Engage Staff

Julie Myatt, English faculty and MT Engage Director.

Dr. Julie Myatt, Director

Myatt earned her master’s in English at Tennessee Technological University and her PhD in Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Louisville. She has served as Director of Engage since 2019, and endeavors to provide excellent support for faculty teaching in the program. Myatt piloted her first Engage course in Spring 2016, served as faculty representative for the College of Liberal Arts on the Engage Oversight and ePortfolio Scholarship Review Committees, and presented at the Engage Summer Institute. She previously served as Coordinator of GTAs in English and Co-Director of General Education English.

She teaches English and Public Writing and Rhetoric courses. She is a recipient of an MTSU Foundation Award for Outstanding Teaching in General Education and the June Anderson Center National Women’s History Month Trailblazer Award.

Lexy Denton, Assistant Director

Lexy Denton earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from MTSU. She worked as the assistant to the QEP committee chair during the development of Engage and as part of the QEP team during the University’s accreditation reaffirmation meetings. She also teaches Freshman Seminar (UNIV1010).

Sarah Pierce, Engage Faculty Fellow

Dr. Sarah Sewell Pierce is a chemist and educator who is passionate about making science accessible and engaging. She is currently an Instructor and Coordinator in the Chemistry Department at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).

Before joining MTSU, Dr. Pierce earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, her Master of Arts in Education from Cumberland University, and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Vanderbilt University. She then taught at Cumberland University for 15 years, where she taught a variety of chemistry courses.

At MTSU, Dr. Pierce coordinates Introduction to General Chemistry I, Introduction to General Chemistry II, and Chemistry for Consumers. She is passionate about using active learning strategies to make complex scientific concepts accessible and relatable for all students. Learn more about Dr. Sarah Pierce https://mtsunews.com/sarah-pierce-named-engage-faculty-fellow/.

Engaged From Day One – by Dr. Sarah Pierce

When I was hired for my first faculty position in the Fall of 2008, I had no official teaching training beyond what I had learned teaching laboratories as a graduate teaching assistant. Veteran faculty members gave me a lot of advice. The most common wisdom I received was this: “Don’t smile on the first day.” I never asked why, but I assumed it was to make sure students took me seriously. Unfortunately, I followed that advice. On that first day, I solemnly went over the rules and regulations.

The result was a disaster. My students were afraid of me and too scared to ask questions. I had unintentionally created a classroom culture of fear—of me and of the subject I loved. I knew something had to change.

I dove into educational literature and discovered active learning. I attended workshops and conferences. I completely changed my teaching style, adding things like group work and personal response systems. But the most impactful change was in how I approached the first day.

Now, my approach is completely different. Before the first day, I send a survey asking students how they learn best and what they need from me. This sets a tone of a partnership. On the first day, I greet them with a genuine smile and have them fill out a card with their name and aspirations. Instead of simply dictating the syllabus, we discuss community expectations. I present the syllabus as my expectations, then I turn the question to them: “What are your expectations of me?” This simple act reframes our relationship. The adversarial feeling vanished, replaced by a positive and collaborative atmosphere.

As we head into a new semester, I want to challenge you to reflect on your own first-day activities. What message are you sending about your classroom culture? A small shift—a quick survey, a simple notecard, or a discussion about student expectations—might be all it takes to make your classroom a more welcoming space.

Rebecca Rogers, Administrative Assistant

Rebecca Rogers earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Japanese from MTSU. She now works as the Engage administrative assistant. As a former student of the program, she enjoys helping other students and faculty with the Engage program that enriched her own college career.

Ellie Davenport, Graduate Assistant

Ellie Davenport is a graduate student of the Master of Arts in International Affairs program at MTSU. They graduated from MTSU with a bachelor’s degree in global studies with minors in international relations and university honors. As an honors student and a Buchanan Fellow, she successfully defended her thesis exploring the history of and conducting interviews within the Japanese community in the Nashville Metropolitan area. They served for two years as Secretary of MTSU’s Japan Club hosting cultural events for MTSU students including several Japanese exchange students and English language learners from the local Nashville ELS school. They are a recipient of the College of Liberal Arts Student Award for the Department of Global Studies and Human Geography.

Zoee McDow, Student Worker

Zoee McDow is a junior majoring in Public Writing and Rhetoric and Religious Studies. In addition to working with the Engage office, Zoee serves as a peer mentor for TRIO Student Support Services