N.C. A&T Faculty Complete Elite National Teaching Certification through ACUE

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (July 20, 2022) – This fall, 29 North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University faculty members will be better prepared to teach their students confidently and enthusiastically.

In May, they became nationally certified to teach face-to-face or online after completing an online course developed by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

The 25-week, self-paced, highly interactive course prepares tenure track, non-tenure track, and part-time faculty in evidence-based teaching practices proven through independently validated research to improve student achievement and close equity gaps.

ACUE-certified faculty have improved outcomes among 100,000 students nationwide.

One of the nationally-certified ACUE faculty members at N.C. A&T is Chastity Warren, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) Department of Agribusiness, Applied Economics and Agriscience Education.

“The ACUE program provided me with a beautiful opportunity to sharpen my teaching tools this year,” said Warren. “The strategies were practical and student-centered, which provided me with many chances to incorporate the different approaches within my courses. My student engagement and empowerment increased tremendously due to the strategies introduced by ACUE."

Center for Teaching Excellence Director Audrey Dentith, Ph.D., helped bring the ACUE certification program to A&T. Her center selected the 29 faculty members in Fall 2021.  

Having nationally certified faculty “promotes more interest and enthusiasm for teaching across campus,” said Dentith, and it makes for stronger and “more enjoyable teaching and better relationships with students.”

For DeRome Dunn, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Engineering (COE) Department of Mechanical Engineering, completing the certification provided an abundance of creative and innovative teaching ideas he uses in his classes.

“The ACUE provided, in one place, resources on the science of and best practices on teaching and learning that would take years of study, practice and effort to assemble on your own,” said Dunn.

Along with Warren, Dentith and Dunn, the faculty members who earned ACUE certification are:

• Vernal Alford, adjunct assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering and assistant to the dean, COE
• Uchenna Anele, Ph.D., associate professor of animal sciences, CAES
• Shyam Aravamudhan, Ph.D., associate professor of nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
• Shirlene Coopwood, Ph.D., associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Counseling, College of Education (CEd)
• Malissa Davis, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting and finance, Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics
• Marrissa Dick, Ph.D., religious studies lecturer in the Department of Liberal Studies, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS)
• Devona Dixon, Ph.D., associate professor of family and consumer sciences, CAES
• Nicole Dobbins, Ph.D., associate professor of educator preparation, CEd
• Kossi Edoh, mathematics professor, College of Science and Technology (COST)
• Tamer Elbayoumi, assistant mathematics professor, COST
• Yvonne Ford, Ph.D., assistant professor, School of Nursing, John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences
• Uchenna Iloghalu, Ph.D., associate professor of animal sciences, CAES
• Christopher Horne, Ph.D., lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, COE
• Steven Jiang, Ph.D., associate professor of industrial and systems engineering, COE
• Liesl Jeffers-Francis, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, COST
• Alycia Graves, part-time history and political science instructor, CAHSS
• Joy Kennedy, Ph.D., assistant professor of speech communication, Hairston College
• Mahmoud Mahmoud, Ph.D., assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, COE
• Charles Malone, associate professor of accounting and finance, Deese College
• Perpetua Muganda, Ph.D., biology professor, COST
• Venktesh Pandey, Ph.D., assistant professor of civil architecture and environmental engineering, COE
• Ginger Redd, Ph.D., teaching associate professor of chemistry, COST
• Kimberly Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of journalism and mass communication, CAHSS
• Zhaohui Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer systems technology, COST
• Portia Williams, M.Ed., kinesiology lecturer, Hairston College
• Ling Xu, assistant mathematics professor, COST

“For faculty who complete the program, the impact on student learning is clear: Students in classes taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty experience higher retention rates and increased learning,” Dentith said. “This is particularly significant among students of color and first-generation students.”

New faculty will be recruited for Fall 2022. For more information, contact Dentith at amdentih@ncat.edu or 336-285-3043.