Honoree Program
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees ART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI Ian Hersko Ian Hersko is an artist, educator, and curator living in Cincinnati, Ohio. He currently teaches at the Art Academy of Cincinnati in both the studio and liberal arts and has a personal interest in critical theory. Hersko is also the founder and operator of Rainbow, a queer and trans focused gallery and project space in Cincinnati. In his own artistic practice, Hersko creates multimedia installations and objects that contemplate touch, loss and anti-monumentalism. Before becoming an educator, Hersko worked in social work, which informed his approach to teaching and community building. Lindsey Whittle Lindsey Whittle is a multimedia performance/garment artist, print designer and facilitator whose primary mediums are collaboration and color. The foundation of her work is the use of her daily duration projects and wearable print language to carry conversations of her artwork experiences out of traditional art spaces and into her daily routine. Whittle is a professor/educator that has developed custom garment art and performance art programs for the Art Academy of Cincinnati since 2016. Whittle co-owns and co-instigates PIQUE experience gallery and Airbnb in Covington, Ky with her husband and fellow artist Clint Basinger and Annie Brown and Noel Maghathe. She holds a painting degree from the Art Academy of Cincinnati (2007), studied fashion design at the University of Cincinnati (2012), and has a masters in Fashion Body and Garment from the School of the Art Institute Chicago (2014). Whittle was the craft editor for Kiki Magazine (2012-2015) and taught English at a fashion high school in Gifu, Japan (2009). Whittle's work has been exhibited in Salem, MA, Chicago, IL, and Cincinnati, OH. PIQUE’s Airbnb has been featured in Architectural Digest and Whittle's artworks by Hyperallergic. _________________________________________________________________________________________
CINCINNATI STATE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE Jayne Martin Dressing Jayne Martin Dressing is the Cooperative Education and Internship Coordinator for the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. She has been at the college since 2008 and enjoys working with students in the transfer degrees to help them find challenging and rewarding experiential learning opportunities in line with their academic and career goals. Jayne is also the faculty advisor for the Women's Empowerment Network at Cincinnati State, where she works with students to create projects that develop their leadership and professional skills. In addition, Jayne teaches a Career Exploration Seminar, First Year Experience and Honors courses. She currently serves on Cincinnati State’s Faculty Senate as a senator from the Humanities and Sciences Division. When she’s not working with students, she enjoys spending time with her three kids, hiking, running, and reading. Pam Ecker Pam joined the Cincinnati State faculty in 1986. Her teaching responsibilities over the years have included diverse topics in communication, technology, and design. Her current courses focus on scriptwriting, user experience and usability assessment, and design history. Pam was named a Fellow of the international Society for Technical Communication for her contributions to the profession and to her students. Pam’s colleagues selected her for recognition this year not just in her teaching role, but also to acknowledge her service to institutional governance and college-wide communications. Pam was a cofounder of Cincinnati State’s AAUP chapter and helped lead efforts culminating in the first employee collective bargaining agreement at the College. She has served as AAUP president for 23 years, and provided dedicated advocacy for shared governance on multiple negotiating teams and labor/management committees. She received the National AAUP Marilyn Sternberg Award, which recognizes faculty members who demonstrate "concern for human rights, courage, persistence, political foresight, imagination, and collective bargaining skills." Pam serves on numerous governance
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees CINCINNATI STATE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE Pam Ecker (continued)
committees including the Academic Policies & Curriculum Committee and the pandemic-era Academic Response Team. Pam helps keep Cincinnati State employees engaged and informed as the editor and publisher of the College’s digital employee daily newsletter and contributes to other communications including the catalog, the website, and countless institutional messages that were improved as a result of her editorial efforts. Pam earned a BA in Literature and Philosophy from Hanover College and an MA in Popular Culture from Bowling Green State University. _________________________________________________________________________________________
GATEWAY COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE Kerri McKenna Dr. Kerri McKenna has worn many hats during her nearly 25 years as an educator. She taught high school in New York and New Jersey for ten years before moving to the community college level. She holds multiple degrees in education, including an EdD in Educational Leadership from Northern Kentucky University. She is currently completing coursework towards her MSW at Ohio State University. She explains her passion for her students, especially her current role with Gateway, this way: “My students inspire me. They are parents, employees, and students – often all at once. They are so brave, changing the trajectory of their entire family by earning a degree. They know their kids and community are watching them, and their example empowers others to take that leap. And as more people in our communities improve their education, they in turn build a more just and equitable world, for all of us. And that’s beautiful.” Her students feel the same way about her. As explained by one student: "Give Dr. McKenna a raise. If you cannot give her a raise, then give her a private parking spot. And if you cannot give her a parking start, then give her a cupcake. At least she deserves a cupcake! And make it chocolate." In the end, Dr. McKenna and her students enjoy their classroom while they grow and learn together. _________________________________________________________________________________________
