Ed.D Alumna promoted to associate dean of arts and sciences at Gaston College

Posted on November 30, 2022

Patricia Williams

Dr. Patricia Williams, a 2022 graduate of the Ed.D. in KIN program, has had a busy fall semester since summer graduation at UNCG. At the start of the Fall 2022 semester, Patricia was promoted from Instructor of Biology to Chair of the Science Department. Within the month, she received a second promotion and is currently serving as Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at Gaston College. 

The second promotion resulted, in part, from a conversation with the Dean about her dissertation, “Improving Kinesiology Student Success in Mixed-Major Biology Courses: A Case Study Exploring Faculty Perspectives of Differentiating Instruction Based on Career Pathway.” As Associate Dean, one of her primary responsibilities is to improve faculty instruction and engagement in online courses within the Division of Arts and Sciences. This includes coordinating faculty resources and serving as an evaluator of online courses within her division. 

As a trained microbiologist/biologist and college biology instructor, she noticed an increase in kinesiology students in her courses who were not connecting with certain concepts taught in her courses. Patricia shared, “I began looking at how I taught the course and my student population. I realized I needed to adjust my approach to ensure that each student got what they needed out of my biology courses.” That is when Patricia applied to the Ed.D. in KIN program at UNCG in 2018. “I was looking for a program that would give me the tools to teach students from diverse backgrounds as well as how to approach kinesiology students specifically.” Patricia stated that the Ed.D. in KIN program at UNCG provided these essential tools to help kinesiology students and students from all our majors who pass through courses at Gaston College. As she continues her journey in her new administrative role, she is thankful for the skills she gained in the Ed.D. Kinesiology program at UNCG. “I can take what I learned in the program and help students from a wide range of majors and backgrounds.” 

To learn more about the Ed.D. in Kinesiology Program, click here.