Remarks from our Director

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Congratulations on making it to Week 3 of the semester! The whirlwind of the first two weeks is behind us, and by now your classes are settling into their rhythm (or at least marching to a steady beat). The calendars are filling, the routines are taking shape, and you’ve officially survived the “start-up phase” of the semester. Here’s to finding your stride as we head into the heart of the term!

First-Year Faculty cohort
September 8: Our First-Year Faculty (FYF) cohort gathered for the first time this past Monday. I was delighted to welcome them with APSU-embossed leather padfolios, CAFE pens, copies of The Essential College Professor: A Practical Guide to an Academic Career by Jeffrey Buller, and fresh red APSU polos generously provided by Human Resources. Together, we reflected on their first two weeks, explored mentor maps, and began developing strategic plans for the year ahead. We were also joined by several distinguished FYF alumni, Dr. Jamie Botsch, Dr. Niranga Wickramarathne, Prof. Victoria Fowler, and Prof. Stephanie Voris, who shared their experiences in the program and offered insights on thriving in year one.

Faculty Leadership Program
Prof. Nancy Gibson has done an outstanding job curating a meaningful lineup of presentations and discussions for our 2025–2026 FLP cohort. The group has already begun developing their Leadership Philosophy statements by exploring exemplars and anti-patterns, and they recently heard engaging presentations from Dr. Katie Haase, Prof. Luke Warren, and Prof. Margaret Rennerfeldt. 

Upcoming Events
Here’s a quick look at upcoming opportunities:

• September 13, Govs Creative Arts Festival

• September 16, Lunch & Learn session

• September 17 session & Fall 2025 TechBytes schedule

• DE Course Mapping Series

• The Art of the Op-Ed session with Dr. Michael Bednarczuk

• AI Symposium & Call for Proposals

• Career Success Center sessions for Faculty

• MiniGovs Club - A New Social Group for APSU Faculty & Staff with Children

• Peay Composed Symposium on Academic Writing

CAFE Calendar 
I'll continue to update our CAFE Calendar as more events and sessions become finalized.  Be sure to bookmark it and add any events directly to your Outlook calendar. 

We had our first CAFE Advisory Board meeting this past Friday and I hope you'll be able to make time to complete the FCAM Survey that was sent via e-mail on Monday and shared below here in the newsletter.  As always, we welcome your ideas on how CAFE can better serve you.  Please don't hesitate to reach out at williamsjj@apsu.edu or 931-221-7648.

Wishing you continued success as the semester moves forward. Thank you for all the energy and commitment you bring to our campus community.

Yours always,
Jeff 

You'll notice there are labelled sections of questions for attendees and presenters.
Only fill out the section appropriate to you.
Additionally, including your name and e-mail address is optional.

This critical information will help shape our efforts in the future. Thank you in advance! 

A place develoted to celebrating the achievements of our APSU faculty colleagues!

Kim performs, lectures, and directs at National Flute Association convention in Atlanta

Dr. Beomjae Kim, Assistant Professor of Flute, attended the 53rd Annual National Flute Association convention in Atlanta, Georgia in early August and demonstrated his expertise in multiple capacities.  First, Dr. Kim performed multiple works by Korean-born composer Isang Yun (1917-1995) in a recital entitled "Its a Small World: Music from Asia".  Additionally, he participated in an exhibitor showcase, discussing the distinctive timbre of his Muramatsu Platinum-clad (PTP Model) flute, highlighting how its unique platinum plating evokes a range of emotions across various registers and styles of repertoire.  Finally, he directed the APSU Flute Choir in a Festival Lobby concert.  

Dr. Beomjae Kim (center) pictured with current APSU flute students and
retired APSU Flute Professor, Dr. Lisa Wolynec (far left).

Woods presents at nationally recognized conferences on social work & social justice

Dr. Shani Collins Woods, Associate Professor of Social Work and BSW Program Director, recently delivered presentations at two significant events. She presented "Integrating Social Justice into the BSW Curriculum: Challenges and Opportunities" at the University of Alabama's National DSW Conference on April 25, 2025, and "Cultural Competence and Humility in End-of-Life Care: A Call for Social Work Action" at the 13th Annual Social Work Symposium at the University of Memphis on May 2, 2025.  Additionally, Dr. Collins Woods served as a keynote speaker for the Institute for Coordinated Community Response, powered by the Conference on Crimes Against Women, where she presented "Intimate Partner Violence among Rural Women: A Social Justice Imperative" on July 15, 2025. Her scholarship and public engagements continue to advance critical conversations in social work around justice, health equity, and culturally responsive practice.

