Southwest Tennessee Community College’s Alma Rutledge Selected for TBR Chancellor’s Fellowship
For more information, contact Diana Fedinec, Southwest Tennessee Community College Director of Public Relations and Media, at 901-333-4247 or dfedinec@southwest.tn.edu.
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) - Southwest Tennessee Community College has announced the selection of Alma Rutledge to the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor’s Fellowship Class of 2026–27.
Rutledge is one of 12 faculty and staff members chosen from across the College System of Tennessee, representing community colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology statewide. She serves as interim associate vice president for student success and experience at Southwest.
“I am honored to be selected for the TBR Chancellor’s Fellowship and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside colleagues from across the state who are deeply committed to student success,” Rutledge said. "This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly and look forward to bringing back insights that will help Southwest strengthen support for students and expand pathways to their success.”
The nine-month Chancellor’s Fellowship is designed to develop leadership talent across the system. The program strengthens participants’ understanding of education and workforce policy at the institutional, system and state levels while preparing them for executive leadership roles in higher education.
The fellowship program launched in 2025, with its inaugural class concluding work in March. Members of the second class represent eight community colleges and four TCATs and serve in academic, student services and administrative roles.
“We’re delighted to announce and congratulate the members of this second Chancellor’s Fellowship class,” TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings said. “Leadership development is one of our major responsibilities to ensure student success, and I’m confident this class will advance the high standards set by the inaugural group.”
Rutledge was nominated for her work in student engagement, data-driven decision-making and equity initiatives. Her leadership has focused on building collaborative teams and prioritizing holistic student support while fostering academic excellence. A first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrants, Rutledge has mentored students through the tnAchieves program and helped develop emerging leaders through Southwest Tennessee’s annual Student Leadership Institute.
She earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration from Union University and is pursuing a doctorate in higher and adult education at the University of Memphis.
Other members of the Chancellor’s Fellowship Class of 2026–27 include:
- Dr. Ryan Badeau, Columbia State Community College
- Shasta Carroll, TCAT Hohenwald
- Kim Christmon, Volunteer State Community College
- Jessica Green, TCAT Chattanooga
- Kandra Hire, TCAT Hartsville
- Dr. Angela Hughes, Pellissippi State Community College
- Chris Lykins, Chattanooga State Community College
- Dr. Levi Mayer, TCAT Dickson
- Julie Mula, Jackson State Community College
- Dr. Willie Thomas, Cleveland State Community College
- Dr. Nathan Weber, Northeast State Community College
The class will launch in June with an orientation held in conjunction with the quarterly meeting of the Tennessee Board of Regents. Monthly sessions will continue throughout the academic year.
The Chancellor’s Fellowship is one of three programs within the Maxine Smith Leadership Series, which honors the late Maxine Smith, a former TBR board member and champion of educational opportunity. The series supports leadership development and innovation in Tennessee’s public higher education system and also includes the Emerging Leaders Fellowship and the Faculty Innovation Fellowship.