MACON, Ga. — Two Mercer University faculty members, Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Adair and Dr. T. Vivian Liao, were recently selected for the prestigious Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program.
The Fellows are selected based on:
- Commitment to undergraduate teaching — Applicants demonstrate how they have improved their teaching practices and how they would like to enhance their teaching and professional development.
- The Ripple Effect – Applicants outline a plan to share the fruits of their fellowship experience with faculty at their home institutions.
“We are honored to have Drs. Adair and Liao join the ranks of Governor’s Teaching Fellows,” said Vice Provost Dr. Kelly Reffitt. “As representatives of our institution in this prestigious statewide program, these faculty members are helping to set the standard for higher education in Georgia. This fellowship is a win for both their professional journeys and the academic vitality of Mercer University.”
School of Business Assistant Professor of Management Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Adair was accepted into the May symposium.
In his letter of recommendation, then-President William D. Underwood said Dr. Adair “exemplifies the qualities the (GTF) program seeks to cultivate in her deep commitment to undergraduate teaching, demonstrated academic leadership, and a clear capacity to positively influence instructional excellence at Mercer University.”
For the May symposium, Dr. Adair will attend an intense one-week seminar on the University of Georgia campus that includes a combination of structured faculty development, classroom activities and independent study on the part of each participant. The May 2025 symposium will focus on “Artificial Intelligence in the Holistic Classroom.”
“I am incredibly honored to be chosen to represent Mercer University at this year’s Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program AI symposium,” said Dr. Adair. “I look forward to collaborating with experts across Georgia to explore how AI can be a force of good in higher education. I’m eager to learn new strategies for navigating AI in the classroom, incorporating these strategies into my pedagogical practices, and sharing them with my fellow faculty at Mercer.”
Since coming to Mercer in 2025, Dr. Adair collaborated with colleagues to develop an in-class group mentorship program featuring local executives; initiated “Teaching Jams” — a faculty development series focused on sharing innovative teaching practices; and led workshops in her department and at an international Academy of Management Teaching and Learning Conference on enhancing course accessibility, which helped faculty design more inclusive and student-centered learning environments. She said her teaching philosophy “centers on designing learning experiences that help students connect theory to practice and become strong, evidence-based decision-makers.”
College of Pharmacy Clinical Associate Professor Dr. T. Vivian Liao was accepted into the 2026-2027 academic year program.
In his letter of recommendation, Underwood described Dr. Liao as “an educator, mentor, scholar and academic leader whose contributions exemplify the highest standards of teaching excellence and innovation.”
For the academic year program, Dr. Liao will attend six unique three-day seminars while engaging in a course design/redesign or other instructional improvement project. The highly interactive seminars, which are held on the University of Georgia campus, focus on teaching practices, faculty development, and course design.
“I’m honored to be selected for the Governor’s Teaching Program, and I’m excited to represent Mercer and bring back what I learn to our institution to advance teaching, support innovation, and enhance the success of our learners,” said Dr. Liao.
Dr. Liao joined the College of Pharmacy in 2013. Among her accomplishments, she led a multi-year research project on video podcasts to promote asynchronous learning, anticipating trends later adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic to support learning. She said she “adapts teaching approaches to serve different learning styles among learners at various stages of education.” Beyond the classroom, she contributes to education through research and service initiatives that impact healthcare in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.
About The Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program
The Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program was established by Zell Miller, the Governor of Georgia, 1991-1999, to provide Georgia’s higher education faculty with expanded opportunities for developing important teaching skills and innovative pedagogies. The program is offered through the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia.
