Dr. Heather DeGrande and David Hill Selected for Faculty-in-Residence Program
Dr. Heather DeGrande, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and David Hill, Assistant Professional Professor of Art, have been selected to participate in the third year of the Faculty-in-Residence Program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC).
Sponsored by Academic Affairs, Student Engagement and Success (SEAS), Islander Housing, and the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE), the program offers a unique opportunity for Islander faculty and administrators to reside in campus housing units and interact with students outside of the classroom experience. Increased student–faculty/administrator interactions help improve student retention and positively affect students’ success.
“Creating a residential environment that combines dynamic student engagement and developmental student support is central to the mission of Islander Housing,” stated Amanda Morales, Director of Residence Life for Islander Housing. She also noted, “The Faculty-in-Residence program has been a great addition to our campus, and its continued growth will create a myriad of opportunities for faculty and administrators to positively impact students’ experiences and foster collaboration across campus.”
Dr. DeGrande and Mr. Hill will reside in campus housing for both the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters. During their residency, both faculty members will collaborate with Residence Life staff to provide programmatic initiatives to meet residents’ needs, act as role models of responsible and positive behavior, become knowledgeable of student success and support avenues at TAMU-CC in order to act as a referral agent when needed, and encourage students to take advantage of Islander Housing and University-sponsored opportunities and events.
Dr. DeGrande expressed, “I am excited about this opportunity to work with students outside of the walls of the classroom, because I have a passionate interest in student success—not just for the students in my college and programs, but across campus, and not just during their college experience here on the Island, but in their future life endeavors.”
Mr. Hill explained, “As professors, we invite students into our environment. We have an advantage on ‘home turf’—the classroom. It excites me to invert that dynamic and be a presence in their world. I look forward to teaming up with students to discover strategies we can both use to thrive in the college culture.”
For more information, contact Dr. Kellie Smith, Center for Faculty Excellence Director, at kellie.smith@tamucc.edu.
