ETSU Faculty Members To Speak On 'Project Self-Discovery' On Sept. 1

From East Tennessee State University:

Aug. 27, 2021

JOHNSON CITY — Years of teaching and collaborating with students in academia have inspired current faculty members at East Tennessee State University to write a book about change and growth in a student’s journey. The final product, “Project Self-Discovery,” developed by Drs. Bethany Novotny, Stacy Cummings Onks and Michelle Hurley, was published this year by Kendall Hunt.

The authors plan to discuss the process of writing their text while sharing some of its content in “Project Self-Discovery: The Journey” on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at noon, via Zoom. This free virtual talk may be viewed at https://etsu.zoom.us/j/94363259129.

The event is part of the “WGS on Wednesdays” series” sponsored by the ETSU Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program.

With “Project Self-Discovery,” Novotny, Cummings Onks and Hurley said they wanted to develop a text that spoke to the student journey and could serve as a tool throughout change and growth. Sharing content and exercises from the book, the authors will discuss the collaborative process that unifies their teaching experience and work with students.

Novotny is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services and director of the ETSU Pride Center. Her research interests include the expansiveness of sexual- and gender-diverse experiences, best teaching practices in higher education, and the infusion of outdoor education into counseling.

Cummings Onks is director of the University Advisement Center and the Learning Support program, as well as an adjunct faculty member in the Clemmer College and Cross-Disciplinary Studies. Her teaching interests include child and family studies, developmental and child psychology, and such special topics as engagement with the natural world for increased health and wellness.

Hurley is assistant director for the McNair Program and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Counseling and Human Services. Her research interests include exploring barriers to educational success for disadvantaged students, academic fatigue, and teaching modalities recognizing student trauma.

Carrying on the legacy of the “Women on Wednesdays” talks that began in 2012, this series will highlight work at ETSU that centers gender and sexuality.

For more information, contact Dr. Chelsea Wessels, interim director of ETSU Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, at 423-439-4125 or wessels@etsu.edu.

This press release was produced by East Tennessee State University. The views expressed are the author's own.