AGENDA ATAGLANCE
*All times listed are in Central Standard Time
8:00am Check-in & Networking Tennessee Room 2
8:30am-9:00am Welcome Tennessee Room 2
9:00am-10:00am Opening Session with Dr John Gardner Tennessee Room 2
10:00am-10:15am Break Conference Center North
10:15am-11:15am Concurrent Sessions Conference Center North
11:15am-12:30pm Lunch Tennessee Room 1
12:30pm-1:30pm Concurrent Sessions Conference Center North
1:30pm-1:45pm Break Conference Center North
1:45pm-2:45pm Concurrent Sessions Conference Center North
2:45pm-4:00pm Closing Session with Dr. John Gardner Tennessee Room 2
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
*All times listed are in Central Standard Time.
10:15am-11:15am
General Education Redesign: Implications for Transfer Conference Room A/C
Navigating Tennessee Transfer Pathways for Student Success Conference Room D Ways to Build and Expand Internal Relationships With Communications and Marketing for Transfer Advocacy Conference Room G
12:30pm-1:30pm TN Stacks: Pathways to Career and Economic Mobility Conference Room A/C
Articulation and Transfer in Tennessee Higher Education 2023 Report Conference Room D
The New-Traditional Transfer: How to Accommodate Nontraditional Transfer Students Conference Room G
The Value of Bridge Residential Programs Between Community Colleges and 4-year Degree Granting Colleges and Universities Conference Room A/C
1:45pm-2:45pm
Austin Peay State University Values Transfer Students: From Admission Welcome Packet to Quick Transcript Articulation Conference Room D
Recognizing Military Experience as College Credit Conference Room G
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. John N. Gardner
Executive Chair and Co-Founder of the John N Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education
Dr. John N. Gardner is an educator, university professor and administrator, non-profit organization chief executive officer, author, editor, public speaker, consultant, change agent, student retention specialist, first-year, sophomore, transfer, and senior year students’ advocate, and initiator and scholar of the American first-year and senior-year reform movements. He serves as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Gardner Institute.
The Institute was founded by John and his wife, Betsy O. Barefoot, in October 1999 as the Policy Center on the First Year of College. The Policy Center was launched by an initial grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts, and has been subsequently funded by additional grants from Pew, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Lumina Foundation for Education, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, and USA Funds.
In 2007 the Policy Center underwent a legal and name change to the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education and an expansion of its mission to focus more broadly on excellence in undergraduate education, as a fully autonomous 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.
The John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education is a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with colleges, universities, philanthropic organizations, educators, and other entities to increase institutional responsibility for improving outcomes associated with teaching, learning, retention, and completion.
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Mary Beth Burlison is the Associate Director in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has over 10 years of service with UT and experience working with transfer students and initiatives. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing transfer policies and procedures and maintaining and executing new operational tasks related to transfer articulation and equivalency. Burlison also works closely with the Assistant Director of Community College Outreach on transfer admissions processes and outreach. Throughout her time at UT, Burlison has established many partnerships with faculty, staff, and administrators across campus and system wide. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to serve on various campus committees and participate in the planning and execution of multiple statewide initiatives on UT’s campus.
Patrice Cheatham currently serves as the Associate Registrar at Austin Peay State University where she oversees the transfer area and course scheduling. Patrice has worked at APSU for 23 years and values working with faculty, staff, and students at APSU. Patrice’s main goal is for students to be successful in their studies and to see APSU students walk across the stage at their graduation ceremony. Patrice earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies and Master of Professional Studies at Austin Peay.
