Wildman to resume faculty position following service as director of the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Terry Wildman, director of the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at Virginia Tech, will resume his full-time faculty position as professor of educational psychology in the School of Education effective August 2008 following 13 years of service as the center's director.

An announcement is expected later this semester regarding posting for the position of director at the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

Wildman, who has 32 years of service to Virginia Tech, began his assignment as director of the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, just two years after its founding.

During his tenure as center director, Wildman led the effort to design and implement a broad-based portfolio of support programs for instructional faculty, resulting in participation by as much as a third of active faculty members each year. Wildman participated in and provided leadership in many university wide initiatives in curriculum planning, facilities design, strategic self studies, technology utilization, and faculty recognition, all of which are related to the enhancement of the instructional environment.

The most rewarding aspect of his work has been "without a doubt, the people I've been privileged to work with. I've also appreciated being connected to such a broad range of campus initiatives related to teaching and learning," said Wildman.

While at the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Wildman retained his faculty position in education with a one-quarter commitment to teaching and research. Because of his involvement and because his work at the center so closely matched his professional interests and scholarship he has no concerns heading back to teaching.

Ron Daniel, associate provost for undergraduate education said, “The Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching has grown and thrived under Terry’s creative leadership. Our center’s work has established Virginia Tech as a leader among universities fortunate to have such programs. His work has also extended into the better understanding and development of learning communities and more recently through connecting faculty development with academic assessment in a constructive and formative manner.”

Wildman, who was selected for the Diggs Teaching Scholar Award in 1995 and twice nominated by his college for Alumni Distinguished Professor is excited and ready to be more engaged with students and focusing more intensely on work he is currently pursuing on two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants.