Members of Maxine Smith Fellows leadership program Class of 2021-22 announced

Thirteen faculty and staff members from the College System of Tennessee are among the 21 from colleges and universities statewide selected to participate in the 2021-22 Class of the Maxine Smith Fellows program.

The Maxine Smith Fellows program provides professional development, training and advancement opportunities for participants from traditionally underrepresented groups at the College System of Tennessee, governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), and the state’s locally governed public universities. Members meet monthly for a year, starting this month.

In addition to the professional development of the class members, the program stimulates increased collaboration among institutions, development of a statewide network for program participants, and an overall increase in the diversity of ideas, thoughts and experiences within senior leadership ranks at Tennessee public higher education institutions.

“Maxine Smith Fellows alumni have advanced to senior leadership positions, including seven Fellows who have gone on to serve as presidents at colleges and universities in Tennessee and in other states. Many of them have said that the Maxine Smith Fellows experience contributed to their success,” said Dr. Wendy J. Thompson, TBR vice chancellor for organizational effectiveness and Maxine Smith Fellows program administrator.

“One essential component of the program’s success is the continued support and engagement of college and university presidents, as well as other higher education leaders from across the state of Tennessee,” Thompson said. College and university presidents nominate eligible faculty and staff from their campus for consideration for the program.

The program is named in honor of the late Maxine Smith, who headed the Memphis Branch of the NAACP for 33 years and was a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents from 1994 to 2006. The Class of 21-22 is the program’s 15th cohort.

Members of the Maxine Smith Fellows Class of 2021-22 are:

• Antija Allen, Pellissippi State Community College
• Charria Campbell, Tennessee Tech University
• Sean Chism, Tennessee Board of Regents
• Richard Garvin, Jr., Nashville State Community College
• Daniel Green, Middle Tennessee State University
• Quincy Jenkins, Chattanooga State Community College
• Kiana Johnson, East Tennessee State University
• Brelinda Johnson, Middle Tennessee State University
• Shayla Kolheim, Southwest Tennessee Community College
• Deidre’ Kyle, Walters State Community College
• Erica Lee, Motlow State Community College
• Tongai Maodzwa, Northeast State Community College
• Adrian Montague, Jackson State Community College
• Arlene Nicholas-Phillips, Tennessee State University
• Barbara Scales, Motlow State Community College
• Cheryl Seay, Tennessee State University
• Tanya Shephard, Roane State Community College
• Eric Stokes, University of Memphis
• Sharron Taylor Burnett, Dyersburg State Community College
• LaNeeca Williams, Austin Peay State University
• Johnny Wyatt, Columbia State Community College