Chattanooga State Community College recently named Yolanda Green and Dr. Chris Willis as Faculty Chairs of Excellence for 2016-17. These awards were made possible through the generosity of donors to the Chattanooga State Foundation.

Dr. Jan Keys, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of Erlanger Health System, presented the Erlanger Chair of Excellence in Nursing to faculty member Yolanda Green.  “Nursing Education is the foundation for developing a quality driven nursing workforce. Partnering with Chattanooga State is a great way to acknowledge high caliber faculty like Ms. Green and pave the way for the future,” shares Dr. Keys.

Ms. Green earned her Master’s degree in nursing from the University of Alabama in 1983. An employee of Chattanooga State since 1988, she is an associate professor of nursing and a member of several professional organizations. Professional honors and awards include a Tennessee Board of Regents Innovations Award, Faculty Excellence, Honored Nurse and Master Presenter awards.

Jay Dale, Senior Vice President of First Tennessee, presented the First Tennessee Chair of Excellence in Business to faculty member Dr. Chris Willis. “First Tennessee Bank is committed to investing in the education of our community. We are proud to recognize the excellent work of Dr. Willis and the achievements and hard work of the students in his classroom,” states Dale.

Since 2009, Dr. Willis has served as an associate professor and program coordinator for media technology, journalism and film programs. Willis earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from UTC. He is a strong believer in facilitating learning experiences for students with various learning styles. Recently, his students won a “Best 3-Minute” film at Southeastern University’s Revolution Film Festival in Lakeland, FL.

“We are grateful for the generous support made by Erlanger and First Tennessee,” said Nancy Patterson, Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations. “Their leadership to the Chattanooga State Foundation makes it possible to recognize faculty excellence in nursing and business, respectively."

For more information about Chattanooga State, visit www.chattanoogastate.edu.