In 1990, she helped launch the first teaching conference. That same year she was named Assistant Provost for Academic Development. From 1993-1995 she served as Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Since 1996, Dr. Ferren has held the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs at Radford University in Virginia. We are happy to welcome her back to deliver once again the keynote speech for the tenth anniversary faculty teaching conference to be held Saturday, February 6, 1999.
Teaching takes a kind of special courage because it is so public.
Everything you are is revealed in the classroom. What you know, what you value, what you want to come to understand. I don't think any of us can teach unless we're willing to be passionate and present to our students. The reward, of course, for taking that risk, for having that courage, is that you stay a student forever.