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Cottey welcomes new faculty members
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, MO-- Cottey College recently announced that it has a number of new faculty members in its ranks for the 2016-2017 academic year, as well as the larger Nevada community.
Dr. Jann Weitzel, president of Cottey College, stated "I am thrilled to have such talented and well qualified faculty members join our Cottey team. These new hires join an amazingly qualified faculty and staff, thereby offering students an outstanding educational experience." Included among them are Dr. Wei Cui, assistant professor of mathematics; Prof. Morgan Frew, assistant professor of art; Dr. Mary Laughlin, assistant professor of English; Dr. Jackie Lordo, assistant professor of music; and Dr. Mary Mba, visiting assistant professor of French.
Dr. Wei Cui earned his B.S. in information and computer science from Guizhou University in Guizhou, China, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in mathematics from The University of Alabama. Prior to Cottey, he taught a wide range of introductory and upper-level mathematics courses at The University of Alabama. "As a teacher of mathematics, my goal is to enhance students' ability to think critically and independently, to inspire them to make an effort to read as much related material as they can in order to cultivate an interest in learning math," he said. At Cottey, Dr. Cui currently teaches courses in college algebra and calculus.
Prof. Morgan Frew, a native of Springfield, Mo., earned his B.F.A. from Missouri State University and his M.F.A. from Pratt Institute in New York. Frew's artwork has been exhibited in galleries in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Little Rock, Richmond, St. Paul, and abroad, and is held in a number of public and private collections throughout the United States. He previously taught at Missouri State University and Drury University, with experience teaching drawing, painting, color theory, and art history, among other subjects.
Dr. Mary Laughlin joins a thriving English department committed to the growth of writing curriculum. Her current projects include assisting fellow faculty with the creation of a writing minor and the first-year writing seminar, as well as the roll-out of several new writing courses. Dr. Laughlin received her B.A. in English from College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, Mass., her M.F.A. in creative writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and her Ph.D. in rhetoric, writing, and culture from North Dakota State University. She previously taught at institutions in Massachusetts, as well as at North Dakota State University. She is excited about joining an institution committed to women's education. "Cottey's commitment to women's education stood out immediately. I knew driving away from my campus interview that if they offered the job, I would take it. They did, and I did," said Laughlin.
Dr. Jackie Lordo came to Cottey looking for an intimate campus with a growing music program. "I was actively searching for a school the size of Cottey, with a growing program. I am also a P.E.O. member, so I was excited for the opportunity to teach at the school I have been learning about for years. When I visited campus for the interview, I quickly fell in love with the school and the town of Nevada. I work with outstanding colleagues, and I am already feeling at home at Cottey," said Lordo. Dr. Lordo currently directs Cottey's Wind and Jazz ensembles, in addition to teaching brass lessons and music theory courses. She received her B.M. in music education from Tennessee Technological University, her M.M. in music performance from The University of Texas at Austin, and her Ph.D. in learning, teaching and curriculum (music education) from the University of Missouri at Columbia. Her previous teaching experiences include a vast array of secondary and post-secondary institutions, including Central Methodist University and Columbia College.
Finally, Cottey also welcomed Dr. Mary Mba as visiting assistant professor of French, who will become a permanent member of the faculty in the 2017-2018 academic year as assistant professor of French and Francophone studies. Dr. Mba has a B.A. in French language from Abia State University in Nigeria, an M.A. in French language and literature from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in French and Francophone studies from the University of Kansas. She also holds graduate certificates in women, gender and sexuality studies, and African studies from the University of Kansas. She has previously taught at both Kansas State University and the University of Kansas. Of Cottey, Dr. Mba said, "Cottey College has provided me with the opportunity to apply my passion for teaching all my areas of studies and interests, community engagements, interest in interdepartmental and collegiate collaboration, and interdisciplinary research. In addition, the close-knit and family feel here at Cottey is priceless."