We Welcome Our Newest Faculty Members

This Fall, we welcomed 10 new, full-time, tenure-track faculty to The College of Saint Rose. We asked our newest faculty members to share a little bit about themselves, so we could get to know them better.

Dr. Jennifer Campbell, assistant professor of music education (program coordinator for music education): I hold a bachelors of Music Education from Baldwin Wallace University (formerly Baldwin-Wallace College), and a masters and Ph.D. in music education from the University of Mississippi. Before seeking full-time graduate work, I was an elementary music teacher in Hockessin, Delaware. Over my five-year tenure, I taught courses in general and vocal music to students in Pre-K through eighth grades, directed two choirs, and served as technical and assistant director for many theatrical productions. During my graduate career at the University of Mississippi, I served as the volunteer music teacher for the on-campus preschool for ages 3 to 5. I am certified Orff-Schulwerk teacher, and I have completed level II training in Kodály pedagogy.

I recently presented my research on female music educators of the 19th century at the 2017 National Association for Music Education’s Symposium on the History of Music Education and my research on early childhood singing at the 2016 NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference. I am a proud member of College Music Society, National Association for Music Educators, the Organization for Kodály Educators, and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. I am joining The College of Saint Rose faculty after a serving as a Visiting Instructor of Music Education at the University of Central Missouri.  I am very excited to work with my new colleagues to support the development of future music educators in the Albany area.

Dr. Suna Gunther, assistant professor of voice:  I am thrilled to be joining the Saint Rose faculty this year. I hold degrees in vocal performance and instrumental music education (saxophone specialization) from Northwestern University, and voice and opera from Indiana University in Bloomington. Having previously taught musical theater at the University of North Dakota, voice at Berea College, music theory at Indiana University, and served as a vocal coach and pianist at University of Kentucky, one of the things that excites me most about Saint Rose is its musical diversity. I am so looking forward to exploring a breadth of performing and learning paths with enthusiastic students and faculty.  Off campus, I am in my 12th year singing with the Grant Park Chorus of Chicago and am the assistant music director and soprano for Trio Chicago and Friends, a group that travels the world on behalf of the U.S. State Department as “cultural ambassadors” to give concerts for embassy functions and workshops to students of all ages.

Dr. Sadia Khan, assistant professor of marketing: With a focus on sustainability and its impact on different aspects of consumer behavior, my research interest lies in marketing and consumer behavior. I have earned my Ph.D., as well as masters in social science and research from Cardiff University, United Kingdom. My Ph.D. focuses on anti-consumption and materialism, while looking closely at value orientations in the domain of sustainability. My future research goal is to explore sustainability with the aim of contributing toward building a better and safer world. I have presented my work at the Association of Consumer Research (ACR), American Marketing Association (AMA), British Academy of Management (BAM), and International Journal of Art and Science (IJAS) conferences. My forthcoming publication is in Advances in Consumer Research in October 2017.

For me, teaching is more than a career choice, it is my passion. In my view, education is a means to develop individuals who not only have the knowledge and skills needed for their professional success, but also have motivation and a willingness to develop a better world. Since I had the opportunity to be part of three cultures (Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), I understand the beauty of diversity. Given that at The College of Saint Rose we welcome diversity, I believe my international exposure, along with passion for teaching and research, will lead toward fulfilling the mission of serving diversity and preparing students for careers and life.

Dr. Eyyub Kibis, assistant professor of business analytics: I received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Wichita State University as well as master’s degrees in finance and economics from University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree from Bogazici University in Turkey. My research interests include mathematical programming models, large-scale optimization approaches, and data-mining methods for the control and treatment of infectious diseases, invasive species, and cancer. Throughout my academic career, I have developed mixed-integer and multi-stage stochastic programming models, which provide strategic treatment decisions to managers/stakeholders for invasive species control. Furthermore, I also concentrate on breast cancer treatment, where I developed optimization and predictive models for providing the best breast cancer treatment policies for cancer patients. I have experience in teaching operations research and statistics before joining The College of Saint Rose. I am currently teaching Management Information Systems (BUS 219) and Statistics for Business Analytics (BDA 500) courses.

Young-In Kim, access services and assessment librarian: Greetings, Saint Rose community! I am a recent graduate of the iSchool at Syracuse University, where I received my masters in library and information science. I come to this campus with over 15 years of experience, working as a paraprofessional in academic libraries. My research interests have focused primarily on library support of high-impact educational practices and equality of access to information. I believe librarians can play a critical role on college campuses through their support of faculty research and teaching, and most importantly, student experience and learning. My husband and I live in the Berkshires, where we love to hit the trails with our pup and consume copious amounts of Netflix. I hope everyone has a great Fall semester, and that we will have the opportunity to meet and collaborate.

