Communities of Practice

Past Communities of Practice

2025-2026

Career-Integrated Learning

Lead Faculty Fellow: Kristin Pope, Career Connections

Joshua Morgan, Career Connections

Andrew Denny, Criminal Justice

Casey Casebier, Modern Languages

Andrew McCarthy, English

Thien Le, Computer SCience

Desirae Johnson, Communication

April Wilson, Social Work

Steve Davenport, Accounting

Katheryn Taylor, History

Brad Reynolds, Chemistry

Abdul Ofoli, Engineering

Todd Dockery, Management

Interprofessional Education

Lead Faculty Fellow: Meagan Oslund, Nursing

Brooke Epperson, Nursing

Erin Melhorn, Occupational Therapy

Mary Andrews, Social Work

Stephanie Eton, Physical Therapy

AI-Enhanced Pedagogy: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Effective and Ethical Integration

Lead: Sheena Monds, English

Farron Kilburn, Nursing

Oren Whightsel, English

Charlene Simmons, Communication

Bill Worden, Computer Science

Courtney Crittenden, Criminal Justice

Stephanie Todd, English

Ruth Walker, Psychology

Susan Eckelmann, History

Decolonization, Place, and Community

Lead Faculty Fellows: Bart Pushaw, Art, and Amber Hickey, Art

Molly Copeland, Library

Natalie Blanton, Sociology

Chelsea Couch, Art

Brooke Persons, Anthropology

Emma McDonell, Anthropology

Engaging Chattanooga History: A Collaborative, Interactive, Open-Source Textbook and Curriculum for Hamilton County Middle School Students and Educators

Lead Faculty Fellows: Susan Ecklemann and Michael Vinson, History and Africana Studies

Mark Johnson, History and Africana Studies

Lori Waite, Sociology

Natalie Blanton, Sociology

Dunstan McNutt, WCTL

Chris Hansen, Education

Call for Proposals
WCTL Communities of Practice
Academic Year:  2026-2027

Description

The Walker Center is seeking proposals for up to 3 Communities of Practice (CoPs) to be implemented during the 2026-2027 academic year. These groups will each be led by a Faculty Fellow (the proposal author) who will organize from 5-7 additional members from across UTC to work on a collaborative project on a chosen theme. This is a stipend-based program. See more details below.

You will find the application form link at the end of these guidelines. Read guidelines fully before applying.

Scope of the Communities of Practice 

The primary aims of CoPs are to 1) construct wide-ranging conversations and collaborations regarding pedagogy across disciplines and to 2) produce concrete deliverables in light of these conversations that will be presented to the UTC campus. See above for topics from past groups.

Preference will be given to groups that tackle issues of major importance in higher education today, cultivate campus leadership regarding best practices in teaching and learning, and seek to impact teaching and learning in a robust way at UTC and beyond. Preference will also be given to proposals that engage and develop deliverables for a variety of teaching modes (in-person, online, hybrid, etc.) rather than one mode, such as only in-person instruction.

Proposal Elements

Using the online application form below, the proposal will address the following:

• Identification of Lead Faculty Fellow
• Title of the CoP
• Identification CoP Participants
• Period and Tentative Meeting Schedule of the Group’s Operation
• Aims of the Group
• Tasks of the Group
• Deliverables of the Group
• Plan for Dissemination of Results
• Mandatory Prior Meeting with Walker Center Review Committee
• Prior Department Head Support
• Prior Communication with CoP Participants

Timeline

Before applying, the lead Faculty Fellow should secure the approval of each CoP member's Department Head using a link on the application below and then contact and meet with the Walker Center review committee to discuss their proposal. It is also expected that an initial tentative meeting schedule will be set and agreed upon by all proposed members of the CoP. If a proposal is accepted, there will typically be another short meeting with the Walker Center before the CoP is launched.

Normally, CoPs should meet at least four times during the particular semester (fall or spring) in which they function, usually over lunch. The lunches are to be held on campus and will be coordinated and sponsored by the Walker Center through campus catering. Each CoP will have a liaison at the Walker Center who will support the group and sometimes attend its meetings.

At the end of their final semester, all CoP members will present at a roundtable discussion organized by the Walker Center for the UTC campus to hear about the work they have done in the CoP.

If a group proposes to work throughout the academic year, we are open to exploring this option and will entertain proposals that spread meetings logically throughout the entire academic year. Stipend amounts will remain as indicated below whether the group meets for one semester or throughout the academic year.

Deliverables

Beyond regular meetings, the working groups should produce concrete deliverables related to their given topic. These can take many forms, such as new pedagogical activities or assignments, revised syllabi, the development of plans for a future symposium, curricular materials, etc. As mentioned above, there will be a public presentation on the work and deliverables of the CoP to the UTC campus as a whole.

Composition of the Working Group

There will be one Faculty Fellow for each CoP who is responsible for submitting a proposal, organizing meetings, and serving as the main point of contact with the Walker Center.

The Faculty Fellow will identify up to 7 but usually no less than 5 additional CoP members at UTC to participate in the group, who each have the support of their Department Heads. By participating in the CoP, its members are agreeing to attend a majority of the group's meetings, work independently and together on any relevant projects, and present at the final roundtable.

Preference will be given to proposals that bring together faculty members from the different Colleges at UTC and collaborate beyond the usual disciplinary boundaries. Your CoP should aim to represent at least 3 of the 7 Colleges at UTC. 

The program prioritizes the involvement of faculty who have not previously participated in WCTL Faculty Fellows or Community of Practice programs. 

CoP members can only participate in one CoP per year.

Only UTC faculty members or staff who are teaching during the time period of the CoP (whether tenured, tenure-track, lecturers, or adjuncts) are eligible to participate in the CoP group.

Stipends and Funding

• The Lead Facilitator/Faculty Fellow will receive $1,500 for the time period of the group’s operation (Fall 2026 and/or Spring 2027). The Lead Facilitator/Faculty Fellow’s stipend will normally be paid out in three equal installments during a single semester (or be allocated proportionately if the group functions during both semesters).
• Each fully participating member of the CoP will receive $1,000 for the semester(s) proposed for the group. These stipends will normally be dispersed at the end of a semester (or be spread proportionately if the group functions during both semesters) and will be tied to the successful completion of the tasks proposed by the group (e.g., meeting attendance, development of deliverables, participation in a campus presentation, etc.).
• In addition to the stipends, the Walker Center will provide a total of $1000 to each CoP for food, beverages, or other related needs. Food will be catered by campus catering.

Application Form and Deadline for Online Application Submission 

Form: WCTL Community of Practice Application Form

• Deadline: June 15, 2026 @ 5:00 pm (late applications will not be accepted)
• Awards: The committee will announce the awards on August 3, 2026.
• Contact [email protected] for further information and to discuss possible submissions.