Lynn Meade Named as New Co-Director of the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Development Center

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Lynn Meade

The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center and Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Kathy Sloan are pleased to announce that Lynn Meade has accepted a three-year term as TFSC co-director. Meade will join the center in August and will be responsible for coordinating the center's events and programs along with co-directors Julie Trivitt and Don Johnson. She will serve a three-year term replacing Lori Holyfield who will complete her three year term in August. Established in 1992, the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center serves as an interactive resource for faculty, instructors and graduate teaching assistants to enhance teaching and learning. Events coordinated by the center include the Faculty Lunch Series, Faculty Enrichment Series, Winter Teaching Symposium, and Teaching Camp.

Meade's first encounter with the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center was when she was a Walton Distinguished Fellow studying retention. Her team presented at one of the luncheon sessions. "At the session, I encountered, some of the most dedicated teachers. I remember being impressed at how committed they were to their students' success."

Since that first encounter, she regularly attended TFSC events. "What a fabulous resource we have here at the UA. I have been to teaching camp, to luncheons, and to many programs throughout the years. Each time, I walk away with a new idea to improve my teaching." In addition, to attending, she continues to make presentations. Her most popular talk was on "Creating Safe and Brave Spaces in the Classroom."

Meade graduated from the University of Arkansas with a master's degree in communication and a doctoral degree in higher education, college teaching, and leadership. She teaches Communication in a Diverse World, Persuasion, Nonverbal Communication, Small Group Communication, and Advanced Public Speaking. She wrote some of the earliest online classes and she has taken students to study abroad in Ireland. Because of her commitment to undergraduate students, Meade was recently awarded the Dr. John and Mrs. Lois Imhoff Award for Outstanding Teaching and Student Mentorship. Last year she was inducted into the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy.

Meade says, "I like to joke that my first teaching job came in second grade when my friends came over to play school.  I purchased my textbooks, I worked on my lessons, and I'd sit up all night making them homework sheets. I've grown up a bit since then, but one thing remains the same, I just love seeing student's faces when they 'get it'." The TFSC is committed to helping teachers find ways to reach students where they are. "I am excited to be a part of the TFSC where we can provide teachers the chance to interact and learn together so our students have even more 'get it' moments." 

Meade's commitment to teaching and learning extends beyond her work with the TFSC. She was part of a special committee for the Department of Education that wrote state standards for High School Communication, Speech, and Debate classes. She provided semiannual trainings for incoming teaching assistants for the Graduate School and helps conduct classroom management training for the Communication graduate students. 

Meade says, the TFSC has been a constant source of support throughout her teaching career. "I like to think of my teaching technique as a mosaic of ideas that I have collected through the years from other teachers. Some of my favorite gems comes from TFSC teaching camps three-minute teaching tips. In this activity, teachers take turn standing up and sharing quick ideas that have worked for them. I look forward to it every year because I always walk away with a concrete idea that I can use in my classes."

Meade admits that it is a tricky time to be a teacher because of COVID-19 and the delicate political climate. "I think we need resources now more than ever. We are breaking new ground this year by going remote and doing hybrid courses. The TFSC is here to support teachers by giving them creative ways to engage students in this new environment. We are even planning sessions on managing stress and having difficult classroom discussions."

Drive by and wave at Meade and the rest of the TFSC team passing out gift bags in August to the new faculty and to those participating in TFSC Virtual Teaching Camp. For more about events at the TFSC go to teaching.uark.edu.