Augusta University professor aims to promote inclusion, collaboration as Governor’s Teaching Fellow

Augusta University’s Laura Rychly, EdD, an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development with a decade-long tenure, has been named a Governor’s Teaching Fellow. 

The program provides the state’s higher education faculty with expanded opportunities for developing important teaching skills. Fellows must apply for selection to the highly competitive program, which is offered through the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. 

Rychly looks forward to representing Augusta University and the College of Education and Human Development and seizing the chance to integrate two pivotal initiatives: the recently published Blueprint for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the upcoming Provost’s Learning Scholars program. 

“The opportunity to represent my college in this collective way, where faculty from other disciplines and other institutions meet together at the University of Georgia six times over the course of the academic year to support each other’s development as practitioners, is very meaningful to me,” said Rychly, emphasizing her enthusiasm for collaborative efforts and their potential to enrich the educational landscape. 

“This opportunity came about at an interesting time. It’s a chance to strengthen a project that I was already planning to do here with my fellow faculty at Augusta University as a Provost’s Learning Scholar,” said Rychly.

Read more: MacKinnon announces new Provost’s Learning Scholars Program

By participating in this prestigious fellowship, she aims to leverage her ongoing efforts to engage with faculty across AU’s campuses to create learning environments that nurture students. 

“I’m curious to learn about collective efforts to reconcile some of the cognitive dissonances we’re all experiencing around diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in our state,” said Rychly, underscoring her commitment to exploring research and innovative approaches that bridge the gaps within the education community. 

Judi Wilson, EdD, dean of the College of Education and Human Development, congratulated Rychly on her selection. 

“The Governor’s Teaching Fellow initiative is a highly competitive program, and we are delighted that Dr. Rychly was chosen to participate,” Wilson said. “I believe the innovative and collaborative project she has proposed will truly help us create a more inclusive institutional culture. Our college is excited and honored to support her work as a 2023-24 fellow. With her passion and dedication, Rychly is poised to inspire positive change, nurturing a brighter and more inclusive future for all students on Augusta University’s campuses.”