Courtney Crittenden-Turner attended Athens City Schools from 1990 to 2000, where she was a student at Ingleside Elementary, North City Elementary, and Athens Junior High School. She later graduated from McMinn County High School.
Courtney has many fond memories of her years in Athens City Schools, especially the wonderful teachers who made a lasting impact on her life. While there are too many to name individually, she credits them all with teaching her invaluable lessons. She especially remembers the egg drop project at Ingleside, as well as the school libraries and librarians at all of the schools. She also enjoyed singing in the chorus and participating in the band during her middle school years. Overall, she cherishes the many happy memories she made during her time in ACS.
After high school, Courtney earned her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science from Tennessee Wesleyan University. She then pursued a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, followed by a Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina.
Courtney currently serves as a UC Foundation Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she has received awards for both teaching and community service. She has also previously served as Graduate Director and Online Coordinator for her department.
In addition to her academic work, Courtney is deeply involved in her community. She is the founder and chairperson of Love, Period., a ministry that provides menstrual products to individuals in McMinn, Meigs, and Polk counties. The organization distributes over 100,000 products each year. (If you need products or know of places where they can be distributed, you can reach out via email at loveperiod@stpaulsathens.org.)
Courtney is married to Joe Turner and is a proud dog mom to Mini.
Her advice to current Athens City Schools students is simple but meaningful: stay curious, read often, and be kind to yourself and others.