“As a person with a disability, I have always wanted to help others reach their goals the way so many have helped me get where I am today. When I came to Bevill State in 2007, I found that I loved working with community college students as I was able to help students not only with their education but also to grow as individuals. I hope that as my students look back on their time here, they see Bevill State as more than a college, rather a place they called home, just as I do.”—Dr. Emily Rasberry
This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award on the Bevill State Community College Sumiton Campus, Dr. Emily Rasberry, began her college career at Auburn University attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. While at Auburn, she was trained in Applied Behavior Analysis and worked in the Auburn University Psychological Services Clinic with children with Autism and ADHD. Then, she went on to Auburn University Montgomery (AUM) and earned a Master of Science degree in Psychology with a Clinical Track. At this time, she began teaching undergraduate courses at AUM and worked for the Family Guidance Center as a case manager. In 2006, she was the reigning Ms. Wheelchair Alabama and today continues her advocacy for those with disabilities. In 2007, she began her tenure as a psychology instructor at Bevill State. In 2014, she earned her PhD in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Online Instruction and Curriculum Design from Capella University. Shortly after attaining her PhD, she earned additional graduate hours in sociology to teach those courses as well.
As a psychology and sociology instructor, Dr. Rasberry teaches online, on campus, and in many local high schools as a dual enrollment instructor. Most recently, she has taken on the responsibility of Distance Education Instructional Assistant with the college-wide distance education department. In addition, she serves as one of the Student Government Advisors on the Sumiton campus, Chair of the College-wide Diversity Committee, Chair of the Social Sciences Discipline Committee, and serves on multiple other committees. As Dr. Rasberry wishes to continue to be involved in social services, she also serves on the Quality Assurance Board for DHR of Walker County and is a motivational speaker across the state regarding disability advocacy.
