CHATTANOOGA, TN -- Four Chattanooga State Community College faculty members were named Faculty Fellows for their innovative plans to support students and further learning at the college. 

The Faculty Fellows Scholarship program offers recognition and support to faculty members who go above and beyond to develop and implement projects and programs that support learning and promote student success.  

The Faculty Fellows Committee reviewed proposals from faculty members for the 2023-2024 academic year, and Faculty Senate President Dr. Nancy Schurr announced the winners in January 2024. 

Mary White, Gary Morrill-Carpenter, Rebecca Aslinger, and Dr. Kristi Strode were recently notified they were selected by the Faculty Fellows Selection Committee for their proposed classes and programs. 

The Amanda Wynn Faculty Humanities & Fine Arts Fellow was awarded to Gary Morrill-Carpenter for his proposal to create a course titled “The History of Hip-Hop.” 

“As a genre, Hip-Hop provides the textual and visual rhetoric necessary to curate a contemporary literary form for students to explore a pop culture phenomenon, while seldom explored academically, is well integrated in their cultural and societal zeitgeist,” the course proposal reads. “By using resources available in the public domain, I plan to curate the course to be a cost-effective educational elective to satisfy student, departmental, and institutional requirements.” 

The Bea Lyons Social & Behavioral Sciences Fellows was awarded to Aslinger and Strode for their proposal to design and implement a program aimed at providing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities greater access to education, personal and academic growth, and employability and independence. 

“This program is built with student success and sustainability in mind,” the program proposal reads. “Through this program, students with intellectual or developmental disabilities will have the opportunity to have two years of education at Chattanooga State Community College that will culminate in a Certificate of Completion.” 

The Amanda Wynn Humanities & Fine Arts Fellow was awarded to White for a proposed training program to help prepare students for the job hunt after graduation, namely by increasing communication skills and establishing a strong digital presence on websites like LinkedIn. 

“The primary purpose of this scholarship will be to fund the development and initial delivery of a training program designed to provide Chattanooga State students with the skills to build and maintain their own professional presence via LinkedIn and other social platforms relevant to their career goals,” the proposal reads. 

The program awards each Faculty Fellow $2,000 to support their work and $1,000 in travel funds to a professional conference or event where they can present their work or become inspired for their next innovation in teaching and learning.