Faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend a free Innovative Educators webinar titled “Dealing with Difficult and Disruptive Students in Online Classes” on Tuesday, October 2 from 1-2:15 p.m. If you are interested in attending the webinar or accessing the recording, please email Ms. Kristen Fowler at kfowle24@vols.utk.edu with the subject line EPC Webinar. Following vendor guidelines, Ms. Fowler will send the link to everyone who has contacted her a week prior to the event, then a week after the event she will send out a link to the recording – which will be accessible for a year.

This webinar is hosted by the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling’s Instructional Technology (IT Online), EdPsych Online, and Learning, Design, and Technology programs. For more information about the webinar, check out the Innovative Educators website.

The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from nine of our programs who earned their degrees and recipients from four of our graduate certificate programs who completed necessary requirements during the summer 2018 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Carly Ann Chwat
PhD in School Psychology

Synthia Ann Alene Clark
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Deepa Rajiv Deshpande
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Jaewoo Do
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Sheryse Noelle Grant Dubose
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Katherine Ellen Fleming
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Ashlee Nicole Fugate
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Holly Jean Greene
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Caroline Marie Jaquett
PhD in School Psychology

Frederick Joseph Kelly
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Jonathan Edward Kelly
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Raymond Rodney Kimmitt
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Lauren Brooke Leonard
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Rachael Camille Marshall
PhD in Counselor Education
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Anthony C. Miller
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Charles Branton Mitchell
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Desiree P. Nicholas
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Leslie Renee Owle
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Kelley Nicole Rieder
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Jonah Lee Ruddy
PhD in School Psychology

Gwendolyn Sue Ruttencutter
PhD in Educational Psychology & Research – Adult Learning

Yacob Tewolde Tekie
Graduate Certificate in Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Taralyn Page Tibbits
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Kathryn Claire Ward
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Nathan Bobby West
PhD in Counselor Education

Samantha Ellen Williams
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Rebecca Leigh Witowski
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.

Applied Educational Psychology

Amber is currently seeking her MS in educational psychology with the Applied Educational Psychology program. Originally from Knoxville, TN, she graduated with her AA in English at Harper College in 2011 and a BA in indigenous studies at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 2013. She joined the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and EPC in 2017. We asked her to reflect on some past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Accomplishments

Presentations

• June 2017, AERC Bullying, Incivility, and Violence in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education Pre-Conference, Institutional Accountability: The Academy’s Role in Preventing Campus Sexual Assault
• October 2017, AAACE, Institutional Accountability: The Institution’s Role in Preventing sexual Assault on University Campuses
• June 2018, AERC Bullying, Incivility, and Violence in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education Pre-Conference, Campus Sexual Assault: It’s Everyone’s Problem
• June 2018, AERC, Theorizing Best Practices for Preventing Sexual Assaults in Higher Education: Adult Educators’ Perspectives
• November 2018, AAACE, There’s an App for That: Using Technology to Combat Campus Sexual Assault

Publications

• June 2017, AERC Bullying, Incivility, and Violence in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education Pre-Conference Proceedings, Institutional Accountability: The Academy’s Role in Preventing Campus Sexual Assault
• June 2018, AERC Bullying, Incivility, and Violence in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education Pre-Conference Proceedings, Campus Sexual Assault: It’s Everyone’s Problem
• June 2018, AERC Conference Proceedings, Theorizing Best Practices for Preventing Sexual Assaults in Higher Education: Adult Educators’ Perspectives, http://newprairiepress.org/aerc/2018/papers/35/

Significant roles

• Student Advisory Council member for the Center for Health Education and Wellness
• President of It’s On Us, UT Knoxville Chapter
• Steering Committee member for the AERC Bullying, Incivility, and Violence in Adult, Higher, Continuing, and Professional Education Pre-Conference

Current Occupation

Intern
Title IX Office
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

I am working with the Title IX Coordinator to create a research group to help inform and improve sexual assault policies, prevention, and survivor resources on the UT systems’ campuses.

