Meet The School Of Arts And Sciences Professors: “Our Faculty Make It Real!”

Karen M. Bayne
Instructor of English

B.A., Oberlin College
B.Mus., Oberlin College
M.A., Indiana University

Professor Bayne joined the Tiffin University faculty in January 2008 and is currently working on completing her Ph.D. in Victorian Studies at Indiana University, where she completed her M.A.  She is a graduate of Oberlin College with a B.A. in English and a B.Mus. in Doublebass Performance.  While studying at Indiana University, she taught at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, Indiana, and worked as a graduate assistant at the IU GradGrants Center.  For several years she worked with the IU Information Technology Services as a webmaster for the main campus website and several departmental websites.



Dan K. Bell, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Mathematics
 
B.A., Earlham College
M.A., University of Colorado at Boulder
Ph.D., American University
 
Dr. Bell began his teaching career at community and four-year colleges in Massachusetts, including a long stint at Springfield Technical Community College.  After two years as a materials handler in a plastic bottle factory, he returned to school for a degree in Mathematics Education, focusing on how to help students learn mathematics at the college level.  His specific interest is in geometrical and graphical methods of teaching mathematics. 
 
Dr. Bell is a member of the Mathematics Association of America, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
 
 
 
Bruce Bowlus, Ph.D
Associate Professor of History
  
B.A., Wittenberg University
M.A., Bowling Green State University
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
 
Prior to coming to Tiffin University in 1994, Dr. Bowlus served as managing editor of the Hayes Historical Journal published by the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center.  He holds an Undergraduate Degree from Wittenberg University and a Doctorate Degree from Bowling Green State University.  His dissertation investigated navigational changes on the Great Lakes in the nineteenth century, prompted by the nation’s accelerating demand for Lake Superior iron ore, and his work has contributed greatly to expanding our knowledge of the subject through numerous scholarly papers and articles.
 
While at Tiffin University, Dr. Bowlus has instructed a variety of courses, including U.S. Military History, the Italian Renaissance, the 1960’s, and World War II, and he has also been an enthusiastic supporter and frequent participant in the School’s Arts and Angles Program.  In addition, Dr. Bowlus coordinates Tiffin University’s Study Abroad Program, assisting our students wishing to spend a semester studying at one of our affiliate campuses in Europe.
 
Off campus, Dr. Bowlus has been active in community affairs, contributing programs to ElderHostel, local service clubs, and local Great Decisions forums.  He is currently Vice-President of Tiffin Historic Trust which is an organization working to preserve the city’s architectural heritage.
 


Teresa (Terry) Collins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Education
 
B.Mus., Georgia State University
M. Mus., Georgia State University
B.A., University of Findlay
Ph.D., New York University
 
A native of Findlay, Dr. Terry Collins joined the Tiffin University faculty in 2005.  For twenty-five years prior to that, she served as a U.S. Army bandsman at installations throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.  She also has the distinction of being the first woman to integrate the Military Band Program.  For the past several years she has worked as a classroom teacher in both music K-12, English 6-12, and as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Maryland, Central Texas College, Tabernacle Baptist Bible College & Seminary, and Old Dominion University.
 
  

Gene Crutsinger
Director of ELAC (English Language and American Culture)
Associate Professor of English

B.A., University of Oregon
M. Div., Western Seminary
M.L.S., Kent State University
M.A. TESOL, University of Findlay
PhD., Fuller Theological Seminary

Dr. Crutsinger joined Tiffin University’s English Language and American Culture Program in 2008.  After doing undergraduate and graduate work in Oregon and California, he moved to Ohio and taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Winebrenner Seminary.  In addition to teaching, he also served as the Director of the seminary library and Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.

In 1993-94 Dr. Crutsinger taught at Rivers State College of Education in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.  In 2001-02 he taught a total of eight months at Tumaini University - Iringa University College in Iringa, Tanzania.  In 2003-2004 he taught in the English Department at Xiamen University in Xiamen, China.

