MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Christina Cobb, associate professor of mathematics in University Studies at Middle Tennessee State University, is the recipient of the 2024 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

Cobb was one of eight women nominated for the award, which recognizes an emerging leader under age 40 who exemplifies the ATHENA attributes and serves as a role model for young women.

She was nominated by the American Association of University Women-Murfreesboro for her dedication to education and devotion to mentoring young women entering college.

“I am dedicated to my students’ academic success,” said Cobb, who also serves as implementation coordinator for True Blue Core, MTSU’s new general education program. “A lot of students don’t like math. I use active learning and gamification in the classroom to teach them.”

Meanwhile, two other MTSU faculty members were nominated for the ATHENA International Leadership Award: Lucy Langworthy, assistant to the dean in the College of Liberal Arts; and Sam Zaza, assistant professor in the MTSU Department of Information Systems and Analytics in the Jones College of Business.

The awards are administered through Rutherford Cable, a professional leadership organization for women in Rutherford County.

‘Empowering young women for success’

An Atlanta native, Cobb admittedly was “not a math person” growing up, so she entered Tennessee State University in 2002 as an undergrad biology major with plans for a career in medicine. But a mathematics professor who “taught outside the box” brought math alive for Cobb. 

“She made class really engaging and it made me want to become a math teacher. I fell in love with math,” said Cobb, who attended TSU on a marching band scholarship.

But those math classes weren’t always easy, and the first-generation university grad is transparent with her students about her journey. She took one class three times before making the grade.

“I tell my students that just because you fail something doesn’t mean that’s the end of your story,” Cobb said. “I tell them, ‘If I can do it, you can do it as well.’ Everybody struggles with something and it doesn’t mean you don’t belong in school.”

Upon graduation, Cobb taught middle school math for three years in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools before coming to MTSU in 2011.

“I wanted to stay at MTSU because I love it here,” said Cobb, who worked on her doctorate for six years while serving as a math lecturer at MTSU.

“During that time, I picked up some of the same teaching skills my professor at TSU used, like active learning and … playing games in the classroom.”

Cobb earned an Outstanding Teaching Award at MTSU in 2019 and the Outstanding Teaching Award in General Education at MTSU in 2022. In 2023, she received the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award and was honored with a Trailblazer Award during MTSU’s National Women’s History Month Trailblazer celebration.

She also garnered a Tennessee Board of Regents Student Engagement, Retention and Success grant, alongside math professor Marva Lucas, for “Strategies to Enhance African American Males in a Prescribed Mathematics Course Success Rates” in 2019.

Over the years as an educator, she became passionate about empowering young women for success. In 2021, she founded EducatHER, a national nonprofit mentoring program that pairs professionals with young women across the country entering college.

“I remember how I struggled my freshman and sophomore years as a young woman, not knowing what to do,” such as developing academic skills and balancing social and educational aspects of university life. “I don’t want these young ladies go down the same path. I want to mentor them, show them how to use resources on campus and help them financially.”

To learn how to get involved as a mentor with EducatHER, visit https://www.educather.com or email dr.christina.cobb@educateher.com.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)