Ellington

We may be in Tennessee, but this isn’t Vols country. As more students choose Chattanooga for their college town—and subsequent hometown—the number of proud Mocs is on the rise in this historically orange territory. Many attribute record numbers at alumni events to a revitalized football program, thanks to new head coach Russ Huesman.

But efforts by the university are also helping reconnect alums to their school. For example, Chancellor Roger Brown periodically visits UTC alums at their workplaces with a program called, “Breakfast with the Chancellor.” The informal morning meetings provide former grads a “state of the union,” and attendance can sometimes swell to 150 people. Brown is generally accompanied by faculty from the colleges that would have placed most of the employees at that company to provide specific updates on what’s happening in their former departments.

“This not only provides a unique opportunity to bring the campus to the alumni, but it also shows area companies how instrumental UTC is in placing many of their employees,” says Jayne Holder, director of alumni affairs. So far, the approach is working, with a growing number of alums choosing to give back to their alma mater. For the past three years, the development office has enjoyed an influxof new donors and a steady climb of overall gifts—virtually unheard of in today’s economy.

And alumni are giving back with their time, such as mentoring students interested in their career field. One example is the “Dinner with 12 Strangers” program, in which alumni host dinners with students and faculty from their former departments. One alumnus was so impressed with her dinner companions she offered one of her guests a job. The student gratefully accepted, adding a little more blue and gold to the Chattanooga Moc alumni pool.