After returning from China, Dr. Crutsinger taught for three and a half years in the Intensive English Language Program at The University of Findlay.  He also began serving as Pastor of the First Christian Church in Fostoria, OH, a position he currently maintains along with duties at Tiffin University.



E.K. Esawi, Ph.D
Associate Professor of Mathematics & Natural Sciences
  
B.S., University of Tripoli
M.S., University of North Carolina
Ph.D., University of Kentucky

Dr. Esawi teaches math and natural science courses (link to updated CV).  Here is the link to TerCharts (TerCharts) for use and download .

 

Miriam Fankhauser
Dean of The School of Arts & Sciences
  
B.A., Heidelberg College
M.Ed., University of Toledo
M.A., University of Toledo
 
Born in Sandusky County and growing up in Seneca County, Miriam Fankhauser earned her B.A. in Secondary Education with a double major in English and Music from Heidelberg College.  She taught in junior and senior high English Programs in both Seneca and Sandusky Counties.  Miriam joined the Tiffin University faculty as a part-time instructor in 1982.  In 1984, she became full-time faculty and in 1986 was named Department Chair for English/Communications Arts--a position she held until 1999 when she became Humanities Department Chair.  In 1988, she was promoted to Assistant Professor of English, and in 1995, Associate Professor of English.  As the university continued to grow, Miriam was named Associate Professor of English and Humanities in 2003.
 
During her tenure at Tiffin University, TU’s Student Government has named Miriam Fankhauser as Faculty Member of the Year in 1996 and 1998.  She has also been extremely active in working with freshmen as both an advisor and faculty member of the school’s Freshman Institute.
 
From the 1980’s to the present, she has been involved in developing new curriculum for TU, and was instrumental in helping to create the liberal arts major in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.  In 1996, she was recognized for her “commitment and service to Tiffin University’s Co-Curricular Requirement Program” at the Northwest Ohio Philanthropy luncheon.  Miriam has also been a member of the National Council of Teachers of English throughout her career.
 
Among her other interests is dream analysis and interpretation, and since 1991, she has coordinated a dream workshop/interpretation group and led workshops for students, faculty and the general public.  Until recently, she has conducted an ongoing dream support group for adult women.
 
Miriam has a strong interest in Native American studies and research, in particular the “Trail of Tears” and the North American mound builder cultures, and has both presented lectures and conducted interactive discussions on the subjects, as well as having written articles for regional publications.  She was a member of the former Blanchard Indian Pow Wow Club and joined two delegations to the Pine Ridge Lakota Indian Reservation in South Dakota, helping to deliver food and clothing to reservation schools.  Miriam returned to visit this area of South Dakota with an Honors Class in May 2006.
 
Mother of two daughters she has three grandchildren, Miriam Fankhauser is a published author with both scholarly, creative work, and several genealogical collections to her credit.  She has also focused special interest on women writers, including Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as local writer Sherwood Anderson.  Presently, Miriam concentrates interests on Native American and black writers.
 
In service to the community, she has been a member of the Pleasant Union Cemetery Board of Trustees since 1990 and is responsible for Memorial Day Services at that site.  Miriam has assisted in the selection of the outstanding teacher for Tiffin Public Schools, and has been a judge for various writing and talent competitions. 
 
 
 

Lee Fearnside
Assistant Professor of Art

B.A.,  Smith College
M.F.A., Rhode Island School of Design

Before coming to Tiffin, Professor Fearnside was an adjunct instructor at several colleges in New England, including College of the Holy Cross, Rhode Island College and Greenfield Community College, teaching classes in photography, video and art history.  In her own work, she creates projects using photography and video to explore issues of body image, sexuality, gentrification, and the creation of history. Her photographic work has been exhibited in galleries in New England and in national juried shows. Her videos have been screened at film festivals in Boston, Oregon, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco and most recently on Rhode Island PBS. Her most recent projects include photographic work on scars and houses under construction, and a video about archaeology.

