Dr. Cheryl Lee, a professor in Appalachian’s career and technical education program, housed in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Lee prepares future educators to teach in all areas of family and consumer science. Photo by Chase Reynolds
BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Cheryl Lee taught middle and high school family and consumer sciences in Texas and Alabama prior to completing her Ph.D. and coming to Appalachian State University as an instructor in 1994.
“My teaching experiences at the high school level inspired me to become a teacher educator,” she said. “Appalachian was a great fit for me with its exceptional education programs.”
As a professor in Appalachian’s career and technical education (CTE) – family and consumer sciences education program, Lee prepares future educators to teach in these areas:
- Foods, nutrition and wellness.
- Consumer education and resource management.
- Family living, interpersonal relationships and parenting.
- Child development.
- Housing and interior design.
- Apparel, fashion and textiles.
“I enjoy working with teacher candidates who will be teaching these critical life skills to high school students,” Lee shared. “All of the coursework is so relevant — what I teach in my college courses, as well as what the future educators will teach to their high school students.”
Lee’s research interests focus on effective teaching methods in her field, and she said her findings have influenced her own teaching. “I want students to have a clear understanding of the course content, but equally as important, have an understanding of how to effectively teach their students,” Lee said.
Appalachian is the only university in the state in which the family and consumer sciences concentration is housed within a CTE program. The coursework is offered both on-campus for residential students and through App State Online.
“We have a strong CTE faculty, which simulates the kind of community students will find in their future positions as family and consumer science teachers at the high school level,” Lee said.
The Reich College of Education at Appalachian offers seven different concentrations for the CTE degree program. Graduates of the CTE undergraduate degree program may choose to enter the industry as teachers at the middle and high school levels, or as trainers or instructors at community colleges, career centers or cooperative extension agencies.
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About the Reich College of Education
Appalachian State University offers one of the largest undergraduate teacher preparation programs in North Carolina, graduating about 500 teachers a year. The Reich College of Education enrolls more than 2,000 students in its bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degree programs, with offerings that span multiple fields — from teacher preparation, counseling, and therapy, to higher education, school and student affairs administration, library science, educational leadership and more. With over 10,000 alumni employed in North Carolina public schools, there is at least one Reich College graduate in every county in the state. Learn more at https://rcoe.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