GOOD SAMARITAN COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCE Michele Bunning Michele Bunning is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science in Cincinnati, Ohio. Michele has been a Registered Nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital for 44 years and has worked at the College of Nursing since 1991. She is a proud graduate of the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing, has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Xavier University and holds a Masters Degree in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. Michele is an active member of the Good Samaritan College faculty teaching in the classroom and clinical settings and serving on a number of college committees. Michele is also a site visitor for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and an Item Writer for the National Council State Board of Nursing (NCSBN). She is a past recipient of the GC3 award and the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Michele has a passion for nursing and feels that a part of her job is to ignite the passion for nursing in her students. Karan Singh Dr. Karan Singh received his Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati in 1982. In the same year, he began teaching Chemistry at Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science. He also taught Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati for 31 years. Dr. Singh was also the founder of Maxcom, a company which helped corporations in the United States comply with OSHA and EPA laws and regulations. After selling Maxcom, Dr. Singh founded another company, MC Technologies, after developing procedures for predicting chemical hazards based on their intrinsic physical, chemical, and toxicological properties. With this company, he developed a plan for companies to transition from old OSHA regulations to the new Global Harmonization System. During his career, he has also worked in partnership with 3 software companies overseas o process information on chemicals. Dr. Singh has also completed many consulting jobs, not limited to the following:
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees GOOD SAMARITAN COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCE Karan Singh(continued)
a consultant with the Fernald nuclear facility on environmental regulations, consultant with the International Oncology Network on new CDC/NIOSH guidelines on cytotoxic drugs, and as a consultant with the pesticide industry on global pesticide regulations. Notably, he wrote one of the first books on Bioterrorism. In 2021, Dr. Singh completed his certification in Quality Management (QM) in higher education. He presently teaches Chemistry and Pharmacology at Good Samaritan College of Nursing. While at Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science, he has received the Outstanding Professor award 4 times during the last two decades. _________________________________________________________________________________________
HEBREW UNION COLLEGE-JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION Barbara Dragul Barbara Dragul teaches at Hebrew Union College (HUC). Founded in 1875, HUC is a Jewish seminary whose mission is to train rabbis, cantors, educators, and scholars to serve the Jewish community in the U.S. and the world. Barbara works with rabbinical students who are studying to be rabbis. With a background and lengthy career in Jewish education, Barbara teaches in HUC’s clinical education program, which integrates classroom learning, field work practice, and personal reflection. Students study educational theory, principles and application while also teaching part time in Cincinnati's congregational schools and day school. For a program that is both academic and clinical, Barbara seeks to give rabbis-in-training educational frames, philosophies, and values that will serve them in all aspects of their rabbincal leadership. An important aspect of the program is helping students become reflective practitioners while gaining a deeper understanding of who they are as teachers and future rabbis. In addition, Barbara works with those who supervise the students in their practicums to help these supervisors become better and more effective mentors. Prior to coming to Hebrew Union College, Barbara served as Director of Education and Lifelong Learning at Isaac M. Wise Temple in Cincinnati for 18 years. At Wise Temple, Barbara worked with students, pre-k through 12th grade, adult learners, teachers, and colleagues to build a caring, creative Jewish community, engaged in Jewish learning and living. She also worked with Rabbinical interns at the temple and found great joy and fulfillment in mentoring these future rabbis. Thus, teaching at HUC was a meaningful next step for Barbara. _________________________________________________________________________________________
MIAMI UNIVERSITY Megan Gross Megan Gross is an associate clinical lecturer in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology where she serves as the ASL Program Coordinator at Miami University. She holds degrees in American Sign Language Interpreting, Deaf Studies, and Higher Education with a focus in College Teaching and Learning. Megan has worked as a sign language interpreter for the past sixteen years in various community and educational settings. She has been with Miami for nine years, the past seven in her current role. Megan was awarded Miami University’s E. Phillips Knox Distinguished Teaching Award. This award recognizes creative, innovative, and engaging teaching methods at the undergraduate level. Megan integrates concepts of diversity and inclusion into the Intermediate-level ASL courses she teaches. In her classroom, she creates a learning environment in which all students feel welcomed, and participation is encouraged. Outside of the classroom, she creates opportunities for students to engage with the Deaf community through various community events, university-sponsored events, and service-learning projects. Megan’s passion for the language is infectious and her enthusiasm for teaching is evident in her students’ ability to connect course concepts to their majors and their everyday lives.
