Kean Welcomes 27 New Faculty
During his Opening Day address to the campus community, Kean University President Dr. Dawood Farahi outlined Vision 2020, the blueprint for Kean’s future growth. One key component is a commitment to hire between 20 and 30 new faculty members each year for the next five years.
This fall, Kean University welcomed 27 new faculty members to its ranks for the 2011-2012 academic year. These individuals bring expertise and experience across a broad range of disciplines to the campus community. In late August, the new faculty members participated in a four-day orientation on campus in preparation for the start of the new semester.
“These men and women are among the best and brightest teacher-scholars and will make great contributions to the community,” said Dr. Farahi. “We are first and foremost a student-centered university, and these new faculty members will play a central role in helping our students achieve their personal and professional goals.”
The new faculty members include:
Elizabeth Arnold - School of Nursing
Michael Chattalas - School of Management, Marketing and International Business
Kim Chen - School of General Studies
Jaime D. Christensen - Department of Special Education and Literacy
Leslie DaCosta - School of General Studies
Donna Fountain - School of Nursing
Valera Hascup - School of Nursing
Xiaoyun ‘Sharon’ He - Department of Graduate Management Studies
Fiona Xiaoying Ji - School of Management, Marketing and International Business
Lydia Kaplan - School of General Studies
Bridget Lepore - School of General Studies
Irisa Leverette - School of General Studies
Min Liu - School of Criminal Justice and Public Administration
Donald R. Marks - Department of Doctoral Studies in Psychology/Psy.D.
Sharon E. McKenzie - Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Health
Junseob Moon - School of Criminal Justice and Public Administration
Mariann Moran - Department of Occupational Therapy
Joyce Mphande-Finn - Department of Counselor Education
Claire Mulry - Department of Occupational Therapy
Michael Murray - School of General Studies
Sheela Pandey - School of Management, Marketing and International Business
Rebekah Pender - Department of Counselor Education
Stanley Peterburgsky - School of Accounting and Finance
Sarbjeet Rayat - School of Management, Marketing and International Business
Leila Sadeghi - Department of Educational Leadership
Gregory Shepard - School for Global Education and Innovation
Qian Wang - School of Accounting and Finance
As part of their orientation to Kean University, new faculty members participated in several activities designed to build relationships with one another and to introduce them to various aspects of faculty life at Kean. They learned about Kean’s history, mission and “cougar pride,” explored opportunities offered by the Tenure Track Faculty Network (TTFN) and the Faculty Development Network (FDN). They also received information on Kean Ocean initiatives, pursuing scholarship and research, library resources and technology services. Throughout the week, veteran faculty led interactive presentations on in-class support, time-management, diversity, campus culture and suggestions on course preparation. New faculty also met with various administrators to learn about their respective roles and expectations.
“I came to Kean seeking an opportunity to nurture my commitment to higher education as well as pursue my research agenda,” said Dr. Sadeghi. “I really enjoyed the new faculty orientation because it gave me a chance to meet the other members of my cohort as well as an opportunity to network with other faculty and administrators.”
During the current semester, Kean Xchange will feature brief profiles on the new faculty members. Check back regularly for new additions.
