BY DR. TIMOTHY LINTNER

The School of Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken is proud to announce that four Teaching Fellows were recognized for their outstanding academic and teaching accomplishments.
 
Kelsey Spurlin was chosen as the 2020 University of South Carolina Aiken Outstanding Senior. While holding a 4.0 GPA, during her four years at USC Aiken, Kelsey served in numerous leadership roles across campus. She was a Pace Setter, Pace Setter Team Leader, and a Chancellor’s Ambassador, the most coveted student-held leadership position on campus. She presented original research at several state conferences and travelled to Washington, DC to address members of Congress on educational reform in South Carolina. In her spare time, she was a starting member of the USC Aiken Women’s Volleyball team! The School of Education could not be more proud of her.

BY MICHAEL FLEMING, PHD

Dr. Jodi Zeis and the Teaching Fellows at Francis Marion have been hard at work with some great new ideas for building community and connecting to parents and students. Dr. Zeis writes, "In a  March (online) meeting with the Teaching Fellows, we all felt as though there was still much outreach to be done with the community...After some brainstorming, we decided to create short (10 minute or less) learning ideas, read alouds, crafts, etc.  for families to learn with.  Using Flip Grid, we started a Flip page where visitors can go and try each activity." Dr. Zeis is excited to share the first eight videos at the following link: https://flipgrid.com/0d7053e7. 

Dr. Zeis noted that they are also able to track how many hours of interaction have occurred and that FMU Fellows hope to keep growing the page and "improving our approach to quick learning ideas." 

BY BLAIR GASQUE

The Teaching Fellows Social Media Committee at Coastal Carolina University has been hard at work putting together a gazette that represents what we have done and will be doing this semester. 

BY DR. TIMOTHY LINTNER

​The Aiken Sunrise Rotary Club named Tiffany Zorn, an education major at the University of South Carolina Aiken, its Student of the Month for January 2020.

Zorn is majoring in secondary comprehensive social studies education, with a focus on middle-level social studies education.

"My professional goal is to teach within a South Carolina public school for at least four years," she said.

"After this time period and after obtaining a graduate degree, my desire is to advance into a state, federal, or non-governmental role, while maintaining a focus on enhancing education rights and availability for others."

To this end, she has already gotten started, conducting research in this area. Her scholarly work has been featured in the South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal (2019), as part of her presentation at the South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Conference, and during USC Aiken's annual Scholar Showcase.

Ultimately, she hopes to earn a doctorate, and her academic record to date provides a firm foundation for that goal. Zorn has served as a Teaching Fellow, a Palmetto Fellow, the Anne Richardson Gayles-Felton Endowed Scholarship recipient and has been on the President's List for seven semesters, and the Dean's List for two semesters.

In addition to her scholarly pursuits, Zorn has participated in several student organizations, including: Rotaract, Chancellor Ambassadors, Omicron Delta Kappa, Pi Gamma Mu, Sigma Alpha Pi, Leadership Certification Program, which included a Disney leadership experience and the Boston - Suffolk leadership exchange.

She credits USC Aiken with some of her personal and professional success and growth.

"I chose USC Aiken in the beginning because the campus is the closest four-year university to my home," Zorn said. "However, once I stepped foot on campus, I felt an immediate pull.

​"This pull has prevailed throughout my four years, drawing me closer to not only the campus community but also the Aiken community. I felt, and continue to feel, at home while at USC Aiken."
 

The Teaching Fellows at the College of Charleston adopted the Msamvu A primary school in the Morogoro municipality, which is 190 kilometers west of Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania. The school currently serves 1,224 students in grades K-7 and employs about 48 teachers. The majority of the children come from the neighboring community where families survive on an income of less than $1/day. Understandably, most of these children lack basic healthy meals, health care, school supplies, and books.

Children arrive at the school at 7:30 in the morning and return home at 3:30 in the afternoon. Students in grades four and seven (examination classes) are expected to stay after school for extra tutoring until 5:00. Many of these children eat one meal a day - dinner and walk over five miles to attend school. In 2012, College of Charleston professor, Dr. mutindi ndundabegan began working with the school while serving as a Fulbright Scholar. She returned in 2015, 2017, and 2018. During those years, the College of Charleston's, School of Education and Human Performance students raised money to purchase four water tanks that capture rainwater for the school. Msamvu primary is one of a small number of schools that have water tanks and can, therefore, provide drinking water and latrines. 

The Teaching Fellows at the College of Charleston raised money to buy lunches for all of the students for a period of four weeks. During this time, school attendance increased. The Teaching Fellows raised the money through bake sales, candy grams, and flea market sales, etc.

BY DR. TIMOTHY LINTNER

A doctor gone mad has imprisoned his patients in an Asylum where the living soon wished they were not! Into this ominous (and a bit creepy) scenario walked the USC Aiken Freshman Fellows as they tepidly entered “The Asylum” Escape Room in Augusta, GA. From poison to straightjackets, from a padded cell to a furnace of flames, the Fellows had to quickly solve clues or they, too, would be trapped inside The Asylum FOREVER! With a heavy dose of both leadership and laughter, they successfully dodged a most undesirable fate and escaped with more than 13 minutes to spare! Though a fun time was had by all, there are no immediate plans to return to THE ASYLUM!

Each November, the Anderson University Teaching Fellows hold a Veterans Appreciation Breakfast on campus. Veterans from all branches of service are invited to attend this free event. This year, 127 men and women joined the Teaching Fellows for the event, which includes an Honor Walk, the playing of Taps, speeches, and recognition for these heroes. The Teaching Fellows see this as an example of servant leadership. 

The junior cohort of Teaching Fellows at the College of Charleston (CofC) chose to partner with the Miracle League and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) for their cohort projects. According to Jordan Smith, CofC's Teaching Fellows Vice-President, the goal of the Charleston Miracle League’s baseball game series is to "make life-changing memories with children and adults who have mental and physical challenges." Miracle League participants play in a baseball league together every Saturday and the 1/2 of the junior Teaching Fellows provided community service/support to these athletes. Specifically, the Teaching Fellows served as Youth/Adult League Buddies and were paired up with one of the Charleston Miracles players. The Teaching Fellows helped their "buddy" hit, run the bases, and field balls, as necessary. 

​The other 1/2 of the junior cohort of Teaching Fellows at CofC raised over $1,000, which was used to purchase toys for the children's wing at MUSC. The hospital lost the majority of their toys during one of the recent hurricanes. Maddie Gies, Teaching Fellows Cohort Representative, stated that the hospital's toy supply was already low before the hurricane and that the hospital staff was excited to receive the donations. 

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