Investing in local talent: TVA funds ChattState students' trip to national nuclear conference

CHATTANOOGA — Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) leaders gathered on campus Wednesday morning to present a $10,000 donation to the Chattanooga State Foundation Engineering & IT Division Fund.

The funds will be used to send six students to the American Nuclear Society student conference at Pennsylvania State University. This year’s conference, held from April 4 to 6, is titled “Keystone of Tomorrow.”

Attending the conference will bolster learning for students studying Nuclear Power and Radiation Protection, said Terry Newman, Associate Professor of Nuclear Power.

“Attending this conference at Penn State offers our students invaluable exposure to the future of nuclear science and technology,” Newman said. “The chance to participate in the American Nuclear Society student conference is a rare privilege for our students, made possible by TVA’s gracious support.”

Beyond benefitting ChattState’s nuclear students, the donation also embodies a decades-long partnership between TVA and the college, said Tom Fowler, Corporate Operations Training Manager for TVA’s Nuclear Division.

“We find it very important that we help these students to be the next professionals in our nuclear power programs within TVA or the nuclear industry at large,” Fowler said. “We are happy to support ChattState. Today’s donation only strengthens our partnership.”

College President Dr. Rebecca Ashford said TVA’s investment in ChattState’s nuclear programs underscores the importance of collaboration between industry and the College in creating skilled professionals.

“Because of the generosity of our partners at TVA, our students will participate in professional development activities and learn from researchers and practitioners at the forefront of nuclear science,” said Dr. Ashford. “With this donation, TVA continues to demonstrate its dedication to investing in the future nuclear workforce, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between industry and academia.”

Jay Wells is a nuclear power student at ChattState and president of the College’s American Nuclear Society club—the only such club at a community college in the country. He said he looks forward to his trip to Penn State for several reasons, including networking with potential employers.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity to get out there and show what the students in this program can do,” Wells said. “TVA has been so kind to partner with us to allow us to attend this conference.”