Following the recommendations of the Strengths Advisory Council, a multidisciplinary team of faculty and administrators that provides guidance on student success strategies, the Office of the Provost and Division of Student Success have selected Dr. Sally Hunter as the inaugural Volunteer Experience faculty director. 
Dr. Hunter, clinical associate professor in the College of Education, Health & Human Sciences, will join Dr. Krystyne Savarese, assistant vice provost and chief strategist for the Division of Student Success, and Dr. Patrick Biddix, Professor of Higher Education and associate director of the Postsecondary Education Research Center, to partner with UT faculty on development of strategic curricular interventions that bolster student well-being and success.
“So many faculty at this university are already incredibly supportive of the students in their classrooms and labs,” Dr. Hunter said. “I look forward to working with my faculty colleagues on the Volunteer Experience initiative. We seek to recognize the ongoing efforts that support student well-being and examine additional ways we can contribute to our students’ success.”
Hunter also serves as coordinator of undergraduate advising in the Department of Child & Family Studies. Her early work in the faculty director role will focus on two key initiatives.
- Continued partnership with the Office of Teaching & Learning Innovation (TLI) to implement the Student Success Grant initiative. Success Grants are awarded to departments that seek to implement innovative curricular interventions and well-being strategies to improve student outcomes in large-enrollment or gateway courses with high DFW rates.
- Development of a Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellows program comprised of faculty interested in learning about well-being pedagogy and fostering the peer-to-peer promotion of well-being constructs amongst the faculty in their respective colleges.
“Dr. Hunter is a dynamic and passionate leader who brings a demonstrated commitment to supporting student success in her own practice, and I am grateful to have her in this role,” Amber Williams, vice provost for Student Success, said.
Dr. John Zomchick, provost and senior vice chancellor, noted that development of a unifying Volunteer Experience is a priority in the university’s strategic vision.
“I look forward to the creative collaboration with our faculty to help students thrive inside and outside the classroom,” Dr. Zomchick said. “Partnerships with faculty are crucial to our strategic commitment to the Volunteer Experience, and Dr. Hunter will be an excellent leader to work with faculty, connect them to each other, and realize our shared goals.”
Faculty interested in applying to serve as Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellows can learn more by exploring the informational website and find well-being-based classroom resources provided by Teaching and Learning Innovation.
Contact: Lacey Wood, laceywood@utk.edu