Dozens of Western Michigan University faculty earn tenure, promotions
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A number of outstanding Western Michigan University faculty members received tenure and promotions through the approval of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, provost and vice president for academic affairs, celebrated their successes in recommending the actions at the board meeting on Thursday, June 29.
"The stories of these faculty are not just about personal achievement but represent the continued development and growth of our entire institution," Vasquez Heilig says. "We believe that by investing in our faculty we invest in the university's future, by extension the future of our students and the communities that we serve."
The following faculty members received tenure:
Bryan Abendschein, School of Communication
Zachary Asher, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Jessica Birnbaum, Department of Aviation Sciences
Betty Dennis, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Alyssa Eminhizer, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Maria Cristina Fava, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Jessica Gladden, School of Social Work
Holly Grieves, Department of Occupational Therapy
Janet Hahn, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Keith Hall, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Amy Heath, Department of Physical Therapy
Seyong Kim, Department of Dance
Michael Konkel, Department of Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems
Kate LaLonde, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
Kevin Lee, Department of Statistics
Hexu Liu, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering
Thayma Lutz, Department of Mathematics
Jennifer Richardson, Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies
Kathy Rigley, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Matthew Ross, Department of Finance and Commercial Law
Gail Rouscher, Department of Aviation Sciences
Dawn Smith, Bronson School of Nursing
Jiahe (Carrie) Song, Department of Business Information Systems
Yu-Lien The, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Sandra Vamos, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Pamela Wadsworth, Bronson School of Nursing
Daren Webb, Department of Physical Therapy
Patrick Wilson, Gwen Frostic School of Art
Jeffrey Xie, Department of Marketing
Shu Yang, Department of World Languages and Literatures
The following faculty members were promoted to professor:
Robert Berkhofer III, Medieval Institute
Christina Chin, Gwen Frostic School of Art
Brett Geier, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
Valerian Kwigizile, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering
Tiffany Lee, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Kristina Lemmer, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Elena Litvinova, Department of Physics
Yan Lu, Department of Biological Sciences
Sandra Vamos, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
The following faculty members were promoted to associate professor:
Bryan Abendschein, School of Communication
Zachary Asher, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Maria Cristina Fava, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Jessica Gladden; School of Social Work
Keith Hall; Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Amy Heath, Department of Physical Therapy
Seyong Kim, Department of Dance
Kate LaLonde, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
Kevin Lee, Department of Statistics
Hexu Liu, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering
Jennifer Richardson, Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies
Matthew Ross, Department of Finance and Commercial Law
Gail Rouscher, Department of Aviation
Jiahe (Carrie) Song, Department of Business Information Systems
Yu-Lien The, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
Pamela Wadsworth, Bronson School of Nursing
Patrick Wilson, Gwen Frostic School of Art
Jeffrey Xie, Department of Marketing
Shu Yang, Department of World Languages and Literatures
The following faculty members were promoted to master faculty specialist:
Jessica Birnbaum, Department of Aviation Sciences
Betty Dennis, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Janet Hahn, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Michael Konkel, Department of Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems
Geoff Lindenberg, Department of Aviation Sciences
Matilda McLean, Department of Aviation Sciences
Diane Riggs, Department of Comparative Religion
Dawn Smith, Bronson School of Nursing
Cynthia Visscher, Department of Comparative Religion
The following faculty members were promoted to faculty specialist II:
Alyssa Eminhizer, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Melinda Holohan, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Thayma Lutz, Department of Mathematics
Amanda Remo, Department of Accountancy
Daren Webb, Department of Physical Therapy
Newly approved tenures and promotions will take effect at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic and fiscal year.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.