 
 
Professor Rebecca J. Fox
Associate Professor of Mathematics
 
B.A., Kent State University
M.A., Heidelberg College
 
Professor Fox completed her Bachelor’s Degree in the area of Education with a specialist degree in mathematics education.  She spent twelve years teaching in the Ohio Public School System in the areas of elementary mathematics, junior high special reading, and middle school science programs.  After joining Tiffin University faculty as a mathematics adjunct lecturer in 1986, she designed the MAT100 and MAT173 courses, developed a mathematics tutoring program, and designed the Mathematics Placement Program.  In 1991, Professor Fox received her Master’s Degree in education.  Her research is in the area of Developmental Mathematics and freshman studies and retention.  She has served on several committees and worked with programs dealing with the freshman students such as LEAP Program, Freshman Studies Coordinator, Academic Alert Program, freshman advisor, and the Student Development Committee.  Professor Fox designed and coordinated the Peer Leader Program.  She has presented at the First Year Conference for the past five years.  Professor Fox has also designed and coordinates the Supplemental Instructor Program.
 


Sushmita Ghosh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science

B.Sc., Brabourne College, Calcutta, India
M.Sc., Calcutta University, Calcutta, India
M.S., Baylor University, Texas
Ph.D., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois

Dr. Ghosh joined Tiffin University in the fall of 2008 as Associate Professor of Science , after beginning her teaching career in India.   Dr. Ghosh taught courses in physiology and electron microscopy at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  Later she was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois working in toxicology at the Veterinary School of Medicine and a Postdoctoral Research associate at Tulane University Medical Center, where she worked in the area of prostate cancer and lung cancer.  Dr. Ghosh has presented her research at various scientific meetings and has published over 12 papers in reputed scientific journals.

Since 2001, Dr. Ghosh has taught in area colleges and universities in Ohio teaching a variety of courses at Terra Community College in Fremont, The University of Findlay, both Heidelberg College and Tiffin University in Tiffin.  She has also developed and taught a number of seated and online classes.  While teaching at Tiffin University, her courses include Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science, and Oceanography at the undergraduate level and The History and Philosophy of Scientific Exploration at the graduate level.

In 2006 and 2008, Dr. Ghosh assisted with the organization and implementation of the highly successful India Study Abroad Program conducted by Tiffin University and The University of Findlay respectively. She has also served as a judge at various science fairs in Illinois and Ohio.



Mary V. Grennen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of English

B.A., Fordham University at Lincoln Center
M.A., Washington College
Ph.D., Union Institute & University

Dr. Grennen has taught a wide variety of English courses, including all levels of writing, various literature surveys, and oral communications. With a Ph.D. in Dramatic Literature, Theory, and Criticism, she has taught various courses in dramatic literature, acting, and directing. Her doctoral dissertation, "The Nature/Nurture Dichotomy of Tragic Figures in Western Dramatic Literature," was nominated for UIU's 2005 Sussman Award.

Dr. Grennen has a long list of accomplishments in theatre. She has appeared in two off-Broadway productions, and as a musician she has sat in the orchestra pit for productions of Annie, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Robber Bridegroom. As a director, her productions include Rumors, Bathroom Humor, The Money in Uncle George's Suitcase, A Trip to Czardis, Everybody's Doing It, and To Bobolink, for Her Spirit. Her acting experience at Fordham University at Lincoln Center includes A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jack or The Submission, Fashion, The Three Sisters, The Beggar's Opera, The Children's Hour, Icarus' Mother, A Perfect Analysis Given by a Parrot, Not Enough Rope, Postcards, Electra, Why Hanna's Skirt Won't Stay Down, and Action. Her community involvement includes roles in Shenandoah, Hello Dolly, The Boys Next Door, Tea and Sympathy, Dial 'M' for Murder, Angel Street, I Hate Hamlet, Two by Two, and How the Other Half Loves. 




 

Victoria Ingalls, Ed.D.
Instructor of Mathematics and Sciences

B.S., Bowling Green State University
M.A., Heidelberg College
Ed.D., Ashland University

Upon completion of her undergraduate degree in Mathematics education at BGSU, Vicki began teaching at a local high school while earning her Master’s of Education Degree from Heidelberg College. She launched her collegiate career by lecturing as an adjunct instructor at a variety of local colleges and began teaching full-time at Tiffin University in the mathematics department in 2007.  Dr. Ingalls completed her doctoral education from Ashland University in the fall of 2008. She lives in Tiffin with her husband, Mark, and five daughters.



