Dr. Rachel Wilson, a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, has been named the Reich College of Education’s (RCOE) Faculty Fellow for Mentoring Initiatives. Additionally, Dr. Jennifer Luetkemeyer, an associate professor in the Department of Leadership and Educational Studies, has been named Associate Faculty Fellow.
The Faculty Fellow for Mentoring Initiatives supports an intentional mentoring program and initiatives for the RCOE, which includes early, mid, and senior-career assistance and support. One example of this is the college’s mentoring guild.
Additionally, the Fellow will serve in a liaison role between faculty and institutional support units as well as collaborate on campus-wide faculty development efforts, including Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success (CETLSS), Office of Research, University Library, Academic Technologies, RCOE Equity Think Tank, RCOE Digital Teaching and Learning, and RCOE academic departments/units.
“Our RCOE Mentoring Guild, under the direction of our previous Faculty Fellow, Dr. Tracy Smith, has been working to advance a culture of mentoring and to develop initiatives to support faculty at various stages in their careers. I am excited to continue this work within our community and am so grateful that our college leadership recognizes the importance of RCOE-specific faculty development and mentoring,”
“I am thankful to be given the opportunity to serve our RCOE community as the Faculty Fellow for Mentoring Initiatives,” said Wilson. “Our RCOE Mentoring Guild, under the direction of our previous Faculty Fellow, Dr. Tracy Smith, has been working to advance a culture of mentoring and to develop initiatives to support faculty at various stages in their careers.”
“I am excited to continue this work within our community and am so grateful that our college leadership recognizes the importance of RCOE-specific faculty development and mentoring,” she added.
Luetkemeyer is “thrilled” to be stepping into her new role, which will include co-facilitating the Mentoring Guild, acting as a proxy for Wilson, and serving as a point of contact with major college strategic planning groups.
“As someone who struggled initially to find her place within the university, mentorship and faculty support are areas I feel very passionate about,” she noted. “I want everyone to feel as if they belong so that we can attract and retain the best and brightest colleagues who will then flourish in a welcoming and easily navigable environment.”
During their first year of the fellowship, Wilson and Luetkemeyer will be developing programming to support early career and faculty new to App State, as well as facilitating opportunities to support all RCOE faculty.
Meet the Faculty Fellows
Dr. Rachel Wilson
Wilson is in her twelfth year at App State and has served as a professor in the elementary education program and the Graduate Certificate for Teaching Emergent Bilingual Populations in Content Areas.
Wilson earned her Ph.D. in science education from the University of Georgia. Her research and service work has focused on co-designing and planning integrated science and language arts units with classroom teachers to incorporate multiple modes of representation in science teaching and learning.
Wilson also has other research interests including the identity development of teacher candidates and in-service teachers related to science learning and teaching.
Wilson’s research has been published in the following journals: Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, International Journal of Science Education, Research in Science Education, Innovations in Science Teacher Education, Journal of Science Teacher Education, Science & Children, and Journal of Empowering Teaching Excellence.
She also serves as the Regional Director of the Mid-Atlantic Association for Science Teacher Education.
In 2018, Wilson was awarded the RCOE Outstanding Teaching award.
Dr. Jennifer Luetkemeyer
Luetkemeyer joined the RCOE in 2016. Her research focuses on the ways that students access information and knowledge, what resources and information they have access to, and how information and knowledge are presented to them, as well as the role of creativity in pedagogy and practice. The fundamental principle that all students deserve, and should be provided with, equal access to information, knowledge, and resources guides her work.
She is also invested in the mentorship of both students and colleagues.
Luetkemeyer earned her Ph.D. in information and MLIS from Florida State University and her B.S. in sociology from the University of North Florida.
Rachel Wilson and Jennifer Luetkemeyer
