It was in Gilbreath Hall on the ETSU campus where the inaugural faculty of East Tennessee State Normal School first taught more than a century ago. Those 18 faculty members trained at some of the most impressive institutions in the world, and they came to this campus with the shared belief that through education, lives can be changed and our communities could be made better.
Fast-forward over a 100 years later, and that same tradition continues. Today, hundreds of faculty call this institution home. Our faculty believe in the power of higher education, and that with a college degree, any dream is possible. Our faculty are champions for our students. They are leaders, mentors, scholars, innovators, and public servants. They are award-winning teachers and noted researchers in their fields of study. They meet the needs of others. They generate new ideas and develop solutions for our community.
And, they are all committed to the success of their students.
Welcome to East Tennessee State University.
It is my honor to serve as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at this amazing institution that is transforming the lives of others every day.
Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Key Updates for ETSU Faculty/Staff
Festival of Ideas
Excitement is building for ETSU’s 2026 Festival of Ideas, featuring author and violinist Vijay Gupta on Feb. 24 and bestselling author and podcast host John Green on Feb. 26. Tickets are required to attend both events and will be available to ETSU faculty, staff, and students on January 28 and to the public on January 29. Find out how to get tickets to the Festival of Ideas at etsu.edu/ideas.
Common Read: The Anthropocene Reviewed
ETSU's 2025-26 Common Read is The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green. Visit the Common Read website for updates on campus book discussions and activities to promote the Common Read and to anticipate John Green's visit to the ETSU campus for the 2026 Festival of Ideas.
Great Lecture Series: Feb. 6
The next installment of the Great Lecture Series will feature Dr. Caroline Abercrombie, Dr. David Cluck, and Dr. Jeff Gray. Join us on Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. in the East Tennessee Room of the D.P. Culp Center for lectures by these outstanding faculty members who have recently been promoted to full professor. Learn more.
University Council Minutes: Looking for the most recent minutes from our monthly University Council meeting? Visit here.
Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty
During my first semester at ETSU, I visited each of the ETSU colleges where I met with the faculty and students and learned about their initiatives and plans. The accounts of how ETSU has inspired them were truly transformative.
I was so inspired by those stories that I have launched a new podcast series – Why I Teach: Conversations with ETSU Faculty – in partnership with the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of University Marketing and Communications that is dedicated to telling the incredible stories of the ETSU faculty.
You can access the podcast here or find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, PodBean app,or on Spotify. Special thanks to Professor Martin Walters for creating the music for this podcast.
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