Fall 2009 MIDS 100 Instructors
Faustina Abrahams
Faustina Abrahams is the First Year Advising Coordinator and Counselor at the Advising, Counseling and Testing Services (ACTS) department. She coordinates the Early Alert Program, Path to Academic Success (PASS), and Southern Welcome. She is also an advisor for Undecided/Exploring students, and conducts personal counseling. Faustina speaks with a Ghanaian accent because she is originally from Ghana, West Africa and has been in the US since 1991. She has two teenage boys and is married to Nii Abrahams, a professor at the School of Business. Faustina completed her bachelor’s degree Summa Cum Laude at Southern and obtained her Masters in Community Counseling at Pittsburg State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Prior to coming to Southern, Faustina was a Counselor with Ozark Center, New Directions.
Faustina believes in people and commits to encouraging, supporting, assisting, and guiding people reach their goal. “I am dedicated to and enjoy working with students; to assist them in finding and utilizing all the resources available to help them reach their goals. I love my job”.
Finally, to all incoming students, AKWAABA!!! (Meaning ‘welcome’ in my native language)
Dr. Marsi Archer
Dr. Marsi Archer is an Associate Professor of Chemistry. She has been teaching General Chemistry and Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, as well as Organic Chemistry lab, at Missouri Southern State University since 1998. Originally from Severna Park, MD, Dr. Archer received her B.S. in chemistry from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA in 1993 and her Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Ohio State University in Columbus, OH in 1998. She is the co-advisor for the Chemistry Club at MSSU and is on the Board of the Missouri Southern Regional Science Fair and is currently the Science Fair Director.
Besides her academic career, she and her husband have a son who was born in 2000 and a daughter, who was born in 2003. Dr. Archer is her son’s Cub Scout Den Leader. Her hobbies include cross-stitching, baking, cake decorating, and gardening.
Dr. Francis Bartholet
My name is Dr. Francis Bartholet, my philosophy towards teaching the MIDS 100 class is that students, who have grown up with unlimited access to the world through communication networks and computers, need to also learn about the cultures and customs of the world to better understand how to evolve solutions to tomorrow’s problems.
I feel that I am bringing these additional dimensions to MIDS 100, having grown up in a culturally diverse family of immigrants. Both of my grandfathers were French immigrants who spoke fluent French. Together with my grandmothers, who both were Irish immigrants and also spoke fluent Irish, I experienced culture and customs everywhere in my young life. Cultural diversity is one of the cornerstones of MIDS 100 and I am proud to have an opportunity to help you develop not only a cultural appreciation of your own, but to open your eyes, ears, and minds to other perspectives or opportunities which could present themselves while we are together. I have traveled abroad and anticipate encouraging everyone to maximize their opportunities while a student at Missouri Southern State University. I challenge the incoming freshman to open their minds to the world around them and help get them off on a positive beginning to their university career and the rest of their lives.
Dr. James Brown
I enjoy teaching first-year college students because I believe I can have a positive impact on their lives. Many years ago, my first semester of college dramatically changed my life. I had grown up on an Iowa farm where horsemanship and hard physical labor were valued. High school had been tedious and boring to me, and I never considered going to college. After high school, I worked as a farm and construction laborer, and as a rodeo rider. After two years, I became discouraged because I wasn't making much money, and I wasn't getting much respect. I decided to try college, and I enrolled in a junior college in Northern Minnesota. My first semester of college changed my life forever, and my freshman composition instructor inspired me most of all. He taught me to enjoy learning, thinking, reading, and writing. He showed me that college can be interesting and exciting -- not like the boring classes in high school. He inspired me to love the life of the mind and to use education as a way to grow and to transcend my limitations. Now, many years later, I have tried to locate my freshmen composition instructor, Clark Montgomery, to no avail. I suspect he is not of this world any longer. In any case, he is still inspiring to me, and I am very grateful to him.
Natalie Bruce
Lora Burch
Lora Burch. I started working for MSSU in the Career Center on November 12, 2007. I have over fourteen years of experience working in job search assistance. I received my master's degree in Liberal Studies from the University of Oklahoma, and my bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University. I'm originally from Iowa, but have lived up and down the East and West coasts as well as having lived in Japan for about nine months. I enjoy walking/hiking, gardening, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and my two grown sons and my grandson who is currently six years old.
