For Acelynn Sellers, choosing the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga went beyond athletics. A student-athlete from Dalton, Georgia, Sellers was recruited to play Division I softball, but she was also determined to prioritize her education.
“UTC coaches told me specifically, ‘School is our number one priority for you. You’re a student before you’re an athlete,’” Sellers said.
That message shaped her experience from the start. Sellers began her collegiate career at shortstop before moving to first base, where her physical resilience quickly became evident.
“I broke my nose my first weekend playing first base,” she said. “Even after I broke my nose, I played the next day.”
Despite repeated injuries throughout her time at UTC, Sellers remained committed to both her sport and her studies. But one of the most significant shifts in her college journey happened off the field.
Reconnecting With Faith and Finding Community
“I came here further away from my faith than I’d ever been,” Sellers said. “Within a couple of months, I went to FCA, and that kind of shifted my whole journey at UTC.”
Joining Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) became a defining part of her college experience—one she hadn’t anticipated. Sellers remained involved with FCA throughout her time on campus, serving in leadership roles for all four years while continuing to compete as a student-athlete. The sense of community she found helped ground her during an academically demanding and constantly evolving college path.
Adapting to a New Academic Path
When Sellers first arrived at UTC, she enrolled in a pre-med track. After her first year, she realized she wanted a pathway grounded more deeply in engineering.
“I switched majors, and that pushed me to a five-year track,” she said. “It was a slap in the face at first.”
Balancing a new major with a full athletic schedule required adjustment.
“It took me about a year to adjust to it while playing softball,” Sellers said.
Her academic challenges intensified during her junior year, when she suffered a significant injury during one of her most rigorous semesters.
“I broke my right hand in my junior year, and I couldn’t write,” she said. “I was in Organic Chemistry, and we were writing every day.”
Unable to take notes on her own, Sellers worked with a notetaker arranged through the Center for Student Accessibility.
“I had to get a notetaker and verbally communicate what I wanted her to draw,” she said.
Support Systems That Made Persistence Possible
Throughout her five years at UTC, Sellers built close relationships with faculty members who supported her academically and personally. One of the most influential was Dr. Rutledge, Dean of the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies.
“Dr. Rutledge has been one of the most influential people I’ve met here,” Sellers said. “She’s literally the best. We are still close to this day.”
Sellers also formed an unexpected connection with Dr. Newman in the mechanical engineering department.
“Dr. Newman has written all my letters of recommendation,” she said. “I didn’t expect to be that close with someone in another department.”
Future-Shaping Research
One of the most pivotal moments in Sellers’ academic career came through a nationally competitive research opportunity.
“I got a National Science Foundation grant to do research,” she said.
Through the program, Sellers conducted biomedical engineering research, focusing on patient-centered technology.
“I was doing development on implantable, pulsatile drug delivery devices,” she said.
The project addressed a widespread healthcare challenge. “It helps relieve the issue of patient noncompliance, so patients with chronic illnesses don’t have to worry about forgetting to take their medication,” Sellers said.
Reflecting on the experience, she credits it as one of the most formative academic moments of her college career.
“I think I learned the most I’ve ever learned while I was there,” she said.
Following graduation, Sellers will remain in Chattanooga as she begins her professional career in engineering.
“I’ll be working in water and wastewater treatment,” she said.
As she prepares to step into that role, Sellers reflects on a college journey shaped by discipline, growth and resilience—one that required balance, adaptability and faith.