Faculty News

from UPIKE Magazine Fall/Winter 2019

Summer of Service

Faculty News

Jennifer Dugan, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Following a national search, Jennifer Dugan, Ph.D., has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at the University of Pikeville. She assumed her role on July 20 and succeeds Tom Hess, Ph.D., who returned to the classroom in August to continue his passion for teaching UPIKE chemistry students.

Dugan obtained her doctoral degree in political science from the University of California Riverside and a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Los Angeles. Her dissertation, which focused on agricultural policies and tobacco farming in Cuba, reflects a deep interest in social movements and democracy. Dugan has written on shifts in international humanitarian law since September 2001 and presented her work at professional conferences, including with student coauthors as well as local civic groups.

With a passion for teaching, Dugan began a nearly 20-year career teaching courses in international law, human rights and global issues. Serving as chair of global studies at Randolph College (formerly Randolph-Macon Women’s College) from 1997-2016, Dugan worked with colleagues, alumni, students and donors to strengthen global and intercultural programming. A proponent of applied learning, she led a student delegation to the National Model United Nations conference in New York each spring, where students grappled with many of the world’s most pressing issues, an experience she considers to be one of the highlights of her teaching career.

**Jennifer Dugan, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences**

Recognized for her teaching, research and mentoring, Dugan received Randolph College’s award for bringing outstanding distinction to the college in 2008 and for distinguished teaching in 2007. She served as an American Council on Education Fellow from 2009 to 2010 and is a strong supporter of professional development for faculty and staff. Dedicated to shared governance at Randolph College, Dugan served on a range of committees, including the Academic Personnel Committee, the Faculty Representative Committee and the student-run Judiciary Committee.

Dugan served as director of faculty programs at the Associated Colleges of the South, a consortium of 16 private liberal arts colleges spanning Virginia to Texas. Her experiences demonstrate the importance of partnerships to foster innovation, inclusive excellence and professional networks.

She is eager to help advance collaboration to enhance arts and sciences programming, professional development and student success at UPIKE, including through the university’s membership in the Appalachian College Association.

“I am overjoyed to have joined the UPIKE family,” said Dugan. “The dedication of faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, the university leadership team and the Pikeville community combine to make this a truly wonderful opportunity. My husband and I look forward to making our home in Pikeville. I couldn’t be more ready to serve CAS and play a part in the campus community.”

UPIKE looks forward to Dugan’s leadership.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jennifer Dugan to the UPIKE family,” said Lori Werth, Ph.D., provost. “Dr. Dugan’s experience within the liberal arts, faculty development and her perspective on global studies have positioned her to lead the College of Arts and Sciences at UPIKE.”

Dugan is married to John Wood, an architect, and has two adult daughters and extended family who live in southwest Virginia and North Carolina.

Mary Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine

After a chance search on LinkedIn connected Mary Johnson, Ph.D., with former colleague and Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) Dean Dana Shaffer, D.O., FACOFP, dist., FAOGME, she knew the opportunity to become associate dean at the institution was one she was confident in pursuing. The now proud KYCOM faculty member is grateful to be helping future physicians find their path at the mission-centered medical school.

“Dr. Mary Johnson brings years of medical education expertise to KYCOM,” said Shaffer. “As we continue to enhance our curriculum to provide KYCOM students with a world-class medical education, we are very fortunate to have someone with Dr. Johnson’s medical education credentials join the KYCOM team.”

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Johnson completed her undergraduate training at the University of Oklahoma in zoology. It was in her undergraduate studies that two professors propelled her into a future career in medical training.

“Dr. Mary Whitmore and Dr. Frank Seto were inspirations to me,” remembered Johnson. “Those two professors really got me started on the path to where I am today – teaching science to doctoral students. It’s a balance to keep advanced students interested, but also make sure they learn the material thoroughly.”

**Mary Johnson, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine**

After graduation, Johnson worked in a rheumatology laboratory while studying for her master’s degree in immunology at the University of Oklahoma. She later received her doctorate in life sciences from Indiana State University. Her first teaching position was with Indiana University School of Medicine, but it was during her first position in program administration where Johnson knew she’d found something special.

After serving at five medical schools throughout her career, Johnson says there’s something particularly rare found at KYCOM. “I have served at several ‘mission schools,’” said Johnson. “KYCOM is the truest to the mission of any school that I have known. The mission to ‘bring students back to practice in the mountains’ is a worthy goal and KYCOM has a remarkable statistic of 41 percent of all students returning to Appalachia to practice medicine once their training is complete.”

In addition to KYCOM’s servicedriven mission, Johnson says what KYCOM does for its students with the advantage program should be replicated at other institutions. Bundling books, medical supplies and professional memberships into one package for students is one of the many ways the program has set itself apart.

Upon beginning her new appointment, Johnson quickly noticed the warm and family-like community of the region shining through her UPIKE and KYCOM colleagues.

“KYCOM’s D.O. program has a wonderful lineup and I’m honored to be a part of it now,” said Johnson. “The faculty at KYCOM are highly committed to providing the best training possible for our students. I am happy to be a part of the program here in Eastern Kentucky.”

Storytelling to find common ground

**HANNAH FREEMAN Director of Experiential Learning and Professor of English**

As the Director of Experiential Learning, Professor of English and Faculty Chair for the Humanities Division, Dr. Hannah Freeman takes a special interest in incorporating innovative pedagogy into her classes. After hearing of Narrative 4 (N4) from a colleague, she was determined to implement its principles of storytelling to break down barriers among students and teach empathy.

When creating a course for the fall of 2014, for both English majors and international students, she found an opportunity to adapt N4’s movement for UPIKE.

In the course, Freeman says, students were asked to “make connections between the real-world and course content.”

Students from diverse backgrounds with seemingly minimal commonalities discussed moments of cultural assimilation and conflict, participating in reflective writing and discussions. Freeman used storytelling for her students to find common ground and feel empathy for one another.

Although it was difficult for students to begin the process of sharing personal stories and experiences, by the end of the course several began friendships outside of the classroom.

Freeman’s essay on this course will appear in the summer/fall 2018 issue of College English Association Forum Journal, available in November 2019.