Faculty
Faculty
RN to BSN
Kacie Altom, Associate Professor
"My career as an educator began when I had the opportunity to teach clinical for an instructor that went to a conference. I loved it from day one, and I knew that I wanted to continue to influence future nurses to be the best they could be and to do the best they could do for their patients."
Dr. Kathryn Flannigan, Assistant Professor
"I love watching students grow and experience that 'ah-ha' moment."
Dr. Brinda McKinney-LeGrand, Associate Professor
"I started teaching to help people fulfill their dream of becoming a nurse and making a positive impact on healthcare."
Dr. Elizabeth Seaton Nix, Associate Professor
"We need competent nurses, and I want the next generation of nurses to be as outstanding as the generations that taught me."
Dr. Sarah Davidson, Assistant Professor
"I enjoy working with students and watching them learn and relate how they can use their new knowledge to advance nursing care and themselves. "
Mollie H. Manning, Assistant Professor
"Students should be prepared to learn valuable resources and skills necessary for the BSN nurse. To prepare for courses, the student should be organized and review course documents regularly."
M.S. IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION
Dr. David LaVetter, Associate Professor, Program Coordinator
"My father was an educator. He was my role model, and an excellent instructor. He showed interest and value in every one of his students for over 36 years. This is what I'm striving to do throughout my career."
Dr. Claudia Benavides Ambs, Associate Professor
"I aspire to educate the sport managers of tomorrow and pass along my passion for sports, the profession, and my values to the next generation of sport administrators."
B.S. IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Holly Kathleen Hall, Associate Professor
"I love every aspect of the college teaching profession: delivering the materials to students in a way they can understand, working with them one-on-one to develop career goals, and getting to research topics that are of interest to me."
Dr. Manu Bhandari, Assistant Professor
"Our best teachers are sometimes our harshest critics. One should learn from the mistakes teachers point out and continually improve."
Dr. Po-Lin Pan, Associate Professor
"I wish to build supportive relationships with my students and help them to be successful based upon such supportive relationships."
M.S. IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES
Dr. Jeonghee Choi, Associate Professor
"While pursuing higher education, I had met a few inspiring teachers and educators who were passionate and caring about their field and students. I wanted to pass on such passion and energy to future teachers and educators."
Dr. Joanna Grymes, Associate Professor
"I loved school and kept going—ending up with a doctoral degree in Family and Child Development. At that point, university teaching seemed the best option—and it has been an excellent journey!"
MSE AND ED.S. IN READING
Dr. Dixie Keyes, Professor
"Passion provides the persistence you need to get through new learning experiences. Find the hook, the relevance, or the connection you need when working on various assignments so your engagement pulls you toward success in the end."
Dr. Karen Kleppe Graham, Assistant Professor
"I am in academia because I want to support teacher candidates and in-service teachers in becoming the best educators they can possibly be."
Dr. LaToshia Woods, Assistant Professor
"I want students to learn to be literacy decision-makers. I believe that individuals should reflect on and refine their own practices as they gain knowledge."
Dr. Ryan Kelly, Professor
"Embrace the complexity, strive to connect as many units of thinking in as many ways as you can, and push yourself to reflect and synthesize."
BACHELOR OF GENERAL STUDIES
Dr. Blair Dean, Professor
"I want students to learn and develop the skills, knowledge and competencies to living a healthy and physically active life."
Courtney Bracy, instructor, A-State online BGS program
"I enjoy my time with my students and feel gratified when I can pass my knowledge and experiences on to them or assist them in any way. There is nothing like seeing a previous student succeed in their career and enjoy their happy life!"
Dr. Paul Finnicum, Professor and Department Chair
"In any profession, communication, time management and organizational skills are critically important."
Dr. Ralph Ruby, Jr., Professor
"I enjoy creating and designing apps that help individuals learn in a new and creative manner."
B.A. IN CRIMINOLOGY
Dr. Turgut Ozkan, Assistant Professor
"I like producing and disseminating knowledge. It is good to know that you can shape young peoples' mind and help them get promising careers."
ED.D. IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Dr. Timberly L. Baker, Associate Professor
"Be prepared to be challenged, to grow, to learn."
MSE IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Dr. Nicole Covey, Associate Professor
"I personally love going to school and I wanted to help students enjoy it too!"
Dr. Annette R. Hux, Associate Professor
"I want to make sure the educators in the courses continue to be successful in their careers by building on the knowledge they have. The learners will be able to take the project-based learning activities and go out in the field and apply the skill in a productive manner."
Dr. Natalie Johnson-Leslie, Associate Professor
"The information [students] learn will be practical and relevant to their teaching and administrative careers."
Dr. Helen Claire "Jackie" McBride, Professor
"Smart leaders must realize the leadership role in education is rapidly evolving, and they must work very hard at improving the leadership skills, the human relations skills and the communication skills they need to be such a leader."
MSE SPECIAL ED. INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST K-12
Dr. Kimberley Davis, Associate Professor
"In order to have a greater impact on the students in schools, I pursued a career in higher education in an ongoing journey to prepare teachers to meet the needs of ALL students in the classroom."
Cindy Nichols, Instructor
"I want my students to learn how to create engaging, accepting and effective learning environments for their students."
Dr. Joe Nichols, Professor
"I want students to leave my courses prepared to utilize the skills they have learned that will prepare them for success in the principalship and/or superintendency."
Dr. Jacques Singleton, Associate Professor
"I want my students to learn the unique skills to be not only an educator but a special educator."
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT
Dr. Alexandr M. Sokolov, Assistant Professor
"I always wanted to become a teacher. It is my lifelong dream."
Dr. Brandon A. Kemp, Professor and Director of Engineering Graduate Programs
"As a naturally curious person, I enjoy the process of discovery and helping others discover new knowledge and ideas."
B.A. IN SOCIOLOGY
Dr. Monika Myers, Assistant Professor
"Sociology classes are not focused on memorizing facts. Instead, our classes focus on developing new skills (writing, perspective-taking, research, statistics, reading difficult theories). These skills take practice. Be ready to try and fail."
Dr. Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Assistant Professor
"I am an advocate of strong families and deep community ties, so I want my students to improve not just their lives with what they know but the lives of others around them."
MPA
Dr. Catherine C. Reese, Professor and MPA Program Director
"Do you want to make a difference in the world around us? Come join us!"
MSE IN GIFTED, TALENTED, AND CREATIVE
Dr. Julie Lamb Milligan, Professor and Program Director
"I wish for my students to be prepared to be facilitators and administrators of gifted, talented and creative education."
M.S. IN MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Dr. Mary Jackson Pitts, Professor
"New technologies are introduced daily that change the way we communicate. People who are prepared for the changes by applying theoretical approaches in practical situations will be the people the industry wants to employ."
MSE IN SCHOOL COUNSELING
Dr. Julie Smith, Assistant Professor
"I want to be an inspiration to others and help them open their eyes (and hearts) to possibilities they never thought imaginable. I want to instill knowledge, hope, and skills into my students."
M.S. IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Joseph Richmond, Department Chair
"My career as an educator began when I had the opportunity to teach clinical for an instructor that went to a conference. I loved it from day one, and I knew that I wanted to continue to influence future nurses to be the best they could be and to do the best they could do for their patients."
Dr. Lorenzo D. Sanchez, Adjunct Faculty
"The DPEM program will provide students with the right skill sets to be successful in their current and future careers in disaster/crisis management."
Amy Hyman, Assistant Professor
"[I want my students] to think for themselves, to be able to view topics through different lenses and to believe in their own success."
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