Amber Carr
Hi, my name is Amber Carr. I graduated from MSSU with a B.S.B.A. in Econ./Fin. and Marketing. While attending the University I also worked as a student worker at Spiva Library (the campus Library). While working at the library I realized I wanted to pursue librarianship. After graduating from MSSU, I immediately began the Master program in Library Science at the University of Missouri – Columbia. I continued to work at Spiva Library throughout completing my Masters, and upon graduation became the Public Services Librarian. I not only serve as the Public Services Librarian, but you may also see me at the Reference Desk helping students find books and articles for their research and also at the Circulation Desk helping check out books and magazines, DVDs and CDs, just to name a few types of materials you can find in the library. The library is not only a place for studying and research, but for discovery and dreams, no matter how old you are!
Dr. Susan Craig
Josh Doak
Josh Doak was born and raised in the Branson, Missouri area. In the fall of 2000 he moved to Joplin to attend Missouri Southern State University. During his undergraduate studies he was heavily involved in campus activities and worked as a resident assistant in the residence halls. After graduating in 2003, Josh immediately made the transition from student to full-time staff as a resident director in the residence halls of Missouri Southern. While working as a resident director he completed his MBA at Pittsburgh State University. This past July he was promoted to the position of Director of Housing. In addition to his duties of overseeing the residence halls and Mayes Student Life Center, he’s an adjunct professor for Econ180 online, member of the Administrative Council, Campus Safety and Risk Management Task Force and the Traffic Appeals Board.
In his free time Josh enjoys working out, watching movies, shopping on eBay and volunteering as a leader with Joplin Area Young Life. Josh’s favorite television show is The Office. He explains that the humor in the show mirrors his whimsical personality. The biggest influences in Josh’s life are his parents and Jesus.
Robin Douglas
Dr. Beatrice Dubuis
Dr. William Edwards
Dr. Edwards has been a member of the MSSU faculty since 2002. He teaches classes in general education and diagnostic reading techniques for struggling readers. He is an active member of the International Reading Association (IRA). Through the IRA International Development Division, Dr. Edwards travels internationally in support of the MSSU International Mission. In that regard he has traveled to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Mauritius since 2007.
Judy Elimelech
Stephanie Davis Goad
Stephanie Davis Goad works as the International Student Advisor and Exchange Program Coordinator for Missouri Southern’s Institute of International Studies, where she has worked since September of 2000. She is also the International Faculty Advisor and Web editor for the Missouri Multicultural Network , a web site she built as an information resource for Missouri immigrants and service providers. She graduated from Missouri Southern in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis in print journalism and then completed her bachelor’s in Spanish at MSSU in 2004. She graduated with her master’s degree in Administrative Studies with an emphasis in Applied Communication from Missouri State University in May 2008 and has been studying French as a third language. Upon graduation in 1997, she secured a position with The Joplin Globe, where she worked for three years as a reporter of news, features, food and business. In December 1999, Stephanie started working as a content editor for Hook Up Incorporated., the Internet division of a 28-year-old truck driveaway service in Joplin. In February 2000, she was promoted to managing editor of Hook Up's two Web sites, became the company's director of public relations and gained experience in advertising and marketing. Her position at MSSU has included extensive travel abroad opportunities taking her to destinations such as China, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Malaysia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom. Her interests include traveling the world, road biking, trail biking, hiking, working in her greenhouse and working out at the gym.
Sheila Hart
Ken Kennedy
Ken Kennedy describes himself as, “cop who will always be a cop.” He has been a police officer with the Joplin Police Department for 28 years. He retired from the department in 2001 as Lieutenant over the Professional Standards Division, but is still a “part time” officer.
After retiring from JPD, Mr. Kennedy immediately assumed the role of Director of the Department of Public Safety at MSSU. In addition to supervising that unit, he teaches a Rape Aggression Defense class for female MSSU students and addresses first year students and their parents at orientation sessions.
Mr. Kennedy received his bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from MSSU in 2001 and his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Missouri in 2005. His travels include the Grand Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Cozumel and several other islands in the Caribbean. In 2008, he completed his second trip to Saltillo, Mexico for a mission trip.
Spanish is his second language and he enjoys listening to Latino music to help retain some proficiency with the language. Hobbies include “plinking” at the range and working out at the YMCA.
