Students Choose Dena Tracy for The Hawkeye Faculty Award

The Hawkeye Faculty Award is an honor bestowed via the student body to any faculty member to recognize him or her for having excellence in collegiate education, having a positive impact on students’ lives, and setting an outstanding example of Transforming Lives Through Christ daily and throughout the year. Professor Dena Tracy, Assistant Professor of Education, has done just that as she is a constant source of inspiration for her education students and teaching candidates.

Tracy was sought out specifically by Dr. Dana King, Dean of the School of Education and Associate Professor of Education, after she made a strong impression as an educator who was entirely committed to excellence in learning. “I met Dena when she was serving as the Social Studies Coordinator for Floyd County Schools,” King said. “She attended our Teacher/Educator Advisory Council meeting. Then, when the need arose to hire an additional professor, her name crossed my desk. I recognized her from that session. I don’t believe in coincidences; I believe that was ordained.”

Shorter’s School of Education is ranked number one in the state among Georgia College’s and University’s Teacher Preparation Programs. It boasts a 100 percent placement rate for sending graduating seniors into professional employment and has undeniably flourished and grown in the way it serves education students since Tracy has been at Shorter. King credits much of the school’s success to Tracy. “As our Field Experience Coordinator, she makes placements for our candidates. We are growing outside of our bounds. We are no longer tied to just Rome City Schools or Floyd County Schools; we’re now branching into Gordon County, Calhoun City, Bartow County, Cartersville City, and Paulding County schools. Tracy has also increased our ability to help students land their first teaching job. She has organized mock interview days for seniors to practice interviewing skills. The mock interviews have really blossomed in that now we have districts reaching out to us, wanting to participate instead of us having to go to them,” said King.

An especially noteworthy achievement during Tracy’s time at Shorter has been her serving in the role of the local edTPA. Although no longer required by the state, edTPA is a notoriously intensive assessment used in teacher preparation programs to prepare candidates for skills needed in a classroom, covering planning for instruction and assessment, instructing and engaging students in learning, and assessing student learning. Regarding Tracy’s service in this position, King said, “She wanted to learn all that she could about that role and took it upon herself to become a national scorer for edTPA, which is quite a feat. It’s not something that is easily done; it’s very strenuous as far as making sure that your scores are within the bounds of what the experts say they should be. She earned that credentialing, and when she did, like teachers tend to do, we had a party. I crowned her the Queen of edTPA with a tiara with lights and all the bells and whistles! That is a credentialing that is not easy to come by and something that she just took upon herself to do. Dena’s accomplishment showed her dedication to excellence and to making sure that students have what they need to be successful.”

Outside of her focused role in the School of Education, Tracy has also worked to be involved and connected to students in all areas of study. King said, “Dena makes it her mission to get to know every student on a personal level and to be involved in their lives. She is interested in being more involved in the university at large. Dena served as a professor in the Foundations of College Success class this year, which allowed her to build those relationships with students very early on.” Yet more than any curriculum-centered quality, Tracy meets the high standard as an exemplary member of Shorter’s faculty for the way she represents and exemplifies the university motto of Transforming Lives Through Christ. In one of the student nomination letters submitted in Tracy’s favor, a School of Education student wrote that, in addition to sponsoring and fostering academic excellence as the faculty advisor for the Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, “Mrs. Tracy is the perfect example of a professor that should teach at Shorter University. She shines the light of Jesus in everything she does. I believe that she truly transforms lives through Christ.” Another student letter similarly praised Tracy in saying, “She spreads the love of Christ in every class, and I can’t imagine someone more fitting for this award.”

By: Cooper Hunt Photos by: Brianna Johnston & submitted by Dr. Dana King