Tracy Rees

Background

About Tracy Rees

I have carefully cultivated over a decade of experience working directly with college students. Higher education has been a passion of mine since I was an undergraduate. My institution, Pitt-Bradford, encouraged my growth not only as a student, but as a person and lifelong learner. My career has transitioned from student services & affairs to teaching but I utilize both sides of higher ed every day. I love breaking down a concept for a struggling student and watching their eyes light up when they grasp something they hadn't been able to grasp before, and then watching them build that knowledge back up to incorporate into the larger context of their learning goals. I also love mentoring new faculty and sharing the wealth of knowledge I have gained throughout the years. Through my position, I am the faculty lead instructor for PSCC's Introduction to Psychology course, the faculty representative on Pellissippi State's Wellness Team, a department senator for Faculty Senate, and a team member for Pellissippi State's French Sport & Leadership Exchange program. Formerly, I was a co-chair of the General Education Strategy Team and a member of the General Education Re-visioning Team. Additionally, I have advised Gamma Beta Phi students, was a faculty leader for a college wide reading group "Pellissippi Partners for Student Potential" for the Strawberry Plains campus, and a Student Success Coordinator. I have presented on the millennial generation in crisis (stress/anxiety as barrier to academic success), Using OER to enhance representation, OER resources, Finding One's Career Path, TILT for successful students, and more! As part of two grant teams, I have been awarded a TBR (state) grant to customize an OER psychology textbook for better representation and improved reading skills, and a college grant to connect web-base learners with vital research skills information. Our OER customization project was recently nominated for the Innovations Award through the Pellissippi State Foundation. Teaching awards include: The "John & Suanne Roueche Excellence" award for community college educators (2018), Pellissippi State Foundation's "The Roger Crowe Excellence in Teaching"(2018), and Pellissippi State's "Adjunct of the Year"(2012). I was also nominated in 2021 as part of a grant team for the customization of an OER textbook to increase representation for Pellissippi State Foundation's Jean Joyce Visionary Award.