Appalachia

Morehead State University

Morehead State University has a robust history as a rural-serving teacher preparation institution, and continues to expand vital rural teacher preparation efforts. Dr. Nicola Mason, Dean of the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University, serves as the primary contact for Kentucky in the Appalachia Regional Hub.

Morehead State University’s (MSU) work in preparing teachers to serve the region is longstanding; it began as a normal school, or an institute exclusively to train educators. Joining as a part of RSC’s Appalachia Hub in 2020, Morehead State’s commitment to rural education exemplifies dedication to building strong, resilient rural communities. MSU was also the recipient of RSC’s 2021 Catalyst Initiative Grant funding to spur the development of their own rural teacher corps effort, Appalachian Future Educators. Morehead State University shares Appalachia hub leadership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The University used its Catalyst Initiative Grant to roll out the Appalachian Future Educator Scholarship Program, which has become a national leader in rural teacher preparation and engagement.

• Appalachian Future Educators (AFE): This program recruits students from MSU’s 22-county service region in eastern Kentucky, and provides them with a scholarship, mentoring opportunities, and other support as they progress toward becoming teacher educators in rural Kentucky. This enhances the pipeline of qualified educators and educational leaders by strengthening partnerships with school districts in identifying, recruiting, and mentoring students from the region to return to their home communities as rural teacher-leaders.
• MSUTeach: In addition the AFE, the MSUTeach program offers the opportunity for STEM students to receive a teaching certification along with their Bachelor of Science degree. Most students in the program are from Eastern Kentucky, and training STEM graduates to teach enables those teaching candidates to return to their home communities, certified and confident, to begin teaching careers.
  

University of Tennessee-Chattanooga: Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is a leader in fostering impactful rural collaborations at the local, regional, and national levels. Dr. Allen Pratt serves as the primary contact for Tennessee in the Appalachia Regional Hub.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education advances literacy, prepares educators, and develops innovative ideas to support K-12 students and teachers across the region.

Tennessee has captured well-earned national spotlight in recent years for how colleges, universities, schools, and educators have embraced new approaches to education in the post-pandemic space. Some of these hallmarks include Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation Teacher Apprenticeship Occupation programs and effective support mechanisms assisting students’ academic recovery since 2020.

• University of Tennessee System’s Tennessee Grow Your Own (GYO) Center: which establishes GYO Hubs at each of the four UT schools, including Chattanooga. Tennessee’s Grow Your Own initiative has fostered strong partnerships between Educator Preparation Providers and Local Education Agencies creating innovative, tuition-free pathways into the teaching profession. This work will continue to strengthen pipelines of well-prepared teachers and education professionals to support school districts across the state.