Through market research, the director of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s online interdisciplinary studies program—a former business faculty member—determined there was a need for more educational opportunities in the state for students with associate degrees to complete their bachelor’s degrees in management. When asked if he’d help create such an online program to serve these students, John Overby, chair of management, marketing, and political science, replied, “Give me the resources to do this and I’ll be glad to help.”
Beyond Programs: Leadership Lessons from Ireland’s Inclusive Universities
During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Ashley Rodrigues
July 20, 2026
