Quillen Chair of Excellence in Education
The James H. Quillen Chair of Excellence in Teaching and Learning is a distinguished position within the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development, dedicated to advancing the field of teaching and learning. The individual appointed to this chair serves as a faculty member and brings recognized expertise to support both the College and the University in addressing critical educational needs. This role is instrumental in fostering excellence in teaching, driving innovation, and enhancing learning outcomes across all levels of education.
By designating this chair in the area of teaching and learning, the University affirms
the central role of effective teaching in the educational process. The chairholder
will be a catalyst for inquiry and innovation, contributing to the improvement of
education and the overall quality of life in our region, our state, and the nation.
About The Quillen Chair
Dawn A. Rowe, Ph.D., named Quillen Chair of Excellence in July 2022, enhances education through research and innovation. She has over 70 journal articles, 7 book chapters, 2 books, and over 150 presentations. She has been awarded over $30 million in research funding. She teaches in the Special Education Program and serves on the Clemmer College of Education and Development leadership team.
The current Quillen Chair is focused on:
Rural Education and Wellness
Impact of Chair of Excellence on ETSU, College, and Programs
The Quillen Chair of Excellence in Teaching and Learning enhances research and scholarship capacity. From July 2023 to June 2024, Dr. Rowe expanded outreach, increasing faculty/staff meetings from 6 to 25 and supporting five school leadership teams. She presented at six events promoting rural health and wellness and engaged in peer mentoring across ETSU’s Clemmer College, College of Public Health, and College of Arts and Sciences, supporting nine research teams. Dr. Rowe also guided public school recruitment for research studies, IRB processes, and research methods, and mentored 14 faculty/staff in grant writing, up from 3 the previous year. Consequently, the Counseling and Human Services faculty secured $1,250,000 in September 2023, with four other applications under review by the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and National Institutes of Health.