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Columns::November 12, 2001
Board of regents, UGA will not appeal admissions decision
U.S. ambassador will speak at fall Commencement
AJC editorial page editor will deliver McGill Lecture
Noted scientist presents fall Charter Lecture
Textiles professor researches ways that particles are transmitted through fabrics
What kind of world do we want in 2020?
Two campus-wide forums examine ideas for proposed campus memorial
UGA reiterates its freedom-of-expression policy
Information technology units merge to form Enterprise IT Services
Retirees
Newsmakers
Role models
Alternative Spring Break Fair
Silver service donated
Campus News
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| Tarek Grantham, Kecia Thomas and Rosemary Phelps coordinate one of only four national model “Preparing Future Faculty” programs in psychology. Photo by Peter Frey |
Teaching teachers
University psychologists join national program to ‘prepare future faculty’
By Phil Williams
phil@franklin.uga.edu
College and university faculty members in their first jobs usually know their subjects well enough. Often, however, junior faculty aren’t prepared for many of the challenges that come with the job.
A national program called “Preparing Future Faculty” has been working to change that situation since 1992, and the effort now includes some 43 doctoral degree-granting universities and 295 partner institutions. Psychologists from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education brought the effort to UGA--and to the state of Georgia--last year, and already the group’s work is paying off.
“It’s been a real success so far, and all the program’s initiatives, from seminars and networking to classroom observations and teaching at our partner institutions, have helped the students greatly,” says Rosemary Phelps, an associate professor of counseling psychology in the College of Education’s School of Professional Studies.
The two-year grant sponsored by the national PFF program and funded through the American Psychological Association is for $10,000 each year, matched by UGA. Each participating major research institution arranges for partner institutions; UGA’s include Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Kennesaw State University and North Georgia College and State University.
There are only four model PFF programs in psychology nationally: at UGA, Miami University of Ohio, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of New Hampshire. Though all the programs were funded simultaneously last year, New Hampshire’s program had been in place for several years before funding from the APA became available.
The national PFF program, which is for doctoral students only, offers grants in biological and life sciences, chemistry, communications, computer science, English, history, mathematics, physics, political science, psychology and sociology. Students get academic credit for the courses but no stipends; the funds support the program, including travel and expenses when visiting partner institutions or attending conferences. The psychology group was the first--and so far only--group at UGA to be approved for the program.
“This is really a promising development for industrial/organizational psychology in which I work,” says Kecia Thomas of the Franklin College’s department of psychology. “Sixty percent of I/O graduates go into industry and consulting, and this program is able to help promote teaching as a profession. The amount we’ve been able to do in preparing these students, along with our partner institutions, is encouraging.”
Tarek Grantham of the College of Education has been working closely with the students during their two-year stint in the PFF program.
“One thing I think that’s important is that we have a vision for how the PFF program can trickle down to the master’s and undergraduate levels, and even to high school,” says Grantham. “I’ve even worked with K-12 educators in trying to get students interested in psychology.”
The first group of students in UGA’s PFF program are Jessica DeCuir, Marc Grimmett, Natasha Howard, Chang-Ya Hu, Sigrid Kennebrew, Michael Matthews, Angie Roberts and Julio Rojas. Kennebrew, who was selected recently as a K. Patricia Cross Future Leader by the American Association for Higher Education, is currently finishing her doctoral degree in counseling psychology. She has provided counseling services at the Athens-Area Homeless Shelter and worked at UGA with a group called Continuing the Legacy of African American Student Advocates.
“I was amazed at how faculty [in this program] were able to balance their interests in working with students, as well as the community--which was a concern of mine--while I strongly consider a future in higher education that extends beyond the campus,” says Kennebrew.
The selection process for student participants in UGA’s PFF program is rigorous, says Phelps.
“They have to complete an application form and write about their career aspirations and how they will be prepared for their required teaching and service,” she says. “They also have to have excellent references from faculty members, and then the three of us [Thomas, Grantham and Phelps] interview the candidates.”
The program’s two-year funding expires next June, and the future of the program on campus is under discussion with administrators. Phelps hopes, however, that other departments and colleges here will see the value of applying for grants from the PFF program to help prepare future college-level teachers. The cross-college nature of the program is one of its strengths, says Grantham.
“This program is really introducing students to a broad view of academic life,” says Phelps. For example, a service-learning expert visited campus last month to give a lecture and meet with PFF students.
The PFF program nationally is funded by the Council of Graduate Schools, the Association of American College and Universities, the National Science Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and an anonymous donor. |
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