Informative Archives - College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

UT Hospitality Students Experience “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour”

January 22, 2026 by Douglas Edlund

UT Hospitality Students Experience “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour”

From January 14 through 16, twelve Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) students from the Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) set out on an immersive trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Themed “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour,” the experience provided exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, alumni connections, and panels showcasing career paths in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Students Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville

The trip featured visits to prominent organizations and companies including the Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Nashville – Broadway, Music City Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, and LEO Events. Students also gained valuable insights from industry leaders at the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association, and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. These organizations demonstrated how they collaborate to support and strengthen the hospitality sector.

One of the highlights of the tour was the opportunity to connect with UT alumni who are thriving in their careers within the industry. Dylan Roberts ’18, General Manager at Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Nashville – Broadway, along with Catherine La Haie ’14, Director of Sales and Marketing, allowed students to shadow their team meeting and led students on a tour of their property. The tour highlighted how the knowledge and skills gained through a hospitality degree can prepare a student for successful careers in hospitality.

At Music City Center, Charles Starks ’82, President and CEO, shared advice about his journey from UT’s hospitality program to leading one of Nashville’s premier event venues. His story inspired students to envision their own potential career trajectories, to work hard, and the power of relationships.

Sean Fisher ’11, Guest Experience & Concierge Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, facilitated access for students to explore one of the city’s most luxurious hotels. The students were able to tour the property, hear from the hotels General Manager, Sunil Narang, who has grown his career with the company over 30 years, and ask questions from a panel of key professionals within the organization.

In addition to the trip being a great opportunity for the students who attended, the department also used it as an event planning experience for sophomore hospitality student, Liz Williams. Her responsibilities as the student trip coordinator included organizing the trip agenda, designing the menu for the alumni reception, communicating logistics with the other students, assisting with event setup and breakdown, and creating a post-trip survey. Liz said of the experience, “I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and apply my knowledge in a real-world setting.”

Reflecting on the event, HTM senior coordinator Christopher Kelley remarked, “The opportunity to bring our students to Nashville to connect with alumni and see career trajectories is an absolute pleasure for me.” Kelley emphasized how these interactions help students envision their future roles in the industry.

Department head Junehee Kwon shared similar sentiments: “This event exemplified hospitality at its best, from hotel accommodations and catering to the exceptional service provided by our industry partners. What made it even more meaningful was that many of those partners were our alumni from 1982 to 2025! Experiences like this remind us how meaningful it is to be Tennessee Volunteers and members of the hospitality industry.”

The “Backstage Pass: Nashville Hospitality Tour and Alumni Reception” not only showcased career opportunities but also strengthened ties between current students and UT alumni across generations. This unique experience reaffirmed UT’s commitment to preparing students for successful careers in hospitality while celebrating its Volunteer legacy.

You can see more photos of the students and their experiences here.

Kelchen Once Again Named Top Scholar Influencer

January 8, 2026 by Douglas Edlund

Kelchen Once Again Named Top Scholar Influencer

ELPS Department Head Rises in Education Week’s Scholar Influencer Rankings

For the ninth time, Robert Kelchen has been recognized as one of the top scholar influencers shaping educational practice and policy. Kelchen, who serves as the department head of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is ranked 14th out of 200 scholars nationwide in the Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. Notably, he is one of only two scholars from UT Knoxville to make this prestigious list.

“My goal as a professor at a land-grant university is to conduct research that improves education and benefits the general public,” Kelchen stated. “Through peer-reviewed research, engaging with policymakers, collaborating with journalists, and analyzing new policies in real time, I aim to make a meaningful impact.”
The Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings have been compiled annually for 16 years by Rick Hess, an opinion columnist for Education Week, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and director of Education Policy Studies. The rankings highlight the top 200 scholars out of an eligible pool of 20,000 across the United States who have the greatest influence on educational issues and policy.

Kelchen is frequently sought out by journalists for his expertise in higher education aistration and policy. In 2025 alone, he participated in 157 published media interviews and was contacted nearly 300 times by journalists seeking insights into higher education. His reputation as a trusted source ensures he remains at the top of contact lists when journalists need expert perspectives on the higher education landscape.

