By KRWG News
Las Cruces – New Mexico State University Director of Assessment Shelly Stovall won a spot to work as a Teagle Assessment Scholar, creating better avenues for learning in higher education; she is the first ever from NMSU to receive this prominent designation.
Stovall will be visiting and collaborating with several institutions to help find the best pathways to strengthen student learning and development. Teagle Assessment Scholars work to identify a campus' learning structure and assist that college or university in using evidence of learning to impact teaching practices.
"I was so excited," Stovall said. "The program runs for three years, and I was chosen for the Campus Learning Project."
Throughout the three-year duration, Stovall will be working to design, implement and evaluate a specific action project while attending workshops periodically to ensure progress. She submitted a proposal that involves baccalaureate outcomes at main campus and reaching out to transfer students from community colleges in order to provide a smoother transition.
She will begin work on her project in September at the first of at least three workshops for feedback and support. Stovall was one of 11 scholars selected from a pool of 49 applicants.
Stovall earned her bachelor's degree, two master's degrees and her Ph.D. from NMSU. She currently serves in the Office of the Associate Provost working on outcomes assessment for the NMSU-Las Cruces campus.
"I received a lot of support from Associate Provost Bobbie Derlin on this; it's great to be over here," Stovall said. "The application also required a letter from the provost in support of the program and Provost [Wendy] Wilkins provided that for me."
Stovall said she is very thankful for the assessment teams on campus and how they have helped her learn and grow and stay enthusiastic about what she does. She looks forward to further branching out for the benefit of students.
"We are very fortunate to have Shelly as the NMSU Outcomes Assessment Director and I am not in the least surprised that this national recognition has come her way," Associate Provost Bobbie Derlin said. "Through Dr. Stovall's leadership, NMSU is realizing the national recognition it so richly deserves for all the innovative work accomplished by our faculty in assessing student learning outcomes on all our campuses. This national recognition of Dr. Stovall is an important part of this positive development for our university and the results of Dr. Stovall's work with the Teagle Foundation will only help us all improve even further."
The Center of Inquiry at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. and the Teagle Foundation established the Teagle Assessment Scholar Program in 2006 in an effort to strengthen the impact of liberal arts education for students. The program identifies and develops individuals with the necessary skills to consult and help colleges and universities improve student learning.
For more information on the Teagle Assessment Scholar Program, visit http://www.liberalarts.wabash.edu/assessment-scholars/.