Nancy Kenney
My name is Nancy Kenney. I work in the Division of Lifelong Learning at MSSU. I’ve worked for the University for 8 years full-time and 2 years as a sub-contract employee. This means I had my own business and one of my customers was MSSU.
This first year is an exciting year for you. This class will provide me with the opportunity to review lots of interesting things with you such as, learning about what type of learning style you have and the need for managing time. What do you do with all that freedom in front of you, how do you use it to benefit you? How do you become a Master Student! We will learn about different cultures and we will try to form a community within the classroom. I will be there to help you, guide you and hopefully…make your First Year Experience a wonderful experience! We are happy you have chosen MSSU to begin your educational career.
I have a background in Adult Learning Theory. My full time job consists of assessing organizations and helping those organizations figure out where training and development of their employees will benefit them and when it will not. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, a Master’s Degree in Education and have been accepted as a Doctoral student at the University of Arkansas in Educational Leadership.
We will have fun and learn all at the same time, so welcome and thank you for getting to know me a bit!
Betsy Leighninger
Outside of her role at MSSU, Betsy enjoys traveling, and has spent recent vacations sailing around the British Virgin Islands, scuba diving in the Bay Islands of Honduras, and exploring Puerto Rico. Her other hobbies include healthy cooking, running, perfecting her Wii skills, and playing with her spoiled cat, Gabby. Betsy's father was in the Air Force, and she has called Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and most recently Joplin, Missouri "home."
Ann Lile
Jim Lile
Jim believes the nothing you learn is ever wasted. It's just a question of when you're going to need it. With that in mind, he sees MIDS 100 as an opportunity to master new skills, explore new subjects, and add to that store of things that will come in handy later on.
Josie Mai
Dr. Holly McSpadden
Dr. Holly McSpadden grew up on the high plains in Amarillo, Texas. After high school, she moved to Boulder, Colorado where she eventually attended and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in English. Her love of literature and success as a student at the University of Colorado convinced her to choose an academic career. She chose the graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin based on the university’s excellent reputation, the good benefits offered to graduate students and the opportunity to experience a part of Texas that is radically different than Amarillo. In 1996, Dr. McSpadden matriculated from U.T. with a Ph.D in English with a Cultural Studies emphasis. Her first academic appointment was at Southern Arkansas University, where she began learning the craft of effective teaching. In 1999, she was fortunate to be hired at MSSU, where she has continued to study the arts of teaching and learning.
Heidi Oakes
Frank Pishkur
Pishkur's artwork has won several awards and has been featured in over 75 shows throughout the United States, including fifteen solo exhibitions. In 2004, he had a solo exhibition in Seoul, South Korea. He currently works primarily with clay on the potter's wheel, referencing traditional pottery forms and glazes. He has worked with sculptural forms, hand-building in clay or casting in aluminum, bronze, clay, paper, plaster, or glass. He also has spent years drawing directly from observation of a life model, mostly working in charcoal on paper.
Mr. Pishkur is currently the Head of the Art Department at Missouri Southern and has twice served as Director of the Art Department's Summer in Scandinavia, a five-week study abroad program. Previous experience includes a three semester appointment as Visiting Artist at Louisiana College, and a year as an adjunct instructor at Indiana University, South Bend. He also has developed adult educational ceramic programs at art centers in both Indiana and Louisiana, spent 5 years teaching art at an elementry school (grades K-8), and has even worked as a self-employed professional ceramic tile installer.
Lee Elliff Pound
Lee Elliff Pound is a 1986 graduate from Missouri Southern, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications. She is a 1997 graduate of Southwest Baptist University where she received her Master of Science in Administration. Pound serves as the MSSU Alumni Director, where she is responsible for strategic planning, event planning, alumni and university advancement programs. Additionally, she is an adjunct instructor for the MSSU Communications Department, teaching Intro to Public Relations, Public Relations Writing and Oral Communications.
Her career spans two decades of marketing and public relations, serving as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for first Oak Hill Hospital and then the Freeman Health System. During her tenure in the public relations field, she has planned events for and worked with the former British Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher and with baseball Hall of Fame legend Mickey Mantle.
Pound’s goal for the MIDS100 course is to be an interesting and fun class and one that students will remember long past their graduation from MSSU.