In addition to his media presence, Kelchen has written columns for The Chronicle of Higher Education for the past decade. [RK1] He authored five columns in 2025 and appeared in 21 interviews, offering his unique perspective on opportunities and challenges facing higher education. Over the years, Kelchen has written 20 columns for The Chronicle.
“The connections I build through public-facing work enhance my teaching and student mentoring while supporting external funding efforts for high-impact research,” Kelchen explained.

Romero-Hall Explores Global Perspectives on Learning Design in New Book

December 10, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Romero-Hall Explores Global Perspectives on Learning Design in New Book

Spend some time with Enilda Romero-Hall, and you’ll quickly discover her passion for learning design. What may come as a surprise, however, is how deeply cultural and geographic contexts shape the journeys of learning designers around the world. That idea lies at the heart of her new book, Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South.

The inspiration for the book emerged during the pandemic in 2020, when Romero-Hall was working with three graduate students on a research project examining the competencies of education professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean. As they connected with learning design professionals throughout the region, Romero-Hall found they were eager to share their expertise and experiences.

“It made me realize that I wanted to work on a larger project that would allow me to capture the practices of learning designers not only in Latin America, but also across other regions of the Global South,” said Romero-Hall.

Romero-Hall is an associate professor of interdisciplinary learning & teaching in the Department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her book is among the first to bring together lessons and insights from learning designers in diverse contexts, exploring how practitioners effectively draw on the knowledge, skills, and resources available to them. Romero-Hall highlights the work of 13 professionals in sectors ranging from finance and higher education to government and nonprofit organizations. Each chapter features one practitioner, offering a perspective on their professional journey and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

“Each learning designer has a story to tell about how they entered the field, the cultural, geographical, and sector-specific contexts in which they work, and the resources and constraints they navigate,” Romero-Hall said. “Even as a learning design professional myself with more than 18 years in the field, writing this book and sharing these journeys has inspired me personally—and I believe it enriches our profession as a whole.”

Learning Designers in Context: Examining Practices Across the Global South is available through Routledge.

RHTM Students Make Couple’s Dream Come True

November 7, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

RHTM Students Make Couple’s Dream Come True

Second Blissful Wish Wedding Event Provides Experiential Learning While Making Dreams Come True

In early November, the Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm in Knoxville transformed into a magical setting for the second Blissful Wish Wedding, celebrating the inspiring love story of Kenzie Cathey and Tanner Branam. The event, planned and executed by 12 dedicated students from the University of Tennessee’s Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management (RHTM), was the culmination of hard work done by the students since the beginning of the fall 2025 semester.

The Blissful Wish Wedding initiative provided an extraordinary opportunity for students enrolled in HTM 412 Wedding Production and Execution to gain hands-on experience in planning a real-world event. This opportunity is exclusive to students in the Hospitality and Tourism Management major at UT and represents the only university in the country where this opportunity exists.

From the initial selection process to the final execution, these students demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism. Guided by associate professor, Stefanie Benjamin, Nancy Barger of the Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm, and Emily Walker a current PhD student in the department, the students coordinated every aspect of the wedding. The team was responsible for venue setup, vendor management, logistics planning, and guest experience design.

Throughout the semester, the students worked to solicit goods and services from local businesses, ensuring that every detail of the wedding reflected both quality and creativity. Their efforts included organizing floral arrangements, catering services, photography, entertainment, and decorations. The students also collaborated with community sponsors who generously contributed their resources to make Kenzie and Tanner’s dream wedding a reality.

“This wedding is a testament to our students’ hard work and commitment to excellence,” said Junehee Kwon, Professor and RHTM Department Head. “It’s incredible to see them apply their classroom knowledge to create such a beautiful event while learning valuable skills that will serve them well in their future careers.”

The event also served as a platform for students to showcase their ability to navigate challenges in event planning. From managing tight timelines to ensuring seamless communication between all parties involved, they exhibited remarkable teamwork and problem-solving skills. Their efforts culminated in a ceremony and stunning reception that celebrated not only Kenzie and Tanner’s love but also the power of collaboration and community support.

You can view a gallery of this year’s Blissful Wish Wedding here.