Dr. Yi-Ying Lin, assistant professor of counseling: I am a counselor educator who is dedicated to incorporating cultural, social, and developmental factors into my research, teaching, and practice. My research interests are understanding cultural encounters in counseling and supervision, developing culturally-sensitive treatments, and exploring ideologies as unique cultural factors influencing day-to-day interpersonal interactions and individual wellbeing with special focus on East Asian Ideologies. I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 2017 with a dissertation titled “A Structural Equation Model of East Asian Ideologies, Culturally Informed Characteristics, and Psychological Well-being” and hold a master’s degree in mental health counseling from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. It is my hope that I can bridge counseling research and practice to help people in need through their own life voyages and educate culturally-sensitive counselors who can better serve the broader Saint Rose community. In my leisure time, I enjoy coffee, movies, music, and contemplation.

Dr. Sunny Mathew, assistant professor of social work: From my earliest days, I have been touched by the depriving effects of poverty, and I have aspired to find a lasting solution for them. I am still searching for it! After completing a Masters of Social Work (MSW) at Mangalore University, India, I worked for the next 10 years in community development, Dalit empowerment, child labor elimination, and women’s and children’s health programs. I graduated with a Ph.D. in social work from Fordham University in 2016. Currently, my research focus is on the childrearing patterns of Asian-Americans in New York and New Jersey, as well as the cumulative disadvantages of poverty on the health outcomes of New York City residents. I find Saint Rose’s emphasis on teaching and student wellbeing and the encouragement of faculty pursuing their research interests fitting and fulfilling. I maintain deep interests in the spiritual dimensions of human existence and live as a Catholic Priest in the Carmelite Order.

Dr. Elizabeth Power, assistant professor of school psychology: I am originally from the Chicagoland area. I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana in 2008. In 2011, I graduated from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago with an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in school psychology. In 2015, I then obtained a doctorate in school psychology from the same institution, with a concentration in pediatric neuropsychology. My doctoral dissertation examined the effectiveness of biofeedback in improving emotional regulation for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. My post-doctoral experience consisted of completing neuropsychological evaluations, psycho-education evaluations, and offering educational recommendations for children with disabilities. While my research interests vary, all topics relate to neuropsychological functioning in the pediatric population. Most recently, I’ve spent time researching potential neuropsychological impacts of Zika virus on children ages 0 to 6 years. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time with my husband and two dogs (Olive and Doug).

Dr. Donna Van Alst, assistant professor of social work: Social work excites me because it allows me to express my commitment to social justice through my work every day.  I’m thrilled to share my passion for the field with the students at The College of Saint Rose. I’m also looking forward to working with my colleagues to establish the new MSSW program. After earning my master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University, I worked as a program evaluator and coordinated a direct service program for youth aging-out of foster care. I earned my doctoral degree in social work from Columbia University. (I also hold a master’s degree in business administration from New York University, which has contributed to my interest in how social services are organized and delivered, as well as social entrepreneurship.)

Prior to joining Saint Rose, I was an assistant research professor at the Rutgers University School of Social Work, where I served as the research director of the school’s Institute for Families and held a joint appointment with the school’s Child Welfare and Child Wellbeing Research Unit. My areas of expertise include child welfare services, disaster recovery, health services, social administration, and social policy. I am a mixed-methods researcher with strong interest in program evaluation and intervention research. In my spare time, I enjoy knitting and encaustic painting. I’m also always seeking recommendations for great restaurants in the Capital Region.

Dr. Patricia Weldon, assistant professor of social work: Prior to entering academia, I worked extensively as a clinical social worker doing direct care and administration in mental health and health care settings, predominantly in areas of trauma and crisis intervention. I received my bachelor’s degree from Boston University, my Masters of Social Work (MSW) from Boston College, and my doctorate from University at Albany. Over the past six years, I have been teaching MSW students and have had the opportunity to teach a variety of courses, including Advanced Social Work Practice, Social Work with Children, Social Work Perspectives on Trauma, and Crisis Intervention. The foundations of my teaching style center on helping students develop critical thinking skills, expanding their understanding of diverse experiences and perspectives, and motivating students to be lifelong learners.

My research interests align with my clinical experience and teaching as I concentrate on trauma and crisis intervention across different settings. My current research includes projects on trauma-informed care, organizational crisis management, and workplace critical incident response. When not working, I enjoy traveling and nature photography. I am excited to join the social work department and be a part of cultivating a successful MSSW program.