Four UT Faculty Members Named SEC Academic Leadership Development Fellows

Four faculty members from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were selected as 2024-25 Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows.

The program seeks to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. Representing a range of leadership positions and academic interests, the fellows were named through a competitive process after being nominated by their dean, provost or faculty senate president.

"The faculty members selected as program fellows are outstanding scholars and leaders," said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. "Their work inspires students, shapes policy and sparks innovation. The SEC's program will give them a wonderful opportunity to grow their leadership interests and share their expertise across the conference."

Meet UT's 2024-25 SEC Academic Leadership Development Fellows:

Stephanie Bohon, College of Arts and Sciences

Bohon

Stephanie Bohon serves as a professor and head of the Department of Sociology. Since stepping in to lead the department in 2020, Bohon has overseen a department with 43% growth in tenure-line faculty, 21% growth in its graduate program and 123% growth in majors.

Bohon's research focuses on nativism and racism in labor, housing and transportation, particularly focused on Latine workers in the U.S. Southeast. Her current work focuses on expanding opportunities for workers in quality green jobs. She is an Economic and Community Development Fellow at UT's Howard H. Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs. Bohon was the first woman to edit the Population Research and Policy Review and currently serves on the editorial board of several other journals.

Amy Cathey, Haslam College of Business

Cathey

Amy Cathey serves as associate dean for graduate and executive education in the Haslam College of Business. In that role, she provides leadership for the college's growing portfolio of master's and working professional programs.

Cathey serves as a core faculty member in the Executive MBA for Strategic Leadership, Executive MBA for Healthcare Leadership and Physician Executive MBA programs. She has advised more than 90 executive MBA organizational action projects and is the recipient of several outstanding teaching awards. Cathey has held a variety of administrative roles in the college's graduate and executive education area and taught undergraduate courses, full-time MBA courses, executive MBA courses and nondegree executive education programs.

Courtney Childers, College of Communication and Information

Childers

Courtney Childers serves as associate dean for academic affairs and student success in the College of Communication and Information. A member of the college's faculty since 2006, she is a professor in the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations and served as interim director of the School of Journalism and Media from January 2023 to June 2024. Childers served as the founding executive director of the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center, one of the first social listening command centers at an academic institution in the United States.

Her research interests include societal issues and advertising. Her recent research has focused on the impact of emerging media on the advertising and public relations fields, influencer marketing, social media, advertising agency workflow and advertising pedagogy.

Mingzhou Jin, Tickle College of Engineering

Jin

Mingzhou Jin is the John D. Tickle Professor and head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He serves as the director of the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment for the State of Tennessee and the Center for Freight Transportation for Efficient and Resilient Supply Chain.

Jin's research interests include supply chain, logistics, transportation, data analytics, sustainability, climate change, operations research, additive and smart manufacturing, clean energy and energy efficiency. His research has received more than $20 million in grants and contracts from a broad spectrum of federal and local government agencies, foundations and corporations. He is a fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.

"The SEC is committed to providing opportunities and resources that help prepare faculty throughout our conference for the next phase of their careers," said LeNá Powe McDonald, associate commissioner of academic relations at the SEC. "The program prepares future leaders whose impact on education and the communities they serve will be felt for years to come."

Since the establishment of the SEC ALDP in 2008, more than 500 individuals have participated as fellows or liaisons. The complete list of current fellows is available at the SEC website.

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