Cheryl Travis, Professor Emerita, worked as a member in the Psychology Department at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville for fifty years. Prior to retiring in 2014, she was nominated for the Notable UTK Woman Award.
Cheryl Travis
She was committed to scholarship, teaching, and service to the University in areas which focus on improving women’s lives. She served as Associate Department Head of Psychology and Chair of the Women’s Studies Program within Interdisciplinary Studies. In 1994-1995, she served as acting Head, facilitating long term financial planning and shared decision-making.
In 2002, Dr. Travis accepted the position as Chair of Women’s Studies. She advanced the formal Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. She mentored a gifted group of Graduate Teaching Associates who served in the college advising centers and were faculty members in English, Psychology, and Sociology, as well as one practicing Law.
Dr. Travis has been a member of AAUP Committee W, Review Committee on Chancellor’s Scholars, Review Committee for Faculty Leave Awards, Review Committee Department of Educational & Counseling Psychology, Graduate Council, 1984 – 1987 and Chair of Credentials Committee for this body, Promotion & Tenure Committee, Liberal Arts 1990 – 1992, UTK Child & Family Focus Group 1998 – 1999. She served as a member of the Bylaws Committee for the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of College for Reappointment of a department head. She has been a virtually continuous member of the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women. Her commitment to diversity and equity has been steadfast. She served as a member of the Commission and on the Award Committee for the Angie Warren Perkins award and chaired the equity committee for the past decade.
Cheryl helped in founding the field of the Psychology of Women and became an assistant professor in 1973; no woman previously had held a tenure track position in the Psychology Department.
She was the first female tenure-line faculty member in the Psychology Department at the University of Tennessee and was a trailblazer for the women faculty in the department and in the larger University community.