OXFORD, Miss. – Through his new role as associate dean for capstone projects in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi, Timothy Yenter wants to “set students free to achieve things beyond what they can imagine.”
Capstone projects are scholarly, pre-professional or creative works that students complete in their junior and senior years. In his new role, Yenter will aid students through the capstone process by matching them with advisers, helping them formulate ideas, solving problems and encouraging them to cross the capstone finish line.
The Honors College is serving more students than ever, with a student body of around 1,700 members. Yenter is actively working to meet the needs of these students.
Timothy Yenter
“Graduates of the Honors College have gone on to start businesses, develop new artistic visions, break ground in research and transform society,” he said. “As the Honors College has grown, we need to find ways of maintaining those key connections with students while also scaling up the number of graduates.”
Yenter has been a great addition to the administrative staff, said Ethel Scurlock, the college’s dean.
“His ability to meet students where they are intellectually and challenge them to think deeply and creatively about their capstone projects has helped us increase student completion in the Honors College,” she said.
“I am especially impressed with his ability to work serve as a resource for professors from different disciplines who commit to guiding our students through this process. He is always thinking of innovative ways to reach students and assist them in achieving their goals.”
Yenter said his goals are to work with faculty across campus to identify new opportunities, brainstorm with students and work with staff to find ways to improve procedures so that every student feels that special attention that the Honors College offers.
“The knowledge and skills they gain through doing the capstone are exactly what employers and graduate and professional programs want,” Yenter said. “Can someone work independently and on teams? Do they show initiative? Are they capable of meeting deadlines? How do they respond to feedback? Can they respond creatively to new problems?
“So many alumni talk about how the work on their capstone helped them ace their interview, land their first job, or stand out on their medical school or law school application.”
Yenter served as interim associate dean for six months before being selected for the permanent role. He is also an associate professor of philosophy and has taught at Ole Miss since 2012.
He received bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and history from Bethel University in Minnesota and his doctorate in philosophy from Yale University. Yenter is the 2022 Howell Family Outstanding Teacher of the Year for the College of Liberal Arts.