Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONS

New profs join the VWC community

By Emily altmann

emaltmann@vwc.edu

As the new term begins, Virginia Wesleyan welcomes eleven new full-time and visiting professors to its staff. Though they re all very different, each can confess to joining VWC for its small size and sense of community.

Dr. Harold Dorton joined the sociology department, although he wasn t always so interested in sociology. His first sociology course was actually meant to satisfy a general requirement. Aside from his work, Dr Dorton also enjoys skiing and attending live concerts, most recently Pete Yorn.

Political Science professor, Brett Heindl joins us from Brown University. He s a diehard Red Sox fan and a fan of anybody who beats the Yankees. Currently, he has high hopes of starting a faculty whiffleball intramural team.

Dr. Hock, of the English department, is a self-proclaimed  karaoke fiend. Interestingly, for each new year, Dr. Hock makes the number of resolutions for the year it is (e.g. the year 2007 would be seven resolutions). In 1999, one of his nine resolutions was to listen to Prince s song  1999 each day of the year. Consequently, he hasn t listened to it since.

Dr. Eric Mazur has joined the religious studies department as the Gloria and David Furman Endowed Chair of Judaic Studies. Prior to teaching, he once worked as a lobbyist, and is a self-confessed  political news junkie. Mazur considers roughing it as hotel room without C-Span. Dr. Mazur is also an  autograph hound, having collected autographs from the likes of Jacques Cousteau and Jimmy Carter.

The English department saw another addition with Josh Weinstein. As an Assistant English teacher, he spent two years in Japan at Yuda Junior High School. Weinstein has done some extensive traveling within the United States as well. He s driven cross-country twice and hiked the 90 mile Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park.

Interestingly Kathy Ames is still considered a visiting instructor; however, she has actually taught courses at Wesleyan for more than twenty years. In recent years, she worked technical support for her husband s business, Ames Tuxedos and spent four years working for NASA, but she always knew she wanted to teach.

Dr. Cherer teaches in the Classics department. He admits to joining VWC mostly for the beach and hopes to try out surfing or sailing. Should you take one of his classes, Dr. Cherer says he never forgets a face. However, on the downside he may forget your name.

Dr. Anthony Hayford is a visiting professor from ECU but is originally from Ghana, Africa. He is currently in the final stages of acquiring a patent for a new way to synthesize compounds that act as powerful anti-oxidants that could potentially fight off cancer, Parkinson s disease, Alzheimer s, and other ailments. Aside from his chemistry endeavors, Dr. Hayford enjoys both playing and coaching soccer.

Dr. Jay Langdale is visiting from the University of Florida and specializes in Southern history. If you ask him, a place is only as Southern as the food they serve. If you can get sweet tea or a  plate lunch, meaning meat and three [vegetables], then you re very well in the south.

Professor Karen Legg has joined on as a full-time instructor this term. She is an avid  24 fan and recently did missions work in Tanzania, Africa. Originally from Tennessee, Legg enjoys horseback riding and considers herself to be a  cowgirl at heart. Currently, she is working toward earning her PhD in Communication Studies.

Professor Gavin Pate joined the English department. He is an author and in the spring of 2006, his novel, The Way to Get Here was published. He confesses to enjoying horror movies a little more than he should, and particularly enjoys the genius of Wes Craven s Nightmare on Elm Street.