The students, along with the team they were a part of are as follows:

• Emily Wallace & Kylie Krumenacker, Lead Planners

• Ella Herring & Gabrielle Padilla, Venue and Logistics

• Jenna Moses & Carli Belknap: Catering and Cake

• Abigail Kelley, Margo Riley, Chloe Enfinger & Riley Griffith, Décor and Entertainment

• Leila Kaufman & Carly St. Laurent, Social Media and Media Relations

Sponsors:

All Mixed Up Cakes

Bice’s Bites Home Bakery

CB Media

Forever Heard Audio Guestbook

Graphic Creations

Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm

June Lawson Photography

Prestige Tuxedo

Summer Kitchen Bakery

All Occasions Party Rental

Gluten Free Goodies

Brandon Krul (DJ)

Maddie Reed (Florals)

For more information about the Blissful Wish Wedding, to learn more about the Hospitality and Tourism Management major, or to inquire how you can support future events, contact Christopher Kelley, HTM Senior Coordinator, at ckelle15@utk.edu.

University of Tennessee and Knoxville Family Justice Center’s Partnership Focuses on Domestic Violence Awareness

November 5, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

University of Tennessee and Knoxville Family Justice Center’s Partnership Focuses on Domestic Violence Awareness

UT College of Social Work (UTCSW), UT College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS), and the Knoxville Family Justice Center (KFJC) are proud to partner to lead the community in recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) 2025 through a powerful lineup of events, outreach initiatives, and a renewed focus on survivor-centered care.

Although emphasized in October, UTCSW Assistant Professor Kristen Ravi and CEHHS Associate Professor Megan Haselschwerdt work closely with the KFJC year-round to empower individuals to make informed choices about their recovery in a safe and supportive environment. A recent Domestic Violence Awareness Mini-Conference was the latest milestone in a multi-year collaboration between the KFJC, the University of Tennessee, and community partners, which began with a thorough needs assessment to better understand the training and service gaps within Knoxville. This collaborative research effort shaped both the content and structure of the conference, ensuring that the topics presented reflect real-world needs identified by survivors and service providers.

The purpose of the needs assessment was to evaluate the current state of domestic violence (DV) services in Knox County with the primary goal of identifying experiences, barriers, and needs among Knox County DV victims, identifying underserved client populations and unmet client needs, and continuing the education needs of DV professionals and non-DV professionals.

“Findings from the needs assessment highlighted the strengths of DV services in Knox County,” Haselschwerdt noted. “This included the collaboration among various agencies working together to address DV in Knox County and the community awareness-raising events.”

While existing collaboration and outreach were recognized as notable strengths, victims and service providers face numerous challenges, and underserved populations continue to encounter disproportionate barriers to support. Providers expressed a strong interest in more robust and accessible training. By acting on these findings and recommendations, service providers can strengthen their impact, enhance coordination, and build a more survivor-centered and equitable DV prevention and response system. Structural barriers such as limited funding, staffing shortages, and a lack of multilingual services constrain providers’ ability to respond effectively.

The full assessment is available at:
https://www.fjcknoxville.org/wp-content/uploads/KJFC_Needs_9.24.pdf

“This partnership is so powerful, and it couldn’t have come at a better time,” Michelle Clayton, Executive Director of the Knoxville Family Justice Center said. “It really captures the heart of what we’re trying to do together: lead with compassion, focus on survivors, and show what real collaboration looks like. At a time when things feel heavy, this reminder of shared purpose means a lot. It gives hope and energy to keep pushing forward. I’m so proud of what we’re building with the University of Tennessee and grateful for everyone who helped make this happen.”

As a collaborative, multi-agency hub offering comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse, and human trafficking, the KFJC is a “one-stop shop” approach to empowering individuals to make informed choices about their recovery in a safe and supportive environment. By co-locating services from law enforcement, legal aid, and nonprofit organizations under one roof, the KFJC streamlines access to critical resources, reducing the need for victims to navigate multiple agencies.

“Working with the Knoxville Family Justice Center and seeing the needs assessment come to fruition has been invaluable in helping to shape a more effective response to domestic violence,” Ravi said. “It is our hope that the assessment can serve as a meaningful tool to enhance support systems for both survivors and service providers in Knox County.”

Are High School Sports Living Up to Their Ideals?

September 3, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Are High School Sports Living Up to Their Ideals?

