Each year, the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences celebrates and honors professionals who already have established themselves in the field of education and who help students who one day will follow in their footsteps. These Educators are inducted into the Educators Hall of Honor. This wall is located in the front entrance hall of the Claxton Education Building and stands as a proud reminder of their impact and legacy that inspires the next generation of Educators.
This year, we have inducted seven new members including: Alice Bratten, Amos Hatch, Debora Hatch, Walter Mencer, John Peters, Steve Reddick, and Robert Webb. We will be highlighting each one. Today, we would like to introduce you to John Peters.
Before being recognized as Professor Emeritus at UT Knoxville, John received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in 1963, earned his Master’s degree from North Carolina State in 1966, and received his Doctorate in Education from North Carolina State in 1968. After graduation, John became an assistant professor in the Department of Adult and Community College Education at North Carolina State then moved to Tennessee and assumed the role of Acting Head of the Department of Continuing and Higher Education in 1970. He continued his UT career until 1974 when he took a visiting professor position in the Department of Adult Education at the University of British Columbia and then a similar position at Cornell University in 1977. Before finally returning to UT Knoxville in 1995, John also served as visiting professor at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.
Throughout John’s distinguished career, he has written many books and journal articles, edited and reviewed countless papers, and published important and meaningful works which have contributed to the student and teacher experience alike. The recognition and achievements John has received also makes for an impressive list. John received the UTK Chancellor’s Academic Outreach Award in 2008, the L R Hesler Award in 2007, the UTK Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006, the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education in 1999, and the Leadership Award from the Tennessee Association for Continuing and Higher Education in 1992.
Most of us would agree that great educators don’t often realize how much they impact their students. To honor the positive influence and mentoring John displayed while teaching at UT Knoxville, a former student of John’s submitted his nomination and said the following, “John has brought honor and credit to the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and to the total University as a whole. He is extremely worthy of being inducted in the Educators Hall of Honor”.