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 are still available for Gupta's presentation at etsu.edu/ideas.
Café Curiosity: Feb. 25
Join us at Café Curiosity, a free pop-up coffee house, as part of the ETSU Festival of Ideas on Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 2-5 p.m. in the East Tennessee Room of the D.P. Culp Student Center. Enjoy student essays, music, and creative performances inspired by the Common Read, John Green’s The Anthropocene Reviewed.
Common Read Updates
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.
College of Public Health Dean to Retire
Dr. Randy Wykoff, the founding Dean of the ETSU College of Public Health, has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. This recent article from the Johnson City Press captures some of the many reasons that he will be missed at ETSU.
Great Lecture Series: Feb. 6 & March 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.
Mark your calendars for the final Great Lectures of the academic year on Friday, March 6 at 2 p.m. in the East Tennessee Room. Dr. Scott Honeycutt and Dr. Brandi Eveland-Sayers will speak.
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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