Inaugural LevelUP Fellows Announced
Posted on November 8, 2023 by Academic Enhancement
Through a strenuous selection process, the Office of Academic Enhancement recently welcomed 10 LevelUP Fellows to their inaugural cohort. Onboarding of the LevelUP Fellows is a component of ongoing implementation of the LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). At their initial meeting, LevelUP Fellows participated in discussions on the LevelUP QEP, implementing the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) eight career-readiness competencies, and the benefits of electronic portfolios. The LevelUP Fellows represent eight different academic programs and two student support areas.
The LevelUP Fellows for 2023-34 are: Jaclyn Bunch (associate professor and acting Chair; Political Science & Criminal Justice), Julia Kristman (Title IX specialist, Student Affairs, Jeff Landry (professor; Information Systems and Technology), Robert O'Berry (instructor; English), Nani Perez-Uribe (transfer coordinator; Academic Advising & Transfer Services), Laura Powell (assistant professor; Psychology), Carol Sawyer (associate professor; Earth Sciences), Amy Sprinkle (assistant professor; Marine & Environmental Sciences), Brad Swiger (assistant professor; graduate program coordinator; Biomedical Sciences), Shenghua Wu (associate professor; Civil, Coastal, and Environmental Engineering)
“Our first group of LevelUP Fellows are faculty and staff with exceptional qualifications
who have a strong desire to lead and innovate. As champions for the QEP, they will
complete projects that turn ideas into impactful realities and foster a culture of
continuous improvement,” said Julie Estis, Ph.D., Executive Director of Academic Enhancement.
“The contributions of the Fellows will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success
of our LevelUP QEP as we strive to uniquely prepare our students for their next steps.”
The LevelUP Fellows are passionate about helping students develop the skills that employers value most. Through a proposal process, the LevelUP Fellows illustrated ideas for preparing students for their next steps and the desire to lead by example and support others as they engage with USA’s LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan.
“The energy and engagement of the LevelUP fellows are contagious,” said Angela Coleman, Ph.D., Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness. “The commitment they are making to teaching and learning and, most importantly, to our students’ success is remarkable. I am excited about their future contributions.”
In addition to their individual LevelUP projects, Fellows will gain the knowledge, skills, and resources to accelerate the impact of LevelUP. Collaboration within the cohort and with stakeholders across divisions will ensure LevelUP is executed effectively and sustainably. The focus of LevelUP is closely aligned with USA’s mission of striving to make a difference in the lives of those it serves through promoting discovery, health, and learning and advances USA’s strategic priority to improve student access and success.
About the LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan:
The University of South Alabama’s LevelUP: Uniquely Prepared for What Comes Next Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a campus-wide initiative aimed at uniquely preparing students for what comes next. Through metacognitive reflections, students will synthesize connections among learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom as they look ahead and plan for their future. LevelUP provides enhanced opportunities for students to develop career readiness competencies that prepare them for life after their degree, as confident, ready, and capable members of the workforce or well-equipped graduate students.