About the College

Welcome to the Clemmer College and East Tennessee State University!

Welcome to the Clemmer College of Education and Human Development.

If you want to impact lives and help people realize their potential, you've come to the right place. As the genesis college of East Tennessee State University, which was founded in 1911 to prepare teachers for our region, we have spent more than a century preparing educators from early childhood through secondary education, including special education, physical education, literacy, librarianship, and the next generation of educational leaders.

Today our undergraduate, Master's, Ed.S., and doctoral programs, along with our minors and graduate certificates, focus on improving lives through teaching and learning, physical health, and leadership, management, and coaching. We specialize in high-quality educator preparation pathways leading to initial licensure in multiple disciplines, at the bachelor's and master's levels and through non-degree options. If you want to become the kind of teacher our PK-12 students deserve, we have a path for you.

In 2024, we welcomed the School of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies, home to bachelor's and master's degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies, Applied Sciences, and Leadership Studies. The School also houses the ETSU Office of Professional Development, which offers non-credit learning that meets community and workforce needs and expands educational attainment across our region and beyond.

Our work reaches beyond the classroom. Our James H. Quillen Chair of Excellence in Teaching and Learning leads our commitment to rural education and wellness. Four research and practice Centers lead applied scholarship that serves our communities: the Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development, Center for Rural Education and Development Center, and the of Excellence in STEM Education. The Center for Community College Leadership and EdWorks in connection with our Center for Rural Development and Education are leaders in the area in P-20 collaboration. 

We are committed to being part of your journey through graduation and beyond. Every student is guided by a professional advisor or faculty mentor. Every degree program takes a hands-on approach, combining instruction and mentorship with extensive opportunities for research, service learning, field experiences, and internships. We are also committed to our mission through community engaged learning, scholarship, and service. You might work in our K-12 University School, with one of our many education, medical, community agency, or business partners, or in your own community. Wherever it is, you'll gain real on-the-job experience applying your knowledge and skills. You start making an impact before you earn your degree, and you'll join more than 20,000 alumni working across the state, the country, and the world.

I could talk all day about our national rankings, award-winning programs, internationally recognized faculty, and the success of our students and alumni. Instead, I invite you to connect with us. Whether you are a prospective student, current student, alum, or community partner, explore our programs, register for an open house, call our Office of Student Success at 423-439-7626,  email clemmercollege@etsu.edu, or come visit.

You have unique questions and ideas, and we would love to help you find your answers. Our professional advisors, faculty, and staff are here to welcome you.

Janna Scarborough
Dean, Clemmer College of Education and Human Development

Vision

Strengthening the foundation for the people of Appalachia and beyond; serving as a model for education and human learning.

Clemmer College of Education and Human Development is a college where everyone belongs, collaboration is the heart of our operation, innovation permeates our work allowing for dynamic leadership resulting in outstanding scholarship.

 

Mission

The Clemmer College of Education and Human Development provides a student-centered community of learning and development, reflecting high standards, and promoting a balance of education and professional practice through continuous improvement. The college conducts a wide array of academic programs, clinical, and community services including research and practice Centers and one of the nation's leading K-12 laboratory schools. Relationships are essential to our work as we provide the foundation to advance the level of educational attainment, healthy development, and well-being in the multi-state region, nation, and globally based on our core values of:

Collaboration: Encourage teamwork built on relationships that are professionally and personally rewarding and enhances partnerships throughout the region and globally

Belonging: Cultivate a culture of care that prioritizes the well-being in all individuals, honors diverse experiences, advocates for voices, and promotes equity

Leadership: Promote courageous leadership through shared governance, celebrating achievements, and fostering creativity and resourcefulness

Scholarship: Connect theory to practice through the integration of teaching, research, and service

Innovation: Foster innovation by creating opportunities for enhanced learning experiences and support sustainable practices with integrity

Clemmer College Accreditations

East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees.

The College programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), Tennessee Department of Education, Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).

Visit our College Data and Reports page for more information. 

College Data and Reports

Clemmer College Educational Preparation Data and Reports can be found here

Clemmer College Counseling and Human Services Data and Reports can be found here

Claudius Greer Clemmer * '34 1995 Outstanding Alumnus

Mr. Claudius Greer Clemmer was born in 1911 – the same year that East Tennessee Normal School (now East Tennessee State University) was established.

Mr. Clemmer was a Greene County and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education and History from what was then East Tennessee State Teachers College in 1934 and later his master's degree from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Clemmer’s career has spanned several areas - from working in his father's general store in various capacities to teaching in a one-teacher school and later in the Kingsport City School System. He began part-time employment with Slip-Not Belting Corporation in 1937. Then, in 1946, he began selling pumps for the company full time. This business later became Jefferson Sales Corporation. Mr. Clemmer served as the company's president until his retirement at 80 years of age. He then served as chairman of the board emeritus of the company and continued to visit the business frequently. Claudius Clemmer established a proven record of business success and community involvement. He and his wife, Katherine, have held a lifelong interest in education. In 1985, they established the Claudius G. and Katherine Earnest Clemmer Endowment for the ETSU College of Education. Mr. Clemmer served as a member of the ETSU Foundation board of directors through 1994 and was a member of the ETSU Foundation, the ETSU President's Trust, and the ETSU "Committee of 1000." An active participant in community affairs, civic organizations, and regional concerns, Mr. Clemmer was a Mason, former Executive Club president, elder and deacon in the Presbyterian Church, and a Kingsport Rotarian where he has been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow.

Mr. Clemmer was received the ETSU Alumni Association Award of Honor in 1987 and was recognized as the ETSU Outstanding Alumnus in 1995.

In 2004, the then ETSU College of Education was named in honor of Mr. Clemmer to become the Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education. In 2017, the name of the college changed to become the Clemmer College.

According to a statement from Dr. Richard Manahan, former Vice President of University Advancement, “The naming of the College was beyond just dollars. It also was Claudius Clemmer as individual and his commitment to students and people, and his involvement as a volunteer effort and being an effective part of growing the Foundation…. HE helped this institution in many, many ways that didn’t have anything to do with just dollars….”

In 2005, just 6 months before Mr. Clemmer would die at the age of 94, he was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from ETSU by President Dr. Paul E. Stanton.

In a statement made by Dr. Nancy Dishner, a 3-time alumni of the Clemmer College at ETSU, she said, “the name Clemmer on the College…is, to me, an incredible legacy. Because you have a name that, inperpetuity, people can look at that name, and say, ‘I am honored that I am part of that person’s life.’ I think that is very special”.

Note: Information for this page was taken from:

Claudius Greer Clemmer, Doctor of Human Letters January 4, 1911 – November 20, 2005 (2007), a dissertation written by Sheila Breen Agen Pedersen Smith in fulfillment of her Ed. D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, ETSU.

ETSU National Alumni Association page regarding Claudius G. Clemmer

Here, you can find Clemmer Student Resources for exactly what you need to succeed in your chosen disclipline! From just starting out, applying for Scholarships, and Academic Advising, to on and off-campus help with Counseling, Housing, Food Assistance, and more!