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees MIAMI UNIVERSITY- REGIONALS Janelle Allen Janelle Allen has been a biology professor for the Miami University campuses since 2002. During this time, she has taught over 20 different specific courses to best support her department, while also allowing fellow faculty to flex through maternity/paternity leave, medical leave, sabbaticals, research awards, etc. Janelle enjoys teaching biology lectures and laboratories to help students master their coursework and gain an enduring passion for biology. Her favorite courses to teach are Environmental Biology, Field Botany, Human Physiology, and Community Health Perspectives. She has also enjoyed serving as a part of the Center for Teaching and Learning and participating with fellow faculty in stimulating discussions within the Center for Teaching Excellence. She is truly grateful for supportive colleagues and engaged students. Teaching, guiding, leading, and caring are fundamental to the human condition. Relaying and emulating these attributes and skills to fellow faculty, friends, family, and most importantly, to her students, is the most significant. Establishing a sincere love of learning is paramount in life, no matter what one’s age. She hopes to instill lasting promise through supporting science and scientific knowledge for all with her community and across the world. She is fond of teaching friends and family of previous students, while advising and mentoring all students into successful careers, business partnerships, and lifelong relationships. She firmly believes that a good grasp of science, technology, engineering, and math will help us best innovate, create, and maintain the integrity of our planet and species for years to come. Beth Dietz Dr. Beth Dietz is Professor in the Department of Psychology and Professor and Chair in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Miami University. She earned her BA in Psychology at the University of Delaware and her MS and PhD in Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Professor Dietz has published studies on high-impact learning practices, including the co-authored 2012 book, Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: A Guide to the Process, and How to Develop a Project from Start to Finish and recent articles focused on online learning. Dr. Dietz teaches courses in psychological science, including introduction to psychology, social psychology, and psychological statistics. Guided by critical thinking as one of her signature pedagogies Dr. Dietz developed the CAR (Content, Application, Reflection) activity that students complete in each online course module. The CAR guides students to process information in an elaborative manner, apply the information, and reflect on its relation to their personal lives. Professor Dietz’s own engagement with students in and out of the classroom enhances the impact of critical thinking exercises such as this. Through her Gender and Sport Laboratory, students critically examine the degrees to which fans’/athletes’ perceptions of gender shape sport. As research assistants in this lab, students engage in scholarship with Professor Dietz and their work together has in recent years resulted in numerous presentations and publications with students. Theresa Kulbaga Theresa A. Kulbaga is Professor of English and gender studies at Miami University. She is the author (with Leland G. Spencer) of Campuses of Consent: Sexual and Social Justice in Higher Education (U Mass, 2019). Her essays on women’s autobiography, feminist theory, and critical pedagogy appear in Prose Studies, JAC, College English, and English Journal, among others. Her research is generously supported by an 11-year-old German Shepherd mix named Willa.
