PROPEL Center Celebrates 37 Faculty Fellows

PROPEL Center Celebrates 37 Faculty Fellows
PROPEL Center Celebrates 37 Faculty Fellows

PROPEL Center Celebrates 37 Faculty Fellows

ATLANTA, PRNewswire -- A cohort of nearly 40 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) leaders recently culminated a year-long professional development training designed to enhance teaching skills to ensure the most impactful learning classroom experience. Launched by PROPEL Center, an innovation technology hub for HBCUs, the HBCU Faculty Fellows Academy (HFFA) serves as a cornerstone programmatic initiative that provides selected faculty members an opportunity to facilitate learning, lead and leverage Apple technology to promote student success, and expand their professional network.

"At PROPEL Center, we remain committed to igniting opportunities in the classroom for both students and faculty through accelerated, experiential and virtual learning opportunities that infuse leading technology and industry-aligned professional training," said PROPEL Center President Dr. Lisa Herring. "Our professors play an integral role in shaping the career trajectories of more than 300,000 students currently enrolled at HBCUs. It's imperative that we work collaboratively with these distinguished institutions to ensure their faculty and students remain equipped to lead in a dynamic and ever-changing marketplace," said Herring.


Highlighting the twelve-month experience was a two-day faculty showcase hosted in partnership with PROPEL Center's founding sponsor Apple. At the end of May, in Austin, Texas, the HFFA spotlighted the cohort's achievements and demonstrated how faculty members plan to integrate learning science principles, Apple technology, and the PROPEL Center leadership model to enhance learning outcomes at their respective institutions.

HFFA has achieved notable success. Following their participation in the program, 100% of the fellows reported an increase in their professional network, expanding their community across the HBCU ecosystem. Additionally, 100% of faculty fellows are preparing to integrate Apple technology into their classrooms, which will result in thousands of students benefiting from the enhanced teaching skills of the cohort.

The academy's curriculum is designed by industry experts, HBCU faculty, and notable workforce collaborators, ensuring relevance and an innovative and personalized professional development experience. "The program's curriculum design and delivery incorporate learning science principles that account for the unique learning needs of neurodiverse and culturally diverse learners," said PROPEL Center Chief Learning and Innovation Officer Dr. Camesha Whittaker. "The curated learning experience emphasizes active, hands-on activities and challenge-based learning opportunities with a special focus placed on educators understanding ways to better support students along a unique learning journey," said Whittaker.

2023-2024 HHFA Participants

Yaw Adoo, Morris Brown College

Mohit Anand, Miles College

Brody Bluemel, Delaware State University

Tamara Brown Payne, Fort Valley State University

Claudius Claiborne, Texas Southern University

Monique Earl-Lewis, Morehouse College

Megan Fields, Fort Valley State University

MaKisha Funderburke, Clark Atlanta University

Patrice W. Glenn Jones, Alabama State University

William Hanff, University District of Columbia

Andrew Hutchens, Benedict College

Keesha James, Lawson State University

Maurice Johnson, Florida A&M University

Kenya Jones, Clark Atlanta University

Sosanya Jones, Howard University

Ishwari Kunwar, Fort Valley State University

Nancy Linden, Savannah State University

Johnny Lowery, Claflin University

Marisela Martinez-Cola, Morehouse College

Ariana Mbemi, Jackson State University

Ouida McAfee, Coahoma Community College

Muhsinah Morris, Morehouse College

Christina Muhammad, Morehouse School of Medicine

Steven Onukwull, Bishop State Community College

Charmayne Patterson, Clark Atlanta University

Sylvester Polk, Bethune-Cookman College

Kimetta Reynolds Hairston, Bowie State University

Detrice Roberts, Jackson State University

Tytianna Rungstaff, Simmons College

Ruth Smith, Bethune-Cookman College

Steven Starks, Clark Atlanta University

Toni Stevens, Spelman College

Adria Welcher, Morehouse College

Avery Williams, Morehouse College

As PROPEL Center celebrates the accomplishments of its faculty fellows representing 25 HBCUs, it sets the stage for a new cohort poised to further elevate the educational landscape within HBCUs. "With a focus on honing leadership and tech-enhanced ways to facilitate learning, the HFFA stands as a beacon of teaching innovation in the HBCU ecosystem," said Herring.

2024-2025 HHFA Participants

Jarralynne Agee, Miles College

Monique Anderson, Lane College

Herbert A. Brisbon, Dillard University

Angela L. Charlton, Coppin State University

Satyanarayan Dev, Florida A&M University

Biswadeep Dhar, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Takisha Durm, Alabama A&M University

Agbor A. Ebot, Livingstone College

Valeree Ellis-Barnes, Rust College

Dwedor W. Ford, Prairie View A&M University

Kristi Garrett, Morris Brown College

Rosalyn D. Harrington, Winston-Salem State University

Jerry L. Haywood, Jr., Fort Valley State University

Farzana Hussain, Huston-Tillotson University

Renita J. Irving, Clinton College

Stacy J. Jones, Jackson State University

Rhonda L. Lucas, Bishop State Community College

Nathalie Mizelle, University of the District of Columbia

Anisha Moorhead, Harris-Stowe State University

Krystal Peters, Cheyney University

Jeremy Allen Pittman, Coahoma Community College

Amanda Plain, Miles College

Yasmeen Rawajfih, Tuskegee University

Erica R. Russell, Norfolk State University

Karen E. Stewart, Tennessee State University

Morris Thomas, Howard University

Geneene N. Thompson, North Carolina A&T State University

John Wagner Givens, Spelman College

Reshid Xavier Walker, Delaware State University

For more information on future HFFA opportunities, visit propelcenter.org.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

Peggy Riggins