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East Tennessee State University Professor Receives Distinguished Faculty Award

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Dr. Mike Stoots, a professor in the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University, has been recognized as the 2025 recipient of the university's Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching. With a career spanning over three decades, Stoots has built a legacy of excellence in public health education, earning multiple national and state-level honors for his impact. His unique approach to education focuses on creating interactive learning environments that encourage students to ask difficult questions and explore innovative solutions to complex health problems.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Mike Stoots, a professor in the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University, has been recognized as the 2025 recipient of the university's Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching.
  • Stoots has been a professor at ETSU since 1992 and has directed the Project EARTH program, which teaches students the skills necessary to protect and promote health and well-being in resource-limited settings.
  • The Distinguished Faculty Award is the latest in Stoots' illustrious career at ETSU, which includes receiving the 2025 Teaching Excellence Award from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) earlier this year.
  • Stoots has played a key role in ETSU securing the ASPPH's Harrison C. Spencer Award for Community Service in 2024 and the ASPPH's Delta Omega Award for Innovative Curriculum in 2017.
  • Project EARTH has expanded considerably since its launch in 2011, now including multiple academic courses and programs to develop innovative solutions to address the needs of people in resource-limited settings.
  • Stoots' awards have praised his work with Project EARTH, as well as his commitment to students and bettering public health.
  • Dr. Stoots is joined by Drs. Aaron Polichnowski and Jeff Gray as 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award recipients, who received awards in Research and Service, respectively.

Statistics:

  • Dr. Mike Stoots has been a professor at ETSU for 33 years.
  • Project EARTH was launched in 2011 and has expanded to include multiple academic courses.
  • ETSU is one of only two colleges of public health in the nation to win both the ASPPH's Harrison C. Spencer Award for Community Service and the ASPPH's Delta Omega Award for Innovative Curriculum.

Sources:

  • East Tennessee State University News Release: "Dr. Mike Stoots Receives Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching"
  • Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health News Release: "2025 Teaching Excellence Award Recipients"
  • ETSU College of Public Health News Release: "Project EARTH Expands to Include Multiple Academic Courses and Programs"

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