Student Success

Academic Culture in McCombs School of Business

Cohort

2022

Fellow(s)

MSB does not have a standardized way to define or measure rigor in the classroom beyond using class GPAs as a proxy measure. This focus on lower GPA = higher rigor has had the unintended consequence of creating a
culture of acceptance for low student performance, which disproportionately falls on underrepresented
minorties and first-generation students. This project focuses on standardizing the definition and measurement of rigor in the classroom in a manner that supports both faculty development/promotion and student diversity/inclusion.

The “Social/Wellness Module:” Providing Space for Wellbeing and Social Learning for Incoming UT Students

Cohort

2022

Fellow(s)

Marina Alexandrova

My project addresses the lack of built-in social/wellness-oriented interactions in introductory courses for

Stacy Sparks

Current Fellow

Chemistry

College of Natural Sciences

Initiative Focus

Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Student Success

Stacy Sparks is a Professor of Instruction in the Chemistry Department and focuses much of her teaching on General Chemistry courses. She directs the Chemistry Learning Assistant Program, which provides an experiential learning experience for 80 undergraduate students each semester, building their teaching and leadership skills and preparing them to assist general chemistry and organic chemistry students in the classroom.

Marina Alexandrova

Current Fellow

Slavic and Eurasian Studies

College of Liberal Arts

Initiative Focus

Curriculum Redesign

Student Success

Student Wellbeing

Dr. Alexandrova teaches a variety of courses on Russian history, culture, and language. Her current research interests include international modernism and avant-garde, Russian radical and revolutionary movements, spirituality in Imperial Russia, and, most recently, cultural and spiritual ties between Russia and the United States. Her Signature Course, UGS 303 "Tsars and Mystics," examines (un)Orthodox spiritual practices of Russian rulers from Ivan the Terrible to Nicholas II.

Kristie J Loescher

Current Fellow

Management

McCombs School of Business

Initiative Focus

Assessment

Student Success

Dr. Loescher is a Professor of Instruction in the Management Department of the McCombs School of Business. Her professional and education background includes recognition as a Senior Certified Professional in human resources, as well as a Doctorate in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to her career in academia, she earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan and worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years in the areas of quality assurance, utilization management, and clinical research.

Gwendolyn Stovall

Current Fellow

Freshman Research Initiative

College of Natural Sciences

Initiative Focus

Mentorship

Skill-Building

Student Success

For the last 10+ years, Gwen Stovall has worked as a biochemist and aptamer researcher in the CNS Freshman Research Initiative, where she leads a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to identify aptamers, understand the underlying mechanisms and parameters of aptamer selections, and investigate aptamer specificity. As an educator, Gwen is committed to student empowerment and success, and seeks to improve student outcomes by mentoring, teaching, challenging, and engaging students.