Dr. Givens Selected for Governor’s Teaching Fellowship

Spelman Professor Selected for Prestigious Governor’s Teaching Fellowship on AI in the Classroom

ATLANTA – June 2025 — Dr. John Wagner Givens, Ph.D., associate professor of international studies at Spelman College, was named a Governor’s Teaching Fellow for the May 2025 Symposium, “Artificial Intelligence in the Holistic Classroom” — a highly selective honor that recognizes college professors from across Georgia who are pushing the boundaries of how we teach and learn.

Dr. Givens was one of just 16 faculty members chosen statewide to participate in this intensive program at the University of Georgia. The fellowship brings together educators from different schools and academic backgrounds to explore how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly and effectively in the classroom. Fellows attend a week-long seminar packed with workshops, expert sessions, collaborative projects, and personalized study time—all with the goal of building better, smarter, and more ethical learning experiences for students.

At Spelman, Dr. Givens teaches international studies with a global lens that includes law, technology and foreign policy — especially related to Asia and China. He joined the College in 2022 and holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford. He’s also published in top journals and been interviewed by news outlets in the U.S. and abroad.

His selection as a Governor’s Teaching Fellow is a win not just for him, but for Spelman students — especially those looking to understand the growing impact of AI across industries and international relations.

Spelman students interested in the future of AI, tech ethics or international politics can look forward to how Dr. Givens brings fresh ideas and tools back to campus from this experience.

The Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program was created by former Georgia Governor Zell Miller to support innovative teaching across the state. It’s run by the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at UGA and is open to public and private college faculty. Learn more about how Georgia educators are shaping the future of higher ed (link to) http://ihe.uga.edu/programs/governors-teaching-fellows.