With 3,000 students living on campus and college students spending 24 percent more money than in previous years, some local leaders are beginning to recognize a missed opportunity with the local student population.
Even though UTC’s campus is less than a mile away from downtown, it might as well be many miles away for most students. According to a survey of more than 600 students, 67 percent would rather drive downtown than walk, and the average student only visits downtown two times or less per week.
“River City Group and UTC came together and introduced a special class to do marketing research on this problem,” said UTC graduate student Peter Sauska in a recent presentation to the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Downtown Council. “We wanted to explore the connection UTC students have to the community, better understand student opinions and explore needs and ideas that would improve this problem.”
Through their research, which included focus groups, surveys and other processes, a team of undergraduate and graduate students found that the lack of a college town atmosphere, affordable commerce options and safe transportation routes were the biggest barriers preventing students from connecting with downtown more frequently.
Transportation