It was in Gilbreath Hall on the ETSU campus where the inaugural faculty of East Tennessee State Normal School first taught more than a century ago. Those 18 faculty members trained at some of the most impressive institutions in the world, and they came to this campus with the shared belief that through education, lives can be changed and our communities could be made better.
Fast-forward over a 100 years later, and that same tradition continues. Today, hundreds of faculty call this institution home. Our faculty believe in the power of higher education, and that with a college degree, any dream is possible. Our faculty are champions for our students. They are leaders, mentors, scholars, innovators, and public servants. They are award-winning teachers and noted researchers in their fields of study. They meet the needs of others. They generate new ideas and develop solutions for our community.
And, they are all committed to the success of their students.
Welcome to East Tennessee State University.
It is my honor to serve as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at this amazing institution that is transforming the lives of others every day.
Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Key Updates for ETSU Faculty/Staff
Commencement: December 13
ETSU's December Commencement ceremonies will be held on Saturday, December 13, in the Ballad Health Athletic Center. The 10 a.m. ceremony will honor the graduates of the Quillen College of Medicine (Biomedical Sciences), Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy (Pharmacy Studies), Clemmer College of Education and Human Development, College of Nursing, and College of Arts and Sciences. The 2 p.m. ceremony will honor the graduates of the Colleges of Public Health, Health Sciences, and Business and Technology. Ms. Tara Scarlett, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Scarlett Family Foundation and chairwoman of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, will be the keynote speaker at the afternoon ceremony. Learn more at etsu.edu/commencement.
John Green to speak at ETSU
East Tennessee State University is proud to announce that internationally acclaimed author and educator John Green will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Festival of Ideas, to be held on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. in the ETSU Foundation Grand Hall at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts. Admission to this event will be free, and ticket reservations will be available in the coming weeks at the Festival of Ideas website.
Safety Preparedness Training
Rusty Sells, ETSU Director of Emergency Management, conducted training for faculty and staff that provides insight into how ETSU prepares for, and responds to, different emergency situations, as well as what faculty and staff can do to assist in that effort.
University Council Minutes: Looking for the most recent minutes from our monthly University Council meeting? Visit here.
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty
During my first semester at ETSU, I visited each of the ETSU colleges where I met with the faculty and students and learned about their initiatives and plans. The accounts of how ETSU has inspired them were truly transformative.
I was so inspired by those stories that I have launched a new podcast series – Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty – in partnership with the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of University Marketing and Communications that is dedicated to telling the incredible stories of the ETSU faculty.
You can access the podcast here or find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, PodBean app,or on Spotify. Special thanks to Professor Martin Walters for creating the music for this podcast.
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