Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

graduate students


Jessica Osborne, ESM student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Jessica: Recent Educational Psychology & Counseling 2021 Graduate.

Dr. Osborne earned her PhD in Educational Psychology and Research, with a Concentration in Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology, in the summer of 2021. She also holds a BA in English and MFA in Creative Writing.

Currently serving in the role of Director of First Year Programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Jessica’s passion and research pursuits are in the area of student success: “I have worked in the field of student success for over a decade, and this has continued to be my research focus as well. My dissertation focused on graduate student needs and success, and I hope to continue in that line of research.”

Her valuable research contributions have most recently been published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, (33)2, and she is the winner of the 2019 Tennessee Association of Student Success and Retention Graduate Student Research Award, among many other publications and accolades.

The PhD concentration in Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology prepares students with the skills and hands-on experiences needed for a meaningful career in program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative research, and assessment. For more information about the PhD in ESM, click here.

We asked Jessica what made her choose the ESM PhD program at UTK, and she was kind enough to share with us: “The people sold me on the ESM program. I considered several options in terms of a PhD, and ultimately, I chose ESM because the faculty and staff were open, welcoming, and flexible in terms of my needs as a working mother. I am incredibly grateful for the ESM faculty and friends I made through the PhD process.”

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys reading, yoga, getting outdoors, and spending time with her family.

For anyone new to the Knoxville area, Jessica has plenty of great suggestions for things to do — and eat! “Downtown Knoxville and The Old City are full of wonderful restaurants: JC Holdway, Amelia, and Kefi are a few of my favorites. In the spring, there are also so many excellent festivals and music events; we always attend Big Ears, The Rossini Festival, and the Dogwood Arts Festival. The Downtown Farmer’s Market is also one of my favorite weekend events.”

For more news and updates, connect with us on social media!

Facebook Icon that links to: https://www.facebook.com/UTKEPC   Twitter icon that links to: https://twitter.com/utk_epcInstagram icon that links to: https://www.instagram.com/utk_epc/

 

 


Recently retired and soon-to-be-retiring EPC faculty were honored on December 2, 2021, at the EPC Awards Ceremony & Retirement Celebration Luncheon.

Students, faculty, and staff were invited to the luncheon to celebrate the six retirees, and to recognize this year’s graduate student winners of EPC Awards and scholarships. For more about our student winners, see article: Graduate Students Awarded at EPC Banquet.

Department Head and Professor, Dr. Jeff Cochran, along with Dr. Merilee McCurdy and Dr. Mitsunori Misawa remarked on the many scholarly contributions, student mentorships, and distinguished honors each retiree has brought to the department through their years of service.

For more details about each of these retiring faculty members, see the event program (pdf).

For more photos of this and other EPC events, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Please join the Department in extending our best wishes and deepest gratitude to the following retiring and recently retired faculty members:

Patrick L. Dunn, Associate Professor

Patrick Dunn standing next to orange and white round decorated retirement cake and smiling.

Mary Catherine “Cathy” Hammon, Clinical Associate Professor

Photo of retiree Cathy Dunn standing next to orange and white decorated cake at EPC event


R. Steve McCallum, Professor

Photo of Steve McCallum standing next to orange and white decorated retirement cake at EPC event.

Robert L. Williams, Professor

Photo of Bob Williams standing next to orange and white decorated retirement cake at EPC event.


Pamelia E. Brott, Associate Professor

Profile Photo of EPC Faculty, Pamelia Brott

Shawn L. Spurgeon, Associate Professor

Profile photo of EPC Faculty, Shawn Spurgeon



The 2021 EPC Awards Ceremony & Retirement Celebration Luncheon was held on December 2, 2021 in the beautiful Calhoun’s on the River, Knoxville, event space. Students, faculty, and staff were invited to the ceremony to recognize this year’s outstanding students, many of which were awarded with scholarships and monetary awards, and to honor six faculty members who recently retired, or will be retiring this year. For more on our retirees, see, “Retired and Soon-to-Be-Retiring EPC Faculty Honored at Banquet

View the Event Program PDF

For more photos of EPC events, follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

The following EPC students were recognized at the 2021 EPC Awards Ceremony:

 

Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award:
Covington Hanley, Counselor Education

Photograph of Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award Winner, Covington Hanley, holding certificate and smiling

Leadership & Service Excellence Award:
Mary Wynn, Counselor Education

Photo of Leadership and Service Excellence Award Winner, Mary Wynn, holding certificate and smiling


Research Excellence Award:
John Walker, Evaluation, Statistics & Methodology

Photograph of Research Excellence Award Winner, John Walker, holding certificate and smiling.

The 2021 Katherine H. Greenberg Scholarship Award:
Jaime Hodge, Ed Psych Online – Applied Ed Psych Concentration

Photo of 2021 Greenberg Scholarship Award Winner, Jaime Hodge, posing with Dr. Cathy Hammon, holding certificate and smiling.


The 2021 Mary Ziegler Scholarship Award:
Jordan B. Murphy, Ed Psych Online – Adult Ed Concentration.

Accepted by Dr. Mitsunori Misawa on Jordan’s behalf.


 

Graduate Student of the Year Awards:

Awarded to an outstanding student from each of our graduate programs, recognized by their faculty as exemplary students in their program.

Hillary Anderson, School Psych EdS

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Hillary Anderson, holding certificate and smiling

Haley Ault, Counselor Education PhD

Photograph of EPC Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Haley Ault, holding certificate and smiling


Elizabeth Boyd, School Counseling MS

Photograph of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Elizabeth Boyd, holding certificate and smiling.

Jess Croll, Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Jess Croll, holding certificate and smiling.


John Kennedy, IT Online MS

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, John Kennedy, holding certificate and smiling.

Ashley King, Learning, Design & Technology PhD

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Ashley King, holding certificate and smiling.


Kristin Lucas, Ed Psych Online MS – Applied Ed Psych

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Kristin Lucas, holding certificate and smiling.

Kristen Massey, Adult learning PhD

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Kristen Massey, holding certificate and smiling.


Tim Waldo, Ed Psych Online MS – Adult Ed

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Tim Waldo, holding certificate and smiling.

John Walker, Evaluation, Statistics & Methodology PhD

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, John Walker, holding certificate and smiling.


Chelsea Wilson, School Psychology PhD

Photo of Graduate Student of the Year Award Winner, Chelsea Wilson, holding certificate and smiling.


 

2021 Friends of EPC Grant Applications:

Jerri O’Rourke

Laura Bryant

Jessica Killian

Jennifer Hightower

Zach Budesa

Loidaly Gonzalez-Rosario

Jada White

Noelia Pacheco Diaz

 

Thank you to all who attended. Congratulations again to this year’s winners, and thank you to all of our students, faculty, and staff for a wonderful event!