Natalie Stepanov is the Director of Advising for the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) at UTK. She enjoys working in the dynamic environment of CECS and assisting students in navigating their university experience. Her career spans decades of teaching and student affairs work in higher education. She taught Art History as an Assistant Professor at VCUQatar in Doha and served as Assistant Director of Academic Advising and Director of Student Conflict Resolution at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to joining CECS, Natalie was the Associate Director of Honors Coaching and Alumni Relations in University Honors at UTK.
Natalie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and studio Art from Ohio Wesleyan University and her Master of Arts degree in Art History and Museum Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she was also a graduate teaching assistant. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Higher Education Administration at UTK. An Ohio native, Natalie now lives in Knoxville with her husband, three children, and cat, Whiskey. In her free time, Natalie likes to travel, cook, garden, and read biographies.
Education
- Higher Education Administration, PhD (forthcoming December 2024), University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Art History and Museum Studies, MA, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
- Art History, Fine Arts, BA, Ohio Wesleyan University
Research Areas
- Creative Thinking
- Creativity in Undergraduate Programs
- Honors Education
- Experiential Learning