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees MIAMI UNIVERSITY- REGIONALS
Jennifer Purdum Jennifer Purdum has been exhibited internationally and nationally, including the “Printmaking Today” at the Cincinnati Art Museum, where her “Exodus Print Series” is part of the permanent collection. She has exhibited in, Reykjavik, Iceland, Chelsea, NYC, and at the Weston Art Gallery in Cincinnati. Her current series of mixed media and print media have been an investigation of her love of objects, and objects ability to act as placeholders for memory. Purdum’s fascination with the transitory nature of place and objects probably began with her experience in living through Hurricane Katrina, in New Orleans, and has continued to explore the topic since through printmaking, drawing and assemblage. Jennifer Purdum currently lives in Cincinnati, OH and teaches in Hamilton OH at Miami University Regionals. She teaches foundations classes, including drawing and color theory as well as printmaking classes. _________________________________________________________________________________________
MOUNT ST. JOSEPH UNIVERSITY Kelly Crowe Dr. Kelly Crowe is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, OH and a member of the scientific advisory committee for the Neuromuscular Disease Foundation. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from The Ohio State University as well as an M.S. in Biology from Missouri State University and a B.A. in Biology and Psychology from Drury University. Dr. Crowe has been a part of the Mount St. Joseph biology department since 2018, teaching Anatomy & Physiology, Pathophysiology, Biotechnology, Biological Psychology, and Neurobiology. She is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm for biology with her students and was awarded the 2021 Sister Adele Clifford Award for excellence in teaching. Her laboratory group currently focuses on utilizing in vitro models to develop biomarkers for assessment of gene therapy in GNE myopathy, a disease of progressive muscle wasting. She has additional research interest in the molecular mechanisms of muscle atrophy, such as that which can occur in astronauts during prolonged spaceflight. Outside of the classroom and laboratory, Dr. Crowe serves as a faculty advisor for the Mount St. Joseph chapter of TriBeta, the biology honor society, advises pre-medical students, and serves as both President of the University of Cincinnati chapter and Associate Director of the North Central Region of Sigma Xi, the scientific research honor society. Dr. Crowe is also passionate about engaging in science outreach to the community with the goal of promoting public understanding of scientific research. _________________________________________________________________________________________
NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
Kimberly Clayton-Code Kimberly Clayton-Code is a professor in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky University. She teaches courses in gifted and talented education, social studies, diversity, economic education, and educational foundations. She has received the Frank Sinton Milburn Outstanding Professor Award (2021), the Faculty Excellence in Sustained Outreach and Public Engagement (2010) and the Faculty Excellence in Teaching (2007) awards from Northern Kentucky University. Other activities have included editing and authoring the national award-winning, Entrepreneurs in Kentucky and Pathways to Home Ownership curriculum projects. Kimberly’s career as an educator began with the Campbell County Schools gifted and talented program as well as teaching fifth grade in a self-contained class. She also taught elementary gifted and talented and middle school Spanish with the Newport Independent School
NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees Kimberly Clayton-Code (continued)
district. Kimberly has degrees from the University of Louisville (Ph.D.), Northern Kentucky University (M.Ed.), and Purdue University (B.A.). Dr. Code is also Director of NKU's Institute for Talent Development and Gifted Studies. The mission of the Institute is to be the standard bearer of talent development and gifted education. The Institute provides programs such as Camp Innovation Pathways to College Enrichment Program for youth in grades K-9, the Young Women LEAD Conference, middle school leadership symposium, and the DreamFest Conference. These activities annually reach more than 3,000 k-12 students. Katherine Colborn Katherine Colborn is an artist living and working in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received her BA in Studio Art and English from Xavier University and her MFA in Studio Art with a focus on Drawing and Painting at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Her work engages with themes of sanctuary and threshold, exploring the place of painting in a culture that values speed and production while saturated with an abundance of imagery. In recent years, she has traveled internationally for personal research and study, visiting Berlin, Mexico City, and the west of Ireland. In 2015, she completed an artist residency at the Burren College of Art in County Clare. Her work has been published internationally in ArtMaze Mag and she has exhibited her work around the United States; recent solo exhibitions include exhibitions at the Kansas City Artist Coalition in Kansas City, MO and Greensboro Project Space in Greensboro, NC. Recent group shows include exhibitions with the Bolivar Gallery at the University of Kentucky, Ejecta Projects in Pennsylvania, and the Weatherspoon Art Museum in North Carolina, and nationally juried exhibitions at Site: Brooklyn in New York City, Manifest Gallery in