Dr. Vicki Luther, associate professor of education in Mercer University’s Tift College of Education, was recently selected as a 2020 Governor’s Teaching Fellow.
 
Dr. Luther will represent Mercer among a select group of faculty from institutions of higher education across the state during the fellows program’s academic-year symposia.
 
“Dr. Luther is most deserving of this recognition,” said Dr. Thomas R. Koballa Jr., dean of the College of Education. “Being chosen as a Governor’s Teaching Fellow will enable Dr. Luther to further enhance her already strong teaching knowledge and skills. I look forward to hearing about her experiences as a Fellow and having her share what she learns with other Tift faculty, thus benefiting all our students.”
 
Dr. Luther’s research focuses on continuous improvement in teaching and teacher preparation. Additional research interests include teacher retention, the impacts of early literacy on children of poverty, co-teaching in inclusive classrooms, and reading strategies and supports for elementary educators.
 
“It is an honor to be selected as a Governor’s Teaching Fellow,” said Dr. Luther. “I am humbled to have been chosen, and I look forward to working with, and learning from, colleagues from across the state. I plan to implement new skills and innovations into my courses in order to best prepare teacher candidates. I am excited to grow personally and professionally, as I believe that this opportunity will allow me to make a greater impact in my role as a faculty member at Mercer and within the field of education.”
 
Dr. Luther has published in Education Research and Perspectives, Transitions in Global Education, Academic Leadership and The California Reader, among other academic journals. Most recently, she completed a book chapter on teacher retention in primary grades.
 
She is a member of the International Literacy Association, International Council for Learning Disabilities, National Association of Professional Development Schools and National Association for Co-Teaching. She is also a site visitor for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and serves on the editorial board of two peer-reviewed journals.
 
She earned her B.S. in early childhood/elementary education and special education with an emphasis in learning disabilities from Southern Wesleyan University and both her M.Ed. in reading and literacy and Ed.D. in innovation and leadership from Wilmington University.
 
The Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program was established by the late Zell Miller, governor of Georgia from 1991-1999, to provide Georgia’s higher education faculty with expanded opportunities for developing important teaching skills. The program is offered through the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia.