Hill Named Director for UTeach Arkansas Program

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Bryan Hill

Provost Sharon Gaber has appointed Bryan Hill, assistant dean in the College of Engineering, as director of the UTeach Arkansas program. UTeach is a four-year teacher education program in which students can earn both a degree in science or mathematics and a secondary teaching license.

“Bryan has a proven record as an administrator and program manager,” said Gaber, “His expertise will further enhance the environment of collaboration that we’ve established for this program.”

UTeach Arkansas is a partnership between the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, where students will earn a degree in mathematics or science, and the College of Education and Health Professions, where students will take courses leading toward an Arkansas teaching license. Gay Stewart, professor of physics, and William McComas, the Parks Family Professorship in Science Education, are senior advisers for the program.

Classes in the UTeach program include the traditional curriculum in biology, chemistry, physics or math, with the addition of classes that provide practical teaching and pedagogy experience. The introductory education courses are taught by two master teachers, Marge Cotton and Kim McComas, both clinical assistant professors in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Health Professions.

State officials have encouraged new options for secondary teacher education to increase the number of well-qualified teachers in the STEM fields. According to Stewart, by better preparing teachers in science and mathematics, the university is also better preparing these teachers’ students to be college-ready to enter any STEM discipline for future careers.

Now in its second semester, UTeach has proven to be popular with students. Seventy students are currently participating in the program, well exceeding the initial goal of 40.

“I am excited to be part of this interdisciplinary, cross-college team,” said Hill. “They have built a strong foundation and I hope to help UTeach continue and expand its record of success.”