Leigh Cherry Morales grew up in Murfreesboro and Memphis, TN. Educational and professional opportunities led Dr. Morales to Utah, Texas, and Vermont before bringing her to Knoxville in 2017 to work for the UT System Office of Academic Affairs, Research and Student Success. She began work as the Coordinator for Student Success Initiatives before becoming the Director of Student Success for the UT System in February of 2023. In her role, Dr. Morales ensures the success of new and ongoing student success programming, initiatives, and policies, and develops strategies and best practices to enhance student success of UT student populations across UT’s five campuses. Additionally, she collaborates with and works alongside campus leaders to promote a high-quality student experience. Dr. Morales is the former coordinator for the Tennessee Reverse Transfer Program and remains involved with transfer work across the state of Tennessee. Preceding her role with the UT System, Dr. Morales was the Student Success Coordinator at a Liberal Arts College in New England, and a Spanish content developer, instructional designer, and adjunct professor. Dr. Morales has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Teaching/TESOL and a master’s degree in Spanish Pedagogy from Brigham Young University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Director of Student Success University of Tennessee System
Associate Director- Office of Undergrad University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Austin Peay State University
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Tracy serves as the Director of Articulation and Transfer for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. She is responsible for the coordination and outreach efforts with higher education institutions in the state of TN. Specifically, supporting THEC’s statewide initiatives related to the enhancement of articulation and transfer resources such as Reverse Transfer, Tennessee Transfer Pathways, and other activities associated with the Articulation and Transfer Council and sub-councils. Working in higher education for over 20 years has been the catalyst for Tracy into embracing her passion of learning and technology. As both a non-traditional and transfer student, she has a keen level of investment in the success of all students. Tracy earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis and a Masters and Doctorate degree from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Amy Corlew currently serves as the Executive Director of Admissions, Orientation, and Dual Enrollment at Austin Peay State University. Amy started her career at Austin Peay as an admissions counselor in 1996. She continued her admissions journey with responsibility for both Recruitment and Admissions Processing. In her current role, Amy oversees all admissions and orientation for all Undergraduate students. Amy graduated with her Bachelor of Science from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 1996 and with her Master of Science from Austin Peay State University in 2006.
Gregg Crawford is the Director of Veterans Transition & Outreach for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. He manages the VETS Campus designation and the Veteran Reconnect Grant. Gregg served four years in the United States Marine Corps before earning a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Professional Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. An Eagle Scout from northern Michigan, Gregg understood the value of student organizations and of continuing service. As the president of the student veterans’ chapter, Gregg advocated for the support of student veterans and military families largely experiencing academia for the first time.
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Director of Veterans Transition & Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Amy Corlew Executive Director of Admissions, Orientation and Dual Enrollment Austin Peay State University
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Dr. Wendolyn Davis is Executive Director of Pathway Alignment at Chattanooga State Community College. Prior to joining Chatt State in June 2023, she held the position of Director of Undergraduate Admissions Transfer Center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for four (4) years, Assistant Director of Transfer Student Services at Central Michigan University for nearly seven (7) years and Education & Training Specialist at Grand Rapids Community College for two (2) years. Dr. Davis taught TRNS 201 –Transitioning to Rocky Top, a UT transfer transition course led by the Office of Academic Success First Year Programs and served as an Intercultural Diversity Inventory (IDI) Advisory Board Member and Qualified Administrator (QA).
Dr. Davis is active in the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) as chair of the Black Caucus and chair of the Nominations & Elections committee, in addition to co-directing the Technology and Transfer Virtual Summit. Dr. Davis holds a PhD in Organization and Management, an MBA in Human Resource Management, a BS in Psychology, and an associate degree in general studies. Previous experience includes TRiO Programs, Child Welfare (International and Domestic), and Workforce Development.
Robert M. Denn serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents. Current leadership responsibilities include the General Education Core and the TN Open Education enterprise. Prior to 2017, he served nine years at Chattanooga State Community College where he founded the Global Scholars Honors Program and STEM School Chattanooga. As VP for Institutional Effectiveness, Research, & Planning, Denn established the Campus Intelligence Architecture (CIA) housing advanced data modeling, enhanced visualization, and an integrated data operations center. Dr. Denn is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and is the Veterans Services Officer for the TBR System.
