Dr. David Houghton
Dr. Susan King
Dr. Andrew Mitchell
Dr. David Raney
Dr. Thomas Krannawitter
Dr. Nathan Schlueter
Dr. Jon Fennell
Ingrid
Langsather
Brad Blackham
Dr. Omri Shimron
Thirteen new full-time faculty members are added to Hillsdale College this year.
Dr. David Houghton joins the biology department from Lynchburg College in Virginia. In the future, he will offer courses in insect biology, invertebrate zoology and possibly stream ecology and parasitology. Houghton attended the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and the University of North Texas before returning to his home state to earn his doctorate at the University of Minnesota. A regular triathlon participant, Houghton says he enjoys virtually any outdoor activity, from snowshoeing to nature photography.
Dr. Susan King , visiting assistant professor in the business and economics department, is originally from Kettering, Ohio and graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a degree in marketing. She and her husband own and manage 4 Kings Marketing Inc., a marketing consulting firm in Hamilton, Ind. After teaching marketing and advertising at Miami University for three years, King said she was thrilled to return to the classroom. “Although my position as a visiting professor is for one year, I am hopeful that I’ll continue to be part of Hillsdale College as an ongoing adjunct professor in the years to come,” she said.
While he is a new visiting assistant professor in the history department, Dr. Andrew Mitchell is not new to the college. Originally from Havertown, Pa., he graduated from Hillsdale in 2000 and then attended The Ohio State University, where he received his doctorate this August. Mitchell is a fan of the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Flyers. One of seven brothers, all of whom play instruments, he loves jazz piano and the tuba. “I also occasionally dip into the mysteries of cooking,” Mitchell said.
Dr. David Raney is new to the college’s history department from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. Born and raised in northern Illinois, Raney attended the University of Chicago and later received his graduate degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and his wife have two children, and in his free time Raney enjoys reading, politics, hiking, fishing and hunting.
Dr. Thomas Krannawitter , a new assistant professor in the political science department, is originally from Hays, Kan. He attended Fort Hays State University in Kansas and Claremont Graduate School in Claremont, Calif. He was vice president of the Claremont Institute and a visiting instructor at Claremont McKenna College. His interests include politics, political philosophy, cigars and the New York Yankees. Krannawitter says his wife and children are happy about the move from California to Michigan. “The kids are at perfect ages for it,” he said. “Ben, 2, is too young to remember California, and Claire, 5, is just thrilled to start kindergarten.”
Dr. Nathan Schlueter has joined the political science department from St. Ambrose University in Iowa. Born in Wisconsin, Schlueter attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and received his doctorate from the University of Dallas. Aside from politics, Schlueter’s interests include friendship, good literature, Ohio State football, Cleveland Indians baseball and, “good conversations over libations—preferably gin or good beer.” He and his wife currently have three children and expect a fourth.
Dr. Jon Fennell is the new director of the teacher education program. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of California and his doctorate from the University of Illinois. He has worked at the Idaho State Department of Education, Burroughs (Unisys) Corporation, five software companies and several colleges and universities. Born in Lansing, Fennell has also lived in California, Illinois, Idaho, Washington and Pennsylvania.
The new assistant to the director of the Dow Journalism Program, Ingrid Langsather, graduated from Hillsdale in 2002 with a degree in English. She will be teaching the journalism practicum courses in addition to acting as advisor of The Collegian. Langsather is originally from Salem, Ore. and loves writing, reading classic novels and the outdoors. Before coming back to Hillsdale, she wrote for The Daily Telegram in Adrian, Mich. She and her fiancé, also a Hillsdale graduate, will be married on Sept. 10.
Brad Blackham was recently hired as an artist and piano teacher in the music department. Before he and his wife moved to Hillsdale this fall, Blackham lived in Ohio; born in Strongsville and later attending Kent State University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is currently a candidate for a doctor of musical arts degree in piano. “I am passionate about promoting all of the arts, not just music,” he said. In addition to music Blackham enjoys movies, reading and sports, and he is an avid Cleveland Indians and Browns fan.
A visiting assistant professor of music theory and composition, Dr. Omri Shimron was born in Pittsburgh but grew up in Israel. After completing Israeli military service, he moved to the United States, where he has been working, studying and living primarily around Rochester, N.Y. A graduate of the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Music, Shimron taught music theory and keyboard at a Turkish university in northern Cyprus before coming to Hillsdale. He describes himself as “a big news and current events junkie.” He also enjoys experiencing other cultures through eating ethnic food and traveling.
Hillsdale has also hired Ted Miller as a science lab director, Beth Reiter as a lab technician and Sarah Mitchell as a reference librarian. In addition, there are nine new part-time faculty: Doug Coon (Art), Bryan Springer (Art), Christy Maier(Business), Dr. Kenneth Moberg (Business), Sorinne Imberski (Dance), Susan Pitts (ECE), Prof. David McCullough (History), Iaian Macey (Piper), Prof. Paul Nemecek (Sociology).