Educator

Associate Professor of Theatre and Musical Theatre

William Peace University

2019 RECIPIENT of the Bingham award for campus excellence

for meritorious performance in customer service, efficiency and innovation, civic engagement and the spirit of Peace and for service to the University’s students, alumni, employees, benefactors, and the greater civic good.

EDUCATION

• BFA- Musical Theatre, Dance Minor- State University of New York at Fredonia

• MFA- Performing Arts- Savannah College of Art and Design

RESEARCH

Hodge, M. and Pridgen, A. “Feminism through Taymor’s Arachne in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” in A Critical Companion to Julie Taymor, Phillip Grayson (Editor). Lexington Press. Accepted Chapter.

To be published in 2022

Hodge, M., Newhouse, W., and Pridgen, A. “Horse Depictions in Equus: Stage Versus Screen,” in Mythological Equines in Film, Rachel L. Carzo (Editor). Wilmington: Vernon Press. Accepted Chapter.

Published in 2021

Collaborative Goal Setting for Directors

2019-2020- Presenting at the Southeastern Theatre Conference 2020

A Story of Our Own: Preserving Culture through Outdoor Drama in Central Appalachia

In progress

The Mutual Impact of Performing Arts and LGBTQIA Legislation: an Analysis of HB2

2016-2017- Presented at the Arts and Society Conference at the Pantheon- Sorbonne

Collaborative Playmaking: Getting to the Heart of the Art

2015-2016- Presented at the Southeastern Theatre Conference 2016

 Statements

Recent Performance Reviews

2020- 2021

Overall Excellence of Course: WPU average: 4.3 - Amy’s average: 4.72

Overall Effectiveness of Instructor: WPU average: 4.5 - Amy’s average: 4.84

Professor Pridgen’s student evaluations suggest both an empathetic and rigorous professor who provides students with challenging coursework in a “brave” space where students feel free to test their limits and learn equally from their failures and successes. I especially commend Amy’s creative and Pridgen Letter - 2 persistent efforts to help students focus on the educational and human value of process over product— no mean task in a profession where industry focus and public perception elevate and celebrate the polished public effort. - Beth Horvath, Catabaw College

2019-2020

Overall Excellence of Course: WPU average: 4.25 - Amy’s average: 4.55

Overall Effectiveness of Instructor: WPU average: 4.45 - Amy’s average: 4.75

I can see that you greatly enjoy the work on institutional effectiveness and your committee certainly has made tremendous strides, having persevered through some difficult discussions with individual faculty and various committees in the fall. In the end, your committee created clear objectives, formulated effective rubrics, and educated and guided the faculty through the implementation of the newly redesigned assessment cycle. - Corinne Andersen, Chair of the Humanities Department

2018-2019

Overall Excellence of Course: WPU average:  4.25 - Amy’s average: 4.59

Overall Effectiveness of Instructor: WPU average: 4.5 - Amy’s average: 4.72

As your teaching evaluation scores indicate, your students highly value what you’re offering in the way of teaching, both in and out of the classroom… In addition, your outreach to outside organizations fits very well, I think, with who we want to be. Your work on the outside review of the Theatre Department went (way) above and beyond – great, professional work. - Charles Duncan, Vice President of Academic Affairs

Recent Committee Assignments

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Steering Committee

I worked on a team of five to review and edit William Peace University’s SACS-COC Accreditation Report. Additionally, I authored sections of our Five-Year (CR 4.2) and Ten-Year Reviews (CR 8.2a-c). This report is a comprehensive view of all functions of the university including finances, policies, employee credentials, pedagogical assessment, employee assessment, and facilities. Accreditation and degree-granting ability of the University is contingent on the success of this report.

Curriculum Committee

In 2021-2022, WPU began the official process transitions courses from a three credit-hour model to a four credit-hour model. The Curriculum Committee is responsible for overseeing and initially approving all four-credit hour proposals from each department on the course-level and the programmatic-level. We are also charged with defining the credit-hour scope of minors, shaping double-counting policies, and initially approving the addition/removal majors and minors.

LIberal Education Assessment Committee

In 2019, this committee was charged with reviewing the student learning outcomes (SLOs) for the Liberal Education Curriculum. Recognizing the impossibility assessing the cataloged SLOs, this committee pared outcomes down from 23 unique items to 5. We created rubrics and evaluation strategies for all five competency areas of the liberal education department; standardized the form for inputting assessment data, distributed it to all faculty, worked to ensure at least 80% of liberal education courses were accounted for; and gathered and analyzed assessment data. All data were compiled into a manageable report for analysis by deaprtments and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Faculty Advancement Committee

This committee is charged with oversees faculty development initiatives, reviews student evaluation surveys for edits, and oversees the grant request/approval process for faculty funding. I spent two years (2015-2017) serving as a member on this committee before assuming the position for Chair for the subsequent two years.

Letters of Support

Recommendation of Promotion to Associate Professor - External Reviewer- Beth Horvath, Catabaw College

“Professor Pridgen’s materials paint the picture not only of an accomplished educator, but also of someone who has also emerged as an academic and professional leader….As members of small departments at small institutions, it is the plight (and privilege) of faculty like us to be asked to wear many and varied hats as part of our contributions. Amy has not shied away from this call, and the balance of her portfolio indicates she is a consummate team player--someone that we all desire to have as a colleague and co-collaborator.”

Recommendation of Promotion to Associate Professor - Internal Reviewers- WPU Promotion and Tenure Committee

“Amy’s work in teaching, service, and professional development, it is clear she excels in each area. Students, supervisors and the external reviewer all agree that Amy is an excellent teacher as evidenced by her varied teaching techniques, improvements and expansion of pedagogy and high teaching evaluations. In addition, she has served the university in numerous ways from extensive committee work, leadership positions and serving as an excellent advisor.”