Darren Dunlap oversees recruitment management and strategic planning as Assistant Director of Community College Outreach in the University of Tennessee Transfer Center. He has worked with transfer students for 15 years and draws on his experience as a first-generation college graduate, military veteran, and community college advisor to help students make the transition to UT. Darren works with a team of transfer counselors in the Transfer Center and collaborates with UT’s academic colleges and departments to promote degree programs and transfer-friendly initiatives.
Executive Director of Pathway Alignment Chattanooga State Community College
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Tennessee Board of Regents
Darren Dunlap Assistant Director of Community College Outreach University of Tennessee Transfer Center
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Paige Elliott is the Director of Research and Strategy at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation. In this role, Paige oversees the statutory reporting functions of the Research and Strategy team, innovating the team’s reach through research collaboration and improved outputs. Before joining THEC/TSAC in 2021, she worked as staff and as an adjunct professor at Cleveland and Chattanooga State Community Colleges. She holds a Master’s in Political Science from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology from Lee University.
Dr. Tachaka Hollins serves as the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). In her role at TBR, she provides strategic leadership and support to nearly forty (40) community and technical colleges throughout the state for various academic initiatives. As a first-gen, Tachaka earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems and Master of Business Education from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). In addition, she earned her Educational Doctorate degree (Ed.D.) in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program from East Tennessee State University.
Dr. Lauren Ingraham is Vice Provost for Curriculum and New Program Development at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has been involved with General Education at UTC since becoming Director of Composition in 1998, a position she served in through 2011. In 2019, she was named UTC’s inaugural Director of General Education, a position that was created to ensure that UTC had plans and means to conduct robust annual Gen Ed program assessment. The 2020 UTC State of the University Address promised to undertake a General Education redesign, and Dr. Ingraham was tapped to lead that effort. During 2021-22, she chaired UTC’s Reimagining General Education committee whose work resulted in a new program design that was affirmed by faculty in May 2022 and is being implemented in Fall 2023.
Ashley Kautz (she/her) is the Director of Austin Peay State University’s Adult, Nontraditional and Transfer Student Center and has served in this role for 5 years. Prior to this position, Ashley was an Admissions Counselor at APSU. Ashley transferred to Austin Peay where she received her Bachelor of Science in Education and, after, completed her Master’s Degree in Higher Education: Student Personnel from the University of Mississippi. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on Higher Education. As a former transfer student, Ashley is eager to help students become engaged, connected to resources, and to advocate for improved policies for transfer and nontraditional students.
Director of Adult, Nontraditional
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Dr. Nancy KingSanders, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Student Achievement, is in her fifth year at Austin Peay State University. In her current role, she oversees Admissions, Orientation, Dual Enrollment, Office of the Registrar, Financial Aid/Scholarships, as well as the newly formed Office of Undergraduate Persistence. KingSanders has a wealth of higher education experience to include prior appointments as Associate Vice President for Student Success, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, as well as attaining tenure and the rank of full professor in the Music Department at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville from 1993-2019.
She has led university-wide student success initiatives when she served as Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s liaison for participation in John Gardner’s Foundations of Excellence which culminated in a 12% retention increase in a three-year period. In 2016, the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Cengage Learning presented KingSanders with its Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate award. KingSanders has presented her research at The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in partnership with the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Conference, the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) National Conference, and the Educational Policy Improvement Center. She was also selected to participate in the 2020-21 Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute.
Amanda Klafehn is the Senior Director of Research and Strategy with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation. At THEC/TSAC, Amanda oversees the Research and Strategy division, which analyzes data, conducts research, and generates knowledge to increase postsecondary access, affordability, and completion. Prior to THEC/TSAC, Amanda worked at the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury producing policy briefs for Tennessee’s General Assembly. Amanda holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Arts in History and International Studies from the University of Miami (FL).
