Authors

Scott Coble MSW, LMSW

Role Faculty	Institution Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Social Work
Location Murfreesboro, TN, United States	Doctoral Study School of Social Work, Saint Louis University

Scott Coble, MSW, LMSW, is a faculty member in the Department of Social Work at Middle Tennessee State University and a PhD student in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University. His teaching and scholarship are informed by lived experience shaped through trauma and recovery. He has published on minority rights, educational access for incarcerated individuals, and behavioral health disparities among sexual minority adults with substance use disorder. His current research focuses on theory-driven approaches to mentorship in higher education, with particular attention to empowerment, belonging, self-efficacy, and student persistence. He has also received grant funding to support the development of high-impact learning initiatives and experiential learning opportunities, including open educational resources designed to enhance student engagement and access. Additional scholarly interests include social work sustainability and innovative approaches to student success. As a former clinician, he continues to draw on his practice experience to inform his teaching and research.

Carmelita L. Dotson M.S.S.W., LAPSW, Ed.D.

Role Associate Professor & BSW Program Coordinator	Institution Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Social Work
Location Murfreesboro, TN, United States	Doctoral Degree Ed.D. Educational Leadership, Tennessee State University

Carmelita L. Dotson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Middle Tennessee State University, where she serves as Undergraduate Program Coordinator and teaches in both undergraduate and graduate programs. A Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker, she brings more than 40 years of professional social work experience to her teaching, scholarship, and service. She earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Tennessee State University.

Her professional background includes substance use prevention, behavioral health, child welfare, and community-based practice. Early in her career, she completed a graduate internship with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health’s alcohol and drug abuse prevention services and later participated in a statewide substance abuse prevention and community education initiative, designing and delivering training programs statewide. She subsequently served in nonprofit leadership, managing a federal substance abuse prevention grant and leading community-based prevention, training, and outreach initiatives. Her professional service has included participation on a metropolitan substance abuse task force and leadership involvement with the Institute on Black Chemical Abuse.

Her scholarship focuses on student-centered teaching and learning, mentorship, health disparities, behavioral health, and social justice. She has contributed to the development of interdisciplinary educational pathways and open educational resources designed to strengthen workforce preparation and expand access to high-quality learning opportunities across helping professions. She remains active in professional service through journal peer review, scholarly publishing activities, and community leadership.