Ohio, and Durham Art Guild in North Carolina. Past exhibitions include a solo show at Xavier University Art Gallery and nationally juried exhibitions at Wichita Center for the Arts in Kansas and The Shirt Factory in New York. Currently, she is preparing for a solo exhibition at ROY G BIV Gallery in Columbus, OH for January 2022 and has plans to complete a residency at Vermont Studio Center this upcoming summer. She teaches drawing, painting, foundations, and writing at Northern Kentucky University. Emily Shifley Dr. Emily Shifley is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). She earned her PhD in Molecular Genetics from the Ohio State University and worked as a Post-doctoral fellow in the Developmental Biology Division of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Research Center before joining Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Shifley has taught at Northern Kentucky University since 2014. She teaches a range of courses at NKU from Introductory Biology for freshman to Developmental Biology and Advanced Cellular Biology for upperclassmen. Dr. Shifley uses various active learning, evidence-based approaches in her teaching, engaging hands-on experiments for labs, and service learning projects to connect her students with the broader community. Dr. Shifley strives to have organized, clear expectations for her students as well as opportunities for them to collaborate and work together as they learn critical thinking skills and apply their knowledge. Dr. Shifley loves it when students are able to connect the content of Biology to their real lives or their future career goals. She also mentors students working on independent, undergraduate research projects in the lab where they get to investigate new scientific questions about developmental biology. Dr. Shifley appreciates all the hard work her students put into their coursework and is honored to be a part their undergraduate journey.
Kalif Vaughn
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees Kalif Vaughn received his BA from Purdue University. Following his BA, Kalif received his MA and PhD from Kent State University. Next, Kalif completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Williams College. After his Postdoctoral Fellowship, Kalif joined Northern Kentucky University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Science. Kalif teaches Research Methods, Animal Learning, Cognitive Processes, and Cognitive Processes Lab. At the highest level, Kalif wants his students to develop critical thinking skills, communication skills, and a passion for learning. When Kalif is not shaping minds in the classroom, he is researching human learning and memory. His research attempts to find ways to expedite learning and optimize retention of academic material for students. Consistent with a vast literature on human memory research, Kalif has discovered that retrieval practice and distributed practice are potent methods to enhance student learning. Kalif structures his courses to make use of these two techniques, providing online testing resources for students as well as in-class daily quizzes, critical thinking questions during lecture, and repeated testing on key concepts. _________________________________________________________________________________________
THE CHRIST COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES Jenny Lane Jenny Lane began her career as a nurse at The Christ Hospital after graduating in 2004 from The Christ Hospital School of Nursing. She joined the faculty at The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences in 2013. Since at The Christ College, Jenny has shared her expertise with students in the clinical and classroom setting in the pre-licensure nursing programs, and in the online RN-BSN program. She actively served as faculty advisor for the College chapter American Association of Men in Nursing and passionately engages in creating a culture of inclusion at the College. Jenny collaborates with peers and works tirelessly outside of class to create ways for students to better understand the material, all while making the learning easier to retain. Jenny continuously goes above and beyond for students and always ensures her teaching is effective. Her passion comes through in every interaction. She is kind, compassionate, and the epitome of an advocate. Her support, empathy and faithfulness as a nurse, instructor, and confidant are unceasing. _________________________________________________________________________________________
THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY Anne Busse Dr. E. Anne Busse is an associate professor in the Department of Business Administration at Thomas More University. She came to Thomas More College after a successful career as a marketing manager in the consumer package goods industry. She started as an adjunct in the TAP Program and became a full-time faculty member in 2008. She has taught extensively in in both the traditional and adult business programs. She has a special interest in marketing strategy and consumer behavior. Anne currently serves the MBA Program Director. Anne has also served as chair of the Department of Business Administration. During her tenure the department has launched an on-line MBA, which contributed to doubling the enrollment of the total MBA Program. Anne was named an “Outstanding Educator for 2015” by Cincy Magazine. Off campus, Anne has been actively involved with the Brighton Center, in Newport ,Kentucky, for a number of years. Dr. Busse holds a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago, an MBA from Xavier University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Argosy University Sarasota. Nicole Capella Nicole Capella has been an Adjunct Professor in the Thomas More University Philosophy Department since 2016. She is also an alumna of the University who graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Philosophy and an Associate’s of Arts in Theology. Her Master’s of Arts degree is from The University of North Texas where she studied Environmental Philosophy and Environmental Science. Nicole’s time in graduate school THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY Nicole Capella (continued)
