Five faculty members among the new faces at Monmouth College in 2024-25
Monmouth, Ill. (08/22/2024) — You may have heard that Monmouth College has a new president, as Patricia Draves has returned to the school where she taught chemistry from 2002-06 to lead the institution. Her inauguration ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 4 on Wallace Hall Plaza as part of Homecoming weekend festivities.
In addition to President Draves - and her husband, 1985 Monmouth graduate and former faculty member Jeff Draves, who will serve as the college's director of institutional data - here are some of the other new faces on campus this fall, starting with five new full-time faculty members.
New faculty
Visiting professor of chemistry Alex Blom earned a bachelor's degree in the field from Minnesota State University and a doctorate in physical chemistry from Iowa State University. He comes to Monmouth during a leave of absence from his professorship at Alverno College in Wisconsin.
Visiting professor of psychology Hannah Bradshaw started her journey in higher education locally, earning an associate's degree from Carl Sandburg College, as well as two degrees from Western Illinois University - a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in general psychology. Bradshaw also holds a pair of degrees from Texas Christian University - a master's degree in experimental psychology, as well as a doctorate. She was previously an assistant professor of psychology at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.
Visiting assistant professor of sociology Nicole Fedorov also started her studies in the region, earning bachelor's degrees in biology and Spanish from Augustana College. She earned her master's degree in sociology from DePaul University and a doctorate in that field from Michigan State University. Fedorov most recently was a teaching fellow in Augustana's department of sociology and anthropology.
Visiting assistant professor of mathematics and statistics Shiyi Ma did her undergraduate work at the University of Rochester, earning a degree in mathematics, financial economics. She holds a master's degree in engineering sciences and applied mathematics from Northwestern University and is expected to receive her doctorate in mathematics from State University of New York-Binghamton, where she was a graduate teaching fellow.
Visiting assistant professor of engineering Jaime Thissen earned a bachelor's degree in environmental science and management from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and a master's degree in technical systems management from the University of Illinois, where he also received a doctorate in agricultural and biological engineering and served as a co-instructor in the department. Thissen recently earned a master's degree in bioproducts and biosystems science, engineering and management from the University of Minnesota.
Additionally, three scholars have been added as adjunct faculty - 2023 Monmouth grad Kaitlyn McCullough in music, Lincoln Pinto in accounting and Stuart Schaafsma in educational studies. May graduate Eli Kelly is serving his alma mater as the director of athletic bands.
Other new faces
In July, Megan McGruder joined Monmouth's staff as the director of student well-being.
In the admission office, Weston DeShon is the new assistant director of enrollment operations, and Leah Evans and May graduate Grace Gibbons have joined the team as admission counselors.
The athletics department has several new faces, including a familiar one, as 2018 graduate Cooper Pauley has returned to his alma mater to serve as the head coach of men's and women's cross country.
New assistant coaches include Rhys Lewis in men's and women's soccer, Jennifer Jemar in men's and women's swimming, Caleb Kizewski in football and Addyson Williams in softball, taking the position of Tyler Inselmann, who was promoted to head coach.
Jonathan Boyer is a new security officer, and the college's physical plant added custodians Thomas Lindner and Angela Moore, maintenance worker Jason Cook, maintenance mechanic Dustin Huckabey and utility workers Kyra Miller and Ben Wade.
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New faculty at Monmouth College include, from left, Alex Blum, Nicole Federov, Hannah Bradsahw and Jaime Thissen.