2025-2026 Faculty Spotlight Honors
Sharon Blevins
Psychology
What made you want to teach, and why in your specific discipline?
Teaching at the college level has been such an honor as I have always looked up to my professors as role models and examples of lifelong learners I hoped to follow. Sharing the fascinating field of psychology that carries over to supporting the mental health and educational practices in our community is exciting.
Read the rest of Sharon's Q&A
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
The opportunity to watch students develop their knowledge and skills that translate into future service to others has been so rewarding. I have also enjoyed seeing students in my schools become educators and coworkers, fulfilling their goals.
What is your favorite memory at WKU?
Fifteen years ago, I taught an assessment class of graduate students when my mother passed away. The class presented me with a Hallmark figurine and card they'd signed to convey their condolences. I see that reminder every day in my home and feel the concern they showed. So many good memories have kept me going through the years with many relationships I would have never had otherwise.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, play on a USTA tennis league, homestead goats and chickens, and hang out with my children, grandkids, and husband.
If you were to meet yourself as a 1st year college student, what advice would you give?
Believe in yourself and don't be so hard on yourself. No one is expected to be perfect.
What challenges has being a first-generation professor presented in your career, and how have you overcome them?
Some of my relatives had a difficult time accepting the commitment of time in preparation of my goals. I am also asked why I work an additional job teaching as if it is unusual. I overcome that by staying focused on my goals and letting others know that I enjoy teaching and plan to stay as long as WKU will have me, beyond my retirement with my full-time work.
How is being a first-generation professor an asset in your career?
It has been an excellent opportunity to develop a much deeper understanding of the information that overlaps with my full-time work as a school psychologist. It has also been a way of instilling the value of education in my family.
Vickie Shoumake
School of Nursing and Allied Health
What made you want to teach, and why in your specific discipline?
I have always loved watching people grow and develop confidence in their abilities. One of the most rewarding moments in teaching is seeing the “light bulb” come on when a student truly understands a concept. Nursing education allows me to combine my passion for helping others with preparing future nurses to care for patients and communities. I truly enjoy helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to succeed.
Read the rest of Vickie's Q&A
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
The most rewarding aspect of teaching is seeing students grow into competent, confident nurses. I also deeply value the feedback students share about how mentoring, encouragement, and support helped them during challenging moments in the program. Knowing that I played a role in helping them reach their goals is incredibly meaningful.
What is your favorite memory at WKU?
I have many meaningful memories from my time at WKU, both as a student and now as a faculty member. I have taught many students through the years that have made a great impression on me. One moment that has stayed with me happened during one of my first years teaching. At graduation, a student introduced me to her husband and told him that I was the instructor who stopped her from dropping when things became difficult. She said that my encouragement helped her stay focused and finish the program. She was a strong student, and I never realized she had been considering leaving. That moment was very impactful for me because it made me realize just how much our support and encouragement as faculty can influence students. It reminded me that even small moments of encouragement can make a lasting difference.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, staying connected with my students and colleagues, and continuing to learn new ways to improve teaching and mentoring in nursing education.
If you were to meet yourself as a 1st year college student, what advice would you give?
I would tell myself to stay focused on my goals and trust the process. Work hard, stay committed to your dream, and remember that the challenges along the way are part of the journey. In the end, the hard work is absolutely worth it.
What challenges has being a first-generation professor presented in your career, and how have you overcome them?
Being a first-generation professor has meant navigating many aspects of higher education without having a family background to guide me through the process. Early in my career, there were times when I had to learn the expectations and culture of academia largely through experience, mentorship, and persistence. However, that journey has also given me a deep understanding of the challenges that many first-generation students face. Because of this, I try to be very intentional about creating a supportive learning environment where students feel encouraged to ask questions, seek help, and believe in their ability to succeed. I want students to know that they belong here and that their goals are achievable with hard work and support.
How is being a first-generation professor an asset in your career?
Being a first-generation professor has given me a unique perspective that helps me better understand and connect with students who may be navigating college without a strong support system. I understand what it feels like to figure things out along the way, and that experience has helped shape how I mentor and support students. It has made me more intentional about encouraging students, helping them build confidence, and reminding them that they belong in higher education and in their chosen profession. I try to create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and seeking guidance. My journey has shown me that with perseverance, support, and mentorship, students can accomplish goals they may not have once believed were possible.