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees included a course abroad in Puerto Williams, Chile. Here, she learned about traditional ecological knowledge and got to see first-hand how a pluralistic ethic is best for solving environmental issues. This led to a passion in environmental education with an environmental justice focus. Her philosophical interests include environmental ethics, ecofeminism, philosophy of science, and environmental education. Nicole also works at the Cincinnati Observatory as a full-time educator and social media coordinator where she gets to combine her love for science with a passion for informal education. At the Cincinnati Observatory, Nicole brings the wonder of the vastness of space to the K-12 students she encounters in schools and libraries around the region. She was married to Dustin Voet on Thomas More’s campus in February 2020 and they have a pet ball python, Snakelock Holmes.
Austin Corsmeier Austin Corsmeier’s passion for education, medicine, and nursing can be traced back to his pre-professional days when he would use a plastic stethoscope and Band-Aids to nurture his stuffed animals to complete wellbeing. Austin brought these skills with him to Thomas More University and graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He went on to complete his Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty concentration in forensic nursing at Fitchburg State University in 2019. Currently, he is enrolled at the University of Memphis’ Loewenberg College of Nursing where he is seeking a PhD. Upon completion, he will be prepared to conduct health equity research through experimentation and theory application, and thus will generate knowledge to impact education, practice, and policy with the healthcare field. Austin is now a professor at his alma mater, Thomas More University, where he teaches Interpersonal Communication, Nursing Theories and Concepts, Health Assessment, and Nursing Care of the Child. Within this role, he prides himself in promoting self-learning and helping students develop critical thinking skills and retaining knowledge that leads to selfactualization. For the 2020-2021 academic year, he was named the undergraduate faculty of the year within the College of Education & Health Sciences at Thomas More University. Moreover, he is a registered nurse at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where he specializes in pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders from both clinical and research perspectives. Brittany Mention Dr. Brittany Mention is currently in her third year at Thomas More University, but she has already made a huge impact on the lives of her students and those that her students teach. She brings energy to her classes to make sure that students are engaged and excited about learning, just as much as she’s excited about teaching. Teaching is a passion for Dr. Mention but also seeing her students succeed is just as important. Dr. Mention is understanding, compassionate, and understands that things happen in life, but with the right support and motivation, students can overcome anything. As a professor in both the undergraduate and graduate programs, Dr. Mention’s work in diversity, equity, and inclusion sets the stage for building strong relationships in all classrooms that center students and their learning. Her broad range of experiences in and outside the classroom provide Dr. Mention with a fabulous balance of theory and practice—a balance that she helps her students start to build. As one of her nominations stated, “Dr. Mention is an amazing education teacher. She is a newer teacher and is already great at connecting with her students.” Dr. Mention is currently working on research, Faculty Disposition on Student Comfort Level in Discussing Topics such as Race in the Classroom. Dr. Mention has a desire to bridge the racial and gender gaps in education. When Dr. Mention is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family that is very close, and her friends. She also enjoys traveling, dining out, going to museums, and cooking. Luis Sierra Luis M. Sierra earned his Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies and History at the University of New Mexico, his earned his Master of Arts and Doctorate in Latin American History from the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is associate professor of history at Thomas More and recently published his first THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY Luis Sierra (continued)
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees book entitled, La Paz’s Colonial Specters: Urbanization, Migration, and Indigenous Political Participation, 19001952. He believes his research interests have helped shape his teaching and his students have helped shape his research and writing. He has developed a thematic world history sequence around food and culture that uses several active learning techniques including “place as text” to create hands-on components to these core or general education classes. His current research focuses on the ways in which cemeteries, monuments, and the dead are prisms for analyzing historical and collective memory.
