By Evan Bentley
The Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Provost’s Faculty Internship Program develops leadership skills and complements leadership endeavors among faculty by supporting individual development while assisting university-wide academic initiatives. Established by EKU Provost Sara Zeigler and Assistant Provost Russell Carpenter in 2022, the program offers complete mentoring and learning opportunities, collaboration with colleagues in academic and administrative offices across campus, leadership opportunities on critical campus projects and individualized support for professional goals and growth.
“Eastern Kentucky University’s greatest resource is its people,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “We believe that it is crucial to invest in personal and professional development that allows our faculty to build upon their existing leadership skills.”
Provost Zeigler remarks that “the program has energized faculty participants and educated them on the larger issues facing higher education. Dr. Carpenter and I created this program to ensure that faculty could find ways to contribute and lead from an informed perspective no matter their role—be it Faculty Senate, program coordination, project leadership or as mentors to their colleagues. The mentors include deans, associate provosts and respected Foundation professors—all of whom serve as resources and guides to the entire cohort.”
After a competitive application process among associate professor and professor-level faculty, five were selected to the 2024 cohort:
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Alison Buck, Associate Professor of Sociology, Department of Language and Cultural Studies, Anthropology, and Sociology (Mentored by Jennifer Wies and Ryan Baggett)
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Ashley Cole, University Librarian, EKU Libraries (Mentored by Ryan Baggett and Julie George)
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Heather Fox, Associate Professor, Department of English (Mentored by Jeremy Mulholland and Derek Paulsen)
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Marie Manning, Associate Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership (Mentored by Jennifer Wies and Shirley O’Brien)
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Tim Wiggins, Associate Professor of Music Education, School of Music (Mentored by Shirley O’Brien and Derek Paulsen)
Heather Fox said, “I often describe EKU as a small liberal arts college in a regional university body because of its network of mentors dedicated to growth and opportunity. The Provost’s Faculty Internship Program enables me to expand upon my understanding of relationships between university areas, supporting my ability to effectively contribute to the interdisciplinary opportunities that enhance students’ educational experiences and support our programs.”
Through the Provost’s Faculty Internship Program, participants become more familiar with university-wide academic initiatives, such as strategic planning and budgeting. They will take on leadership projects contributing to areas of student success, facilities management, academics, faculty leadership and research. They will also contribute to EKU-focused research on leadership skill development—showcasing their research and appearing on a panel at the Leadership in Higher Education Conference.
As an Employer of Choice in the Commonwealth, EKU offers innovative experiences for professional development. Through opportunities, such as the Provost’s Faculty Internship Program, faculty can pursue their academic career endeavors and contribute to purposeful goals at EKU.