The Office of the Provost at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellows program within the Division of Student Success. The faculty fellows will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the Volunteer Experience in academic departments.
Central to UT’s Strategic Vision, the Volunteer Experience is a comprehensive, university-wide approach to promoting student well-being in all aspects of a student scholar’s experience. The Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellows program will be comprised of faculty interested in learning about well-being pedagogy and promoting well-being constructs amongst the faculty in their respective departments. The Division of Student Success will continue to partner with Teaching and Learning Innovation (TLI) to promote best practices in undergraduate instruction using a well-being framework.
Dr. Sally B Hunter, a clinical faculty member in the Department of Child and Family Studies, serves as the Volunteer Experience Faculty Director. Dr. Hunter will provide leadership to the cohort of fellows, who will be selected from a variety of colleges, and will partner with each fellow to determine appropriate well-being centered interventions and resources unique to their department’s needs and pedagogy.
Tenure or non-tenure track faculty member at University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Preference will be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas. Candidates do not need to meet all criteria:
- Faculty who express a demonstrated interest in instructional practices that support student well-being
- Faculty who teach courses at least once per academic year
Each Faculty Fellow will receive a total stipend of $5,000.
$2,500 at end of Fall 2025 term, upon completion of the following requirements:
- Complete asynchronous, online training modules
- Attend a retreat in August
- Attend 4, 90-minute meetings during the semester
- $2,500 at end of Spring 2026 term, upon completion of the following requirements:
- Attend a retreat in January
- Attend 4, 90-minute meetings during the semester
- Disseminate well-being content to their academic unit in collaboration with a coach and to coach’s home unit
- Co-host with fellows group a campus-wide event for faculty and coaches
Fellows will engage in training provided in partnership with Teaching and Learning Innovation, including:
- Independent completion of the Fostering the Volunteer Experience certificate– an asynchronous, self-paced introduction to well-being frameworks such as PERMA
- One retreat, in mid-August, expanding on concepts in the certificate, learning about Vol Success Teams, and discussing possible collaborations with coaches.
Fellows will partner with coaches to develop a dissemination plan appropriate for their department or college and for the coach’s home unit, including activities such as:
- Workshops (One-two hour facilitated experiences for leadership teams or groups of faculty)
- Facilitated discussions (Guiding departments or Student Success units in developing policies or strategic plans to improve student well-being)
Fellows will contribute to the to the planning of 2 events that bring faculty and Student Success coaches together across campus. These events will be designed to:
- Provide a high-engagement, low-stakes environment where faculty and coaches can interact and build community
- Open up opportunities for collaboration between faculty and coaches
The application period for this year’s VE Faculty Fellows has concluded!
Questions about the program or responsibilities of the Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellow role can be directed to Dr. Sally B Hunter at sbhunter@utk.edu.