In September 2023, UT Martin received a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant through the U.S. Department of Education for its Elevating for Take-Off project. Since then, the five-year, $1.54 million grant has helped the university reach new heights.
The goals for the use of the grant were twofold:
• To create a center for teaching and learning to provide training and resources to improve progression, retention and student success, and
• To create a learning commons to centralize learning support services and expand high-impact practices.
Both goals have been realized. The Center for Teaching and Learning opened in October 2024 with Dr. Adnan Rasool, associate professor of political science, as its director, and the Library Learning Commons opened Sept. 3, 2025, with Dr. Amanda Mansfield as its coordinator. Both entities are located in the Paul Meek Library.
The grant has enabled the university to hire academic coaches, open additional supplemental instruction sections and expand physical space and resources. These actions have led to an increase in student visitors to the library to take part in these programs.
Administrators foresee having 40 supplemental instructors and 15 academic coaches in the fall 2026 semester.
Student improvement is also evident through the programs, as the drop-fail-withdraw rate in academic year 2024-25 was down 10.73 points from academic year 2021-22, a reduction of nearly one-third.
It was reported that the student retention rates have followed the reduction of drop-fail-withdraw rates, with the spring 2026 midterms showing the lowest rate of drop-fail-withdraw in five years.
The Center for Teaching and Learning brought the first comprehensive faculty development framework for faculty professional growth to the university. It launched the first comprehensive survey – the High-Impact Practices survey – to establish an institutional baseline for future support and scaling.
The CTL led the pivotal Fall Faculty Workshop on AI in Higher Education, which was instrumental in drafting and implementing AI policies across UT Martin.
The CTL also negotiated exclusive access for faculty to UT Knoxville’s AI certification program.
Now past the midway point of the five-year grant, the Elevating for Take-Off project has shown itself to be a great value to UT Martin. By providing more resources to the university’s students and to its faculty, the Center for Teaching and Learning and Library Learning Commons have proven their academic and professional worth.
PHOTO: Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. cuts the ribbon to open the Library Learning Commons at the Paul Meek Library on Sept. 3, 2025, with Library Learning Commons Coordinator Dr. Amanda Mansfield and Dr. Erik Nordberg, dean of the Paul Meek Library, on hand. The Library Learning Commons and the Center for Teaching and Learning – also located in the Paul Meek Library – were made possible through a Title III grant received by the university in 2023.
