New Faculty and Staff
H&SS welcomed eight faculty: assistant teaching professors Dr. Steven Berg, psychology; Dr. Vertna Bradley, film studies; Dr. Linda Lorei, elementary and early childhood education; Dr. Ariana Orozco, German; Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned, political science; Dr. Brett Swords, psychology; and Dr. Ahmed Yousof, game design; Dr. Karen Rizzo, assistant professor of elementary and early childhood education, and staff members Heather Agnello and Kristen Rushlau.
Retirements and Transfers
After decades of dedicated service, Dr. Clare Porac, psychology, and Dr. Kathryn Wolfe, French, have retired. Dr. Dawn Blasko, psychology, has been appointed executive director of the University Faculty Senate.
Honors, Distinctions, and Accomplishments
Dr. Mary Connerty, English, received a George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. She was also promoted to a teaching professor. Dr. Laurie Urraro, Spanish, received the Council of Fellows Excellence in Outreach award. Dr. Sarah Whitney, English and women’s studies, received the Council of Fellows Excellence in Teaching award.
Dr. Robert Roecklein, English, and Dr. Gary Viebranz, music and instrumental ensembles, were promoted to teaching professors. Dr. Joseph Beilein, history, and Dr. Glenn Kumhera, history, were promoted to associate professors and tenured. Dr. Sharon Gallagher, English, was promoted to associate teaching professor.
Tina Rapp, staff, earned a master’s degree from Penn State. Karen Rizzo, elementary and early childhood education, and Ashley Yochim, English, earned doctoral degrees.
Research and Creative Activity
Faculty members published more than fifty articles, presented more than 100 conference papers and posters, and were awarded more than forty research and travel grants. They also published the following books: Dr. Kilic Kanat, political science, U.S.-Turkey Relations under the Ak Party: An Almanac; Dr. Inkyu Kang, communication, Sport in Korea: History, Development, Management; Dr. Colleen Kelley, communication, A Rhetoric of Divisive Partisanship: The 2016 American Presidential Campaign Discourse of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump; Dr. Janet Neigh, English, Recalling Recitation: Borderless Curriculum, Performance Poetry, and Reading; Dr. Lena Surzhko-Harned, political science, Post-Soviet Legacies and Conflicting Values in Europe: Generation Why; and Dr. Arpan Yagnik, communication, Creative Aerobics 2.0: Fueling Imagination in the 21st Century.