Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty

Mathew Desjardins, a member of the College of Business and Technology , is overseeing ETSU's innovative new BlueSky Tennessee Institute . This groundbreaking program provides Tennessee students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in computing and a job offer at BlueCross in just over two years. Podcast Transcript:  Professor Mathew Desjardins Because the end goal is when they are done with...

Provost Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle sits down with Dr. Randy Wykoff, founding dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, to reflect on his decades of leadership, teaching, and service. From building Tennessee’s first accredited school of public health to preparing students for real-world challenges through hands-on learning and community engagement, Dr. Wykoff shares lessons from a career dedicated t...

In this episode of “Why I Teach,” Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), sits down with Dr. Kevin E. O’Donnell, Professor of English and recipient of the 2024 Stephen L. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Appalachian Studies Association. With more than 30 years of experience teaching literature, comp...

In this episode of Why I Teach, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle sits down with Dr. Aaron Polichnowski, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine and recipient of the university’s 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award in Research. A nationally recognized expert in hypertension and chronic kidney disease, Dr. Polichnowski shares how curiosity-driven r...

Join ETSU Provost Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle in this inspiring episode of the “Why I Teach” podcast as she speaks with Dr. Kyle Leister, Assistant Professor and Program Director of ETSU’s new Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics program – the first in Tennessee and one of only 14 nationwide. Dr. Leister shares his unique journey into rehabilitative medicine – from treating NHL athletes wit...

In this inspiring episode of Why I Teach, Dr. Christy Lawson, a trauma, critical care, and acute care surgeon at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine, reflects on her journey from a rural community in Georgia to the operating room and classroom. Blending stories of family, mentorship, and personal growth, Dr. Lawson reveals how formative experiences—from learning through storytelling with her grandf...

In this episode of “Why I Teach,” Dr. Flo Weierbach, a seasoned nurse and professor at East Tennessee State University’s College of Nursing, talks with Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle about her journey from providing direct care to teaching the next generation of nurses. With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Weierbach discusses her research on caregiver health, the challenges of rural health care, an...

In this episode, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle talks with Dr. Joe Moore, Director of Athletics Bands , Associate Director of Bands, and Associate Professor of Music, about the incredible ETSU Marching Bucs . In 2014, Dr. Moore was tasked with revitalizing the Marching Bucs, which had been dissolved a decade earlier. Under his leadership, the band has grown in both size and prestige. In 2024, the ma...

In this episode, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle talks with Dr. Melanie B. Richards, interim director of ETSU’s new School of Marketing and Media , about how her experience in the corporate world led to a career in academia – and how she is harnessing that experience to make sure her students get hands-on, project-based learning opportunities in her classroom. Dr. Richards also discusses how she inco...

This episode features Dr. Michael Anthony Fowler, Assistant Professor of Art History in the Department of Art and Design at East Tennessee State University. In addition to his work in the classroom, Dr. Fowler is an active collaborator on several international archeological projects and serves as the chair of Johnson City’s Public Art Committee. In this episode, he shares how these experiences imp...

This episode features Dr. Scott Jenkinson, Assistant Professor in Clemmer College of Education and Human Development and a faculty fellow for Community-Engaged Learning at the ETSU Center for Teaching Excellence .  He provides a wonderful snapshot of some of the ways in which community-engaged learning impacts our students and shares about his experiences with the ETSU Alternative Breaks program a...

In this episode, Provost McCorkle talks with Dr. Colin Glennon, professor and chair in the Department of Political Science, International Affairs, and Public Administration. Dr. Glennon also serves as the faculty sponsor of ETSU’s award-winning Mock Trial Team. Podcast Transcript:  Dr. Colin R. Glennon Professor and Chair in the Department of Political Science, International Affairs and Public Adm...

This episode features Stephen Hendrix, a tenured instructor in the Department of Computing in ETSU’s College of Business and Technology . Mr. Hendrix is a three-time ETSU graduate. In addition to teaching, he is actively involved in service at ETSU, where he has represented his fellow faculty members in various leadership roles. Podcast Transcript:  Stephen Hendrix The basic process of coding is r...

