Rate My Professor Antija Allen

Dr. Antija Allen is the Director of the Pellissippi Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) and Associate Professor at Pellissippi State Community College, following her prior role as Assistant Professor in the Natural and Behavioral Sciences department. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Neumann University, an M.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Ph.D. in Education from Columbia University in 2018. Her dissertation, “Exploring the teaching approaches utilized by educators of returning adult students on satellite campuses and community college campuses: To what extent do faculty change their teaching approaches to meet the needs of the adult learner?” (ProQuest Order No. 10825599), investigated pedagogical adaptations for adult learners.

Dr. Allen co-edited “We’re Not OK: Black Faculty Experiences and Higher Education Strategies” (Cambridge University Press, 2022), which received the Outstanding Academic Title designation for 2023 from Choice. She authored the chapter “We’re not ok: Black faculty experiences and higher education strategies” (pp. 94-109) in the volume and contributed to “Academic Freedom: Autonomy, Challenges and Conformation” (Emerald Publishing Limited). As PACE Director, she oversees the PACE Fellowship program, enabling trained students to observe faculty teaching and deliver constructive, non-punitive feedback to improve instructional practices and build student skills in communication and mentorship. From 2019 to 2021, she was a PACE Faculty Fellow, advancing faculty development through Open Educational Resources implementation. Her achievements include the Roger Crowe Excellence in Teaching Award from the Pellissippi Foundation (2022), recognizing outstanding full-time faculty with at least five years of service; the Staff Excellence Award (2023); and Employee of the Month for Relationship Value (2020), all from Pellissippi State Community College. Dr. Allen directs the annual Teaching and Learning Conference and has led sessions such as “Black Joy and Radical Self-Care” for Black History Month events.