Three faculty members have been selected as Troy University’s 2026-27 Provost’s Faculty Teaching Fellows, an initiative of the Teaching Excellence Collaborative that seeks to improve teaching across the University.
The Teaching Excellence Collaborative seeks to provide resources, professional development opportunities and mentorship for faculty members. Selected as Teaching Fellows were Dr. Lane Boyte Chadwick, Professor of Economics; Dr. Jenna Hussey, Associate Professor in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program; and Dr. Noah Trudeau, Assistant Professor of Economics.
The new class of fellows was introduced during a meeting, led by Dr. Heather Small and Dr. Leora Waldner, on May 6. The 2025-26 Teaching Fellows – Dr. John Dove, Dr. Tammy Esteves, Dr. Karen Ross, Dr. Adam Rutkowski and Dr. Robert Vilardi – gave a presentation of their activities during the previous year.
Dr. Kerry Palmer, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, thanked the inaugural class of fellows for the work they had done and welcomed the incoming class.
“I would like to congratulate the first cohort of our Provost’s teaching fellows for their hard work during this academic year. They have established the foundation of a faculty innovation center that I believe will have an enduring impact here at TROY,” Palmer said. “I look forward to welcoming our newest fellows as we continue to improve teaching and learning at Troy University. They are an outstanding group of professionals, and I believe they will truly make a difference.”
The new class of fellows will not only seek to support teaching excellence but also will lend their support to the formation of the University’s Center for Faculty Innovation, which is expected to launch in August under the interim leadership of Dr. Heather Small.
The opportunity to serve in the role that helps to emphasize excellence in teaching at the University is exciting for the fellows.
“Being selected as a Provost Fellow is both an incredible honor and a meaningful opportunity to contribute to a culture that has long defined Troy University,” Chadwick said. “Teaching has always been at the center of my professional identity, and this role allows me to help elevate the conversations surrounding innovation, engagement, and student success across the university. I see this opportunity not only as recognition of the work so many faculty are already doing, but also as a chance to build stronger connections between teaching, experiential learning, and career readiness. At TROY, we have faculty and staff who are deeply committed to students, and I believe this program creates a platform to share ideas, collaborate across disciplines, and continue strengthening that tradition of excellence.”
For Hussey, serving as a Provost Fellow enables her to extend her impact beyond her own classroom to support faculty across programs.
“Having the opportunity to emphasize excellence in teaching through this prestigious fellowship is both meaningful and motivating to me,” Hussey said. “As an educator in the School of Nursing, I have seen firsthand how strong, well-supported teaching directly impacts student confidence, clinical competence, and long-term professional success. Teaching is not only a responsibility but a privilege, and I believe it should be continuously refined through innovation, collaboration, and intentional support from our TROY family. Throughout my time as an Associate Professor, I have been deeply committed to mentoring new faculty, particularly adjunct clinical instructors who often enter their roles with limited access to structured resources. I have seen how gaps in communication, organization, and onboarding can create unnecessary challenges, and I am passionate about helping to address those barriers.”
Trudeau views the role of Provost Fellow as an opportunity to help current students enjoy the same type of experience that he had as a TROY student.
“I am a graduate of TROY and had the pleasure in having faculty who were fantastic teachers,” he said. “I personally hope I live up to the standards that they set, and I want everyone teaching at TROY to be excellent as well. It stems from wanting each of our students to have the same type of experience I had. Without the faculty at TROY, I don’t know if I’d currently be ‘Dr.’ Noah Trudeau, and I definitely wouldn’t be here today. Being in this role means being in a position to help.”
Chadwick said the role takes on even greater importance given the rapidly changing nature of higher education.
“Our students benefit most when learning extends beyond the traditional classroom. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about connecting students with real-world experiences through internships, employer partnerships, service-learning projects, and applied learning opportunities,” Chadwick said. “Serving as a Provost Fellow gives me the ability to help support faculty who may want to integrate more experiential practices into their courses, while also reinforcing that innovation in teaching can be practical, collaborative, and sustainable.”