This episode features Dr. Elwood Watson, Professor of History , Black American Studies, and Gender Studies at ETSU.  Dr. Watson is a prolific writer, the author and editor of dozens of journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews. He also authored several books, including a book of essays about race in contemporary America. Podcast Transcript:  Dr. Elwood Watson Well, I think history is highl...

Dr. Tabitha Fair has a long history with ETSU’s Dental Hygiene Program , which celebrates its 55th anniversary this year.    She began as a student and this year she has been teaching for 20 years in the program.    In this episode, Dr. Fair describes the community-engaged, hands-on learning experiences students participate in as they offer affordable dental hygiene care to the community.    Podca...

Dr. Brian Cross discusses the past decade of interprofessional education (IPE) at East Tennessee State University and plans to continue evolving the curriculum to train students for team-based care to improve patient outcomes. Cross is Assistant Vice Provost and Director of ETSU's Center for Interprofessional Collaboration . Podcast Transcript: Dr. Brian Cross This thing that has been discussed wi...

In this episode, Dr. Josh Reid, Associate Professor of English , talks about how he engages his students with classical and early modern literature. He also shares his favorite books of the year. Podcast Transcript:  Dr. Josh Reid There's a certain way that encountering these stories from the past help us read our present. As Emily Dickinson puts it, Tell all the truth, but tell it slant. So that...

This episode features Dr. Sharon Bigger, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing . Dr. Bigger is a career hospice nurse and former medical interpreter who uses the lessons she has learned with her patients and her research to inspire our undergraduate and graduate students in the classroom and in their research endeavors.  Podcast Transcript:  Dr. Sharon Bigger I would say I take more of an...

In this episode, Dr. Blair Reece, Assistant Professor in the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine , talks about how medical education has changed since she was a student at Quillen and her favorite subjects to teach her medical students. Podcast Transcript:  Dr. Blair Reece: Students don't want to come to class and be spoon-fed information. Students want to learn that information on their own. They wa...

Dr. Patrick Brown, Associate Professor in the ETSU College of Public Health’s Department of Health Sciences , is a past recipient of ETSU’s Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching and has received national recognition for his work with the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method of instruction.  In this episode, he discusses online learning, ETSU's Center for Teaching Excellence, h...

Not only has Dr. Jessica Burchette taught at Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy since 2012, she also has the distinction of being a proud member of the college’s inaugural graduating class in 2010. In this episode of “Why I Teach,” she shares how community-engaged learning and interprofessional education are preparing ETSU’s student pharmacists to address the needs of their future patients. Podcast T...

Karen Brewster, professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance , has shared her love of theater with ETSU students for almost 25 years. Podcast Transcript:  Professor Karen Brewster: It is a magnificent space. It is a state-of-the-art space. The tools that the students need to learn to use. We now have the appropriate tools for them to learn. Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle: Hi, I'm Kimberly...

ETSU alumnus Dr. Daryl A. Carter returned to his alma mater to teach in 2008. Over the past 15 years, he has instilled in his students an appreciation for history and the humanities and has led ETSU's Black American Studies Program for the past three years. Podcast Transcript: Dr. Daryl Carter Well, one, I think that students need to understand that STEM is important, but critical thinking is impo...

Dr. Mary Mullins, chair of the Department of Social Work at East Tennessee State University, knows the value of ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education. Before she joined the faculty at ETSU, she practiced social work in medical environments, where she saw the benefits of social workers practicing alongside other health professionals to improve outcomes for patients. In her classroom, Dr....

Dr. Virginia Foley has decades of experience in education, first as an educator and administrator in the K-12 setting and then transitioning to higher education in 2007. As a faculty member in ETSU's Clemmer College , she prepares students to make a difference in the classroom. She is also making an impact in the boardroom, where she serves as the Faculty Trustee on the ETSU Board of Trustees. Pod...