TROY, AL – Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr. has announced the selection of five Chancellor’s Fellows for the Spring 2006 semester.

Selected were: Scott Farmer, associate director of athletics, and Bryan Helms, controller, of the Troy Campus; Dr. Dabney McKenzie, assistant professor of education, of the Montgomery Campus; Iris M. Saltiel, associate professor of educational administration, of the Phenix City Campus; and Priscilla B. Washington, associate director of student support services for the Southeast Region of University College.

The Chancellor’s Faculty and Staff Fellowship Program enables interested full-time faculty and staff to develop increased knowledge and understanding of the programs and operations of Troy University. Participants, selected because of their leadership potential and past service to the University, will work under the direction of Dr. John A. Kline, director of the TROY Institute for Leadership Development. Each fellow is mentored by the chancellor or one of the University’s senior vice chancellors.

The program, which spans the spring academic semester, enables participants to receive on-the-job training and education, observe first-hand how the institution solves problems and meets challenges, gain new ideas and perspectives on broad institutional concerns and become more astute and better informed about the operations of the university as a whole.

Fellows will have the opportunity to visit other campuses, benefit from briefings and meetings with senior campus officials and take part in several field trips and visits with military leaders, chief executive officers and state government officials, Kline said.

The group will also work together on a project that will benefit the University. Past fellow’s projects have included a comprehensive proposal for a Troy Teaching Academy, a study related to the “One Great University” initiative, a study of the enrollment process at TROY and a study of strategies to increase participation in the seeking and receiving of grants.

Bios of Chancellor’s Fellows

Scott Farmer, a native of Ormond Beach, FL, received his B.S. in Health and Physical Education in 1986 and his M.S. in Sport Management in 1987, both from Georgia Southern where he was 1985 Georgia Southern Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He coached a successful swimming program at Georgia, earning conference coach of the year honors five times. Farmer is in his eighth year at Troy University where he is Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Affairs with responsibility for 17 sports programs, support staff, the business office and coordination of all major departmental reports. He and his wife the former Jackie Davis have a daughter, Kaitlin, and a son, Kyle.

Bryan Helms, a native of Kinston, AL, received his B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting from Troy University in 1978 and his M.B.A. with an emphasis in information systems from Auburn University in Montgomery in 1984. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. Helms worked for various private companies in the financial and system areas for 23 years. In June 2001, he was named director of Accounting Services for Troy University. In December of 2004 he was promoted to the position of controller. Helms is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is married to the former Dianne Boutwell of Elba, and has two children William, 17, and Katherine, 15. 

Dr. Dabney McKenzie earned a B.A. in biology and chemistry from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC, a M.Ed. in elementary education from Auburn University in Montgomery, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching from Auburn University. She taught gifted education in the Montgomery Public Schools for 12 years before joining Troy University in the fall of 2003 as an assistant professor of education where she teaches and coordinates of the master’s program in elementary education. McKenzie serves on the boards of Holy Cross Episcopal School and Group Homes for Children, and is active at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, where she teaches Sunday school for junior and senior high students. She and her husband Rick have three children and one grandchild.

Iris M. Saltiel earned a B.S. in special education from Trenton State College, a M.Ed. in adult education from Rutgers University, and an Ed.D. in educational administration from Fordham University.  With more than 25 years experience, she has developed and implemented educational programming for adult learners seeking literacy, in corporate educational and training programs, as well as in degree programs.  Saltiel, who joined the Troy University faculty in 1998 as an assistant professor on the Phenix City Campus, has coordinated the campus’ educational administration program since 2002. She became an associate professor in 2004.  Saltiel has co-written books on cohort programming and partnerships in adult learning.  Her research interests include faculty partnerships that fail and university evaluative collaborations with public schools.  Saltiel is married to Philip Kaplan. The couple has two children, Samantha,18, and Benjamin, 15.

Priscilla B. Washington earned the B.S. in resources management and the M.S. in management from Troy University. She has 24 years of experience in teaching and administration. Washington joined Troy University in 1981 at its Moody Air Force Base site, went to Fort Benning in 1988 as the assistant registrar and became an adjunct faculty member in 1997.  In 2003, she became associate director of student support services for the Southeast Region, which serves students at 13 sites. Washington supervises the region’s assistant directors for student support services, admissions personnel and professional advisers and upholds rules and regulations relating to admissions, maintenance of student records, advisement for ongoing student education and graduation requirements. Washington has a daughter Joslyn and a granddaughter Kameron.