Shorter College Welcomes New Faculty Members

Shorter College announces the addition of 18 new faculty members for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Lauren Abrams joins the faculty as assistant professor of education and director of the Bachelor of Science and Associate of Science in Education degree programs for Professional Studies. A former principal of Midway Primary School, Abrams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Berry College, a Master of Education degree from West Georgia College and an Educational Specialist degree from Jacksonville State University.

John Cimics has been hired as assistant professor of theatre. He has more than 16 years’ experience teaching theatre and film at all age-levels from kindergarten through graduate school. Cimics has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in government from Georgetown University, certification in theatre teaching and a Master of Arts in theatre education from the University of Northern Colorado, and Master of Fine Arts degrees in directing from the University of Hawaii and in acting from the University of Connecticut.

Barbara H. Combs will serve as assistant professor of sociology. She has been an adjunct instructor at Gainesville State College, Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master of Arts in English from Xavier University and is working toward a Doctor of Sociology degree at Georgia State University.

Dr. Carl Ericsson has been named associate professor of management. Dr. Ericsson has taught as an adjunct professor in Shorter’s Professional Studies program for more than 10 years and has served as an adjunct professor at Southern Polytechnic State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He was employed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Co. from 1991 to 2008. He holds an Associate of Science degree in aeronautical technology from Miami Dade Junior College, a Bachelor of Science degree in systems science and a Master of Business Administration from the University of West Florida, and a Doctor of Philosophy in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Tennessee.

Ben Harris has been hired to serve as instructor of music. A former staff accompanist and coach at Western Illinois University and staff coach with Opera in the Ozarks, Harris holds an Associate of Arts degree in piano and organ performance from Frank Phillips College, a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Master of Music in collaborative piano from Baylor University.

April Hill has been hired as assistant professor of music. A former adjunct voice instructor at Elon University and private studio voice instructor, Hill holds both the Bachelor of Music Education and the Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Kirsten Calen Kunkle has been hired as assistant professor of music. A former adjunct professor at Youngstown State University, Kunkle holds the Bachelor of Musical Arts in voice performance from Bowling Green University and earned both the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in voice performance from the University of Michigan.

Ben McFry now serves as assistant professor of English and German. His experience includes serving as an adjunct instructor at both Shorter and the University of Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English with a German minor from Shorter College and holds a Master of Arts degree in comparative literature from the University of Georgia. He is nearing completion of his Doctor of Philosophy degree in comparative literature at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Diane T. Montgomery joined Shorter’s faculty as assistant professor of theatre. A former adjunct instructor at Radford University, she has been an actress and singer for nearly 30 years, performing across the United States, Italy and Germany. Montgomery holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Tusculum College, a Master of Arts in theatre from Missouri State University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in theatre history, dramaturgy, theory and criticism from Union Institute and University.

Kathy Newman has been hired as assistant professor of theatre. An active member of the Screen Actors Guild who has film, television and national commercial work to her credit, Newman is a former interim professor at Mercer University, adjunct professor at Shorter, and acting coach for the Academy of Cinema, Television in Seattle. She holds an Associate of Arts degree from North Greenville Junior College, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre from LaGrange College and a Master of Fine Arts in theatre performance from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Dr. Angela C. O’Neal joined Shorter’s faculty as assistant professor of English. A former instructor at the University of Memphis, O’Neal holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia and a Doctor of Philosophy in English from Arizona State University with specialization in 18th and 19th century British literature.

Elizabeth D. Robbins has joined Shorter’s faculty as assistant professor of music. A former assistant professor of music education at the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music, Robbins taught choral music in the Coweta County School System. She holds both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Georgia State University, where she is nearing completion of her Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Dr. Jennifer Ruddell has been hired as assistant professor of sports management. A gold medalist at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, Ruddell is a former visiting assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She holds the Bachelor of Science, Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Kathi A. Vosevich has been hired as visiting professor of English. Her professional experience includes eight years of service with Sprint Corporation, most recently as a senior communications and marketing manager for global standards/technology advocacy. Vosevich holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in English from St. Louis University as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in English from the University of Denver.

Dr. Henry G. Walding now serves as associate professor of education. A former school improvement specialist and assistant superintendent for the Pike County Schools, Walding has also served as a principal in the Oklahoma City Public Schools. He holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Southwestern State University, a Master of Education from Central State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from Southern Illinois University.

Dr. Matthew N. Waters has joined Shorter’s faculty as assistant professor of biology. He is a paleolimnologist whose research investigates the effects of biogeochemical cycles, land-use change, anthropogenic stressors and climate on primary producer community structure in aquatic ecosystems. He holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and a Bachelor of Arts in Christianity from Mercer University, a Master of Science in aquatic sciences from the University of Florida, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in environmental sciences and engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Felicia L. Wilson has been hired as assistant professor of human services and director of the college’s Professional Studies Human Services Program. A former adjunct instructor at Shorter College and the University of West Georgia, Wilson has served as director of customer care at Patient Placement Systems and as assistant administrator of WellStar Paulding County Nursing Center. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Alabama State University and a Master of Social Work from Florida State University. She is completing her Doctor of Philosophy degree in human services at Capella University.

 

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