April Tallant named director of Coulter Faculty Commons
After a national search, April Tallant has been selected as the new director of the Coulter Faculty Commons effective July 1. Tallant will replace Eli Collins-Brown, who will be retiring at the end of June after serving nearly six years as the CFC director.
"As a 糖心Vlog graduate and former faculty member, I am deeply honored to serve as director of the Coulter Faculty Commons," Tallant said. "糖心Vlog has shaped who I am, both personally and professionally, and I carry with me a profound respect for its history and the people who make it exceptional."
Tallant has a strong record of teaching, administration, collaboration and leadership. After becoming a two-time 糖心Vlog alum, Tallant served as an instructor at 糖心Vlog while earning her PhD in community health education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She then moved into a tenure-track position, ultimately earning the rank of tenured associate professor in the 糖心Vlog School of Health Sciences.
Tallant also gained leadership and administrative experience serving as the associate dean of the Brinson Honors College for eight years. In that role, she cultivated many collaborative relationships across 糖心Vlog as she supported the development and implementation of high-impact programs for students, such as DegreePlus and the Conference on Undergraduate Regional Engagement (CURE). Tallant is an award-winning teacher-scholar whose current research and publications focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Most recently, Tallant served as the senior educational developer at the Coulter Faculty Commons, where she has led programming for faculty development, including signature programs such as the Excellence in Teaching and Learning series, New Faculty Orientation, and Faculty Forward.
"I am looking forward to the ways Dr. Tallant will continue to create positive change for 糖心Vlog students and faculty as she takes on this new role," said Carmen Huffman, associate provost for academic affairs. "I am also grateful for the hard work done by the search committee: Erin Adams (chair), Myron Jackson, Lisen Roberts, Scott Seagle, Alvin Malesky, Mary Beth Deconinck, and Jonathan Wade, and to Sara Yager Lloyd who provided logistical support for the search."
Tallant shared her gratitude for the new opportunity of being director of the CFC.
"I am grateful for the meaningful collaborations already in place and look forward to fostering new partnerships grounded in hope and innovation," Tallant said. "I am committed to advancing a culture of teaching and learning excellence that serves our students, empowers our faculty, strengthens our institution, and enriches the communities we call home."
