2024-2025 LevelUP Fellows

Steven Clontz is a mathematician, professor, and puzzle designer based out of the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. His scholarship includes research in general and set-theoretic topology, as well as the advancement of sociotechnical infrastructure powering contemporary progress in mathematics and STEM education research and practice.

In the classroom, Dr. Clontz uses active learning techniques such as Team-Based Inquiry Learning to allow his students discover mathematics for themselves. His puzzles and games have been published in print, featured at such venues as the National Museum of Mathematics, and included in MaPP Challenge events across the country.

Ms. Autumn Courtney has spent 12 years at the University of South Alabama, both as a student and a professional employee, gaining a comprehensive perspective on the institution. Her career began in Student Financial Services, where she developed a deep understanding of student needs and the inner workings of university support systems.

Before transitioning to her current role, she served as an academic advisor and coach, providing personalized guidance to help students navigate their academic paths successfully.

Angela Doucet Rand is director of the Marx Library at the University of South Alabama.   She holds an MLIS from the University of Southern Mississippi and a PhD in Instructional Design and Development from the University of South Alabama.  Additionally, Angela has a certificate in Human Performance Improvement.  She leads, manages, and supervises library policies and operations in her current position.

Additionally, she designs information literacy instructional products and conducts research consultations for undergraduate and graduate students in the USA College of Education and Psychology Department. As an adjunct instructor,  Angela taught online graduate courses in Instructional Design at multiple universities.  Her professional interests led her from librarianship to instructional design and human performance improvement. Her research interests include systems thinking, social network analysis and bibliometrics, professional development, and media and information literacy.  A current CV is available at www.angeladoucetrand.com 

In a previous career, Angela worked as the Reference and Computer Lab librarian at the Orange Beach Public Library in Alabama.  Angela is a retired veteran of the US Air Force where she worked as an aircraft electrical systems and cockpit environment technician.  For 6 years she was assigned to the unit responsible for maintaining Air Force One.
Born and raised in Louisiana, she and her husband now live in south Alabama and enjoy the company of their adult children, grandson, and granddaughter. Angela is a self-taught bookbinder and book artist and dabbles in visual journaling for her health and well-being.  Her cats, Buffy and Zander are only mildly spoiled.

Dr. Hudson is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science in the Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sport. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Alabama. He received his PhD in Exercise, Nutrition, and Preventive Health from Baylor University in 2010. He has been a faculty member at South since 2017.

Dr. Hudson is the program coordinator for the undergraduate Exercise Science degree and teaches the senior level Advanced Exercise Physiology course. He also teaches Research Methods and Exercise Management for Chronic Diseases courses in the graduate Exercise Science program. He has completed numerous research projects investigating the effects of exercise training, nutritional interventions, and aging on the physiological adaptations and biochemical mechanisms involved in the regulation of metabolism, body composition, insulin sensitivity, weight loss and weight management.

Dr. Hudson's current research projects involve the utilization of optical body fat scanners for digital anthropometry and estimation of percent body fat as well as the development of an energy system specific analytical metric for Wingate anaerobic capacity tests. He is excited to become a LevelUp Fellow as he directs the Exercise Science degree program through beginning their accreditation process.

Dr. Delisa Johnson, a native of Jackson, Alabama, is the eldest of three siblings who deeply value family connections. Her diverse academic and professional experiences have enriched her journey as she pursues her passion for empowering others. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and foreign languages before advancing to complete both a master’s and a doctorate. As a graduate of the Educational Leadership program at the University of South Alabama, she is a proud alumna of the institution.

Dr. Johnson’s career spans over a decade in higher education, with a primary focus on enrollment services and student affairs. She has also served as an instructor, committee member for various initiatives, and advocate for student programs, while demonstrating leadership within her department. In addition to her roles at South, she holds volunteer leadership positions within national professional organizations, including NODA and CIVSA.

Her commitment to volunteerism and community service is reflected in her active membership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and her role as a board member for the Brandon Maye Legacy Foundation. Outside of her professional and philanthropic endeavors, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, reading for leisure, and engaging in watersports. Dr. Johnson is excited to embark on her next journey as a LevelUP Fellow.

