MTSU’s Chair of Excellence Scholars Program establishes new Faculty Advisory Committee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning recently announced the establishment of the COE Scholars Program Faculty Advisory Committee, welcoming its inaugural group of volunteer faculty members.

Dr. Murat Arik, assistant professor of management, Jones College of Business, and director of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center — Dr. Murat Arik

Murat Arik, chairholder of the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning, will serve as chair of the committee.

The new Faculty Advisory Committee is designed to support the continuous improvement of the COE Scholars Program, a leading applied-learning initiative that prepares students for careers in urban and regional planning.

The founding committee members include Arik; Keith Gamble, professor, Weatherford Chair of Finance; Steve Livingston, professor, Political and Global Affairs; Ugur Orak, associate professor, Sociology and Anthropology; Richard Tarpey, associate professor, Management; and Sam Zaza, associate professor, Information Systems and Analytics.

Dr. Keith Gamble, chair, economics and finance — Dr. Keith Gamble

Dr. Steven Livingston, professor of political science & international relations and contributor to MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center — Dr. Steven Livingston

Dr. Ugur Orak, associate professor, sociology and anthropology — Dr. Ugur Orak

The committee will focus specifically on the COE Scholars Program, reviewing its curriculum, training modules, student selection process, mentoring/shadowing opportunities, professional development activities, and conference engagement.

The goal is to ensure the program remains aligned with industry expectations and continues to provide high-impact experiential learning opportunities.

Dr. Richard J. Tarpey, Department of Management — Dr. Richard Tarpey

Dr. Ibtissam “Sam” Zaza, assistant professor, Department of Information Systems and Analytics, Jones College of Business — Dr. Ibtissam “Sam” Zaza

Dr. Joyce Heames, dean, Jennings A. Jones College of Business — Dr. Joyce Heames

Jones College of Business Dean Joyce Heames offered strong support for the newly formed committee, noting that “the COE Scholars Program represents the best of who we are — student-centered, forward-looking, and committed to excellence. I applaud this initiative to strengthen curriculum and student engagement, and I appreciate the faculty who volunteer their time to help our students thrive.”

The committee will meet each year during the second week of February to review program materials and recommend updates for the upcoming academic year.

For more information about the COE-URP Scholars Program, visit https://urp.mtsu.edu/scholarsprogram/.

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)