Faculty Promotions Announced Olivet recently promoted six of its full-time faculty members. Nick Juday has been named associate professor of health and human performance. He also serves as chair of the Health and Human Performance Department. Susanne Lewis, Ph.D., has been promoted to associate professor of chemistry. Lewis also serves as advisor to the Gruen Chemistry Society, a student affiliate chapter of the American Chemical Society, and co-advisor of the senior class. Martha Perkins, Ph.D., has been promoted to professor of humanities. In addition, she serves as advisor to the Garfield Lake Review, the college’s literary journal. Phil Reed has been promoted to associate professor of criminal justice. He also serves as director of the college’s criminal justice program and campus safety. Joanne Williams has been named associate professor of journalism and mass communication. In addition, she serves as director of the college’s Career Services Network and advisor to The Echo, Olivet’s student-run newspaper. John Wilterding, Ph.D., has been promoted to professor of biology and chemistry. He also serves as chair of the Natural and Physical Sciences Department.
Olivet Welcomes New Faculty The college welcomed four new faculty members at the start of the fall 2012 semester.
Dali Giese
Michael Oyster ’77
Dali Giese has been named instructor of insurance. She is responsible for teaching the high school risk management and insurance partnership program implemented last year by Olivet College, the Eaton Intermediate School District Career Preparation Center and Farm Bureau Insurance. Michael Oyster ’77 is now serving as the college’s executive-in-residence. Oyster is responsible for teaching courses, leading the Phi Beta Lambda honor society for business majors and minors, and working to increase experiential learning opportunities for Olivet’s business students.
Three Employees Join President’s Cabinet Suresh Acharya ’99, Melissa (Sobie) Casarez ’02 and Karen Chaney, Ph.D., have been appointed to the president’s Cabinet, Olivet College’s senior leadership team. As an alumnus with extensive experience in technology and the college’s chief information technology officer, Acharya brings a perspective to the Cabinet that will both enhance discussion and decisions as well as improve his effectiveness and ability to lead Olivet’s technology effort. His appointment also brings with it a promotion to assistant vice president for technology.
Kathryn Perry joins the faculty as assistant professor of health and human performance. She is primarily responsible for mentoring the college’s physical education teacher Kathryn Perry Jennifer Sobie, Ph.D. preparation students, as well as teaching courses in the college’s Health and Human Performance Department and basic mathematics. Jennifer Sobie, Ph.D., has been named assistant professor of psychology. Previously a research scientist in neurobiology at Pfizer, Pharmacia and Upjohn, Sobie has taught many psychology and several animal behavior courses at University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana, Grand Rapids Community College and WMU, where she won several awards for her teaching.
New Staff Members Welcomed Olivet is pleased to announce the addition of several new staff members in 2012. They include: Corey Ballard ’12, grounds person; Bobbi Brandon, housekeeper; Jacob Dungey ’09, hall director; Greg Miller, campus safety officer; Wade Nichols ’05, admissions representative; Justin Otis, housekeeper; Ian Peters ’12, community service coordinator; Michelle Smyers, mailroom supervisor; and Jennifer Ten Haaf ’12, admissions representative.
Faculty and Staff News and Notes Dustin Byrd, assistant professor of humanities, authored the epilogue in “Alternative Sociology: Probing into the Sociological Thought of Allama M.R. Jafari,” by Seyed Javad Miri. In addition, Byrd’s article, “Bilderverbot and Utopia: On the Imageless God and Unarticulated Society,” was published in the journal Islamic Perspective. Tim Flynn, Ph.D., Performing Arts Department chair, assistant professor of music and music program director, presented his paper titled, “Newly Discovered ‘Portraits and Souvenirs’: Selected Unpublished Letters of Camille Saint-Saëns” at the 17th Biennial Conference on 19th Century Music at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Joanne Osborn ’09 has been promoted to assistant registrar. She previously served as a customer service specialist for the college.
As an alumna with extensive experience in admissions and as chief admissions officer, Casarez brings a unique perspective to the Cabinet that will both enhance discussions and decisions as well as improve her effectiveness and ability to lead the college’s admissions effort. Her appointment also brings with it a promotion to assistant vice president for admissions. Chaney brings a depth and breadth of perspective as a faculty member and as associate dean for academic affairs to the Cabinet. Her addition also notes the significant role she is playing in leadership within academic affairs as well as the significant role that academic affairs and the faculty must play in the leadership of the college and its future. FALL
2012
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