Dr. Kelly Major is a Full Professor and serves as Interim Chair of the USA Department of Biology.  She received her B.A. as a dual major in Biology and Secondary Education, with a minor in Botany, from Elmira College in 1990, and her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Maine, Orono, in 1995 with an emphasis on photosynthetic physiology and ecology of marine macroalgae.  She has been a member of the USA faculty since 2001.  

Dr. Major’s research has since focused on natural and anthropogenic disturbance(s) and their influence on aquatic algal and plant physiology, as well as the interactions between native and invasive aquatic plants, and community resilience in the face of environmental change in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.  

Most recently, together with Dr. Christopher Parrish, Dr. Major has focused on the establishment of UTeach South, a program designed to address the deficit in certified STEM teachers and excite STEM majors about the powerful and rewarding vocation of teaching, while creating viable career paths for talented STEM majors that allows them to actualize their potential impact on communities in meaningful ways.

 

Christine Rinne is associate professor of German in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literature. She joined the faculty at USA in 2008 and has helped start Learning Communities for incoming students and further develop the First Year Experience course for undergraduate students. She also directs the International Studies program, a multidisciplinary major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and in 2018, when USA introduced the Global Engagement Certificate, which is open to all undergraduate students, she became the coordinator.

Dr. Rinne’s research focuses on constructions of labor, material consumption, and domesticity in nineteenth- and twentieth-century German and Austrian literature. Her current project analyzes the format and content of newspapers written by German prisoners of war held in Alabama during the final years of the Second World War. The newspaper articles, especially the pieces of original fiction, allow insight into how the prisoners saw themselves, their captors, and both nations, while preparing to return home.

Mrs. Megan S. Sparks joined the faculty in August of 2007 and is a senior instructor in the department of communication. She teaches public speaking, public relations principles, advertising principles, strategic writing, first year experience, strategic case studies and coordinates the department’s internship program. Prior to teaching, Megan managed the public relations and marketing of a law firm with offices throughout Alabama.

Currently, Mrs. Sparks serves on the university’s Convocation Committee, the department’s Accreditation and Assessment Committee,  the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the Undergraduate Studies Committee,  and the Graduate Recognition and Awards Ceremony. She also regularly advises students and has been an academic coach. Megan earned a B.A. in communication with a concentration in public relations and a M.A. in public and corporate communication from the University of South Alabama.

Mr. Hunter Tallent is an instructor in the English Department at the University of South Alabama, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education and English, as well as a Master's in English. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Development at South.

While he primarily teaches English composition, he also has the opportunity to teach literature surveys, which he considers a rewarding experience. His teaching philosophy focuses on meeting incoming students at their current academic level and helping them reach expected standards through student-centric teaching methods, as well as Constructivist and Connectivist theory.

Mr. Tallent has a particular interest in evolving technologies, such as generative AI, and their applications in teaching and learning. He actively seeks ways to integrate these technologies into his curriculum to better prepare students for an increasingly competitive job market that is rapidly embracing such advancements. Committed to continuous improvement, he regularly revises and refines his curriculum to ensure students have the most engaging and enriching experience possible in his classroom and within the college as a whole.

Melissa Walter is an Instructor in the Department of Communication at the University of South Alabama. Before joining the faculty, Ms. Walter worked for the Innovation in Learning Center where she provided learning management system support and worked closely with faculty to enhance the quality of their online and blended courses. She spent several years as the Quality Matters Coordinator for the University overseeing online and blended course quality certification efforts.

Ms. Walter teaches a variety of courses in the Communication Studies program where she integrates new technology and a variety of teaching practices to prepare students for their future careers.  Her current interests include leveraging generative AI and the use of reflection as a learning activity. She enjoys interacting with a variety of student populations, teaching courses for First Year Experience, Honors, and high school students through the StartSouth program. 

Ms. Walter received a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's degree in communication, and a master’s degree in instructional design from the University of South Alabama.