Cleveland State Community College appoints two multicultural coordinators
Joejuana Morton and Carolina Roman started as Cleveland State Community College's new multicultural coordinators on July 1 to tackle the school's goals for serving underrepresented communities.
The multicultural coordinators will create programs and events targeting African American, Hispanic and low-income students and foster an inclusive environment at the school, according to a news release.
"These positions help develop and provide programs and services that will support and enhance the academic, social, emotional and overall success of underrepresented communities at Cleveland State," said Willie Thomas, assistant to the president for equity and inclusion, in a written statement.
Morton has worked as a grant administrator at Cleveland State since 2013. Roman worked in several roles at the school, including executive assistant to the president and student support specialist for Hispanic and Latino students, prior to the coordinator position.
At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Stacy Lightfoot will be its first chair of diversity and engagement, also starting July 1. Prior to this role, she worked as executive vice president for the Public Education Foundation for 12 years.
Eight Hamilton County students graduate from BASF TECH Academy
Eight juniors and seniors from five Hamilton County high schools graduated from the BASF TECH Academy on Friday.
The TECH Academy comes from a partnership between chemical company BASF Corp. and Chattanooga State Community College. Through the partnership funded by BASF, students learned technical skills related to subjects such as welding and mechatronics and toured manufacturing facilities in Chattanooga including Gestamp, Komatsu and BASF's Chattanooga location.
"Our local manufacturing community shares an ongoing commitment to providing educational experience for students in hopes they'll consider future technical careers in science and technology," said Rob Gagliano, BASF site director in Chattanooga, in a news release. "From experiments and demonstrations with Chattanooga State professors to daily tours of manufacturing facilities, we are able to offer a meaningful glimpse into manufacturing and help our students see the variety of exciting career opportunities available to them."
Students who completed the program:
> Mya Favors - East Ridge High School
> Nasir Franklin - Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts
> Seth Jarvis - Ooltewah High School
> Jaxon Ryan - Lookout Valley High School
> Christopher Scheiwe - Ooltewah High School
> Reagan Schultz - Ooltewah High School
> Erik Souza - Ooltewah High School
> Ansley Townsend - Hixson High School
University of Tennessee officials cut ribbon for new campus
UT system officials celebrated the new UT Southern campus with a ribbon cutting on July 1. The campus, formerly Martin Methodist College, is the first new campus to join the UT system in more than 50 years.
The campus, located in Giles County, offers more than 30 academic programs and serves about 800 students.
"UT Southern is more than just our newest addition," said UT System president Randy Boyd in a news release. "It represents opportunity, revival, long-term economic success and forward momentum in the southern Middle Tennessee region."
New Tennessee PTA president begins term
Chattanooga resident Dwight Hunter began his two-year term as president of the Tennessee Congress of Parents and Teachers Inc., or Tennessee PTA, on July 1.
Prior to the role, Hunter served in other positions for the Tennessee PTA board of directors, including vice president of advocacy, vice president of membership and parliamentarian. He got involved with PTAs in 2004 as president of the Chattanooga School of Arts and Sciences' PTSA.
"Too often, people equate PTA membership with a school when all of us are involved with the education of our children and youth within a strong education system. PTA is connected advocacy from the local unit communities to the state and to the national level. Everyone has a place in PTA, from school parents and caregivers to community citizens," Hunter said in a news release.
He is the second male president of Tennessee PTA, created in 1911. The previous male president served from 1987-89.
Contact Anika Chaturvedi at achaturvedi@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.