Joseph Sweeney
Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Mississippi Teacher Corps
Dr. Joseph Sweeney is the director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps, a full scholarship program that places teachers in schools experiencing a critical shortage of teachers.
Research Interests
Dr. Joseph Sweeney's research interests include onramps to teaching, classroom management, critical-needs schools, and teacher support.
Biography
Dr. Joseph P. Sweeney is the Director of the Mississippi Teachers Corps (MTC). An alumnus of the program, Dr. Sweeney spent two years in Cleveland at Eastside High School teaching English. Voted on by his peers, he was given the Mullins Award for the class of 2004, which honors the most outstanding teacher for the entire cohort.
After graduating with an M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Mississippi, Dr. Sweeney taught for four more years in Mississippi Public Schools as well as one year teaching conversational English in Japan. He then pursued his doctoral studies in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Memphis. From 2013-15, he worked at Baptist College of Health Sciences as an instructional designer and faculty development coordinator. Dr. Sweeney was hired by the University to serve as MTC’s new director in 2015. In addition to his work for MTC, he also serves as the Coordinator of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Education.
Dr. Sweeney is an alumnus of Michigan State University where he received his B.A. in English. He met his wife, Elizabeth, while both were members of MTC’s class of 2004. His research interests include authentic learning tasks, educational technology, and teacher training.
Courses Taught
Education
M.A. Curriculum and Instruction, The University of Mississippi (2006)
Ed.D. Instruction and Administration, University of Memphis (2015)