Rossview Middle principal Laura Barnett named APSU College of Ed’s first Leadership Fellow

Clarksville, TN – Earlier this semester, Dr. Laura Barnett, Rossview Middle School principal, was named the inaugural Leadership Fellow for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) Eriksson College of Education.

The college developed the program last spring to draw upon the expertise, knowledge and experiences of practicing administrators.

According to the fellowship proposal, Barnett and future fellows will serve as “advisers for the Austin Peay State University educational leadership program by providing on-the-ground perspective and feedback on the qualifications, dispositions and skills needed in future educational leaders.”

Specifically, APSU Leadership Fellows will:

• Assist with partnership efforts in APSU Leadership Programs.
• Engage in ongoing program improvement and development efforts.
• Assist with accreditation and state mandates.
• Promote networking during College of Education events.
• Serve as adjunct professors in APSU Leadership Programs.
• Assist in recruitment efforts.
• Expand the field of research through collaborative efforts of publishing, researching and presenting with enrolled educational leadership students.

“The purpose of the program is to primarily share best practices with leaders from various counties surrounding Montgomery County, Tennessee,” Dr. Thomas Buttery, chair of the APSU Department of Educational Specialties, said. 

The fellowship program is expected to enhance relationships between local school districts and Austin Peay State University. 

“Ideally, teacher and leader education is a combination of theory and practice,” Dr. Prentice Chandler, dean of the Eriksson College of Education, said. “With the kind of relationship we have with our partners, we are in a position to make this a reality in our programs. I am excited about where this work will take us.”

Barnett previously served as principal at New Providence Middle School. She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University, a Master of Arts in Education, an Education Specialist degree in administration and supervision, and a B.S. in English from Austin Peay. She is certified in district and state leadership training.

The Eriksson College of Education’s Department of Educational Specialties offers several leadership programs, including a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) with a concentration in educational leadership, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership.

For information on these programs or the fellowship, contact Buttery at butteryt@apsu.edu.