Personal Interests

In my spare time I enjoy writing and playing music and reading and writing fiction. I also volunteer at the East Tennessee Historical Society and various animal rescue organizations. I love live music, video games, museums, art galleries, and traveling.

Future/Vocational Goals

I am applying to educational psychology and research PhD major in hopes of earning my doctorate and going on to become a college professor.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program/department?

I would tell an incoming student that this is a fantastic program, full of supportive co-learners and faculty. The faculty really take the time to get to know the students and they help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be. The professors in this department really care about their students, and it shows in everything they do. They love to share their knowledge, so don’t be shy about asking questions! A unique thing about this master’s program is that it offers conference funding, and the professors support your research initiatives, so take advantage of those opportunities. Also, keep a journal about the theories, theorists, and main topics of each class. That will help you when it comes time to do your comps.

What do you think has been the most rewarding/challenging about this program?

The most rewarding thing about this program has been the opportunity to work with this community of scholars and to present my research at several international conferences. I’ve met fantastic people in this program. The students and professors are just extremely supportive and amazing to work with.

The summer semesters are the most challenging aspect of this program. These semesters are so short that the information is crammed into your head at an alarming rate. The classes are extremely long because each semester only lasts five weeks. It’s really overwhelming, and after my first summer semester experience, I didn’t feel like I learned much. However, after things slowed down in the fall, and my mind had time to process all of the information it had been fed over the two condensed semesters, I found that I had learned a lot during that brief time period. My advice to new students who start in the summer or are experiencing their first summer semester is to hang in there. It will get better, and you are retaining more than you realize!

The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from seven of our programs who earned their degrees and recipients from two of our graduate certificate programs who completed necessary requirements during the spring 2018 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Andrea Lucia Arce-Trigatti
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Jillian Mei-Li Blueford
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

James Michael Cantu
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Sue Culpepper
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Stephanie Krider Daniels
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Amanda Ellen Dascomb
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Rosite Kendra George Delgado
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Jaewoo Do
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Sinead Angela Doherty
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Isabel Cecilia Farrell
PhD in Counselor Education
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Janelle Shalon Galbreath
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Katherine Victoria Graham
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Justin Wade Hawkersmith
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Baileigh Anne Kirkpatrick
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Rebekah Grace Livingston
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Lauren Kelly Mchenry
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Mykel Lauren Moody
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Anne Leslie Skutnik
PhD in Education – Learning Environments & Educational Studies

Kimberly Lynn Stafford
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Nancy Elaine Thacker
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Nancy Teresi Truett
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Shelby Dawn Wright
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.

Applied Educational Psychology

Stracee earned an MS in educational psychology with the Applied Educational Psychology program in 2015. She is originally from, and currently lives in, Chattanooga, TN. We asked her to reflect on past experiences with EPC and discuss where she’s at now. Read her responses below.

Current Occupation

Academic Completion Specialist
Chattanooga State Community College
Social and Behavioral Sciences Division
Chattanooga, TN

In my role, I help to ensure students persist to complete their degree or certificate.

Accomplishments since Graduating

I have a sincere interest in serving students at the collegiate level, and my current position at Chattanooga State is my first step on that journey. I would say that this is my greatest professional accomplishment.

Personal Interests

I enjoy all of the arts and trying new foods, but by far I love sending time with my family. They are just super cool people!

What sold you on this program?

The synchronous online format sold me on the program. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn via online, but even more so once I knew I would be able to interact with my instructors and classmates.

What was the most memorable experience?

My most memorable experience was in clinical assistant professor Cathy Hammon’s class. In addition to visiting the Highlander Center, she introduced me to the work of Asa Hilliard. Throughout my education, not one teacher had ever explored a black psychologist in any psychology course I had taken. I want her to know how much that touched my soul and opened my mind to a beautiful perspective.

How did your experiences as a student help you in your professional/personal life after graduation??

My experience as an EdPsych Online student has heightened my awareness of creating environments conducive to reciprocal learning. It has helped me to be concise when communicating, and to be more in tune to issues and concerns that effect how students learn. All things that I use both professionally and personally.

“Love and light to all that have been and will be a part of the EdPsych Online program at UT!”