Charles Zimmer Dr. Charles Zimmer earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Central Florida and his Master of Science in Software Engineering from the University of Toledo. Upon moving to Northern Kentucky, he earned a Master of Business Administration from the Thomas More TAP program and began his career with Thomas More University as an adjunct professor. Dr. Zimmer has 15+ years in the Information Technology industry, most recently as a Software Architect for Eaton Corporation. In 2015, he left Eaton and started working full time at Thomas More University, teaching Computer Information Systems. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Cincinnati where his dissertation was on Virtual Reality systems. When Dr. Zimmer isn’t busy teaching or programming, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Aimee (who is also the Assistant Registrar) and their two children, CJ and Emma, playing video games, and taking his dog on walks. _________________________________________________________________________________________
UNION INSTITUTE & UNIVERSITY Anu Mitra Anu M. Mitra, PhD, is faculty in the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Union Institute & University. She is also the facilitator of the Museum Studies and Design Thinking Certificate programs. She has taught at the University of Rochester, Yale University, Sichuan University, and Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She has won multiple teaching and research awards including the Gopman Excellence in Research Award at Union Institute and the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges’ Celebration of Teaching Award in 2011, 2018, and 2021. From 2019-24, she has been selected as a Fulbright specialist with plans to serve in Trinidad/Tobago. Her research centers around arts-based learning spaces, pedagogy, and practices; Design Thinking; Visual Culture; Art History and Interpretation; Museum Studies; Social Justice Theory and Practice; Literature; and Writing. She has co-edited nine books on arts-based practices and authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals. She is increasingly interested in the relationship between visual practices and public memory. Her intensive training in museum studies and art history/interpretation continue to this day as a docent at the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center. She is also a board member at the Cincinnati Art Museum; the Ohio Advisory Board of the National Museum for Women in the Arts; and the Arts & Leadership Chair for the International Leadership Association. Anu is the proud parent, along with her husband, of three adult children and one Siberian Husky. In her spare time, she loves to read memoirs, watch films, and travel wherever the road will take her. _________________________________________________________________________________________
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Jane Sojka Jane Z. Sojka, PhD, MBA earned her doctorate in marketing from Washington State University, studying gender differences in salespeople. As a marketing professor in UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business, she was awarded a higher education innovation grant from Procter & Gamble, leading to her ground-breaking Women in Sales class, which now attracts over 250 women each year. As a winner of multiple Lindner College of Business and national teaching awards, she has used an innovative approach to close the gender gap in UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Jane Sojka (continued)
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees confidence. This work earned her the 2016 American Marketing Association Innovation in Teaching Award. She founded the college’s Center for Professional Selling, cited as a “Top Sales Center” by the Sales Education Foundation. She also developed a minor in professional selling that attracts over 120 students from all majors across campus. Her research on sales, marketing pedagogy, and consumer behavior has been presented at numerous academic conferences and published in marketing journals. Building upon her TEDx talk, “Empowering Women Benefits Everyone,” she is a frequent speaker on women’s uniqueness and equality for major corporations. _________________________________________________________________________________________
UC BLUE ASH COLLEGE Jennifer Ellis Dr. Jennifer Ellis. Dr. Ellis has been a member of the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College (UCBA) community for 13 years. She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, Bachelor’s in Nursing and Master’s in Nursing Education and Administration from Northern Kentucky University, and a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from The University of Cincinnati. She is also a certified nurse educator since 2015 and her clinical area of focus is Emergency Nursing. Dr. Ellis currently serves as the Unit Head for the UCBA Associate Degree Nursing Program. Areas of interest and research include supporting diversity in nursing education and the profession and the development of active learning activities in nursing education to bring clinical to the classroom. Recent accomplishments include being awarded the 2021 Office of the Provost Award for Faculty Excellence and being published in the Journal for Research and Practice of College Teaching. In addition to her faculty and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Ellis has been a prolific presenter at local, national, and international conferences on the topic of Nursing Education, is an active community volunteer, and is a proud wife and mother. _________________________________________________________________________________________
