Faculty at PASSHE universities inspire their students and transform classrooms, passionately sharing their expertise with the wider community.
Success Highlights
Cheyney University has a rich history characterized by a strong tradition of alumni returning to teach
and support future generations. In January 2009, Krystal Peters, Ed.D., began her
teaching career at the university with just one class. She quickly showcased her dedication
and expertise, earning the title of assistant professor in 2019. In 2020, she became
the coordinator for the Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program, and in
2024, she was appointed the director of the Honors Academy.
For anyone who thinks of horror fiction as just cheap thrills delivered for shock value, Dr. Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar wishes for you to think of it from another perspective: Horror is as important to literature as a raven is to Edgar Allen Poe. A lover of all things that go bump in the night, Sachar, associate professor of English at Commonwealth University–Bloomsburg, has edited, written, and taught everything horror. Her experiences as a writer and an educator shape her feelings on why horror should be as respected a literary genre as any other.
Like many college professors who have spent decades educating students and contributing to their field, East Stroudsburg University Professor of History Michael P. Gray, Ph.D., has no shortage of accomplishments. An expert on Civil War-era prisons, Gray ’90 M’91, has authored and edited books, received numerous grants and professional awards, presented at lectures, and has been a go-to source for writers, reporters, documentarians, and others seeking to shine a light on a piece of the American past.
Erin Reed, a chef instructor at IUP's Academy of Culinary Arts, recently took top honors at the American Culinary Federation's Pastry Chef of the Year competition in Phoenix, Arizona. Each of the three finalists was tasked with entering two plated desserts in the competition, and the judges picked Reed's as the best.
Kutztown University’s Dr. Peg Speirs, professor of Art Education, received the 2024 Outstanding Higher Education Art Educator award from the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA). Through a rigorous review process, PAEA identified Speirs as an outstanding leader in the field of art education for her creative contributions, excellence in professional engagement, and dedication to service.
Millersville University professor of Educational Foundations Dr. Oliver Dreon has been named the Pennsylvania Teacher Educator of the Year. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, he received the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators award. The PAC-TE Teacher Educator of the Year Award is conferred upon an individual who has directly participated in and contributed to preparing candidates for teacher certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Surrounded by the vast, frozen landscape of the Arctic – a biting wind whipping against his face – PennWest art professor Jim Bové was reminded of the fragile ecosystem within the region’s harsh and unforgiving climate. In August 2024, Bové joined a diverse group of international artists and scientists for a 15-day sailing expedition around the Archipelago of Spitzbergen, north of Norway, organized by the Open Bay Centre for Art and Sciences.
Born and raised in India, Dr. Natasha Dias comes from a family of servitude. Growing up, she was a church altar server between her 4th and 10th grade years. She performed service through her church parish youth group and community and national service through the Red Cross in India while she worked toward her undergraduate degree. While pursuing her PhD at Duquesne University, Dias volunteered at shelters and worked on construction projects through her affiliation with Crossroads, a Christian youth group. Now, as an assistant professor in PennWest’s Department of Biology & Geosciences, Dias continues to serve, often through spreading international cultural awareness.
Dr. Kevin E. Courtright, a faculty member in PennWest’s Department of Criminal Justice, History, and Politics, was presented the 2024 Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences Regional Fellow Award during the NEACJS conference, which was held June 5-7 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The award is presented annually to an individual with a minimum of four years of teaching experience in criminology/criminal justice who has made significant contributions to scholarship in criminal justice education as demonstrated through published works, scholarly papers, and accomplishments in teaching, grants, and other related professional activities.
Dr. Matthew Shupp ’00-’03M, professor of counselor education at Shippensburg University, will be a Fulbright Specialist in Egypt in 2025. The US Department of State named Shupp to the Fulbright Specialist roster in 2021. As a candidate on the roster, Shupp was eligible for placement in various two-to-six-week project-based exchanges with host institutions across the globe.
Melissa Teodoro, a Slippery Rock University dance professor, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the 2024-25 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. During her sabbatical leave in the spring of 2025, Teodoro will examine dance forms born and practiced in the South American country of Colombia, specifically along the banks of the Magdalena River. This 950-mile waterway represents the country's complex history and fertile culture.
