When Lori Bruce, Ph.D., took over as chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, she brought with her not only a background in engineering and academic leadership but also a guiding philosophy shaped by one of her favorite pastimes: intricate embroidery.
“There has to be a plan,” she says, describing her hobby of stitching tiny fabric mosaics. “But you also have to give yourself enough flexibility to be creative in the process. That’s when you get something beautiful at the end.”
In this conversation, Bruce shares her vision for UTC – one centered on student success, workforce development, research with real-world impact and strong community partnerships.
As you step into the chancellor role, what do you see as your main mission?
“Setting a vision for the university and ensuring at the leadership level that we’re expending our resources – time, effort, budget – toward that mission. And for me, student success should be at the heart of everything we do.”
What does student success mean to you?
“It starts with making sure we have students. I believe in our product – I believe in the educational programs we have and the student experience we can provide. But once students are here, we have to offer the right courses, at the right times of day, in the right combinations, so they can progress toward their degree. And we need to support them with the resources they need to succeed.”
You’ve mentioned that success can look different for different students.
“Yes. It can look different for a working adult attending part-time versus an 18-year-old on a traditional full-time path. But across the board, we want to help students graduate in a timely manner so they can enter higher-paying professions and reduce debt. Beyond the discipline-specific knowledge, we also want them to develop adaptability, resilience, critical thinking, teamwork and communication skills. Those are lifelong skills that will serve them no matter how their career evolves.”
What role do you see UTC playing in Chattanooga and the surrounding region?
“Our mission is to develop talent. We educate people – we help students launch their future careers. Only about 30% of our students come from Hamilton County, which means 70% come from elsewhere – Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta. Many of them fall in love with Chattanooga and stay. That’s a way we naturally bring talent into the region.”
Where do you see the biggest workforce opportunities?
“Health care is a major one – especially with the new Dorothy and Jim Kennedy Health Sciences Building, which will allow us to increase nursing enrollment by more than 150%. But it’s not just nursing; it also includes fields like occupational therapy, physical therapy and health care business administration. We’re also hearing a strong demand from local industry for more engineers and computer scientists.”
Are there fields people don’t often think about but that are critical?
“K–12 teachers, especially in STEM fields like high school math and science. There’s a real shortage, and we need to help address it.”
UTC has many partnerships with local businesses and organizations. What are some examples you’re excited about?
“Unum is a great example. They have a fantastic program where our students work part-time with flexible hours, setting their work schedules around their classes. I’d love to explore similar hybrid models with other companies. We also have MobileMOC, a health care clinic on wheels that serves residents in underserved rural counties. It gives nursing students clinical experience while improving access to care for older citizens across 10 counties.”
UTC is working toward Carnegie R2 research status. Why does research matter locally?
“Very few people outside universities talk about whether an institution is R1 or R2. What matters is why we do research and what impact it has. For example, our Center for Urban Informatics and Progress did a project where they placed sensors on city streets to monitor near-misses between cars and pedestrians. They worked with the city to redesign crosswalks and, afterward, there were zero near-misses in the same period. That’s immediate, positive impact.
“Another example is our work in quantum computing. It might sound futuristic, but it’s coming over the horizon – and it can dramatically reduce the power needs of AI technologies. Through a partnership with EPB, our faculty and students can do active research on a real quantum network.”
What are the biggest barriers UTC faces in maximizing its civic and economic impact?
“One of the biggest barriers is public perception of universities in general. People often have misconceptions about what happens on campus and the practical nature of what faculty do. Even my friends joke that as a professor, I must play a lot of golf. But teaching a few classes a week involves two or three times as much work outside the classroom – preparing lectures, grading, designing materials.
“More broadly, universities need to tell their stories better so communities understand they can partner with us. We have approximately 500 faculty who are passionate experts in their fields, and they want to apply their knowledge for the betterment of society.”
As chancellor, what’s your personal role in guiding UTC?
“Setting a vision and communicating it clearly across campus. And helping every person here understand how they play a role – whether it’s the groundskeeping staff, an administrative assistant, or a faculty member in the classroom. We all contribute to creating a student experience that draws people in and helps them succeed.”