Bilderback completes dissertation exploring performance, training, and sustainability in fashion organizations

Dr. Stephanie Bilderback, Instructor of Management & Marketing, completed her PhD dissertation entitled "Examining Workplace Performance and Training for Organizational Sustainability in the Fashion Industry" through Walden University.

The dissertation discusses recent research examining retail training programs that found varying relationships between different training components and workplace performance. The study of executive managers revealed that some training elements showed stronger connections to performance outcomes than others, suggesting that organizational factors may influence training effectiveness. Findings indicate opportunities for organizations to better align training initiatives with strategic goals to support improved performance and sustainability outcomes.

Clark publishes article on the impacts of technostress

Dr. Terri Clark, Associate Professor in the College of Education, recently published "Work–life balance in an online world: Simple strategies for managing technostress" in the Journal of Pediatric Surgical Nursing.

This article examines technostress—psychological strain from excessive technology use—which has increased with remote work and affects healthcare professionals particularly hard, leading to burnout and anxiety.

The authors propose a "BALANCE" framework with seven strategies: breathe, align, laugh, adjust, say no, create, and exercise. These research-based approaches include mindfulness, boundary-setting, and physical movement to help professionals, especially nurses, manage digital fatigue and move from glorifying busyness to more intentional, balanced living.

Haase and Rehm study mammal community response to southeastern grassland restoration 

Dr. Catherine Haase and Dr. Evan Rehm, Associate and Assistant Professors of Biology, respectively, along with undergraduate students are studying extensive habitat loss and degradation that have altered native grasslands in the southeastern United States. They will assess restoration efforts by estimating small mammal community composition between multiple restored grasslands: remnant grassland owned by Austin Peay State University in Guthrie, TN, unrestored grassland owned by Google in Clarksville, TN, and two recently restored grasslands (owned by Google and Dunbar Cave State Park, in Clarksville, TN). They plan to monitor small mammal communities using multiple techniques for an extended period of time to develop a long-term dataset that will be used to assess response to restoration over time. The inclusion of multiple grasslands across different stages of restoration will act as treatments for the study.

Enjoy live performances, hands-on art activities, food trucks, and family fun. Free admission and open to all! 🎉

All day activities include:
🎈 Obstacle course bounce house
🦖 Dinosaur building
📖 Bookmark making

10:00AM - 12:15PM Print Making
12:45PM - 3:00PM Calligraphy name writing

See many of your favorite APSU College of Arts & Letters Faculty in action...including Patrick Vincent and Jen Snyder from Art + Design, Kakali Chakrabarti and James Zhang from Communication, Min Sang Kim, Jeffrey Williams, and Jan Corrothers from Music, and more!

Be one of the first 150 people at the Festival and
snag a free t-shirt!

We've launched a dedicated AI @ AP website for updates, resources, and event details throughout the year. The site is evolving, so check back often.

This initiative is possible thanks to the support of President Mike Licari and the senior leadership team, who funded the initial round of AI development opportunities for our campus.

We look forward to working with you to make Austin Peay State University the region's choice for transforming lives through innovative education!

Dr. Kathrine Bailey coordinates AI @ AP and can help with questions, ideas, or campus-wide AI coordination needs. Contact her at baileyk@apsu.edu.

September 16, 2025
11:10-12:30 p.m.
Sundquist Science Complex E106B

Can LinkedIn help you land a job and hurt your mental health at the same time? This talk dives into the surprising ways professional social media shapes how business students see themselves, manage stress, and prepare for their careers.

From digital perfectionism to career confidence, we’ll explore what students are really experiencing online, and what faculty and employers can do to support them. Come join the conversation and leave with practical insights for thriving in a digital-first professional world.

September 18
Trends & Evolution of Career Services in Higher Education

October 16
NACE Career Readiness & Student Learning Outcomes

November 13
Handshake & Career Outcomes

All sessions from 11:30am - 12:30pm in MUC 303

Austin Peay State University has updated its emergency communication protocols for clearer, faster crisis information. To ensure understanding of these changes, the Office of Emergency Management and APSU Police Department are hosting in-person training sessions.

These 30-minute sessions will cover:

New alert tiers: Understand the difference between an Urgent Alert (police are investigating a report of danger) and an Emergency/Critical Command (take immediate action).

Action Commands: Know what to do when you see Get Out (evacuate), Stay Put (shelter in place), or Decide (active shooter protocol). 

Campus safety tools: A review of essential resources like the Rave Guardian app and Alertus desktop panic button.

