ASCEND Director
Matthew Theriot is ASCEND director and previously lead Teaching & Learning Innovation within the Division of Academic Affairs. Since arriving at the University of Tennessee in 2003, he served as director of the College of Social Work’s undergraduate program from 2006 to 2013 and then served for three years as director of the college’s PhD program. As a Professor of Social Work, he has chaired the university’s Undergraduate Council and Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and recently led the development of the campus’ Quality Enhancement Plan, Experience Learning. He also served on the board of directors for the Council on Social Work Education and currently serves on CSWE’s Commission on Educational Policy.
He also coordinates the campus’ leadership development programs and leads faculty engagement and diversity initiatives on behalf of the chancellor’s and provost’s offices.
Theriot earned his BSW and MSSW at the University of Texas at Austin and his Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley. He has led Teaching & Learning Innovation since 2015, and also served as Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs from 2016–2018.