Valdosta State University’s Dr. Dixie Haggard was recently selected as a 2019 Governor’s Teaching Fellow for the summer symposium program offered through the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia.
 
Haggard, a professor of history, was one of 18 professors from across the state chosen for the program after a highly competitive application and selection process.
 
Established by former Gov. Zell Miller, the Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program provides higher education faculty members from accredited public and private colleges and universities across Georgia with expanded opportunities for developing important teaching skills. The program’s goal is to move college faculty members to the leading edge of instructional practice by exposing them to emerging technologies and instructional tools.
 
The summer symposium program, which took place in early summer, included workshops, presentations, and other activities aimed at enhancing participants’ teaching and careers. Haggard and the other participants were also used as a source of information to increase the knowledge base of the other fellows.
 
“We are expected to go back to our campuses and enhance the teaching on our campuses, and I have already begun discussion about that aspect with VSU’s Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching,” Haggard said. “I think I will be an even better teacher after participating. I can already see where to improve my courses, and I have already begun that process as well. This also opened up different ideas for organizing my research. This was an exceedingly valuable experience.”