PODCAST · education
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty
by East Tennessee State University
This podcast celebrates the faculty of East Tennessee State University by amplifying their stories. Faculty guests discuss why they are passionate about teaching and share what impact they hope their students will make on the world. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Music for this podcast was composed by ETSU Professor Martin Walters.
Episodes
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Episode 07: Mathew Desjardins
Mathew Desjardins, a member of the College of Business and Technology, is overseeing ETSU's innovative new BlueSky Tennessee Institute. This groundbreaking program provides Tennessee students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in computing and a job offer at BlueCross in just over two...
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Episode 32: Dr. Randy Wykoff on leadership, public health, and real-world impact
Provost Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle sits down with Dr. Randy Wykoff, founding dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, to reflect on his decades of leadership, teaching, and service. From building Tennessee’s first accredited school of public health to preparing students for real-world challenges...
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Episode 31: Dr. Kevin E. O’Donnell on John Green, the ETSU Common Read, and good writing that begins with honesty
In this episode of “Why I Teach,” Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), sits down with Dr. Kevin E. O’Donnell, Professor of English and recipient of the 2024 Stephen L. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching…
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Episode 30: Dr. Aaron Polichnowski on curiosity and discovery in the research lab
In this episode of Why I Teach, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle sits down with Dr. Aaron Polichnowski, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine and recipient of the university’s 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award in Research. A nationally...
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Episode 29: Dr. Kyle Leister on launching ETSU’s groundbreaking Orthotics and Prosthetics program
Join ETSU Provost Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle in this inspiring episode of the “Why I Teach” podcast as she speaks with Dr. Kyle Leister, Assistant Professor and Program Director of ETSU’s new Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics program – the first in Tennessee and one of only 14...
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Episode 28: Dr. Christy Lawson, trauma surgeon and ETSU professor, shares how mentorship and a deep commitment to serving others shape her approach to teaching.
In this inspiring episode of Why I Teach, Dr. Christy Lawson, a trauma, critical care, and acute care surgeon at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine, reflects on her journey from a rural community in Georgia to the operating room and classroom. Blending stories of family, mentorship, and personal...
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Episode 27: Dr. Flo Weierbach discusses research on caregiver health, challenges of rural health care, and the importance of interprofessional education for nurses
In this episode of “Why I Teach,” Dr. Flo Weierbach, a seasoned nurse and professor at East Tennessee State University’s College of Nursing, talks with Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle about her journey from providing direct care to teaching the next generation of nurses. With over 40 years of...
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Episode 26: Dr. Joe Moore on building a marching band from scratch and the ETSU Marching Bucs journey to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
In this episode, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle talks with Dr. Joe Moore, Director of Athletics Bands, Associate Director of Bands, and Associate Professor of Music, about the incredible ETSU Marching Bucs. In 2014, Dr. Moore was tasked with revitalizing the Marching Bucs, which had been dissolved…
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Episode 25: Dr. Melanie B. Richards on AI in teaching, hands-on learning for media and marketing students, and more
In this episode, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle talks with Dr. Melanie B. Richards, interim director of ETSU’s new School of Marketing and Media, about how her experience in the corporate world led to a career in academia – and how she is harnessing that experience to make sure her students get...
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Episode 24: Dr. Michael Anthony Fowler
This episode features Dr. Michael Anthony Fowler, Assistant Professor of Art History in the Department of Art and Design at East Tennessee State University. In addition to his work in the classroom, Dr. Fowler is an active collaborator on several international archeological projects and serves as...
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Episode 23: Dr. Scott Jenkinson
This episode features Dr. Scott Jenkinson, Assistant Professor in Clemmer College of Education and Human Development and a faculty fellow for Community-Engaged Learning at the ETSU Center for Teaching Excellence. He provides a wonderful snapshot of some of the ways in which community-engaged...
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Episode 22: Dr. Colin Glennon
In this episode, Provost McCorkle talks with Dr. Colin Glennon, professor and chair in the Department of Political Science, International Affairs, and Public Administration. Dr. Glennon also serves as the faculty sponsor of ETSU’s award-winning Mock Trial Team. Podcast Transcript: Dr. Colin R....
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Episode 21: Stephen Hendrix
This episode features Stephen Hendrix, a tenured instructor in the Department of Computing in ETSU’s College of Business and Technology. Mr. Hendrix is a three-time ETSU graduate. In addition to teaching, he is actively involved in service at ETSU, where he has represented his fellow faculty...
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Episode 20: Dr. Elwood Watson
This episode features Dr. Elwood Watson, Professor of History, Black American Studies, and Gender Studies at ETSU. Dr. Watson is a prolific writer, the author and editor of dozens of journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews. He also authored several books, including a book of essays…
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Episode 19: Dr. Tabitha Fair
Dr. Tabitha Fair has a long history with ETSU’s Dental Hygiene Program, which celebrates its 55th anniversary this year. She began as a student and this year she has been teaching for 20 years in the program. In this episode, Dr. Fair describes the community-engaged, hands-on learning experiences...
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Episode 18: Dr. Brian Cross
Dr. Brian Cross discusses the past decade of interprofessional education (IPE) at East Tennessee State University and plans to continue evolving the curriculum to train students for team-based care to improve patient outcomes. Cross is Assistant Vice Provost and Director of ETSU's Center for...