Most coaches want to be able to do more than teach their athletes to win faceoffs and dodge defenders

By Jedediah Blanton (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) and Scott Pierce (Illinois State University) | Republished from The Conversation

Coach Smith was an easy hire as the head coach of a new high school lacrosse team in Tennesseee: She had two decades of coaching experience and a doctorate in sport and exercise science.

After signing the paperwork, which guaranteed a stipend of US$1,200, Smith – we’re using a pseudonym to protect her identity – had four days to complete a background check, CPR and concussion training and a Fundamentals of Coaching online course. After spending $300 to check all these boxes, the job was hers.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s mission statement highlights how high school athletes should be molded into good citizens and have their educational experiences enhanced by playing sports.

Yet Coach Smith hadn’t received any guidance on how to accomplish these goals. She didn’t know how a high school coach would be evaluated – surely it went beyond wins, losses and knowing CPR – or how to make her players better students and citizens.

Over the past 15 years, our work has focused on maximizing the benefits of high school sports and recognizing what limits those benefits from being reached. We want to know what high school sports aspire to be and what actually happens on the ground.

We have learned that Coach Smith is not alone; this is a common story playing out on high school fields and courts across the country. Good coaching candidates are getting hired and doing their best to keep high school sports fixtures in their communities. But coaches often feel like they’re missing something, and they wonder whether they’re living up to those aspirations.

Does the Mission Match Reality?

Dating back to the inception of school-sponsored sport leagues in 1903, parents and educators have long believed that interscholastic sports are a place where students develop character and leadership skills.

Research generally backs up the advantages of playing sports. In 2019, high school sports scholar Stéphanie Turgeon published a review paper highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of playing school sports. She found that student-athletes were less likely to drop out, more likely to be better at emotional regulation and more likely to contribute to their communities. While athletes reported more stress and were more likely to drink alcohol, Turgeon concluded that the positives outweighed the negatives.

The governing body of high school sports in the U.S., the National Federation of State High School Associations, oversees 8 million students. According to its mission statement, the organization seeks to establish “playing rules that emphasize health and safety,” create “educational programs that develop leaders” and provide “administrative support to increase opportunities and promote sportsmanship.”

Digging deeper into the goals of sports governing bodies, we recently conducted a study that reviewed and analyzed the mission statements of all 51 of the member state associations that officially sponsor high school sports and activities.

In their missions, most associations described the services they provided – supervising competition, creating uniform rules of play and offering professional development opportunities for coaches and administrators. A majority aimed to instill athletes with life skills such as leadership, sportsmanship and wellness. Most also emphasized the relationship between sports and education, either suggesting that athletics should support or operate alongside schools’ academic goals or directly create educational opportunities for athletes on the playing field. And a handful explicitly aspired to protect student-athletes from abuse and exploitation.

Interestingly, seven state associations mentioned that sports participation is a privilege, with three adding the line “and not a right.” This seems to conflict with the National Federation of State High School Associations, which has said that it wants to reach as many students as possible. The organization sees high school sports as a place where kids can further their education, which is a right in the U.S. This is important, particularly as youth sports have developed into a multibillion-dollar industry fueled by expensive travel leagues and club teams.

We also noticed what was largely missing from these mission statements. Only two state athletic associations included a goal for students to “have fun” playing sports. Research dating back to the 1970s has consistently shown that wanting to have fun is usually the No. 1 reason kids sign up for sports in the first place.

Giving Coaches the Tools to Succeed

Missions statements are supposed to guide organizations and outline their goals. For high school sports, the opportunity exists to more clearly align educational initiatives and evaluation efforts to fulfill their missions.

If high school sports are really meant to build leadership and life skills, you would think that the adults running these programs would be eager to acquire the skill set to do this. Sure enough, when we surveyed high school coaches across the country in 2019, we found that 90% reported that formal leadership training programs were a good idea. Yet less than 12% had actually participated in those programs.

A recent study led by physical education scholar Obidiah Atkinson highlighted this disconnect. While most states require training for coaches, the depth and amount of instruction varied significantly, with little emphasis on social–emotional health and youth development. In another study we conducted, we spoke with administrators. They admitted that coaches rarely receive training to effectively teach the leadership and life skills that high school sports promise to deliver.

