simple to use.

At the 2009 Engineering Showcase, the students had spoken with the boy’s mother, who said he had used the toilet seat and did not become upset when he used it.

Students Zach Bell, Tim Boerema, Benjamin Barrow, Michael Sherrit

The Up ‘til Dawn student letter-writing campaign to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital raised approximately $12,000 in the third year of this collegiate fundraising program.  In fall 2008, 100 students in the UTC chapter of Up ‘til Dawn wrote 4,200 letters to solicit donations.  The money the students raised was sent directly to St. Jude.

The 2008-09 Executive Director of Up ‘Til Dawn was Rebekah Wilson and Andrew Clark was Chapter Assistant Director; Shasta Westmoreland served as the group’s advisor. Clark, newly elected SGA Vice President, will serve as the new Executive Director.  He is planning a few changes and “additional fundraisers outside of our letter campaign.”

“St. Jude never turns anyone away regardless of the family’s ability to pay. It costs close to $1.5 million to run the hospital each day! So, we are working hard to invest in the lives of children from around the world,” said Clark.

This year the UTC chapter theme was “Mission Possible: Saving the World, One Child at a Time.”

Andrew Clark and Rebekah Wilson with "St. Jude" at the hospital in Memphis

The Executive Board at the Up 'til Dawn Letter Sending Party with advisor Shasta Westmoreland, back row, left.