Stephen Schiavo
I’m Stephen Schiavo, Associate Professor of CIS. I spent half of my first 18 years spent abroad, completing high school in Germany. As a teenager I traveled throughout Europe alone and with friends. I returned to the States as a freshman at Texas A&M, a stranger to Texas, US football, marching bands, and rodeo! I got my BA in Math & German from Trinity University, funded by playing honky-tonk piano, tutoring math, and building racing sail-boats. Graduating in the midst of the Viet Nam war, I served with NSA overseas. After the service, I worked all over the country in systems consulting firms. I worked on the Northeast Corridor project, the recovery of Union Carbide from the Bhopal disaster, and the Dow-Corning silicone breast-implant case among other things. In 1994, I retired to the Texas Hill Country to train horses and raise exotic livestock. In 1995, I took up teaching, at Schreiner College, and at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, before moving to MSSU in 2001. In 2006 I was named Carnegie Professor of the Year in the College of Technology.
Jeff Skibbe
Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith, a member of the MSSU staff since 1999, has over two decades of experience in communications. As Missouri Southern’s News Bureau Manager, he informs the public about the University’s programs, activities and people. He is an adjunct instructor of English.
Stephen graduated with a Master of Arts in English from Pittsburg State University in 1987. He received a B.A. in English from Missouri Southern in 1977. As an undergraduate, he served as editor-in-chief of the MSSU student newspaper The Chart.
Stephen has worked in a public relations/marketing for two hospital systems and has been a radio announcer and News Director. He also has worked as a freelance journalist. (He once interviewed the legendary comedian, Bob Hope!) He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and the Missouri Press Association.He enjoys music, history, cooking, travel, and many activities with his wife Robin and 11-year-old son, Oliver.
Judy Stiles
Rod Surber
Rod Surber became Director of Public Information at Missouri Southern in May 1999, after nine years as News Bureau Director. He earned a Master’s degree in Administrative Studies from Missouri State University in 2004 with a 4.0 GPA. He is a 1981 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with teaching certification in secondary education. He is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America.
At Iowa State he was president of the campus chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and led the chapter to a national “Outstanding Campus Chapter Award” for 1980-81. He also earned an award for editorial writing from the Illinois Press Association while managing editor of the Rochelle (IL) News-Leader.
Before coming to MSSU, Mr. Surber was managing editor of two community newspapers, one in Chariton, Iowa, and the second in Rochelle, Illinois.
Hartford Tunnell
My name is Hartford Tunnell; I work in the CIS department at MSSU. I was born in Miami Oklahoma. I attended junior college at NEO and Texas A&M University. I have taught in the CIS department at MSSU for 22 years. I have also consulted for Church’s Fried Chicken in San Antonio, Tri-State Motor transit and the national headquarters of Wal-Mart in Bentonville. In Texas I worked for Texas State University where I wrote their registration system, San Antonio College, Trinity University, and the University of Texas San Antonio.
At MSSU, I started the Internship program for CIS student, developed the International travel course entitled International Information Systems, and helped MSSU go into the NCAA in athletics by starting the women’s tennis program. I have taken students to Germany, France, and Switzerland. I have 4 children – 3 boys and a girl. My daughter is currently attending MSSU as a freshman. Two of my son’s are MSSU graduates.
Dr. R. Jerry Williams
Dr. R. Jerry Williams is a graduate of the University of Nebraska where he majored in History and Geography. He did his graduate work at Bowling Green State University and Oklahoma State University where he received his M.A in geography and an Ed.D. in Higher Education and Geography. He has taught at Bowling Green State University, Central Michigan University, Oklahoma State University, Carl Albert State College and has written on both geographical and educational topics. He has taken additional course work at Michigan State University in soil science and has worked for various government agencies including the Library of Congress and Wood County Ohio Planning Commission. Dr. Williams has been the moderator on both radio and television shows in Oklahoma and Missouri, including FOCUS, Education Digest, and The Forum. He has traveled and worked in both Asia and the Middle East.
Dr. Williams is currently an Asst. Vice President at Missouri Southern in charge of distance learning. Maryland and Nebraska are his home states and he is a Cornhusker football fan, a bowler, former club squash player and still maintains a farm in Nebraska. When not involved in one of the above you probably will find him reading a mystery, listening to jazz, big band music or the blues.