 

Pavlos Kanellakis
Assistant Director of the ELAC Program

Instructor of ESL
B.A., Tiffin University

Pavlos Kanellakis came to the United States six years ago from Athens, Greece where he was born.  He earned his B.A. in Psychology, is fluent in Greek and English, and serves in the capacity of instructor in our ELAC Program.  Pavlos and his wife reside in Tiffin.

 
 
 

Zhaolu Lu, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy
 
B.A., Beijing Normal University, China
Ph.D., University of Western Ontario, Canada
 
Dr. Lu earned his B.A. in 1982 and taught philosophy at Beijing Normal University before moving to Canada in 1986.  Prior to joining Tiffin University in 2000, he held positions of assistant Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University in Canada and Hampshire College in Massachusetts.  Dr. Lu has teaching and research interest in interdisciplinary and cross-culture studies, with the emphasis on philosophy of cognitive science and Chinese philosophy.  He is doing research in both western and Chinese philosophies and undertaking comparative projects.  Dr. Lu has published eleven articles in peer reviewed journals and anthologies, five professional encyclopedia entries, five essays in major newspapers, and nineteen presentations at regional, national, and international conferences.
 
Dr. Lu is instrumental in developing China Programs at Tiffin University.  These include three partnership programs between Tiffin University and Beijing Normal University - two to allow their students to enroll in TU courses and one that is a resident scholar program to bring BNU faculty members to Tiffin for a year of research.  In addition and most recently, Dr. Lu has collaborated with Chinese recruiting agencies and high schools in developing two programs to recruit new Tiffin University students from China.
 
 
 
 
Vincent Moore, Ph.D
Associate Professor of English
 
B.A., Oberlin College
M.A., Miami University
Ph.D., University of Southern Mississippi
 
Dr. Vincent Moore has worked in a number of non-academic fields and has lived in eleven states while pursuing his educational and career goals.  Growing up in Oberlin, OH, he earned his B.A. in Psychology at Oberlin College (1985).  He studied for an M.S. in Exercise Physiology, but instead earned an M.A. in Creative Writing at Miami University (1992).  In 1998 he earned his doctorate in English (main focus: Writing; secondary areas are 20th Century American Literature, Film, and Post Human Literary Theory) at the University of Southern Mississippi.  Since 1992 he has been teaching at the college level, first as an adjunct, then full time at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania and later at St. Paul’s College in Virginia.  His interest in the martial arts (and two black belts) has provided material for his many articles on the subject, which are often approached through psychological, physiological, and other cross-disciplinary perspectives.  While he has had the greatest success with his Karate articles, he also writes fiction and various non-fiction areas. 
 
Vincent Moore has been at Tiffin University since fall 2002 and became chair of the English Department in the spring of 2005.  He founded and instructs the Tiffin University Martial Arts Club and now advises the English Enthusiasts, which produces the TU Review.  His teaching interests are Composition, Creative Writing, Modern and Postmodern Literature, and Film. 
 
 
 
Brad Rees
Director of Performing Arts
Instructor of Music
 
B.A., George Mason University
B.Mus., George Mason University
M.Mus., University of Northern Colorado
 
Brad Rees serves as Director of Performing Arts at Tiffin University, where he directs choral ensembles, teaches music courses, and leads the award-winning vocal ensemble “Up in the Air.”  Brad has served on the jazz faculty at Bowling Green State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and Iowa’s Southwestern Community College.  His choirs and vocal jazz ensembles have appeared in concert and on radio and television broadcasts in the US and Canada, and throughout Europe, China, and Africa. 
 
