JOHNSON CITY – An East Tennessee State University administrator has been named to the next class of Leadership Tennessee NEXT, a program designed to offer personal and professional career development for Tennessee’s best and brightest early- and mid-career professionals.
Jessica “Jessie” Wang, assistant dean of Equity, Inclusion and Student Success with ETSU’s Clemmer College, has been selected as one of 29 professionals named across the state.
Wang holds a bachelor’s degree from Emmanuel College in counseling psychology, and a master's degree from Harvard University in higher education, where her research centered on fostering historically underrepresented student success at predominantly white institutions of higher education, focusing primarily on students of color and first-generation students.
Since arriving at ETSU in July 2020, Wang has been invited to present on a wide range
of topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion across campus and within the
Johnson City community, as well as at Harvard University, Emmanuel College and the
University of Kentucky.
Wang serves as chair of the Clemmer College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council; an elected member of the ETSU Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council; and a member of The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Wang also serves as a council member for the Young Professionals of Johnson City organization under the Chamber of Commerce and as a board member for the Bob Owens Community Leadership Fund addressing mental health and leadership in the region and is active with the Langston Centre.
Leadership Tennessee is an organization committed to collaborative, non-partisan dialogue on issues of statewide importance by crossing geographic and professional boundaries and connecting a diverse network of problem solvers and engaged citizens.
A new class of leaders is selected annually to take part in a leadership study course while visiting different areas of Tennessee, learning best practices and analyzing important issues faced by Tennesseans.
The Leadership Tennessee NEXT network includes some 450 members.