Dr. Lopez, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents, leads the Tennessee Transfer Pathways initiative. With 33 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Lopez brings a wealth of knowledge in both academic and student services. Previously serving as Vice Provost at Eastern Washington University, he was instrumental in forging state-level articulation agreements and Direct Transfer Agreements with five feeder community colleges. A recipient of the NACADA Region 8 Outstanding Advisor Administrator Award, Dr. Lopez also pioneered a new advising model at Eastern Washington, demonstrating his commitment to student success. His expertise extends to administrative and academic leadership over the Transfer Center, emphasizing curriculum development and robust student support. Dr. Lopez remains a transformative figure in facilitating smooth academic transitions for students across institutions.
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Tennessee Board of Regents
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Vice Provost for Enrollment and Student Achievement Austin Peay State University
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Susan Myers-Shirk, Ph.D., has been director of general education at MTSU since 2017 and in that time has overseen the redesign of the university general education curriculum. She is also a professor of history and has been teaching general education classes since 1994 as well as serving as general education director at the department level before taking on the position at the university level. MTSU’s new general education program, the True Blue Core, is set to launch in fall of 2024. During AY 23-24, Dr. MyersShirk be educating the university community about the new Core and working with faculty to design two add-ons for the Core—Study Abroad in the Core and Blueprints, which will provide curated collections of thematically related courses students can take to navigate the Core.
Dr. Jothany L. Reed serves as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for The College System of Tennessee, the state’s system with 13 public community colleges and 25 colleges of applied technology. With over 25 years of experience, Reed demonstrates a passion for teaching, learning, and developing innovative models to support student success. She has played key roles in system and college-level initiatives at community colleges and universities in California, Texas, and Tennessee.
Key highlights include the innovation for system-level advisory committees, leading a systemwide redesign of Guided Pathways, establishing a Pathways Leadership Council for multiple colleges, and facilitating Courageous Conversations and Charrettes to engage stakeholders in higher education, industry, and community organizations. Dr. Reed earned two degrees from Tennessee State University – a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Masters in English. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Fresno.
Julie A. Roberts serves as the Chief Academic Officer for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). In this role, she is responsible for the coordination of new academic programs among Tennessee’s public universities, academic policies, general education, transfer pathways, and the Tennessee Accreditation Network. Much of her recent work has focused on aligning credentials in a meaningful way to build clear pathways for students across all types of postsecondary institutions. Before joining THEC, Julie was the Director of Policy and Research at Complete Tennessee, a higher education policy and advocacy organization. Julie has also worked at Tennessee State University (TSU) in various student success roles culminating as the Director of Academic Success Services and Learning Support Centers. Julie holds degrees in Public Policy and Administration (PhD) and Business (MBA) from TSU, and a dual degree in English and Spanish (BA) from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
Dr. Susan Myers-Shirk
Director of General Education Middle Tennessee State University
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs The College System of Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
MEETOUR SPEAKERS
Towanja Williams currently serves Assistant Registrar at Austin Peay State University where she oversees the Transfer Area as well as Office of the Registrar Reception. Towanja has been APSU’s Office of the Registrar for over 14 years. As the Assistant Registrar she ensures that each student receives exceptional customer service. She and her team have worked to articulate multiple military course equivalencies to support APSU’s military-affiliated student population. Towanja’s main goal is to assist students to be able to achieve all of their educational goals. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management as well as a Master of Science in Management at APSU.
Dr. Amanda Wornhoff has served as the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment at Austin Peay State University since 2020, where her responsibilities include academic program assessment, program review, and general education assessment. Prior to her current role, Dr. Wornhoff was Assistant Provost for Core Curriculum and Assessment at Roosevelt University, a four-year private institution in Chicago, Illinois, where she served as a faculty member and administrator for over a decade. At Roosevelt, Dr. Wornhoff co-led a redesign of general education that emphasized transfer pathways and support, experiential learning, and studentcentered pedagogy. At Austin Peay, she has worked with the General Education Committee and academic departments to implement new competencies and processes for general education assessment. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Wornhoff is committed to providing accessible, high-quality learning experiences to all students, regardless of background, particularly in general education.
Austin Peay State University
