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Page 17
Campus Review
December 12, 2013
Former Clayton
State Graduate
Students are
Now Clayton
State Faculty
by Amanda Parham
Within the past few semesters, several
graduates of Clayton State University’s
School of Graduate Studies have found
themselves in a transition from student to
faculty at Clayton State. The college now
has seven faculty members that were once
participants in Clayton State’s Master of
Arts in Teaching (MAT) English and
Mathematics graduate programs, as well
as a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
graduate.
Three of the recent graduates graduated
from the Master of Arts in Teaching
Mathematics program; James Kirksey,
Aaron Rafter and Jennifer Harris now
teach within the Clayton State
Mathematics
Department.
Kelley
Gladden, Daniel Smoak and Ryan Strader
graduated from the Master of Arts in
Teaching English program, while Toye
Wheeler graduated from the Master of
Arts in Liberal Studies program, and all
four of them now teach within the English
Department at Clayton State.
Many of these recent graduates were ini-
tially attracted to Clayton State’s graduate
programs because of the University’s
location, the availability of the graduate
programs in the evening, the intimate
class sizes, and learning from experienced
and knowledgeable professors.
Kirksey, who teaches Intermediate
Algebra in the evenings, says he was
drawn to Clayton’s MAT Mathematics
program due to his familiarity with
Clayton State, since his full time job is in
Morrow.
“One of the things about the program that
was good for me was everything was at
night, so that was a plus since I work 40
hours a week. I looked at other programs
but many required day time availability so
this program was feasible,” he says.
“My experience at Clayton State and the
excellent preparation by the science facul-
ty allowed me to get accepted at both
Columbia University and Emory
University for graduate school,” she says.
“I've spent the last six-and a-half-years
working towards my doctorate degree in
neuroscience at Emory, studying the inter-
play between stress and epilepsy and how
stressful situations work to trigger
seizures in the epileptic brain.”
It was while Sawyer was studying at
Emory, in August 2012, that Clayton State
Natural Sciences Department Chair Dr.
Michelle Furlong contacted her about
joining the faculty at Clayton State.
“I jumped at the chance to come back and
teach at a place that I felt really con-
tributed towards my success as a scien-
tist,” she says. “This is now the third
semester that I have been a full-time fac-
ulty member here, and I am going to be
finishing my doctorate degree at Emory in
a matter of weeks.”
Given her background, it’s not surprising
that Sawyer is thrilled about the most
recent development in the natural sciences
at Clayton State.
“I am extremely thrilled about the new
science building,” she says. “I have
always been thankful for the science pro-
gram here at Clayton State, and especially
for the faculty that have helped me suc-
ceed beyond my imagination in my career
as a scientist.
“The science building will be a cherry on
the top of the excellent programs already
in place, and I believe that having access
to these new, updated facilities will allow
Clayton State to improve the already won-
derful science program and expand the
research capabilities of the faculty. Just as
important, the construction of this new build-
ing will focus attention on Clayton State's
outstanding faculty and research and allow
people to see that Clayton State is a good
place to come to get a science degree.”
It also should not come as a surprise that
Sawyer’s department chair has similar
feelings about the science building.
“The new science building will certainly
provide us with the opportunity to expand
the enrollment of the entire university,
since all programs require at least one
semester of laboratory science courses,”
Furlong points out. “Additionally, the new
research laboratories will enhance our
ability to mentor innovative undergradu-
ate research projects and will allow us to
offer graduate programs in the sciences.
Engaging students in research at the grad-
uate and undergraduate level is essential
to their future success as scientists.”
Sawyer’s experience as an undergraduate
is a good example of the type of innova-
tive undergraduate research projects that
Furlong remarks upon. As part of her cur-
riculum at Clayton State, Sawyer did
research with Professor of Biology Dr.
Stephen Burnett, who is now, of course, a
colleague of Sawyer’s.
“We were able to get a paper published
detailing our research results into differ-
ences in echolocation calls between male
and female brown bats,” recalls Sawyer.
Going back to what she sees as the
essence of Clayton State, the supportive
community the University provides for its
students, Sawyer herself is an example of
that support.
I may be biased, but I believe the under-
graduate science education that I received
here was better than one I could have got-
ten from other universities. A large part of
the difference is the family-like atmos-
phere here and the wonderful interaction
between faculty and students,” she
claims.” I hope that the new science build-
ing will change how many people see
Clayton State and that the science pro-
gram here can actually get the credit it
deserves.
“I am also excited at the prospect of get-
ting hired into a tenure-track faculty posi-
tion so that I can permanently join the
ranks of the excellent faculty who care
deeply about seeing their students suc-
ceed. As a former beneficiary of the excel-
lent education offered by the science
department, I am thrilled at this opportu-
nity to give back to the Clayton State
community as a new faculty member and
help new generations of students fulfill
their dreams to become doctors, vets,
pharmacists, nurses, dental hygienists,
and yes, even research scientists!”
Faculty Grads, cont’d., p. 18
Sawyer, cont’d. from p. 2