This type of training is available; we helped the National Federation of State High School Associations create three free courses explicitly focused on developing student leadership. Thousands of students and coaches have completed these courses, with students reporting that the courses have helped them develop leadership as a life skill. And it’s exciting to see that the organization offers over 60 courses reaching millions of learners on topics ranging from Heat Illness Prevention and Sudden Cardiac Arrest, to Coaching Mental Wellness and Engaging Effectively with Parents.

Yet, our research findings suggest that if these aspirational missions are to be taken seriously, it’s important to really measure what matters.

Educational programs can be evaluated to determine whether and how they are helping coaches and students, and coaches ought to be evaluated and retained based on their ability to help athletes learn how to do more than kick a soccer ball or throw a strike. Our findings highlight the opportunity for high school athletic associations and researchers to work together to better understand how this training is helping coaches to meet the promises of high school sports.

Taking these steps will help to make sure coaches like Coach Smith have the tools, support and feedback they need to succeed.

Dzikus Awarded Grant to Study Survivor Perspectives

August 26, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Dzikus Awarded Grant to Study Survivor Perspectives

For many, sports offer valuable life lessons in self-improvement and teamwork. For others—especially survivors of sexual violence—their experiences in sport may leave lasting scars. This raises a critical question: how do institutions support survivors, if at all?

That is the question Lars Dzikus and a team of researchers from several American universities are working to answer in a new study funded by the Center for Institutional Courage. Their project, Institutional Courage and Betrayal in SportsWorld: Survivor Perspectives, explores how sports organizations can either support survivors’ healing or deepen their harm.

Lars Dzikus

“Institutions like universities and sports clubs play a crucial role in both preventing sexual violence and supporting survivors,” said Dzikus. “Researchers like Jennifer Freyd have shown how institutions can either exacerbate or reduce harm through betrayal trauma, institutional betrayal, and institutional courage. We are extending this work to sport organizations. Given how deeply athletes, coaches, and fans identify with their teams, survivors of sexual violence in sport may feel even more devastated when their organizations fail to support them.”

Dzikus, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies (KRSS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has focused much of his research on the intersection of sport and violence, including sexual abuse in youth sports. Through this study, he and his colleagues aim to better understand survivors’ lived experiences and how institutions’ actions—or inactions—shape them.

The research aligns with the mission of the Center for Institutional Courage, which seeks to hold institutions accountable and encourage more effective, compassionate responses. Dzikus’s study is one of just 11 grants awarded nationwide. The Center’s president and founder, Jennifer Freyd, is a leading advocate for institutional courage.

“The Institutional Courage Research Grant Program began with a bold vision: to catalyze research into institutional betrayal and institutional courage that could change how organizations understand and respond to harm,” said Freyd. “With 44 grants awarded and approximately $200,000 in funding distributed, we are seeing the early fruits of that investment. This is just the beginning. We’re building a global community of scholars whose work is not only expanding the field, but shaping policy, practice, and public awareness. We’re especially proud of the growing body of peer-reviewed publications emerging from these efforts—tangible evidence of the long-term change these grants are making possible.”

For Dzikus and his team, the stakes are clear: when institutions support survivors, they can aid healing; when they betray survivors, the harm can last a lifetime.

“The findings of our study can deepen our understanding of institutional betrayal and courage by examining the role of identification with an organization,” Dzikus explained. “For sport institutions, we want to inform practices that create safer, more supportive environments.”

Michael Skyer Awarded with the Dr. Jon Henner Memorial Early Career Award by the Association of College Educators – Deaf & Hard of Hearing

April 28, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Michael Skyer Awarded with the Dr. Jon Henner Memorial Early Career Award by the Association of College Educators – Deaf & Hard of Hearing

By Carly Utterback, CEHHS Student Reporter, Class of 2025

Our very own Michael Skyer, assistant professor of deaf studies and deaf education in the department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education (TPTE), has received an award for showing an early record of a promising career in both teaching and research in deaf education within five years of obtaining his doctoral degree.

He has been with UT since August 2022 after graduating from the University of Rochester in 2021 with a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He has had over 25 publications listed on Google Scholar since then. His contributions to the TPTE/Deaf Studies team have been recognized by this award.

The Association of College Educators – Deaf & Hard of Hearing (ACE-DHH) presented this award to Skyer at their annual conference in Washington, DC on Feb. 1, 2025.

