First-Year Faculty Experience

An Athens State University faculty mentor is an experienced and trusted faculty member who works with a first-year faculty member (a.k.a., protégé) participating in the First-Year Faculty Experience.  A faculty mentor serves as an available resource, a supportive and friendly guide, a respectful advocate, and an active listener for the protégé.

Vision

The Athens State University First-Year Faculty Experience will become a culture of mentoring faculty members culminating in the long-term success of all faculty members who have participated in the program.

Mission

The program provides a supportive framework for its new faculty members (protégés) to achieve success by strategically assigning mentors to protégés leading to a professionally trusting relationship.  Moreover, the First-Year Faculty Experience offers opportunities for protégés to interact across academic departments, colleges, and other university units through engaging, collaborative, informational sessions, and workshops.

Program Goals

1. To help new faculty members acclimate to the Athens State academic, administrative, and physical environments.
2. To understand the meaning and the execution of effective teaching at Athens State University
3. To foster a relationship with a faculty mentor that should be free from scrutiny, creating a relationship in which a new faculty member has a sense of discretion when sharing concerns regarding general or specific aspects of the academic appointment
4. To provide a forum through which new faculty members discuss how to promote student success
5. To assist in the retention of good faculty members
6. To establish a sense of camaraderie among the new faculty members across colleges and appreciation for members of the staff and administration
7. To educate new mentors about the mentoring process
8. To establish a desire among faculty to serve as a mentor or serve multiple times as a mentor.

Contact Information

Ronald Merritt

Professor of Mathematics, Department Chair, and FYFE Director

• Phone:256-233-6527 Phone:256-233-6527
• Email:Ronald.Merritt@athens.edu
• Department:College of Arts and Sciences
• Office:

  Waters Hall, Room S203A

Members of the 2021-22 FYFE Cohort

Dr. Michael Behring

Assistant Professor of Public Health

• Phone:256-233-6511 Phone:256-233-6511
• Email:michael.behring@athens.edu
• Department:College of Arts and Sciences

Toni Carter

Director, Kares University Library

• Phone:256-216-6660 Phone:256-216-6660
• Email:toni.carter@athens.edu
• Department:Kares Library

Dr. Jing Chen

Associate Professor of Computer Science

• Phone:256-233-6501 Phone:256-233-6501
• Email:jing.chen@athens.edu
• Department:College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Donna Pitts

Assistant Professor of Special Education

• Phone:(256) 216-6629 Phone:(256) 216-6629
• Email:donna.pitts@athens.edu
• Department:College of Education
• Office:

  McCain Hall – Room 220

Dr. Elmer Ragus

Assistant Professor of Marketing

• Email:elmer.ragus@athens.edu
• Department:College of Business

Dr. Mark Reynolds

Assistant Professor of Nursing

• Phone:256-233-6510 Phone:256-233-6510
• Email:mark.reynolds@athens.edu
• Department:College of Arts and Sciences

Laken Smith

Assistant Librarian/University Archivist

• Phone:256-216-6663 Phone:256-216-6663
• Email:Laken.Smith@athens.edu
• Department:Kares Library

Dr. Steve Wang

Associate Professor of Advanced Manufacturing Management

• Phone:256-216-5364 Phone:256-216-5364
• Email:Steve.Wang@athens.edu
• Department:College of Business
• Office:

  Sanders Hall, Room 206