Dianna Rust

Dianna Z. Rust earned her Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Middle Tennessee State University and earned her Ed.D. from Tennessee State University. She is a Professor in University College and regularly teaches online and on-ground classes including Honors, undergraduate and graduate courses and was recognized by MTSU with the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2021. She serves as Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Integrated Studies and Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies. She previously served as Associate Dean in University College and directed the academic outreach and distance learning efforts at MTSU. She is a member of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies and the Association for Continuing Higher Education serving as past president of ACHE South. Other leadership positions include serving on the board of MTSU’s Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Feed America and as faculty advisor for the MTSU Chapter of Colleges Against Cancer. A recent recipient of the Harold Love Sr. Outstanding Community Service Award (state-level) and MTSU's Outstanding Public Service Award (2024) as a result of her service to the university and community. Her research interests are related to student success for both traditional and non-traditional student populations, interdisciplinary studies, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. In addition to publishing articles and presenting on these topics, she serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Continuing Higher Education (JCHE) and as the Prior Learning Assessment section editor.