Skyer says that Henner taught him a lot about writing with clarity and expression.

“That is one of the most important things that I’ve taken away from my friendship and collegial working relationship with Jon. Because this is not just an award, but a named early career

Michael Skyer

award, I want to recognize and uplift Jon’s legacy in our research field. May he forever rest in power,” said Skyer.

He said also expressed his gratitude toward the ACE-DHH awards committee, for their commitment and nomination. His colleagues, national and international, such as his research mentors and even graduate students sent in letters of support to the directors.

“This award is a recognition by my colleagues of my abilities. This signifies their endorsement of my research agenda primarily, but also their support of me as a person whose ideas matter,” said Skyer.

The Dr. Jon Henner Memorial Early Career Award by ACE-DHH is an incredible accomplishment and testament to the hard work Skyer is putting into his research.

The design of teaching methods has made an appearance in Skyer’s previous publications. In Applied deaf aesthetics towards transforming deaf higher education Skyer focused on the changes that need to be made in classrooms to benefit those who are deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing.

This design is called “deaf aesthetics,” which creates a more compatible learning experience created specifically for those who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing. Deaf aesthetics also happens to be more accessible for non-deaf students. Skyer’s work is intended to benefit marginalized deaf learners understand curricula in an equitable manner.

The University of Tennessee has started adapting these designs and Skyer is leading the charge.

“I believe this is one of the most important aspects of how we approach thinking and action within deaf higher education contexts,” said Skyer.

He said it is not enough to just talk about ethics and equity but to embody them physically and conceptually. The development of curricular frameworks and day to day materialization of these aesthetics is a tangible change towards his approach. The conceptual side is building paths away from audism and ableism in all aspects of education.

Skyer oversees a research team consisting of four other faculty including the director of the Council on Education of the Deaf and former masters/doctoral committee advisors. They are working to formalize their approach towards the integration of deaf aesthetics.

This year Skyer said he is most excited about enriching his working relationships both national and international. He is also excited to continue to develop “the empirical arm of [his] study about queerness in deaf communities.”

Since August of 2022, he has brought in one PhD student and has become the dissertation chair for three of UT’s doctoral students. He is also a member of two other dissertation committees at UT as well as two outside of UT. Skyer says most of his doctoral students are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH), queer, or disabled like himself.

As of right now Skyer has a book under contract on Vygotskian deaf pedagogy theory in addition to four other working book proposals. He recently had a poster session with American Educational Research Association (AERA) where he presented about curriculum and deaf education.

His favorite topics of research are the ethical, cognitive, and sociopolitical aspects of art and design in teaching. “This is the wellspring I shall drink from all my life,” said Skyer.

Throughout his own learning career many mentors supported him in pursuit of a doctorate degree. But his strive for higher education came from his mom more than anything. She is a deaf woman with several advanced learning degrees and was a college instructor and counselor for 40 years.

He shared a memory from childhood of him thinking, “That is the peak… that’s the pinnacle… that’s the goal—become a college or university instructor.”

Skyer remarked that his experience at UT has been “tremendous” and that his is “dedicated to supporting an approach to resolving the deep problems of deaf education, that is equally pragmatic and critical. UT gives me wings and space to fly.”

Vols Teach Alum Selected as Global Educator of the Year

March 21, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

Vols Teach Alum Selected as Global Educator of the Year

Kirsten Salonga, a 2017 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and minor in Secondary Education through Vols Teach is the 2025 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year. Solonga received the honor at the March AFS-USA Global Conference in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Each year, AFS-USA honors an exceptional global educator to recognize and celebrate the vital role educators play in fostering a more peaceful world. The selected educator demonstrates a strong commitment to integrating global engagement and intercultural learning into their daily instruction, embodying the knowledge, skills, and mindset of a globally competent educator. Through this annual recognition, AFS-USA aims to inspire more educators to incorporate cultural awareness and global perspectives into their classrooms, empowering students to become active global citizens.

Kirsten Salonga (second from left) With Her Award

Salonga, an English as a Second Language (ESL) Biology and Environmental Science teacher and Science Department Chair, is recognized for her outstanding commitment to integrating global perspectives into her teaching.

