Tusculum announces promotions, welcomes new professor

Five promotions of faculty members were recently announced by Tusculum College, and a new marketing professor has joined the college's staff.

Promoted were Dr. Jim Fields and Dr. Denise Wood to the position of professor; and Dr. Jennifer Brooks, Dr. Taimi Olsen, and Dr. Edith Wagner to the position of associate professor. Dr. Richard Lewis, of Talbott, has joined the faculty as professor of marketing.

• Dr. Jim Fields, who teaches on the Greeneville campus, has been promoted to professor of education. He came to Tusculum in 1993, holds a doctorate in educational leadership from East Tennessee State University, and has approximately 11 years of teaching experience at the college level. Aside from his teaching duties, Dr. Fields' previously held the position of athletic director for two years. Dr. Fields' participation in the governance structure of the college has been extensive, and he has also served as a sponsor of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He chaired the Priorities, Planning and Budget Committee which formatted the institution's five year plan. Committed to the Civic Arts mission of Tusculum College, Dr. Fields incorporates service learning as a module in each of the methods courses he teaches in the Education Department.

• Dr. Denise Wood has been promoted to professor of research, and she also currently serves as dean of instruction for graduate and Professional Studies and director of the Knoxville Professional Studies Center. Dr. Wood holds a doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and has 13 years experience as a full-time teacher at the college level. During her 11 years with Tusculum College she has taught more than 150 undergraduate and graduate courses. Dr. Wood also has an extensive record of governance and committee service at Tusculum.

• Dr. Jennifer Brooks, who teaches on the Greeneville campus, has been promoted to associate professor of commons and history. Dedicated to the institution's Civic Arts mission, Dr. Brooks strives to serve as a personal example for her students in this regard and to provide a classroom structure conducive to instilling the ideas and skills central to the Civic Arts at Tusculum. Dr. Brooks, who joined the Tusculum faculty in 1997, has been active in the governance structure, having served as a committee member of the Programs and Policies Committee and then as chair. Through her committee work, Dr. Brooks was a driving force in the re-conceptualization of the college's competency program and continues her work in that area.

An accomplished author, Dr. Brooks' professional development includes a published article in the Journal of Southern History, completion of a book manuscript for the University of North Carolina Press, and service as a guest speaker for the Southern Historical Association. Dr. Brooks was the recipient of a Mellon grant and participated in "The Southeast Asia Connection: Internationalizing the Curriculum and Collaborating Across ACA (Appalachian College Association) Colleges." Dr. Brooks also serves on the Board of Habitat for Humanity. She received her doctorate in American history from the University of Tennessee.

• Dr. Taimi Olsen has been promoted to associate professor of English. Dr. Olsen joined the Tusculum faculty in 1997, and holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of North Carolina. She has served as program coordinator for the English program at the institution since September 2000 and in collaboration with five other English faculty, has strengthened and broadened the English program curriculum. Successfully securing a grant from the Appalachian College Association, "Collaborative Teaching and Technology in the Commons Curriculum at Tusculum College," Dr. Olsen utilized the opportunity to further develop faculty use of technology and to encourage faculty collaboration on campus. Dr. Olsen, who teaches on the Greeneville campus, has been a presenter at the American Literature Association, has had a published book review of "Another E.E. Cummings" by Richard Kostelanetz in the Journal of EE Cummings Society, Fall 2001, and published her book, "Transcending Space" in 2000.

• Dr. Edith Wagner has been promoted to associate professor of English. Dr. Wagner received her Ed.D. in Educational Administration from East Tennessee State University. She has over 35 years of teaching experience, and serves as an instructor primarily in the Professional Studies program in the Knoxville area. She came to Tusculum in 1998 as a full-time instructor of English/business communication and portfolio supervisor for the Professional Studies program. Dr. Wagner's belief in the mission of the institution is evident not only in her professional life but her personal life as well. A certified mediator for the Knox County Mediation Center, Dr. Wagner works with juveniles to resolve misdemeanor charges and understand civic and community responsibilities.

• Dr. Lewis, who will be teaching in the Professional Studies program, brings a wealth of instructional experience to Tusculum. He has taught for about 20 years at colleges and universities in Indiana, Texas, West Virginia, Illinois, and Arkansas. He also has 10 years experience in business, including two years as president and marketing sales manager-key accounts of Continental Quest Corporation, a pharmaceutical, health, and beauty aids company. He earned his doctorate of business administration in marketing from Louisiana Tech University. He earned a master's of business administration degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and a master's of science degree in business education and administrative services from Northern Illinois University. He earned his undergraduate degree in finance from Southern Illinois University.