Dr. Jennifer Oody steps up to lead HSOS division

This fall semester, the Division of Health Sciences and Outdoor Studies (HSOS) at Maryville College faced a period of transition. With Dr. Traci Haydu on a well-deserved sabbatical, Dr. Jennifer Oody stepped in as interim chair, leading the department alongside two new faculty members: Dr. Katie Stephenson and Mrs. Savanna Gregory. The semester brought unique challenges, but with the support, fresh expertise and campus community, the division is thriving. 

Oody was thrilled to welcome Stephenson and Gregory to the HSOS division at Maryville College. Oody described them both as “incredible” and noted that both new faculty brought expertise and a passion for teaching that has helped lighten the workload while Haydu has been away. 

“Maryville College and the HSOS division are lucky to have them,” Oody said.

“Both Katie and Savanna have a passion for the field of Health Sciences and teaching students all about it.” 

Their diverse skill sets strengthen the division’s broad curriculum, expanding areas of focus to include more in-depth studies on health, injury management and public health. 

Stephenson comes from a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the University of New England. She brought in specialized knowledge in exercise physiology and concussion research. Her expertise in sport psychology and injury was a perfect fit for the HSOS division. 

“She will provide our students valuable knowledge and perspectives we didn’t previously have in HSOS, and we’re so excited to have her on board.” Oody noted. 

Gregory, a 2020 graduate of Maryville College’s Exercise Science program, returned after completing a Master’s in Community Health at the University of Tennessee. With a focus on community nutrition and public health, Gregory is passionate about preparing students interested in health promotion, wellness and nutrition. 

“We’re so excited to have Savanna back to connect with and prepare our future generations of health and wellness promotion, nursing and exercise science students,” said Oody.

Oody noted that the HSOS division is still structured the same as other divisions at Maryville college, and the division has experienced the same stresses as other divisions. 

“I think we navigate them with a lot of flexibility and solution-oriented thinking, and so far we’ve not encountered a problem we couldn’t tackle together,” she said.

Managing the division without Haydu has presented its challenges, but Oody feels supported by both Stephenson and Gregory and the campus community. 

“Sabbaticals are a really important part of a faculty member’s professional development and scholarship, and are a common practice across divisions and disciplines,” Oody said. 

In preparation of Haydu’s sabbatical, the division and the college’s Office of Academic Affairs worked together to distribute her responsibilities, keeping the division on track. 

“Plus our rockstar Administrative Assistant, Ramona Crawford [has] all been invaluable to making this semester a great one.”

For students, Haydu’s absence has been a challenge, since she is not only a respected teacher but also a mentor and advisor to many students. 

“She is an integral part of the student experience, from our freshman Introduction to Health and Wellness to teaching our Senior Capstone, Building Healthy Communities.” 

Students really appreciate Haydu’s feedback on classroom content and future career plans. Haydu also played a critical role in the workload in the division, considering the small staff and growing student population. 

“I think the biggest challenge is just not having her on campus to bounce around ideas or hear her thoughtful solutions to issues as they arise,” said Oody. 

Students were informed of Haydu’s sabbatical in late spring as well as how the change would impact them. Once the fall semester started, Oody said the students navigated the transition beautifully. 

“Thankfully, we have awesome support and all-star students who responded to this transition with a ton of patience, flexibility, grace, and sometimes even humor, when appropriate.”