Austin Peay State University dean named to national fellowship for educator-preparation leaders

By: Cece Zhou July 14, 2026

Dr. John McConnell, dean of APSU’s Eriksson College of Education, during a signing ceremony for the Grow Your Own Teacher Residency. | Photo by Sean McCully

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Dr. John McConnell, dean of the Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay State University, has been named an Impact Academy fellow through national nonprofit organization Deans for Impact (DFI). McConnell joins a cohort of leaders chosen for their commitment to strengthening educator preparation and ensuring future teachers are prepared to meet the needs of all students.

Educator-preparation leaders today are navigating a rapidly evolving landscape, from emerging technologies like AI and new strategic staffing models to reading and math instructional policy shifts. They are also facing tightening budgets, enrollment pressures, and changing workforce needs. More than ever, the field needs leaders who can guide change with clarity, courage, and care while keeping student learning at the center.

DFI aims to support this need through its Impact Academy fellowship, which has developed a national network of nearly 200 education deans and executive-level leaders who are working within and beyond educator preparation to strengthen teaching and learning. The fellowship supports leaders to prioritize evidence-based instruction, navigate their teams through continuous change, deepen partnerships with schools and communities, and build accessible, high-quality pathways into teaching.

McConnell is one of 24 leaders announced as part of the fellowship's 11th cohort. This year's fellows represent a wide range of contexts and communities in which future teachers are prepared, including public and private universities, community colleges, national programs, school districts, and innovative teacher-preparation pathways. Together, they share a commitment to strengthening systems of education so that more students are taught by well-prepared teachers.

"I'm honored to join this cohort of leaders who share a deep commitment to preparing educators who can make a meaningful difference in students' lives,” McConnell said. “This fellowship is an opportunity to learn from peers across the country and bring those insights back to strengthen educator preparation at Austin Peay and throughout Tennessee."

Fellows will participate in in-person and virtual monthly cohort-based learning, receive one-on-one coaching from veteran leaders, and engage in peer consultancies focused on the field's most pressing challenges. Over the course of the year, they will workshop solutions to adaptive challenges: complex problems leaders face when change depends not only on technical or structural fixes, but on shifting mindsets, relationships, and ways of working.

“Educator-preparation leaders are being asked to make important decisions in a moment of rapid change,” said Valerie Sakimura, CEO of DFI. “This cohort of leaders stands out for their willingness to engage in complexity with deep care for students, their learning, and their futures. We’re excited to support these leaders as they meet the moment and help ensure every student is taught by well-prepared teachers.”

To learn more about this year’s Impact Academy cohort, visit: https://www.deansforimpact.org/impact-academy-cohort11.

About the Eriksson College of Education

The Eriksson College of Education prepares dynamic teachers and educational leaders to positively impact communities and schools in the 21st century. The college offers initial and advanced licensure and non-licensure programs. Its programs, including the nationally known Grow Your Own Teacher Residency, are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To learn more, visit apsu.edu/education.

About Deans for Impact (DFI)

Deans for Impact (DFI) is a national non-profit organization committed to ensuring that every child is taught by a well-prepared teacher. DFI supports educator-preparation programs to bring the science of learning into teaching practice; partners with policymakers to ensure pathways into teaching are instructionally-focused, practice-based, accessible, and innovative and responsive; and equips leaders with the tools to address today’s most pressing challenges in educator preparation. Guided by principles of learning science, DFI aims to help aspiring and early-career teachers create rigorous and affirming classrooms where all children thrive. For more information, visit deansforimpact.org.