A distinguishing characteristic of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Student Success (CETLSS) is the experience, diversity, and dedication of the Faculty Fellows. The Faculty Fellows consists of faculty members representing all ranks and colleges at Appalachian State University. Their goal is not simply to serve as a conduit between the faculty and CETLSS, but to participate in envisioning and implementing faculty development programs in their respective colleges and campus-wide. Collectively, they provide the experience, creativity, and credibility necessary for sustainable engagement, innovation, and excellence in faculty development programming. Please take the time to meet the Faculty Fellows, and feel free to contact any one of them to learn more about their role in helping us support faculty success. For more information about our Faculty Fellows Program please visit our Faculty Fellows Mission Statement and Charter.
College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Maryam Ahmed is an Associate Professor of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She joined the faculty at Appalachian State University in 2010 and has a research program focused on developing oncolytic viruses as anti-cancer agents. In addition to engaging students in the laboratory and classroom, Maryam is committed to university and community service to support the STEM fields. As a faculty fellow, she seeks to assess and promote student success initiatives for non-traditional student populations. In addition, through professional development, she hopes to increase the awareness and involvement of faculty in evidence-based teaching reforms as a means to enhance the quality of student learning experiences.
College of Education
Dr. Tracy W. Smith is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Appalachian State University (ASU). She is also the Faculty Fellow for Mentoring Initiatives for the College of Education. For her fellowship, Smith is working to develop a developmental community modeling of mentorship and support for the COE. In 2017, Smith was awarded the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2005 and 2015, she received the College of Education Outstanding Teaching Award. She has also received the Appalachian Student Government Association Outstanding Teacher Award and the College of Education Outstanding Mentor and Community of Practice Awards. In 2001, she received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Her research interests include mentoring and educational development in higher education, middle-level education and teacher preparation, the relationship between teaching expertise and student learning, and evaluating the depth of student understanding. She has had articles published in journals such as the To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, Journal of Teacher Education, Middle School Journal, Clearing House, and Teacher Education and Practice.
University Libraries
Pamela Mitchem is a Professor and Coordinator of the Digital Scholarship and Initiatives team in Belk Library and Information Commons. Pam has been a professional archivist for 22 years, working in digitization and digital curation since 2000. She held positions as Preservation and Digital Projects Archivist, Interim University Archivist, and Special Assistant to the Dean of Libraries for Digital Initiatives. She is a certified archivist (CA) with the Academy of Certified Archivists and is a Society of American Archivists certified digital archives specialist (DAS). In 2016, she received the Thornton W. Mitchell Service award from the Society of North Carolina Archivists for her service to the archival profession. Her research interests include digital scholarship tools and programs and digital preservation and access. As Faculty Fellow, she is leading the library’s strategic planning effort and is co-chairing the UNC University Library Advisory Council (ULAC ) Staff Development Subcommittee, charged with creating a system-wide professional development program for library faculty and staff.