Dr. CASSIE BURKS
Cassie Burks, assistant professor of nursing, has been selected as a recipient of the Alliance of Women Philanthropists’ Giving Circle Grant 2026-2027 through her project “The Heartbeat of UTM: Lighting the Way to Survival.”
The grant will upgrade the Department of Nursing’s Basic Life Support equipment by funding a state-of-the-art fleet of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) mannequins that meet strict American Heart Association mandates for real-time feedback. The nursing department partners with local clinicians to provide AHA-accredited life support training to students, faculty and rural health care providers.
PRISCILLA PRICE
Priscilla Price, coordinator for the UT Martin Office of Student Conduct and Care, was selected to attend the 2026 National Association of Student Personal Administrators (NASPA) Region III/Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA) Mid-Managers Institute, held June 12–18 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
The Mid-Managers Institute is a highly selective, application-based professional development program presented through a partnership between SACSA and NASPA Region III. Designed specifically for experienced mid-level student affairs professionals, the institute provides a focused and immersive leadership experience that equips participants with the knowledge, skills, professional relationships and leadership dispositions necessary to make meaningful contributions to their institutions and the students they serve.
Throughout the week, participants engaged with distinguished faculty mentors, guest presenters and peers from across the region. Program topics included managing from the middle, navigating institutional politics and campus climate, strategic planning, fostering collaboration between academic and student affairs, professional competencies, and career planning.
Admission to the institute is highly competitive and reserved for individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential. Applicants must be nominated and recommended by their vice president or vice chancellor, recognizing them as rising leaders with a proven record of excellence, commitment and professional achievement.
Dr. BRYAN SANDOR
Dr. Bryan Sandor, who previously served as a lecturer in mathematics and statistics at UT Martin, begins the 2026–27 academic year as a tenure-track assistant professor. Sandor began his career at UT Martin in 2019 after earning his bachelor’s degree from UT Martin.
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics also welcomes two new faculty members as the 2026–27 academic year begins.
Kyle Byassee, a 2014 and 2026 graduate of UT Martin and a recent mathematics major in the department, joins the faculty as a lab instructor. Dr. Rajrani Gupta joins UT Martin from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and will serve as a lecturer.
