Education Committee

The Education Committee began as an ad hoc group but was recognized in 2013 as a formal committee in the Appalachian Studies Association, due to the hard work of founding members Carol Baugh, serving as the first chair, Katherine Ledford, Tess Lloyd, Sylvia Shurbutt, and Tom Wagner. One of the committee’s main tasks is the selection of winners for the Stephen L. Fisher Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award honors individuals dedicated to intellectual rigor and pedagogical integrity in constructing and delivering inclusive knowledge about Appalachia and its people. Thanks to sponsorship by Radford University’s College of Education and Human Development, the winners receive $250 each. The award was established in 2013 by the ASA Education Committee chaired by Carol Baugh. In 2015, the award was named in honor of Stephen L. Fisher, professor of political science from 1971 to 2006 at Emory & Henry College, where he helped create an Appalachian Studies minor, the Appalachian Center for Community Service, and an interdisciplinary service-learning major in Public Policy & Community Service. Professor Fisher was the 1999 Carnegie Foundation Outstanding Baccalaureate College U.S. Professor of the Year and won numerous additional teaching awards. Beginning in 2016, the committee was able to choose two educators for the Fisher Award, one at the K-12 level and one at the post-secondary level. Please refer to the Awards page for guidelines and information. Additionally, the Education Committee is responsible for keeping up to date on Appalachian studies pedagogical topics, as well as Appalachian Center matters. Related to this, the Committee sponsors at least one session at the annual ASA Conference so participants have an opportunity to engage in discussions about important, timely issues related to pedagogy and Center outreach.