Joetta Kelly

Dr. Joetta Harlow Kelly serves as Assistant Professor in the School of Education, mainly teaching in the School Counseling Online Graduate Program. She taught for several years as an adjunct before beginning full time in January of 2021. Joetta also serves as a licensed counselor with “There’s Hope Counseling” at Hardin Baptist Church. Dr. Kelly was in ministry for many years serving as Minister of Preschool, Children, Youth, Activities and Senior Adults at First Baptist Church in Murray, Ky. She also taught Art, PE and served as a Guidance Counselor, as well as managing Murray State University’s Wellness Center while teaching there in the areas of Wellness, Recreation, Education and Study Abroad. Joetta has taught swimming lessons for many years and also teaches classes in First Aid/CPR/AED. Earning her undergraduate degrees in Art Education and Church Recreation from Campbellsville, Joetta earned an MA from Murray State in Recreation while teaching as a Graduate Assistant, and Master’s and Specialist degrees from Murray in Guidance and Counseling. Her doctoral degree is from Western Kentucky University in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Teaching. Her dissertation, published in Academia, was entitled Finding Hope in Chaos: The Development of a Tool to Identify Key Factors that College Students Use to Effectively Deal with Adversity. Illustrating Children’s books has been another aspect of Joetta’s life and she has written and or illustrated 12, including “Where’s the Door and other Kid’s Questions”, “Families are Special”, and “Are they Finally Asleep?”. She has won and placed in numerous art contests and also won several leadership awards in the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs. She currently serves as President of her local club. Joetta serves on the SOE CAEP 3 and Diversity Committees, and is the SOE representative on the CU Library Committee. She also mentors several students as one of the University faculty representatives for Option 6 School Counselors.