Hussey said students are the ultimate beneficiaries of such a focus on teaching excellence.
“This opportunity aligns closely with my commitment to fostering a supportive, organized and collaborative teaching environment,” she said. “It also allows me to contribute to a culture where faculty feel confident, prepared and valued in their roles, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for our students.”
Among Chadwick’s goals for participating in the program is to empower faculty across the University.
“I hope my participation contributes to a continued university-wide focus on student engagement, mentorship, and applied learning,” she said. “One of my goals is to help create pathways where faculty across all colleges feel empowered to experiment with new teaching approaches, connect with community and industry partners, and share successful practices with one another. I also hope to help strengthen the connection between academic learning and career preparation so students can clearly see how their classroom experiences translate into professional growth and success. Ultimately, I want my work as a Provost Fellow to reinforce the idea that teaching excellence is not static; it is collaborative, adaptive, student centered and deeply connected to the mission and culture of Troy University.”
Hussey agreed, adding that achieving excellence in teaching is an ongoing process.
“Through my participation in this program, I hope to contribute to a more structured and sustainable approach to supporting teaching excellence across the university,” Hussey said. “Specifically, my proposed project which aims to further enhance a unified and streamlined access point for essential teaching resources, clinical requirements, and faculty development opportunities. I aim to further improve the experience of both new and seasoned instructor by reducing uncertainty, increasing consistency in instruction, and promoting confidence in their teaching roles. More broadly, I hope my involvement in Provost Fellows reinforces the idea that teaching excellence is not a static achievement but an ongoing, collaborative process.”
Trudeau said he hopes his participation as a fellow will help make some of the challenges teachers sometimes face less difficult.
“I recently heard a quote that knowledge is special because you can give it all away and not lose a single thing. So that makes teachers really special,” he said. “And I’m not going to lie, sometimes what we do is really difficult. Maybe it’s a bad day, or a tough concept, or something else entirely. I don’t think my participation can make every day a good day for those teaching at TROY, but maybe my participation can make some of the difficult days a little easier. And maybe make some of the good days exceptional.”
About the Fellows
Dr. Lane Boyte Chadwick is a Full Professor of Economics at Troy University in the School of Creative Enterprise and Market Systems, where she has served since 2005. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Auburn University, with research and teaching interests spanning economic development, experiential learning, and the intersection of education and workforce outcomes. As a 2026–2027 Provost Fellow, Dr. Chadwick will focus on expanding faculty development initiatives that integrate experiential learning into coursework, strengthening employer partnerships, and advancing institutional strategies that align academic programs with career outcomes. Her work supports Troy University’s commitment to innovation, student success, and workforce readiness.
Dr. Jenna Hussey is an Associate Professor in the Bachelor of Science of Nursing (BSN) program at Troy University, teaching Pediatric Nursing. A three-time Troy graduate, Dr. Hussey has worked in the field of Neonatal Intensive Care, Women’s and Children, and Home Health as a registered nurse. Originally from Birmingham, she enjoys mission work abroad during the summers. Next year she will work on a faculty support hub with tools and resources for new full-time and adjunct instructors.
Dr. Noah Trudeau is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Troy University. His research specializes in occupational regulation, with a specific focus on the intersection of economic history and the study of barriers created through regulatory action. He is the lead coauthor of the State Occupational Licensing Index (SOLI) produced by the Archbridge Institute. When not working on regulatory studies, Noah studies and contributes to pedagogy for the classroom by designing new methods for encouraging student engagement. His Provost Fellows project will focus on student engagement webinars and toolkits for both the in-person and online teacher. Dr. Trudeau earned his Ph.D. in Economics from West Virginia University. Before that he received an MA in Economics from Troy University and a BS in Economics from Jacksonville State University. He is a research fellow with the Knee Regulatory Research Center at WVU and a Labor Policy Fellow with the Archbridge Institute.
