Publication Date
1-1-2020
Abstract
JOHNSON CITY -- Four ETSU faculty and staff were honored at the 19th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, held Jan. 18 at Memorial Park Community Center.
A native of Rogersville, Joy Fulkerson currently serves as Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement. She provides leadership for community service, civic learning, and democratic engagement efforts through a variety of programs and initiatives including Alternative Breaks, the Brenda White Wright Emerging Leaders Academy, the Diversity Educators Program, ETSU Votes, Volunteer ETSU, and the Public Service Corps Scholarship Program. Through her work, Fulkerson builds partnerships with local non-profits, national non-partisan organizations, and governmental agencies to provide service and civic opportunities for students and to address important issues in Johnson City and beyond.
She is an advocate for social justice, equity, and inclusion, and her influence and impact extends beyond the campus and into the larger Johnson City/Washington County community. Last year, Fulkerson served as a member of the Johnson City Sesquicentennial Commission. She is a past president of the Johnson City Public Library Board of Directors and of the Junior League of Johnson City, and a graduate of the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce Leadership 2020 program. Fulkerson is currently serving as co-chair of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration Coalition of Johnson City and a member of the L.E.A.D. Advisory Board.
Dr. Keith Johnson serves as the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion. Johnson began his academic career as an assistant professor of engineering in the Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology and Surveying. He joined our faculty in 1993 and became permanent chair of the department in 2001. Through the years, he has led the department through many successful accreditation reviews.
Johnson is a native of North Carolina and earned a B.S. and M.S. in industrial technology at North Carolina A&T State University and a Ph.D. in industrial technology from The Ohio State University. He studied as a fellow in the TBR Maxine Smith Fellows Program from 2005-2006 and was influential in creating a joint Engineering Degree Program with Tennessee Technical University. Over the years, he has been an active member of many institutional advisory boards and committees, including strategic planning, curriculum, governance, task forces, faculty senate, tenure and promotion, and search committees as well as contributing to external professional organizations and networks. Under his leadership, several Minority Faculty Recruitment Grants were secured to assist in the increase of the number of minority students earning doctorates. Inclusion has always been a chief cornerstone for Johnson. His desire is that inclusion be woven into the fabric of the institution to effect change as it relates to reconditioning the culture of the university by providing opportunities for growth toward embracing, appreciating and supporting diversity among faculty, staff and students at ETSU.
Laura Terry is Director of Programming and Outreach for the Multicultural Center and has worked at ETSU for 33 years, serving under five presidents. Terry is a dedicated and supportive staff member and advocate for our students. She is a very valued member of not only the ETSU community, but also the local community at large. She works diligently and conscientiously on all events. Despite working with programs, Laura ensures that her students are well-rounded and motivated to graduate. Her passion for student development stands out in her interaction with students. With these created relationships, past students have found comfort in sending their children or other family members back to ETSU. Past students are also willing to come back for homecoming just so they can see and spend time with Laura Terry. One past student passionately stated that “Mrs. Terry has been consistent with always being present at every event that has to do with her students, just like when I was here.”
A native of Ethiopia, Nathnael Tadesse as lived in Johnson City for more than 20 years and is the mentoring coordinator in our Multicultural Center where his work empowers and assists students transitioning into graduate school or professional life. Tadesse earned a bachelor’s in history at Milligan College and a master of arts in teaching at ETSU. He has worked with children with learning disabilities and other challenges in the Johnson City Schools, where he also taught 8th and 9th grade of U.S. and Honors World History. He founded Ethiopian Educational Endeavors, Inc., a local charity focused on collecting and disseminating educational materials to schools in Ethiopia. It has provided over 100,000 textbooks, workbooks and educational materials to elementary and middle schools. Tadesse is vice chair of the board of Langston Education and Arts Development, Inc. and is part of ETSU’s STEM teacher recruitment advisory board for the National Science Foundation Noyce Grant program. He has been a coach and referee for youth sports and is involved with Boy Scouts.
Document Type
News Article
