The Board of Trustees at Spartanburg Methodist College voted to award tenure to Dr. Mary Jane Famer, Professor of Psychology during their Thursday, February 19, 2015 meeting.

In higher education, tenure may be pursued and granted based on a rigorous review process conducted by peers, administrators, and Trustees. According to Dr. Ann Bowles, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Spartanburg Methodist College, “a faculty member’s eligibility for tenure is determined first by teaching ability, followed by a combination of student advising, community service to the campus, professional development activities, and research/scholarship.”

Farmer, born in the Philippines, graduated from Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She continued her studies at Cordillera University, earning a Master of Arts in Education, Major in Psychology. She returned to Saint Louis University to pursue Doctor of Philosophy in Education graduating Cum Laude.

Farmer began her teaching career at SMC as an adjunct faculty member in 2003 and has held the position of Professor of Psychology at SMC since 2006. Prior to SMC, Farmer was an adjunct faculty member at Monroe County Community College in Monroe, MI and Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, MI.   In addition to teaching, Farmer oversees SMC’s awarding winning chapter of Psi Beta, the National Honor Society in Psychology for community and junior colleges. She has earned the respect of her peers who have chosen her as the recipient of the Huff Faculty Prize for outstanding teaching (2012) and the Exemplary Teacher Award sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (2008), and she was SMCs’ nominee for the Governor’s Professor of the Year Award in 2010.