Recently, the National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions selected Salonga as one of 35 PreK-12 classroom and informal educators from across the continent to be part of their 16th cohort of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows. As a Fellow, she had the opportunity to embark on a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic voyage, “Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness,” aboard one of Lindblad Expeditions’ state-of-the-art expedition vessels, National Geographic Quest. You can read more about Salonga’s Alaska adventure here.

“We are honored to present this award to Ms. Salonga,” said Tara Hofmann, President and CEO of AFS-USA. “Through her innovative instruction, intercultural learning initiatives, and dedication to creating international opportunities for students, she exemplifies what AFS-USA strives to achieve—empowering educators to cultivate active global citizens.”

Recognizing Excellence in Global Education

The AFS-USA Global Educator Award celebrates educators nationwide who incorporate cultural diversity, global competence, and internationalized concepts into their teaching, inspiring students to become engaged global citizens.

Salonga Speaking to Attendees at AFS-USA Global Conference in Tysons Corner, Virginia

Salonga’s impact is widely recognized within her school community. Benjamin Slyngstad, a fellow Biology teacher at Justice High School, praised her “innovative approach to the curriculum” and her “vivacious commitment to a student population that is sadly overlooked.” He highlighted her contributions to Fairfax County Public Schools, including the development of diverse science resources and her passion for exposing students to global perspectives.

Former student Karen Rosicela Orozco Carreto also shared a heartfelt recommendation, stating, “What sets Ms. Salonga apart is her ability to combine her love for teaching with her dedication to making the world a better place. She not only teaches science but also instills in her students the importance of empathy, collaboration, and global citizenship. Her lessons go far beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting impact on everyone she teaches.”

Honoring an Inspirational Educator

As the 2025 Global Educator of the Year, Salonga attended the annual AFS-USA Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Program Workshop in March, held in Tysons Corner, Virginia. There, she will receive her award, engage with educators and AFS-USA volunteers from across the U.S. and abroad—including participants from Indonesia, Egypt, and Thailand—and further expand her network of global education leaders.

For more information on AFS-USA’s exchange programs, visit www.afsusa.org. To learn about the AFS-USA Global Educator Award and the nomination process, visit www.afsusa.org/educators/global-awards.

University of Tennessee Earns “Exceeds Expectations” Ranking on Tennessee Educator Preparation Report Card

March 20, 2025 by Douglas Edlund

University of Tennessee Earns “Exceeds Expectations” Ranking on Tennessee Educator Preparation Report Card

Knoxville, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) proudly announces its recognition as an “Exceeds Expectations” institution on the latest Tennessee Educator Preparation Report Card. UT is one of only 10 institutions state-wide to achieve this top-tier ranking and is one of just two public institutions in Tennessee to earn this distinction.

Issued annually by the Tennessee State Board of Education, the report card evaluates educator preparation programs based on criteria such as teacher effectiveness and employment outcomes. UT’s designation as an “Exceeds Expectations” institution highlights its dedication to producing well-equipped, highly effective teachers who meet the evolving needs of Tennessee’s students.

UT is particularly proud of key metrics demonstrating increased enrollment in its educator preparation programs, reflecting the university’s commitment to addressing the statewide teacher shortage. Additionally, teachers and school leaders prepared by UT persist and are retained in the classroom at rates higher than the state average, reinforcing the strength of UT’s programs in supporting long-term success in the teaching profession.

“With a 90% teacher retention rate after three years, this achievement reflects UT’s strong commitment to preparing and supporting educators for long-term success,” said David Cihak, CEHHS associate dean of professional educator programs and director of the Bailey Graduate School of Education. “We are grateful to our dedicated school partners for their invaluable role in preparing the next generation of teachers.”

Partnering with Educator Preparation Programs like UT’s is critical for Knox County Schools. “Partnering with UT allows KCS to provide a clear, affordable and well supported pathway to teaching to anyone in East Tennessee,” said Alex Moseman, executive director of talent acquisition for KCS.

The University of Tennessee remains committed to fostering innovative teaching methods, strengthening partnerships with school districts, and continuing to set a high standard for educator preparation in the state.

Through its seven departments and 13 centers, the UT College of Education, Health and Human Sciences enhances the quality of life for all through research, outreach, and practice. Find out more at cehhs.utk.edu