Dr. Johnny Wyatt, Columbia State coordinator for the Office of College Success Advisors, is among 21 faculty and staff members from colleges and universities across Tennessee selected to participate in the 2021-22 Class of the Maxine Smith Fellows program.
“The Maxine Smith Fellows program is an exceptional professional leadership program for current and future higher education leaders,” said Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president. “I commend Dr. Wyatt on his acceptance into this program.”
The Maxine Smith Fellows program provides professional development, training and advancement opportunities for participants from traditionally underrepresented groups at Tennessee’s locally governed public universities and the community and technical colleges governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents. Members meet monthly for a year, starting this month.
In addition to the professional development of class members, the program stimulates increased collaboration among institutions, development of a statewide network for program participants, and an overall increase in the diversity of ideas, thoughts, and experiences within senior leadership ranks at Tennessee public higher education institutions.
“Maxine Smith Fellows alumni have advanced to senior leadership positions, including seven fellows who have gone on to serve as presidents at colleges and universities in Tennessee and in other states. Many of them have said that the Maxine Smith Fellows experience contributed to their success,” said Dr. Wendy J. Thompson, the program’s administrator and TBR vice chancellor for organizational effectiveness.
“One essential component of the program’s success is the continued support and engagement of college and university presidents, as well as other higher education leaders from across the state of Tennessee,” Thompson said. “Presidents nominate eligible faculty and staff from their campus for consideration for the program.”
The program is named in honor of the late Maxine A. Smith, who headed the Memphis Branch of the NAACP for 33 years and was a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents from 1994 to 2006. The Class of 2021-2022 is the program’s 15thcohort.
“I am truly honored to be a part of such an impactful, professional development program that is named for such a great heroine, Ms. Maxine Smith,” Wyatt said.
At Columbia State, Wyatt helps supervise professional advisors across Columbia State’s five campuses. The goal is to offer academic guidance by helping students explore their academic interests, identify resources for additional information, academic support and develop plans of study appropriate for their educational goals.