We strongly encourage you to attend one of the following sessions in the Morgan University Center, Room 307:

We will also offer virtual training sessions at the following times:

Your preparedness is key to our campus-wide safety plan. Attending a brief session will equip you to respond confidently and safely in a critical situation.

For those unable to attend, a video will be available later this semester.

Thank you for partnering to keep our campus safe!

** Have you applied for graduate faculty status? ** 

Faculty who will be teaching graduate courses or will work with graduate students in any capacity should apply to become graduate faculty. You must complete a form, submit your CV, and get approval from your Chair and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. 

For more information about graduate faculty status and criteria, click here.  

Dr. Frank Ferdik was recently named the recipient of the Hawkins Award! Here is a little more about her and her accomplishments.

Dr. Frank Ferdik is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Austin Peay State University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in policing, corrections, homeland security, and research methods.

Dr. Ferdik also serves as an academic adviser to criminal justice students, and is the internship coordinator for the department. 

He has over a decade of experience conducting scholarly research on a variety of topics intended to improve legal system operations. Among others, he has researched public perceptions of law enforcement, the efficacy of alternative court models, the ability of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) to eradicate sexual victimization from the custodial system, and perhaps most prominently, the wellbeing of carceral residents and correctional officers.

He has collaborated with a number of undergraduate criminal justice students on various research projects—all of which resulting in peer-reviewed publications for them.  
Of the many things Dr. Ferdik enjoys about teaching at APSU, arguably the two most meaningful to him are the levels of care faculty have for their students around campus, and when those same students can leverage their education at Austin Peay for professional success down the road. It means a lot to him to play even a small role in helping to mentor the next generation of scholars. 

Join us in congratulating Dr. Ferdik for being awarded the Hawkins Award!

Dr. Andrea Lee is another new addition to our  CAFE Advisory Board. She is an Associate Professor an EdD Program Coordinator in the College of Education. She has been at APSU for four years!

She wants to serve on the CAFE Advisory Board because she is interested in working with colleagues to develop and support initiatives, then enhance teaching and scholarship across the university. 

Dr. Lee’s favorite part of APSU are the Peayple! Her favorite hobbies include traveling and learning about other cultures and her favorite movie is A Melody to Remember (Oppa Saenggak).

Join us in welcoming Dr. Lee to the CAFE Advisory Board!

Hello APSU Community!

I am truly delighted to begin my role as the Graduate Assistant for the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence! Even though I have only been here a few weeks, I have already been welcomed with such warmth and generosity by everyone in Academic Affairs and across campus. This has made the transition into my position both smooth and inspiring.  Now for a little about me...

I was born and raised in Nashville (a rare Nashville native, I know!). However, I called Louisville, KY home for the past six years, receiving my BM in Vocal Performance from Bellarmine University, then working part-time for Bellarmine University and Kentucky Opera. After a time away from Nashville, it called me back home! I am recently engaged and to be married in April 2026!

While at APSU, I am working towards my Masters of Music in Vocal Performance under the instruction of CAFE's own, Dr. Williams. I hope you might hear me perform in my two years here!

I work in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays! Come by and say hi or shoot me an email if there's anything I can do to help!

Are you an APSU faculty or staff member looking to connect with colleagues who also have young children? We're excited to announce the formation of the MiniGovs Club, a brand-new social group designed specifically for APSU employees with children from birth through middle school age. Our mission is simple: to build community and friendship among faculty and staff families through fun, family-friendly activities like group movie outings, playground meetups, and cheering on our Govs together at APSU athletics events - including sitting together in the City Forum Family Zone during football games! (The APSU Athletics Department has graciously offered us discounted season passes in this section.)

Whether you're interested in craft nights on campus, restaurant gatherings with play areas, or other creative family activities, we welcome suggestions from all members as we grow this supportive network.

While this group is focused on faculty and staff with littles, all APSU employees and their significant others are welcome to join us in creating lasting connections and memories. Ready to help launch this exciting new community? We can't wait to meet you and your mini Govs! Please contact Dr. Erin Carlin (carline@apsu.edu) to be added to the group.

Have you bookmarked the CAFE Calendar yet?  We’re constantly adding new events!  Stay up to date with all CAFE-affiliated programming happening across campus.  Don’t forget - you can easily add any event directly to your Outlook calendar with a click! 

If you haven't yet, you should!

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Do you have an event that you would like promoted in CAFE's bi-monthly newsletter?

Feel free to email us at cafe-fac@apsu.edu with the information. We will review it and inform you if the request is appropriate for the CAFE audience.