Goshen College introduces new faculty members

 

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College is pleased to announce and welcome new faculty members for the 2004-05 academic year.

Jayson Best is the new head baseball coach for Maple Leafs Athletics. He has studied at Milligan College and Indiana University. For the past five years he has served as the college’s assistant baseball coach. He also played minor league baseball with the Minnesota Twins organization for five years.

Andrew Clouse, a 2003 Goshen College graduate, joins the college’s recruitment team as an admission counselor. He was previously employed as a paralegal and reporter for the Albuquerque Tribune.

Dustin George-Miller, a 1999 Goshen College graduate, has been appointed as Music Center program director. He received a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and worked there as publicity director and concert coordinator in the school’s department of music.

Fritz Hartman is part of the Good Library staff as technical services librarian. He received a bachelor’s degree from Warren Wilson College and a master’s degree from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. He was previously employed as head of outreach services at West Lafayette (Ind.) Public Library.

Dale Hess has been named Merry Lea Environmental Center’s director of collegiate programs and associate professor of agroecology at Goshen College. With a bachelor’s degree from Millersville State College, a master of science degree and doctorate from Purdue University, he was previously a visiting assistant professor in the Purdue University Agronomy Department.

Ron Johnson returns to Goshen College as an associate professor of communication. He received a bachelor’s degree from Marietta College and a master’s degree from Kansas State University, and has completed coursework for a master’s degree in theology and communication at Wheaton College. He was previously employed as assistant professor of communication at Dordt College in Iowa; he worked at Goshen College more than a decade ago as general manager of the campus radio station.

Melissa Kinsey was appointed as director of the Entrepreneurship Learning Center and assistant professor of business. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University-South Bend. She was previously owner and operator of a marketing, advertising and graphic design business serving national clients.

Jewel Lehman joins the faculty as associate professor of secondary education and is women’s head volleyball coach. She received a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Mennonite College, a master of science degree from James Madison University and a doctorate of education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was previously employed as assistant professor and coordinator of the physical education teacher licensure program at Greensboro College.

Odelet Nance is Goshen College’s new director of multicultural affairs. She received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a master’s of science degree from Purdue University and a doctorate from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She was previously employed as adjunct instructor in the City Colleges of Chicago and assistant director in the Minority Engineering Recruitment and Retention Program for the University of Illinois.

Alex Naula, a 1998 Goshen College graduate, is serving as a resident director on the student life staff. He also received a master’s degree from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He was previously employed as a Web designer for Mennonite.net, Mennonite Mutual Aid and Mennonite Church USA.

Doug Schirch, a 1982 Goshen College graduate, returns to campus to join the sciences faculty as associate professor of chemistry. He received a doctorate degree from Michigan State University and was previously employed as a chemistry professor and academic dean at University of Mobile Latin American Campus/Ave Maria College of the Americas in San Marcos, Nicaragua.

Joel Short, a 2004 Goshen College graduate, will turn his experiences as a student into a tool to help high schoolers make their college choices as an admission counselor. While a student at GC, he served as the WGCS 91.1 FM student station manager.

Solomia Soroka comes to Goshen College as assistant professor of music. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the National Music Academy of Ukraine and a doctorate degree from Eastman School of Music. She was previously an artist-in-residence at James Cook University in Australia and a violin teacher at the School of Performing Arts in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Eric Stromberg is now on the faculty as assistant professor of sociology. He received a bachelor’s degree from Mount Mercy College and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Notre Dame. He previously taught classes at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College.

Rosalyn Troiano has been named Suzuki strings director for the Community School of the Arts. She received a bachelor’s degree from Cleveland Institute of Music and master’s and doctorate degrees from Eastman School of Music. She was previously strings director at State College (Pa.) Suzuki Program.

Sueann VonGunten, a 1970 Goshen College graduate, brings her experience in educational leadership as assistant professor of special education. She received a master’s degree from Indiana University and was previously employed as principal for Cleveland Elementary in Elkhart, Ind.

Jessica Weber has been named piano director for the Community School of the Arts. She received a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree from University of Oklahoma.

Alan Weldy, a 1983 Goshen College graduate, has been named associate professor of business. He received a law degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in business from Indiana University-South Bend. He has practiced law at Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer & Buckingham in Goshen.

M. Douglas Yoder, a 1977 Goshen College graduate, has been named director of the Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center, head cross-country coach and assistant track coach. He received a master’s degree from Ball State University and was previously employed as an art teacher in the Goshen Community Schools.

Sheila Yoder, a 1980 Goshen College graduate, has been named assistant professor of American Sign Language Interpreting. She graduated from Hesston (Kan.) College and earned a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University. She was previously employed as program coordinator for the Anabaptist Disabilities Network.

Other transitions:

Galen Graber has been named executive director of enrollment, in addition to serving the college as director of financial aid. Roger Nafziger has been named executive director of development after serving as a development officer in the office of institutional advancement.

Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit https://www.goshen.edu.

Editors: Photos available of all new faculty. For more information, contact News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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