His own performing credits include appearances with Joe Williams, Bobby McFerrin's “Voicestra,” George Shearing, the New York Voices, and others.  He was a member of the Grammy-nominated vocal jazz group “The Axidentals” and was a founding member of the acclaimed Phil Mattson Voices.  Brad holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as degrees in music and public relations from George Mason University in Virginia.  His vocal jazz and choral compositions and arrangements are available through UNC Jazz Press. Brad Rees helped to develop the Arts Administration major and oversees the musical arts component of the major



James Rovira, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of English

B.A. Rollins College
M.Phil. Drew University
Ph.D. Drew University

Dr. James Rovira comes to Tiffin University from Rollins College in Florida.  He completed his dissertation on William Blake and Soren Kierkegaard at Drew University in 2008.  He has most recently published on John Milton and William Blake, presented on William Blake and Mary Shelley, and is currently working on an article about Jane Austen and a book project.  Dr. Rovira published short stories, poetry, film reviews, and creative non-fiction prior to beginning his doctoral work.  He currently teaches English courses in the fields of British Literature, William Blake, Literary Theory, Creative Writing: Poetry, Caribbean Literature, Philosophy, and Writing.  Dr. Rovira resides in the Tiffin area with his wife and two children. 

 

Jan H. Samoriski, Ph.D.
Professor of Communications
Dean of Graduate Studies

B.S.     Radford University
M.S.    Radford University
Ph.D.   Bowling Green State University

Dr. Jan Samoriski joined the Tiffin University faculty in 2006 after ten years at the University of Michigan – Dearborn where he taught electronic media and served as Communications Chair and Director of the Communications Program.  In addition to teaching communications courses at Tiffin, Dr. Samoriski also serves as Dean of Graduate Studies.

Samoriski earned his undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from Radford University and worked as a television producer and director at NBC-TV affiliates in Virginia and Massachusetts before returning to graduate school.  He holds a Master of Science Degree in Corporate and Professional Communication (Radford University) and a Ph.D. in Mass Communication with an emphasis in telecommunications law and technology (Bowling Green State University).  

 Samoriski teaches across the communications curriculum in several areas, including speech, organizational, mass communication, electronic media, media production and cyberspace law.  He is author of several articles dealing with Internet issues pertaining to unsolicited commercial e-mail, electronic privacy, encryption, broadcast regulation and Internet indecency and obscenity. Currently, he is working on his second book entitled “Foundations of Internet Law,” a follow-up to “Issues in Cyberspace: Communication, Technology, Law and Society on the Internet Frontier,” published by Allyn and Bacon in 2002. 

In addition to his academic pursuits, Samoriski is a National Registry Paramedic, Level II Firefighter, Master Scuba Diver and General Class Amateur Radio Operator.  He has training and experience in emergency services and response, bioterrorism and hazardous materials and is active in local EMS.  He is working towards an RN as part of his interests in healthcare and emergency, crisis, risk and public health communication



 
Sherry R. Truffin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
  
B.A., Baldwin-Wallace College
M.A., Cleveland State University
Ph.D., Loyola University of Chicago
 
Professor Sherry Truffin completed her doctorate in 2002 at Loyola University Chicago with a dissertation on contemporary Gothic fiction and is currently expanding that dissertation for publication in book form.  She has presented or published articles on James Baldwin, Flannery O'Connor, Chuck Palahniuk, Stephen King, Alice Walker, postmodern storytelling techniques in the television show The X-Files, and the relationship between Rock and Roll music and contemporary American fiction.  She teaches courses in Modern American Fiction, Women's Literature, the Novel, the History of the English Language, Advanced Grammar, and Composition.  Sherry has served as advisor to the TU Review, Tiffin University's online literary magazine, and is now Enligh/Communication Department Chair.
 
 
Colleen M. Vallo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Communication
 
B.A., Wright State University
M.A., Ohio State University
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
 
Dr. Colleen Vallo is joining our faculty this year with a prior career in journalism that  includes reporting for weekly and daily newspapers and serving as a state-house correspondent in Columbus.  Dr. Vallo also worked in public relations for public schools.  Her teaching specialties include mass communications law and critical analysis of the media.
 
 
 

For further Information in this department contact us at:

(419) 448 - 3426 or (800) YOU - OHIO ex. 3426