Carnetta Skipworth
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
What made you want to teach, and why in your specific discipline?
My interest in teaching developed from a love of both working with students and science. Chemistry fascinated me because it explains so much about how the world works. I wanted to share that curiosity with students and help make a subject that can sometimes feel intimidating more accessible and meaningful. Teaching chemistry allows me to combine my passion for the discipline with my desire to mentor students, guide their learning, and help them build confidence in their abilities.
Read the rest of Carnetta's Q&A
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
The most rewarding aspect of teaching is seeing students succeed and reach their goals. It is incredibly meaningful to know that I can play even a small role in helping students move toward their future careers. I especially enjoy working closely with my laboratory teaching assistants and our chemistry student ambassadors, who contribute so much to our department and to supporting other students. Watching students grow academically and professionally and knowing they will go on to make an impact in their own fields is one of the greatest rewards of being an educator.
What is your favorite memory at WKU?
Rather than one specific moment, my favorite memories are the everyday interactions with students and colleagues that make the university community so special. I truly enjoy being around people and working alongside students as they learn and grow. I also value my frequent interactions with the chemistry dual credit teachers and pre-health professions students. I am especially grateful that many of my colleagues have become close friends.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy watching my garden grow and produce flowers, fruits, and vegetables that I can share with others. I love traveling and spending time with my family and friends.
If you were to meet yourself as a 1st year college student, what advice would you give?
Be persistent!
Jieyoung Kong
School of Media & Communication
What made you want to teach, and why in your specific discipline?
I never imagined I would become a college professor, never mind in the field of Communication. For the first three decades of my life, my family moved from country to country every two to three years due to my father's career, which took us to different parts of the world. The dramatic differences and surprising similarities I experienced growing up, I thought were unremarkable — just life circumstances you learn to live with. Then my sister cracked under the cumulated effects of rootlessness, and I stumbled across the term "third culture kid." The many challenges of communication and identity I had faced suddenly began to make sense, and that led me to the study of intercultural and international communication. What I discovered was that communication is far more than the exchange of information — it is how we make sense of ourselves, build relationships, and navigate the world. Teaching became a way to help students see the power of what they can accomplish when they learn to communicate with awareness, skill, and care.
Read the rest of Jieyoung's Q&A
What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of teaching?
Sharing the joy of learning about self, others, and the world with my students. What I treasure most is the chance to get to know individual students and discover what they are capable of beyond what they or anyone else expects of them. Sometimes it is a student who did not think they had anything original to say, finding their own voice for the first time. Other times it is watching someone venture to the edge of their comfort zone and realize they can see the world from a perspective they had never considered. It is deeply rewarding when students become aware of the immense power and agency they gain through understanding, knowledge, and skills — not just for themselves, but for their ability to connect with others and offer something of unique value to the world around them.
What is your favorite memory at WKU?
The many special connections I have made with students over the years. They are small in number, but they are the ones whose memory I will carry in my heart for the rest of my life. Having grown up moving from country to country, I never quite had a "village" I could call home. My favorite memory at WKU is discovering that I had found my own little village right here — because home is where the heart is, and it is those relationships with truly amazing students that have made it so.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Honestly, I would love to windsurf and swim in the ocean. But Bowling Green is far from the seaside, so I make do — I watch a lot of YouTube clips of people surfing large waves and diving. Otherwise, I enjoy hanging out with friends, going on walks to take in the changing seasons, and I would read a lot more if my eyesight was better.
If you were to meet yourself as a 1st year college student, what advice would you give?
Oh, gosh — that was so long ago. But two things I recall like it was yesterday: I felt like I didn't quite belong, and I let the fear of farewells and departures prevent me from fully embracing experiences and meeting people. So I would tell my younger self: embrace the world and yourself with confidence. That discomfort you feel is not a deficiency. Living in Bowling Green and this part of the United States has honestly taught me things my travels never could — the hardworking spirit and close-knit sense of community that still lives here reflect so much of the national heartbeat.
When Jieyoung was notified of her award, she quickly replied with a request to acknowledge the whole team that worked on launching the new graduate program. She said, the transition of their graduate program to an online format has been a “deeply collaborative effort”, and that her colleagues, Holly Payne, Kumi Ishii, Jennifer Miz Smith, Crystal Daughtery, and Angela Jerome played an instrumental role in making the transition possible.