Kansas Wesleyan University is pleased to announce that it has added several key faculty and staff positions for the 2017-18 academic year.
Steve Blue has started as the university’s new groundskeeper. He has worked in the green industry for more than 30 years with extensive experience in urban forestry and landscape maintenance. Blue earned his bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Kansas State University. He is a member of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association, the Kansas Arborist Association and the Kansas Network of Park Professionals.
Kelley Weber is the new director of library services for Memorial Library. Since 2008, Weber has served as a business librarian at Washburn University, and she has extensive experience teaching information literacy. She has also worked as a librarian from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Newport News Public Library System. Weber earned a Master of Library Science from University of Washington in Seattle, a Master of Business Administration from University of South Florida in Tampa, FL, and a Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles. Weber is working toward her Master in Communication and Leadership from Washburn.
Polly Howell has accepted the position of nursing simulation and skills lab coordinator and assistant professor of nursing. Howell has more than eight years of nursing education experience and is the only certified simulation health educator in central Kansas. With the Kansas State Board of Nursing requirements increasing for this valuable nursing education tool, Kansas Wesleyan is fortunate to have Howell joining its faculty. Howell received her Master of Science in Nursing from South University in Savannah, GA, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Texas State University in Canyon, TX, and a diploma in Nursing from Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing, Amarillo, TX.
Dr. Carl Rowles has been selected as Kansas Wesleyan’s director of bands. He has a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa, a master’s from Tennessee Technological University and a bachelor’s from Simpson College. Prior to coming to KWU, Dr. Rowles was the director of bands at Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, TX, and the interim director of the Monmouth College Wind Ensemble, Monmouth IL.
Dr. Michael Bell will be assistant professor of math and physics. He comes to KWU from Earlham College in Indiana. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Penn State with a minor in Computational Science. He also has a master’s in Weed Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Other additions to the university’s faculty and staff include:
Erin Gallion is the newest counselor in the Office of Admissions. She attended the University of South Dakota. In her new role, Gallion is responsible for recruiting new students to join Wesleyan’s Cheer, Dance, and Esports teams, and Fine Arts departments.
Judy DeHerrera was promoted from custodial lead to master painter/woodwork refinisher.
Jerri Zweygardt has accepted the position of assistant professor of nursing. She has been the nursing success coordinator and an instructor at Kansas Wesleyan since 2014.
Melissa Cavillo has accepted the position of instructor of nursing. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from DePaul University in Chicago and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Madison Natt will be visiting assistant professor of English for the 2017-18 academic year. Dr. Natt completed her Ph.D. at Florida State University, with a specialization in Victorian literature.
Lesa Dunn has accepted the position of assistant professor of Sport and Exercise Science. The past five years she was the department chair of the Exercise Science Department at Brown Mackie College Salina, as well as the academic director of instructional design and technology integration.
Kirk Cusick has accepted the position of instructor of biology. He earned his master’s degree from Fort Hays State University.
Additionally Kansas Wesleyan has filled 14 graduate assistant positions. The M.B.A. students and their positions are Emily Montgomery ’17, assistant coach, cheer and dance; Mark Ayala ’17, strength and conditioning coach; LonDarius Thomas ’17, game management assistant; Blake Frasur, sport information assistant; Yadira Toraya ’17, assistant women’s soccer coach; Austin Jones, assistant bowling coach; Oscar Carillo, assistant men’s soccer coach; Henrik Sohn, assistant soccer (goalkeeping) coach; Palmer Bosanko ’17, assistant golf coach; Jennifer Long ’13, assistant admissions counselor; Brylee New ’17, head coach of DECA; Garrett Young ’17, corporate sales and marketing assistant; Haley Thompson ’16, assistant volleyball coach; and Layne Shirley ’17, marketing assistant.
