There are 18 new instructors who recently joined the UCCS faculty. Their names, titles, department and college, and brief information about them follow.
Angela Bell, instructor, College of Education, recently served as an instructor at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, where she was nominated for the Outstanding Teacher Award and developed online assessments of English Language Learners. She also worked as a consultant to the Glynn County (Ga.) Schools and was a teacher in the Okaloosa County (Fla.) Schools.
She earned a Ph.D. in teaching and learning from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, a master’s in educational leadership from the University of West Florida and a bachelor’s in foreign languages/Spanish from Virginia Tech University.
Audrey Birkett, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, previously served as a lecturer at UCCS, as an instructor at Pikes Peak Community College, and visiting lecturer at the University of London.
She earned Ph.D. and master’s degrees from the University of London and a bachelor’s in English and history from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Christopher Blankenship, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, taught rhetoric and writing at Northern Illinois University.
He earned a Ph.D. in English from NIU and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Tennessee Technological University.
Erin Dalton, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, recently served as an athletic tutor, writing center tutor and graduate research assistant at Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
She earned a master’s in professional communication from Clemson University and a bachelor’s in English from Manhattan College, Riverdale, N.Y.
Rachel Donelson, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, recently served as an instructor for intensive English and English composition at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff. She also taught film courses at NAU and served as an instructor at a Mexican university.
She earned a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language from Northern Arizona University, and bachelor’s degrees from George Mason University, Fairfax, Va., in English and fine arts.
Linda Donnelly, instructor of criminal justice, School of Public Affairs, served as disciplinary counsel or assistant disciplinary counsel for the Colorado Supreme Court since 1979 and was also an assistant county attorney for Adams County. She was the youngest judge appointed in Colorado when she served as an associate county court judge in Morgan County. Her previous teaching experience includes serving as an adjunct instructor at the University of Denver, Metropolitan State College and the University of Colorado, Boulder.
She earned a doctoral degree from the University of Denver School of Law and a bachelor’s from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Elizabeth Watier-Edsen, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, recently served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver’s English Learning Center and the Los Angeles City College English and Workforce Department.
She earned a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language from California State University, Fullerton, and a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Long Beach.
Thomas Fritz, senior instructor, UCCS Teach Program, College of Education, previously taught in U.S. public schools and Armed Forces schools in Europe.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree in education/biomedical engineering from University of Florida.
Kimberly Holcomb, instructor, Department of Women’s and Ethnic Studies, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, previously served as coordinator of the Women’s Studies Program at Colorado State University, Pueblo, a lecturer at Colorado College and adjunct instructor at UCCS and Pikes Peak Community College.
She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from UCCS.
Chelsea Lawson, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, previously was an adjunct English instructor at Pikes Peak Community College and worked to create English teaching standards for North Carolina high school students.
She earned a masters in English from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and a bachelor’s degree in English from UCCS.
Melonie McMichael, senior instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, previously served as assistant publications editor and writing instructor at Texas Tech University.
She earned a doctoral degree from Texas Tech University in technical communication and rhetoric, master’s in English from Texas State University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Texas A&M University.
Pamela Peszek, senior instructor, UCCS Teach Program, College of Education, previously taught middle school in Parker and served as mathematics department chair.
She earned a master’s in education from Antioch University, Yellow Springs, Ohio, and a bachelor’s in mathematics and computer science from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich
Kerry Peterson, assistant professor, clinical teaching track, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, comes to UCCS from Shenandoah University where she served as an adjunct clinical instructor.
She earned a Ph.D. in nursing from Johns Hopkins University, a doctorate of nursing practice, master’s in nursing practice and bachelor’s in nursing from Shenandoah University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Colorado Boulder.
Christine Robinson, instructor, Department of English, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, comes to UCCS from Colorado State University where she taught classes and wrote for CSU publications. Previously, she was an educational resource advisor who counseled district and school administrators about professional development and mathematics resources.
She earned a master’s in English from CSU and a bachelor’s degree in art from Western Washington University.
James Saunders, instructor, Department of Counseling and Human Services, College of Education, previously provided family counseling and therapy, especially in several areas of substance abuse, and served as an adjunct faculty member at Pikes Peak Community College.
He earned a doctorate degree in counseling psychology from Argosy University, a master’s in counseling and human services from UCCS, a master of divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., and a bachelor’s degree from Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.
Eric Schubert, instructor, Department of Visual and Performing Arts, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, is a photographer and teacher of photography who served as a lecturer at UCCS for the past two years. Previously, he was an adjunct professor who taught photography at Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, Mass.
He earned a masters’s in fine arts from Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Boston, and a bachelor’s degree in photography from Columbia College Chicago, Chicago.
Pepper Skodack, instructor, Department of Special Education, College of Education, taught undergraduate and graduate special education classes for the past four summers at UCCS while serving as an independent education consultant for New Mexico school districts.
She earned a master’s degree in special education from UCCS and a bachelor’s degree in hearing and speech science from Colorado State University. She hopes to earn a doctorate so she can be called “Dr. Pepper.”
Carole Traylor, assistant professor, clinical teaching track, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, was most recently a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Mountain View Medical Group, a private medical practice in Colorado Springs. She has 30 years’ experience in nursing and teaching, worldwide.
She earned a doctorate of nursing practice from the University of Colorado Denver, a master’s in nursing from Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Va., and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Spalding University, Louisville, Ky.
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