Engagement for Impact
Strategic Goal Four
Tennessee Tech fosters partnerships with government, business, and non-profit organizations
to advance economic and workforce development, create and disseminate knowledge, serve
the public good, and generate cultural impact.
Faculty Chair of Working Group:
Jeremy Blair, School of Art, Craft & Design
JMBlair@tntech.edu
Current Initiatives
Center for Global Experiences
The Center for Global Experiences, formerly the Office of Study Abroad, is an all-inclusive global research and learning hub for both faculty and students. The Center’s leadership develops, facilitates, and supports study abroad opportunities, student and faculty exchanges, international teaching residencies, sustainable global partnerships, supports international students through orientations, and serves through their Global Ambassador program. The Center has added pre- and post-assessments for experiences and offers faculty-led programs, faculty exchange programs, and assistance with grant and travel funding. The Center provides cultural enrichment for students and faculty and sparks a lifelong spirit of exploration.
The Center for Global Experiences has recently moved offices to the Volpe Library 248. We are in the process of evaluating and enhancing the mission, vision, services, partnerships, spaces, staffing, and funding to maximize the impact of the newly established Center.
Task Force
- Jeremy Blair (chair)
- Julie Baker, Interim Associate Provost, Academics & Operations
- Mahalah Boone, Student, College of Business
- Julia Costa, Student, College of Arts & Sciences
- Melissa Geist, Professor, Whitson-Hester School of Nursing
- Amy Miller, Director, Center for Global Experiences
- Gabriel Porteiro, Student, College of Engineering
- Lenly Weathers, Professor, Civil Engineering
Art, Culture & Innovation Program
We are currently developing specialized campus tours and interactive campus maps that connect Tech’s public art, campus collections, and architectural sites with the city of Cookeville. Additionally, we are discussing designing printed signs and digital graphics for campus monitors to showcase student works, as well as exploring methods to display student works and innovations both on and off campus. While a task force for this initiative has not been officially formed, faculty and staff from across campus have been involved in these early discussions.
The Art, Culture & Innovation program will celebrate Tech’s creative, cultural, historical, and innovative offerings through specialized campus tours and exhibitions showcasing the university’s collections, artworks, architecture, and innovations. This program will develop new outreach initiatives and sustainable partnerships that will further shape and define Tech’s culture by creatively telling the university’s story through diverse and multidisciplinary perspectives.
Task Force
A task force or committee is expected to form this fall.
Academic Community Engagement & Development Program
The Academic Community Engagement & Development (ACED) Committee will be a faculty-led and community-informed committee that identifies beneficial engagement topics and collaborative opportunities for K-12 and adult learners. Committee members will inventory existing Tennessee Tech academic community partnerships, programs, certificates, events, and offerings to identify gaps and evaluate existing engagement levels. ACED will evaluate community engagement topics and opportunities and encourage and support faculty involvement.
Task Force
No task force or committee has been formed yet.