Campus: Chattanooga


‘I Just Love Helping People,’ New Executive Dean of the College of Medicine Says

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Photo of Dr. Mike Hocker

The new executive dean for the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center got his start in health care while in high school, helping out at his uncle’s ambulance company in his hometown of Littleton, Colorado, near Denver. “When I was still in high school, I got my EMT (emergency medical… Read More


Chancellor Buckley Honored to Join Alliance of Academic Health Centers International Steering Committee

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Photo of Chancellor Peter Buckley.

Peter Buckley, MD, chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has been appointed to the steering committee of the Alliance of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI). AAHCI is a global network of academic health centers and systems with a mission to advance health, education, and research through collaboration. Chancellor Buckley, a psychiatrist who emigrated from Ireland… Read More


UT Health Science Center Communicators Win Three Awards at Statewide Conference

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Photo of plaques

The Office of Communications and Marketing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center earned three awards, including a first-place honor and a Best in Show nomination, at the 2025 Tennessee College Public Relations Association (TCPRA) conference. Held May 21–23 in Chattanooga, the annual event brought together communications professionals from public and private colleges and… Read More


College of Nursing Dean to Lead Statewide Rural Health Initiative

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Portrait of Dean Wendy Likes

Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc APRN-Bc, FAAN, FAANP, dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing, will fill a new role as executive director and special advisor on rural health for the university. Dean Likes will continue her role as the College of Nursing’s dean. Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, made the announcement… Read More


Outstanding Higher Education Leader Named Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing

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Portrait of Karla Leeper

After an extensive nationwide search, Karla Leeper, PhD, MBA, MA, a highly accomplished communicator with decades of leadership experience in higher education and health care, has been named the new vice chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She will join the university July 7. Dr. Leeper has… Read More


Advisory Board Recommends Approval of FY26 Budget Proposal

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Photo of Raaj Kurapati speaking

During its spring meeting Friday, May 9, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Advisory Board unanimously approved a $711.3 million balanced budget proposal for FY 2026, which will now go as a recommendation to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees at its meeting in June. The board also recognized the university’s vital 10-year clinical… Read More


2025 Student Government Banquet Recognizes Outstanding Faculty and Student Leaders

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Group photo of award recipients

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) hosted its annual end-of-the-year banquet last month, honoring outstanding faculty and student leaders for their significant contributions to the university community. The banquet served as a powerful reminder of the profound impact dedicated faculty, staff, and students have on fostering a vibrant,… Read More


Donors Rally for Cancer Research in Record-Breaking UT Health Science Center Giving Day

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Photo of a researcher with the Giving Day logo

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center marked its most successful Giving Day yet on Tuesday, April 29, surpassing fundraising and participation goals and highlighting the strength of its community of supporters. This year’s Giving Day brought in a record-breaking $956,246 from 1,361 donors – well beyond the goal of 1,250 donors and nearly $300,000… Read More