Art, Heart, and a Lifetime of Impact: Dr. Jackie Ellett’s Dedication to Art Education

When Dr. Jackie Ellett changed her major from scientific and medical illustration to art education, it wasn’t a pivot. It was a revelation.

“Teaching, I discovered, is deeply relational, profoundly human, and unapologetically impactful. It is about presence, service, and creating those spaces for others — our students — to see themselves as capable and valued. Looking back, my path toward art education was not a departure from my desire to make a difference — it was the most honest expression of it,” she said.

That spirit of purposeful service has defined more than four decades of Dr. Ellett’s career, and since 2013, it has shaped the art education programs at Piedmont University in immeasurable ways. A professor of art education, she is one of the most recognizable and consequential figures in her field in Georgia and beyond.

Before joining Piedmont, Dr. Ellett spent 32 years as an art teacher and leader in Gwinnett County Schools. She taught in large Title I elementary schools, sometimes reaching more than 1,600 students each week. She served on the teacher advisory council for several superintendents and worked at both state and national levels in art education. In 1991, Dr. Ellett began her work in higher education as an adjunct. When she joined Piedmont — first as an adjunct in 2010, then as a Teaching Fellow, and eventually as full-time faculty — her motivation was clear: to extend her reach.

“I believe that all children deserve the best education we can offer, and by mentoring and teaching at Piedmont, the impact becomes further reaching,” she said.

Today, Dr. Ellett holds a distinctive position as the only faculty member who works across both the College of Arts & Sciences and the College of Education — a dual role that allows her to connect people, programs, and ideas in ways few others can.

A recognized leader

In 2022, Dr. Ellett became only the fifth-ever recipient of the Nix/Mickish Award for Lifetime Contribution to Art Education — one of the most prestigious honors in her field.

The award carries deep personal meaning. Dr. Robert Nix was her own major professor and advisor, a mentor she describes as someone who “modeled every day what it truly meant to care for students.” Dr. Verle Mickish, whom she also knew well, shared that same profound commitment to relationships and service.

“There are no words to fully describe the honor, gratitude, and humility I felt receiving an award that bears both of their names,” she said. “Personally, it felt rooted in legacy — and in the kind of life and teaching I strive to pass on to my own students.”

Named Graduate Advisor of the Year in 2023, Dr. Ellett brings to advising the same philosophy she brings to teaching: put the student at the center. At Piedmont’s most recent commencement, she was honored as Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor of the Year — making her a recognized exemplar of advising at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

“I believe listening is just as important — not just to the words students speak, but to the silences as well,” she said.

Her goal is for students to develop genuine autonomy and grow in their own decision-making — to leave not just certified, but confident.

When asked about standout student success stories, her answer was characteristically humble. Rather than claiming credit, she turned the spotlight around.

“My greatest success is in how my students taught me and helped me grow as a human,” she said. “I learned forgiveness, humility, grace, quiet resilience, perseverance, and hope — from students at every level. My many, many students have made me a better person.”

Dr. Ellett’s commitment to Piedmont extends well beyond the classroom. As chair of the Faculty Senate, she stepped into a leadership role motivated by a simple conviction: faculty deserved to be heard. Her priorities were transparency, shared governance, and strong advocacy — while keeping her own opinions in check to faithfully represent her colleagues.

“I wanted to be sure that faculty truly had a voice,” she said. “I had to keep my opinions and passions out of the way so that I represented the faculty. My fellow faculty senators and our faculty at large were deeply engaged and were the driving force that shaped the work we accomplished together.”

The value of art education — and Piedmont

Ask Dr. Ellett why art education matters and she’ll tell you she could write pages on the subject — then she distills it to its most powerful essence.

“Art education is not about creating artists. It never has been. Art education is about creating good humans and developing a way of thinking that includes originality, empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It is about developing mindfulness and social intelligence, which are both needed to navigate a diverse world,” Dr. Ellett said.

For prospective students considering Piedmont’s program, her pitch is straightforward: “If you want to become an art educator who is deeply prepared, completely supported, and known as a person — not a number — then come to Piedmont.”

She points to the university’s reputation as having “teachers of teachers” as a defining strength, noting that most faculty bring real PreK-12 classroom experience to their teaching. The program is also among the largest in Georgia, offering undergraduate, graduate, and specialist degrees through a blend of online, hybrid, and immersive in-person experiences.

After more than a decade at Piedmont, what keeps Dr. Ellett energized? That’s an easy one, she said.

“My students, and each time I walk into a school, the faces of our future.”

The legacy Dr. Ellett hopes to leave is one woven from the same threads that have always guided her: care, rigor, relationships, and an unshakeable belief that art education is essential.

“I hope my legacy reflects a commitment to service, to community, and to the belief that art education is essential — not optional — in the lives of children and in the health of our schools and our nation.”