WILMINGTON COLLEGE Al Beatty Allen "Al" Beatty is excited to teach accounting at Wilmington College. Al believes teaching is a “calling” and conducts classes with passion and enthusiasm. He applies practical applications in addition to theory from his 30 years of industry experience. Al is a native of Lancaster, Ohio. Al holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and Business Management from Franklin University and a Master’s in Taxation Degree from Capital University Law School. Al worked for several years in the financial services and tax accounting industry. Some of these companies include Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, PaineWebber, Met-Life and Western Southern Life. Al is a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard. Al owns and operates Apple Tax Preparation Services, which he brings current trends into the classroom. Al launched the Wilmington College VITA site where students prepare income tax returns for low to moderate income taxpayers for free. The program has grown involving students exceeding 20 volunteers each year preparing well over 100 returns each season. The site has earned a 100% IRS rating each year! Al is an IRS Enrolled Agent and an Ohio licensed CPA. The students have awarded him many awards such as Professor with the most school spirit (2017-2018) and the Student Government Association’s Teach Excellence Award (2020-2021). Al and his wife, Molly, live conveniently within walking distance of the college to maximize involvement in college activities and to provide easy access to the college’s clients—the student! Alan Ledford Alan Ledford is the program director and assistant professor of the sport management department at Wilmington College. Ledford earned his doctoral degree in sport management at the United States Sports Academy. Ledford has a Master of Arts in sport management from East Tennessee State University and a
WILMINGTON COLLEGE Alan Ledford (continued)
34th Annual Celebration of Teaching Honorees Bachelor of Science in sport administration from Wilmington College. In 2014, Ledford taught educators in the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in which the educators earned an International Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Coaching (IDPESC) program for the Ministry of Education (MOE). Ledford started at Wilmington College in 2015 as an adjunct faculty member then as a co-advisor to the student-led sport management club (SPORTS). Ledford was an assistant athletic director/recreation specialist/adjunct faculty member at Harrisburg Area Community College. Ledford graduated from Wilmington College in 2002, played on the baseball team for four years. “I loved my time at Wilmington College and I am excited to be back. Many exciting things are happening around the campus and it is my hopes that I can help the sport management program reach its fullest potential.” Ledford’s teaching philosophy is to bring real-world experiences to the classroom. Almost any event can be linked to the sporting/business world. “Every student I teach is unique in his/her own individual way. I will respect every student, empower all students and promote a positive atmosphere in the classroom.” Ledford leads yearly student groups to work the NFL’s Super Bowl, NCAA College Football National Championship, NFL Draft, MLB All-Star Weekend and the NBA All-Star festivities. _________________________________________________________________________________________
XAVIER UNIVERSITY Morten Kristiansen A native of Copenhagen, Dr. Morten Kristiansen completed his undergraduate degree with a double major in Music and German at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Before entering graduate school he attended the University of Vienna in Austria for a year. While in Vienna he attended as many operas as possible and also sang bass in the Wiener Singverein and the Kammerchor der Musikhochschule. After completing his doctorate in Musicology at Yale University with a dissertation on German composer Richard Strauss’s early opera Feuersnot, he taught music history at Truman State University, Georgetown University, and Eastern Washington University before joining the Xavier University faculty in 2006. Dr. Kristiansen has presented papers at the national meetings of the American Musicological Society among other conferences, authored program notes for the Salzburg Festival in Austria, and published essays on Richard Strauss in various collections. He most recently co-edited the essay collection Richard Strauss in Context (2020) for Cambridge University Press. At Xavier, in addition to teaching the music history sequence for majors, he has taught History of Rock for many years, is currently offering a new course on the Beatles, has served as department chair, and now directs the music program.
Congratulations to all honorees and thank you for your resilience, perseverance and dedication to your students and your institution.