News Summary
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga held its 265th commencement ceremonies, conferring 1,565 degrees to graduates from its four academic colleges and the Graduate School. The event took place over two days at McKenzie Arena, accommodating a diverse group of students. The ceremonies highlighted the institution’s longstanding tradition of academic excellence, featuring significant numbers of both undergraduate and advanced degrees awarded. Graduates included accomplished student editors from the university’s publication, with events open to the public for family and friends to celebrate this milestone.
Chattanooga – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) celebrated its 265th commencement ceremonies on March 2-3, 2025, conferring a total of 1,565 degrees to a diverse group of graduates from its four academic colleges and the Graduate School. The ceremonies took place at McKenzie Arena, with events spanning two days to accommodate all candidates.
The first day featured the Graduate School ceremony, held on Friday, March 2, at 2:30 p.m. During this ceremony, 308 advanced degrees and certificates were awarded, including master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. On Saturday, March 3, the undergraduate ceremonies commenced, starting with the first session at 9 a.m. for graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. A second session was scheduled for 2 p.m., recognizing students from the Gary W. Rollins College of Business and the College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies.
In total, the undergraduate portion saw 1,257 candidates earning their bachelor’s degrees, with the distribution as follows:
- College of Arts and Sciences: 553 degrees
- College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies: 294 degrees
- Gary W. Rollins College of Business: 232 degrees
- College of Engineering and Computer Science: 178 degrees
The Graduate School awarded a comprehensive array of advanced degrees, with notable figures including:
- 57 master’s degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences
- 44 master’s degrees from the Rollins College of Business
- 19 master’s degrees from the College of Engineering and Computer Science
- 98 master’s degrees from the College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies
- Doctoral degrees included:
- 18 Doctor of Nursing Practice
- 33 Doctor of Physical Therapy
- 21 Doctor of Occupational Therapy
- 7 Doctor of Philosophy in Learning and Leadership
- 2 Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Science
- 1 Doctor of Education
- 8 Educational Specialist credentials
The commencement event drew attention not only for its academic achievements but also for its historical significance, as it marked a long-standing tradition of excellence at UTC since its establishment in 1886. The ceremonies were presided over by Interim Chancellor Robert Dooley, who himself is a two-time graduate of the university.
Additionally, the graduating class featured a number of accomplished student editors from The Echo, a university publication, including Mason Edwards (Editor in Chief), Carly Owens (Assistant News Editor), Trevor Jolley (Sports Editor), and Noah Camacho (Photo Editor).
For those unable to attend, video recordings of each ceremony along with a gallery of images captured by UTC photographer Angela Foster are available online, allowing the broader community to share in the celebrations.
The event was open to the public, with no ticketing requirements, ensuring that families, friends, and supporters of the graduates could participate in recognizing the hard work and dedication required to reach this academic milestone.
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Additional Resources
- The UTC Echo: UTC Commencement Celebrates 1,565 Graduates
- Wikipedia: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Go Mocs: Spring Commencement List for Mocs Student-Athletes
- Google Search: University of Tennessee Chattanooga
- Chattanooga Pulse: Ready to Soar – UTC’s Class of 2025
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Commencement
- News Channel 9: Chattanooga Prep Seniors to Graduate on Time
- Google News: Chattanooga Prep Graduation
- Go Mocs: Student-Athlete Academic Enhancement Center
- Google Scholar: UTC Graduation