Jacqueline “Jackie” Hodes, professor and chair of the Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs (HEPSA) department at West Chester University, is often described as a transformational leader, advocate, ally, teacher, scholar, advisor, and compassionate colleague. Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has recognized Dr. Hodes with the 2024 Keepers of the Flame Award.
For anyone who thinks of horror fiction as just cheap thrills delivered for shock value, Dr. Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar wishes for you to think of it from another perspective: Horror is as important to literature as a raven is to Edgar Allen Poe. A lover of all things that go bump in the night, Sachar, associate professor of English at Commonwealth University–Bloomsburg, has edited, written, and taught everything horror. Her experiences as a writer and an educator shape her feelings on why horror should be as respected a literary genre as any other.
Like many college professors who have spent decades educating students and contributing to their field, East Stroudsburg University Professor of History Michael P. Gray, Ph.D., has no shortage of accomplishments. An expert on Civil War-era prisons, Gray ’90 M’91, has authored and edited books, received numerous grants and professional awards, presented at lectures, and has been a go-to source for writers, reporters, documentarians, and others seeking to shine a light on a piece of the American past.
Erin Reed, a chef instructor at IUP's Academy of Culinary Arts, recently took top honors at the American Culinary Federation's Pastry Chef of the Year competition in Phoenix, Arizona. Each of the three finalists was tasked with entering two plated desserts in the competition, and the judges picked Reed's as the best.
Kutztown University’s Dr. Peg Speirs, professor of Art Education, received the 2024 Outstanding Higher Education Art Educator award from the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA). Through a rigorous review process, PAEA identified Speirs as an outstanding leader in the field of art education for her creative contributions, excellence in professional engagement, and dedication to service.
Millersville University professor of Educational Foundations Dr. Oliver Dreon has been named the Pennsylvania Teacher Educator of the Year. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, he received the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators award. The PAC-TE Teacher Educator of the Year Award is conferred upon an individual who has directly participated in and contributed to preparing candidates for teacher certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Surrounded by the vast, frozen landscape of the Arctic – a biting wind whipping against his face – PennWest art professor Jim Bové was reminded of the fragile ecosystem within the region’s harsh and unforgiving climate. In August 2024, Bové joined a diverse group of international artists and scientists for a 15-day sailing expedition around the Archipelago of Spitzbergen, north of Norway, organized by the Open Bay Centre for Art and Sciences.
Born and raised in India, Dr. Natasha Dias comes from a family of servitude. Growing up, she was a church altar server between her 4th and 10th grade years. She performed service through her church parish youth group and community and national service through the Red Cross in India while she worked toward her undergraduate degree. While pursuing her PhD at Duquesne University, Dias volunteered at shelters and worked on construction projects through her affiliation with Crossroads, a Christian youth group. Now, as an assistant professor in PennWest’s Department of Biology & Geosciences, Dias continues to serve, often through spreading international cultural awareness.
Dr. Kevin E. Courtright, a faculty member in PennWest’s Department of Criminal Justice, History, and Politics, was presented the 2024 Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences Regional Fellow Award during the NEACJS conference, which was held June 5-7 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The award is presented annually to an individual with a minimum of four years of teaching experience in criminology/criminal justice who has made significant contributions to scholarship in criminal justice education as demonstrated through published works, scholarly papers, and accomplishments in teaching, grants, and other related professional activities.
Dr. Matthew Shupp ’00-’03M, professor of counselor education at Shippensburg University, will be a Fulbright Specialist in Egypt in 2025. The US Department of State named Shupp to the Fulbright Specialist roster in 2021. As a candidate on the roster, Shupp was eligible for placement in various two-to-six-week project-based exchanges with host institutions across the globe.
Melissa Teodoro, a Slippery Rock University dance professor, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the 2024-25 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. During her sabbatical leave in the spring of 2025, Teodoro will examine dance forms born and practiced in the South American country of Colombia, specifically along the banks of the Magdalena River. This 950-mile waterway represents the country's complex history and fertile culture.
Jacqueline “Jackie” Hodes, professor and chair of the Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs (HEPSA) department at West Chester University, is often described as a transformational leader, advocate, ally, teacher, scholar, advisor, and compassionate colleague. Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has recognized Dr. Hodes with the 2024 Keepers of the Flame Award.