College of Arts & Sciences Adds 15 to Faculty

Staff increase supports liberal arts education and student learning

The College of Arts & Sciences, Sacred Heart University’s largest college and home to the widest array of programs, recently welcomed 15 new faculty members to contribute to students’ career-focused, liberal arts education.

Each new staff member will assist in forging connections between students’ values and their ambitions.

Emily Barth, lecturer, chemistry

Teaching responsibilities: general chemistry, general chemistry lab, critical thinking
Personal fact: Barth has two pet rabbits, Winnie and Wally

Kevin Gledhill, lecturer, history

Teaching responsibilities: Russian, Eastern European and Middle Eastern history; Western civilization
Personal facts: Gledhill studied and learned to cook food from the places he’s worked and researched. This includes Iranian, Central Asian and Mexican cuisines

Alessandra Gordonos, lecturer, biology

Teaching responsibilities: biology, nature of life and microbiology
Personal facts: Gordonos was born in Brazil and runs a book club

Zhen Han, assistant professor, global studies

Teaching responsibilities: introduction to global studies, world geography and politics in East Asia
Personal fact: Han loves hiking and wildlife photography and has videos of wild bears he encountered, which he posted on his online video channel

Kathryn Kroeper, assistant professor, psychology

Teaching responsibilities: social psychology and political psychology
Personal facts: Kroeper is an amateur ballroom dancer and loves playing board games, especially social deduction games

Matthew LaClair, visiting assistant professor, psychology

Teaching responsibilities: behavioral neuroscience and introduction to psychology
Personal fact: When LaClair was younger, he had a rescue cat named Killer who taught himself to use the toilet

Foluke Omosun, assistant professor, communication and media studies

Teaching responsibilities: advertising and public relations writing, strategic communications in the digital age, crisis communication
Personal fact: Omosun is a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. Go Cavs!

Sarah Poniros, lecturer, biology

Teaching responsibilities: anatomy & physiology I and II
Personal fact: Poniros has a tenacious, tuna-loving, orange tabby cat named Harold

Amie Reilly, lecturer, languages and literature

Teaching responsibilities: first-year writing seminar and introduction to creative writing, experiencing literature
Personal fact: Reilly makes a great tomato sauce

Katharine Ryan, visiting lecturer, biology

Teaching responsibilities: anatomy lab and physiology lab
Personal fact: Ryan has a 3-year-old Aussie-doodle named Jax who is a “very good boy”

Gustavo Requena Santos, visiting faculty, biology

Teaching responsibilities: concepts of biology lab and ecology and evolution lab
Personal fact: even though Requena Santos is from Brazil, he cannot play soccer

Nidhi Shrivastava, lecturer, languages and literature

Teaching responsibilities: experiencing literature, first-year writing seminar and critical thinking
Personal fact: Shrivastava grew up in India, Malaysia and Singapore before moving to the United States in 2001

Jenny Strandberg, lecturer, philosophy

Teaching responsibilities: ancient philosophy and critical thinking
Personal fact: Strandberg has two kids, Leo and Thea, and enjoys vacationing in Vermont

Callie Tabor, lecturer, Catholic studies

Teaching responsibilities: the Human Journey seminars
Personal fact: Tabor enjoys cèiidh dancing

Bethany Wade, assistant professor, history

Teaching responsibilities: Latin-American history (colonial and modern), Western civilization survey, world history survey
Personal fact: Wade enjoys baking