EARNED PROMOTION

Colston Named HHP Department Head

UTC faculty. It was 1999 and she was fresh out of graduate school and, as she puts it, “green as green could get.”

Brought in as an assistant professor for the graduate-level athletic training program, she interviewed for the job while in Kansas City. Hired, she moved to Chattanooga in a 21/2-week period. “It was crazy. It was a wild ride. And honestly, the first year was such a train wreck, I really thought, ‘One and done.’

“That whole year I lived from my knees, saying ‘Lord, please don’t let me mess up these kids’ lives because I’m very capable of doing it.’ ”

In 2001, she became director of a Health and Human Performance program that would help students earn their credentials to be a professional athletic trainer. She stayed in that position until 2014 when she left the directorship. “I stepped down simply because I needed a change,” she says. “You reach a point where you say, ‘That’s all I got folks. We need some fresh ideas.’ ”

She moved to a “behind-the-scenes” position in which she helped the HHP administration with a master’s degree program in physical activity and health. That morphed into the department’s master of public health program, scheduled to begin in fall semester. Rutledge had asked Colston to step in as interim department head for HHP in 2016, a move that eventually led to her new, full-time role.

As interim department head, Colston says she was hesitant to institute any significant changes in the department. Now that she’s officially behind the desk, she has several ideas she hopes to implement. “I was very selective of what changes I wanted to incorporate as interim for fear of a new person coming in and putting the faculty through many more changes,” Colston says “There needed to be some continuity even though there were things I wanted to change.

“Now that it’s permanent, I feel more confident in moving forward with some of these things without upsetting the apple cart too much.”

One of her goals is to spread the word about HHP and its accomplishments. “I feel that HHP is the best-kept secret on campus, and I feel it’s my responsibility that the campus, the community and the alumni truly understand the amazing things that our faculty, students and programs are accomplishing.”

With the yoke of leadership resting firmly on her shoulders, she understands the weight of responsibility for a department with about 900 students and 20 faculty and staff members. “Am I worried about making mistakes? No, because I’ve made so many already. I just come to expect them and hope not to make the same ones over again.”