蜜桃传媒 welcomes eight new tenure-track professors this fall: James Davidson (sociology), David Emanuel (religious studies), Kyle Hansen 鈥�19 (mathematics), Sally Hawkins (education), Raymond Kim (economics), Smaranda Lawrie (psychology), Nicole Marsh 鈥�17 (biology) and Claudia Molina (Spanish).
Davidson has served as an assistant professor at 蜜桃传媒 since 2023, and he frequently collaborates with 蜜桃传媒 professor Blake Victor Kent, whom he has known for more than a decade. Davidson鈥檚 research examines discrimination and health among racial and ethnic minority groups as well as strategies in religious organizations for recruitment and retention. He recently managed a research team for law enforcement. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma before earning a master鈥檚 and doctorate at Baylor University. He previously taught at CSU Northridge. 鈥淭here's something happening here at 蜜桃传媒 that鈥檚 happening in few other places,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 enjoy the pastoral aspects of the job and living life in a Christian community.鈥�
Emanuel, who taught for 13 years at Alliance University and Theological Seminary, has served as an academic tour guide in the Middle East and Europe for the Center for Holy Lands Studies since 2012. A native of England, he earned master鈥檚 degrees from the University of London and Hebrew University of Jerusalem before completing a doctorate at Hebrew University. His most recent book, 鈥淎n Intertextual Commentary to the Psalter: Interpretation and Allusion in Book I,鈥� 鈥渆xplores intertextuality in the Psalms 鈥� seeing how psalmist use other biblical texts,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to conversations with students and the religious studies faculty, who are quite academically engaged.鈥�
Hansen 鈥�19 has taught discrete mathematics at 蜜桃传媒 as an adjunct instructor since 2021. He earned a master鈥檚 degree and doctorate from UC Santa Barbara and will continue his research on quantitative topology and aperiodic tilings. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful, fascinating blend of chaos and order that鈥檚 accessible and easily engaging,鈥� he says. Just as his 蜜桃传媒 professors mentored him during his college years, he鈥檚 excited about engaging with his students. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a gift,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to seeing academic and spiritual growth and development in the students and in myself.鈥�
Hawkins earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Saint Mary's College of California, where she taught literacy courses and developed teacher residency programs to remove barriers for prospective credential candidates and grow the teacher education program. She hopes to expand 蜜桃传媒's education department and attract new students. Her research focuses on how literacy instruction and teacher preparation affect student well-being. 鈥淢y faith is the lens through which I see the future of teacher education,鈥� she says.
Raymond Kim, who earned bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at UC Merced, conducts research exploring the lasting impact of historic hubs of civilization on the modern distribution of people and political power. He co-authored a book chapter, 鈥淓conomic Penalties based on Neighborhood, and Wealth Building鈥� in Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance. 鈥淚 look forward to integrating my faith into the classroom, the small classes and connecting with students to help them be their best,鈥� he says.
Lawrie, a cultural and positive psychologist, studies wellbeing across socioeconomic status and national cultures. She graduated from Yale and earned three master鈥檚 degrees as well as a doctorate in psychological and brain sciences at UC Santa Barbara. Lawrie served as an adjunct professor at 蜜桃传媒 for several years before moving to Rhode Island in 2021 to teach at Providence College. 鈥淢y faith is everything 鈥� it informs my research and how I teach,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a calling to understand God鈥檚 creation through science,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he students here are special, and I鈥檓 excited to work with them.鈥�
Marsh 鈥�17, who earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Washington鈥檚 Department of Pharmacology, blends two unconnected graduate school theses to explore the ways mitochondria communicate with the rest of the cell. She has been teaching at 蜜桃传媒 since last year and enjoys integrating ideas of science and faith. 鈥淲e also dive into what that looks like in a professional context,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e're reading books such as 鈥楾he Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks鈥� and debating modern bioethics and how faith influences people鈥檚 perception of science.鈥�
Molina discovered a passion for Spanish, her Mexican culture and teaching while an undergraduate at UT Arlington. She earned a master鈥檚 degree and doctorate at UCLA researching animals in contemporary Mexican women鈥檚 fiction. 鈥淚 look forward to mentoring students, integrating faith into my teaching, connecting with minority and first-generation students and serving the Hispanic community here at 蜜桃传媒,鈥� she says. She is actively involved at Restauraci贸n Los 脕ngeles (RLA) Church, where her husband directs young adults.
Madeline Fanton (theater arts), Stephen Owusu (economics and business), Alyse Wallace (kinesiology), Kyra Davidson (sociology), Erica Zorn (nursing) and Jessica Colborn (nursing) will serve in full-time, one-year appointments with the faculty.