Ellison named Undergraduate Program Director for the B.A./B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies

Dr. Allison S. Danell, dean of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, is pleased to announce that Lisa Ellison, teaching instructor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, has been named Undergraduate Program Director for the B.A./B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies.

Multidisciplinary Studies are university-wide programs housed within Harriot College with faculty participating across several disciplines.

“These programs enroll more than 200 students on average, per year, in very diverse topics and really serve the interests of ECU’s students,” said Dr. Edu Leorrie, Harriot College’s associate dean for planning.

“What I love about multidisciplinary programs is the diversity of approaches it allows students to explore within a field. A multidisciplinary program isn’t the only way to nurture intellectual curiosity, creative program solving, and mental acuity and flexibility, but it is a solid choice,” Ellison said. “I hope to raise the visibility of the multidisciplinary programs, recruit more students and help programs reach their own goals for success.”

A couple of Ellison’s initial ideas for recruiting include creating a centralized webpage with information pertaining to all the multidisciplinary studies programs offered within the college and developing double-major plans to advertise to undecided majors and other students in Harriot College.

Ellison, an outspoken supporter of fixed-term issues, has taught at the university for 10 years and became a full-time fixed-term faculty member six years ago.

She is in her sixth year of service on the Faculty Senate’s Writing Across the Curriculum committee and joined the Great Books Multidisciplinary Committee in 2017, where she has led curricular changes and maintains the websites of Great Books and Classical Studies.

“Taking a lead role in curricular changes has given me experience with the various entities involved in curriculum approval in the college and university, and the not-always-easy-to-understand path that multidisciplinary programs must take,” she said.

A commitment to her students is another key trait Ellison holds.

“Availability and adaptability are hallmarks of my teaching. I encourage students to email me, use the Canvas assignment comments or book a meeting with me if they are struggling to understand concepts in the class,” she said. “I monitor their engagement in class and intervene when I see signs that a student is falling behind. I use Starfish reports and student-athlete reports to encourage students to continue successful behaviors or to establish new habits that will help them reach their goals for the class.”

Ellison is a leader in online course development. Her Latin courses are the only online, asynchronous language courses available to students at ECU.

“I am generous with my time and resources and am always happy to share my experiences,” she said.

For additional information or questions, contact Ellison at ellisonl15@ecu.edu.