January 28, 2026
Celebrating notable faculty achievements from fall semester
Faculty at The College of St. Scholastica demonstrated a wide range of scholarly, creative, and professional achievements during the fall semester. These highlights represent notable accomplishments from the fall, underscoring the ongoing commitment from faculty members to teaching, research, creative practice, and community engagement.
Creative and artistic leadership
In the Fine Arts, Assistant Professor Dr. Richard Carrick and Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Jessica Schroeder premiered newly commissioned works by composers Giselle Wyers and Wendy Durrwachter, respectively. Dr. Derek Bromme led the 8th annual Honor Band Festival, hosting over 200 students from 40 high schools across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Fine Arts faculty also contributed their expertise in the Twin Ports, with Associate Professor Dr. Jeremy Craycraft and Dr. Schroeder serving as adjudicators for the University of Wisconsin-Superior Concerto Competition.
Creative scholarship was further recognized through awards from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Dr. Carrick and Professor of English Ryan Vine each received Creative Individuals Grants to support their artistic work. Professor Vine’s grant will support his recently published poetry collection, The Cave, which appeared in nationally recognized literary magazines, including Ploughshares, The Southern Review, and Copper Nickel. Additionally, Associate Professor Sarah Brokke published Irrevocable Wholeness: Poems and Meditations to Hold It All, coauthored with Kyle Leia.
Scholarship and research across disciplines
Faculty scholarship extended across a wide range of disciplines. Assistant Professor of Philosophy Bethany Henning completed her second book, A Metaphysics for the Liberal Arts, coauthored with Seth Vannata of Morgan State University. Mathematics faculty member Dr. Matt Schu published “Identifying compounds to treat opiate use disorder by leveraging multi-omic data integration and multiple drug repurposing databases.”
In the sciences, Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Anna Semanko published two research articles: “Getting by with a little help from bystanders: Group versus individual help in the presence of alcohol primes” in the North American Journal of Psychology and “Intending to break up: Exploring romantic relationship dissolution from an integrated behavioral intention framework” in the Journal of General Psychology. Associate Professor of Physical Science Dr. Evan Tyler coauthored “Composition dependence of ion heating in dayside magnetopause reconnection: MMS observations,” accepted for publication in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Andy Aebly and Megan Menzel ’25 presented research at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Regional Meeting: “Modifying Organic Laboratory Curriculum through the Lens of Scientific Practices: A Preliminary Analysis” and “Analysis of Scientific Practices in Organic Chemistry Laboratory Curriculum: Impact on Student Perceptions of Learning.” Chemistry Instructor Krysta Riel Maas presented a peer-reviewed poster at the national ACS meeting, “Integrating clinical case studies with chemical analysis: A semester-long laboratory course in diagnostic chemistry.”
Health Professions faculty also made notable research contributions. Associate Professors Dr. Nicole Tombers of Physical Therapy and Dr. David Marc of Health Informatics and Information Management published research on physical therapy admissions in Discover Education with Rachel Pfeifer (DPT ’23) and Kaitlyn Froemke (DPT ’24), while Associate Professors of Physical Therapy Dr. Samantha Mohn-Johnsen and Dr. Christine Cabelka coauthored a study on LGBT competence in physical therapy education in the Journal of Allied Health with Samantha Clark (DPT ’24), Katelyn Gehling (DPT ’24), Madison Manske (DPT ’24), Kaylee McPeak (DPT ’24), and Jordan Peterson (DPT ’24). Dr. Justin Berry, adjunct faculty in the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy program, published research on career regret and educational debt in the Journal of Physical Therapy.
Professional leadership and recognition
Several faculty members received honors and recognitions. Associate Professor of Medical Science Dr. Carolyn Jahr was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) for her leadership, service, and commitment to excellence in medical education and practice. Associate Professor of Marketing and Management Dr. Melissa Goodson completed recertification as a Social Media Strategist through the National Institute of Social Media, reflecting her continued commitment to professional excellence.
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Molly Watkins received the Max H. Lavine Award, the College’s highest honor for excellence in teaching. Nursing faculty Dr. Leah Jensen, assistant professor, received the Graduate, Extended, and Online Equal Access Award for exemplary student engagement, and Dr. Elisa Schmitz was appointed as the College’s new Faculty Athletic Representative.
Teaching, learning, and academic milestones
Faculty also reached significant educational milestones. Occupational Therapy faculty Dr. Brynn Borer, assistant professor, earned a Doctor of Education in Innovative Teaching and Learning from Northeastern University, and Dr. Kaisa Syväoja, associate professor, completed a PhD in Educational Psychology from Capella University. Additionally, Assistant Professor Dr. Adrianne Osmundson completed her Post-Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Towson University, with capstone research focused on self-directed learning.
Dr. Jade Baxelbaum of the Physical Therapy Department completed her PhD, and Lecturer of Communication and Media Studies Dr. Sharon Obst earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from The College of St. Scholastica.
Applied projects and presentations
Faculty engagement and leadership were evident through national presentations and applied projects. Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Cindy Brown presented research on RN-BSN faculty experiences with student writing at an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) conference. Similarly, other nursing faculty members, Associate Professor Sue Mattson and Assistant Professors Dr. Amos Restad, Michelle Hoffmann, and Dr. Beth Stewart, presented a poster on teamwork competencies in nursing education at AACN’s Faculty Leadership Network.
Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Dr. Nicole Onori facilitated an intergenerational wellness retreat in October titled L.E.G.A.C.Y.® Life Review: Creating a Meaningful Life and Lasting Legacy. Dr. Onori also presented career development research at the AOTA Education Summit in Salt Lake City, UT, in November.
Associate Professor of Social Work Dr. Leah Prussia presented twice at the Council on Social Work Education’s national conference on climate change and community storytelling. Fellow Associate Professor of Social Work Dr. Connie Gunderson launched a new Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) certification through the Center for Professional Training and Lifelong Learning.
An interdisciplinary team – Professor of Education Dr. Chery Lucarelli, Associate Professor of Education Dr. Amy Murzyn, and Dr. Obst – presented “Reimagining the Dissertation: Disrupting Legacy Practices by Centering Voice, Equity, and Collaboration” at the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate’s Annual Convening in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, Dr. Lucarelli contributed a chapter to the second edition of Online Teaching in K–12, and Dr. Lucarelli and Dr. Murzyn presented at the Online Learning Consortium’s Accelerate 2025 conference in Orlando, FL.
Professor of Data Analytics, IT, and Project Management Dr. Brandon Olson completed a 2.5-year project for Mitchell Hamline School of Law, serving as a project manager to lead business process redesign and implement a new student information system. Dr. Olson and Professor Emeritus of Management Dr. David Swenson published the article “Dialog with the Devil: A Path to Collegiality.”
Experienced, dedicated, and distinguished educators
Together, these accomplishments highlight a semester marked by professional leadership and scholarly impact among St. Scholastica faculty, reflecting the College’s mission to prepare students through excellence in teaching, research, and service.