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Episode 17: Dr. Joshua Reid
In this episode, Dr. Josh Reid, Associate Professor of English, talks about how he engages his students with classical and early modern literature. He also shares his favorite books of the year. Podcast Transcript: Dr. Josh Reid There's a certain way that encountering these stories from the past...
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Episode 16: Dr. Sharon Bigger
This episode features Dr. Sharon Bigger, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. Dr. Bigger is a career hospice nurse and former medical interpreter who uses the lessons she has learned with her patients and her research to inspire our undergraduate and graduate students in the classroom…
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Episode 15: Dr. Blair Reece
In this episode, Dr. Blair Reece, Assistant Professor in the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine, talks about how medical education has changed since she was a student at Quillen and her favorite subjects to teach her medical students. Podcast Transcript: Dr. Blair Reece: Students don't want to come...
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Episode 14: Dr. Patrick Brown
Dr. Patrick Brown, Associate Professor in the ETSU College of Public Health’s Department of Health Sciences, is a past recipient of ETSU’s Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching and has received national recognition for his work with the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) method of...
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Episode 13: Dr. Jessica Burchette
Not only has Dr. Jessica Burchette taught at Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy since 2012, she also has the distinction of being a proud member of the college’s inaugural graduating class in 2010. In this episode of “Why I Teach,” she shares how community-engaged learning and interprofessional...
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Episode 12: Karen Brewster
Karen Brewster, professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, has shared her love of theater with ETSU students for almost 25 years. Podcast Transcript: Professor Karen Brewster: It is a magnificent space. It is a state-of-the-art space. The tools that the students need to learn to...
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Episode 11: Dr. Daryl Carter
ETSU alumnus Dr. Daryl A. Carter returned to his alma mater to teach in 2008. Over the past 15 years, he has instilled in his students an appreciation for history and the humanities and has led ETSU's Black American Studies Program for the past three years. Podcast Transcript: Dr. Daryl Carter...
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Episode 10: Dr. Mary Mullins
Dr. Mary Mullins, chair of the Department of Social Work at East Tennessee State University, knows the value of ETSU’s commitment to interprofessional education. Before she joined the faculty at ETSU, she practiced social work in medical environments, where she saw the benefits of social workers...
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Episode 09: Dr. Virginia Foley
Dr. Virginia Foley has decades of experience in education, first as an educator and administrator in the K-12 setting and then transitioning to higher education in 2007. As a faculty member in ETSU's Clemmer College, she prepares students to make a difference in the classroom. She is also making…
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Episode 08: Dr. Mike Stoots
ETSU College of Public Health's Project EARTH, located at the ETSU-Eastman Valleybrook campus, has received national recognition for its curriculum. Dr. Mike Stoots describes some of the hands-on learning opportunities taking place there and why he enjoys teaching in this innovative program....
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Guest 06: Dr. Alison Barton
Dr. Alison Barton is the new Director of the ETSU Center for Teaching Excellence and an award-winning faculty member from the Clemmer College. Hear her discuss the importance of faculty members seeing their courses through the eyes of their students. Dr. Barton also talks about her use of...
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Episode 05: Dr. Kelly Price
Dr. Kelly Price is an award-winning faculty member in the College of Business and Technology and a two-time graduate of ETSU. In 2014, she helped launch our new M.S. program in Digital Marketing and continues to serve as one of the primary faculty for the program. Podcast Transcript: [Music] Dr....
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Episode 04: Dr. Cerrone Foster
Dr. Cerrone Foster first heard about ETSU when she was a summer research fellow in the Ronald McNair Program. Now, she is a highly respected faculty member in Biological Sciences and a true champion for student success. Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle Hi, I'm Kimberly McCorkle, provost and senior…
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Episode 03: Rhonda Brodrick
From teaching dosage calculations to understanding the intense demands of working on the critical care unit, Rhonda Brodrick from the College of Nursing is inspiring the next generation of nursing professionals. Podcast Transcript: Professor Rhonda Brodrick And we would let them– we would have…
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Episode 02: Dr. Sean Fox
In 2021, a group of ETSU students decided to nominate their professor Dr. Sean Fox for a teaching award. He went on to receive the Distinguished Faculty Award, the highest honor presented to an ETSU faculty member. Podcast Transcript: [Music] Dr. Sean Fox Graduation is always a special time. You...
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Episode 01: Dr. Tom Kwasigroch
Dr. Tom Kwasigroch is one of the inaugural faculty members at the Quillen College of Medicine. He has taught every medical school student since the school was established. Hear about his passion for medical education and how the instruction of gross anatomy has transformed during the past four...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This podcast celebrates the faculty of East Tennessee State University by amplifying their stories. Faculty guests discuss why they are passionate about teaching and share what impact they hope their students will make on the world. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Music for this podcast was composed by ETSU Professor Martin Walters.
HOSTED BY
East Tennessee State University
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty have?
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty currently has 32 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty about?
This podcast celebrates the faculty of East Tennessee State University by amplifying their stories. Faculty guests discuss why they are passionate about teaching and share what impact they hope their students will make on the world. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, ETSU Provost...
How often does Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty release new episodes?
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty has 32 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty?
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty is created and hosted by East Tennessee State University.
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