Ms. Lynn Boettler
Ms. Boettler, or as students like to call her “Ms. Lynn,” obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Truman State University and has completed extensive doctoral work in education from the University of Tennessee. Her background in higher education is varied and includes experience in curriculum and program development, counseling, teaching, staff and faculty development, and student academic success. Passionate about student learning, one Ms. Lynn’s main goals is to create an inviting and stimulating classroom environment that inspires learning. Activities and discussions are designed to help students foster relationships with each other through collaborative learning, to encourage self-discovery through reflection, and to build mastery through application. She says, “I hope students who leave my classes will not only gain skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in college and in life, but will also learn about themselves and make connections with other students while doing so. P.S. Let’s have a little fun along the way!”

Dr. Steven Braden
Steven Braden received his BS and MA degrees from Southwest Missouri State University and his Ph.D. from LSU in the discipline of Speech Communication with an emphasis in rhetoric and public address. He also has a minor field of study in political science. He loves teaching and enjoys interacting with students. Feel free to stop by and see him at any time; he has an open door policy. He is a former political consultant and enjoys watching political commentary and reads several newspapers. His hobbies are reading, playing chess, gardening and landscaping, camping and hiking, and watching all the major sports. He is an LSU football junkie (GEAUX TIGERS).

Dr. Ed Chan
Edward K. Chan received his PhD in English at the University of Rochester. He is currently Director of the Sophomore-Year Experience Program and Assistant Professor of English at Kennesaw State University. In addition to first-year seminars, he has taught writing, literature, and film courses at the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Wabash College, and Kennesaw State. His research interests include sophomore programs, twentieth-century American literature and culture, utopian science fiction, race studies, cultural theory, and film.

Dr. Rebecca Casey
Rebecca Casey (Chair, Department of University Studies) holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education, specializing in Composition and Rhetoric, from Georgia State University, with research interests in adult learning theory, computers and composition, on-line writing instruction, and history of Scottish rhetoric. Dr. Casey has been at KSU for eleven years and has a particular interest and expertise in teaching freshman, serving as an academic mentor to beginning college students.

Dr. Joan E. Dominick
With twenty-eight years of successful work in higher education, Dr. Joan E. Leichter Dominick is an award winning college educator with a professional history in the disciplines of Adult Education and Communication. Dr. Joan E. Leichter Dominick holds a Doctorate in Adult Education from the University of Georgia (1990) and Masters Degree (1975) and Bachelors Degree (1973) in Communication Arts and Sciences from Queens College, City University of New York. As a doctoral student, she was a University of Georgia Kellogg Fellow. Currently she is the Director of the Senior-Year Experience at Kennesaw State University. This program, which she designed during her tenure in the Governor’s Teaching Fellowship Program 1996-1997, prepares seniors for their post-university experiences as productive national and global citizens.
Since joining Kennesaw State University in 1990, she has chaired the Communication Department, won the 1996 Distinguished Teaching and the 1996 Regent’s Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning at the university. Her academic project for the 1996 Regent’s Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning award was the design and implementation of a Presentation Technology Center to enhance the technology presentation skills of students across the campus. She now collaborates with the Presentation Technology Center facilitators in creating the innovative E-Portfolio Initiative for the college students in her KSU 4401: Senior Seminar and KSU 1101: First-Year Seminar based on her RACCE (Reflect + Assess + Collect + Connect + Express) College Student Portfolio Process, copyright 2002. Dr. Joan E. Leichter Dominick is the co-author of The Complete Graduate: A Workbook for College Seniors (Kendall Hunt, Second Edition 2003).

Ms. Kimberly Frazier
Prior to KSU Kim worked as Director of New Student Programs for 7 years whereby she taught GSU 1010, directed new student orientation, and coordinated several first-year initiatives and programs. Additionally, she worked at the University of South Carolina as the University Housing coordinator for academic programs and University 101. In regards to education, Kim is currently a doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational Policy Studies—Higher Education program and also received her Master’s of Liberal Arts degree with a concentration in Psychology from Winthrop University and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Clemson University. Kim’s hobbies include chatting with her students, spending time with her wonderful family, gardening, and reading decorating magazines! Her favorite quote is: “Wherever you are—be there!”

Dr. Ruth Goldfine
Ruth Goldfine received her Ph.D. in English Rhetoric and Composition from Georgia State University in 2004, and her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from the University of Dayton in 1986 and 1995, respectively. She joined the University Studies Department at Kennesaw State University in August of 2004 after teaching for seven years as both a part-time and full-time temporary instructor in the Department of English at KSU. Prior to teaching, she worked as a technical editor and writer for ten years. Although she was born and raised a Yankee (Cleveland, Ohio), Ruth has developed a fondness for the South, particularly the mild winters, and has enthusiastically adopted many Southern expressions, such as “y’all” and “fixin’.”

Mr. Dick Grover
Dick Grover holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology, from the University of Florida. He also earned his M.B.A. at the University of South Carolina. He serves as an Associate Professor of University Studies. He is a licensed facilitator for “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” and has conducted 7 Habits training on local, state and national levels. Mr. Grover is widely known for his work and expertise on service-learning; he serves on the board of Cobb Housing, Inc. and as a National Service-Learning Peer Mentor. Prior to coming to KSU, Dick worked for 13 years with the Georgia Department of Education where he served as the state director of the Learn and Serve America program. His motto is taken from one of his favorite authors, Stephen R.Covey: “Many people climb the ladder of success and reach the top only then to discover that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.”

Dr. Keisha Hoerrner
Dr. Keisha L. Hoerrner is the CLASS Director and an Associate Professor of Communication in the Department of University Studies. She is also finishing up her two-year term as the Scholarship Fellow in the RTM Institute for Leadership, Ethics & Character.

Prior to her transition in Fall ‘04 to an administrative position in University Studies, Dr. Hoerrner taught mass communication courses in the Communication Department. Her primary courses included media law, contemporary issues in mass media, and introduction to mass communication. She also developed and taught a special topics course exploring children and electronic media.

Dr. Hoerrner’s position in University Studies allows her to direct the learning communities initiative, teach in the First-Year Experience program, and serve on the University College Advisory Council, which she chaired this year.

Dr. Katherine Kinnick
Katherine Kinnick, Ph.D., APR, is Director of Pre-College Programs and a professor of Communication. She directs the Joint Enrollment Honors Program for academically accelerated high school students. In addition, she teaches KSU 1101, the First-Year Experience Seminar, and a variety of communication courses. Dr. Kinnick was the 2003 recipient of  Kennesaw State’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest award for teaching given at the university. She is a past president of the Georgia Communication Association and has held numerous leadership positions in service to the campus and community. She holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Georgia.

Ms. Natasha Lovelace
Natasha Lovelace earned her terminal degree, a Master of Fine Arts with a focus in Printmaking, from the University of Florida and her B.A. in Studio Arts from the University of South Florida. She has taught a variety of foundation-level Studio Art courses for art majors, but also enjoys connecting with non-art majors through her Arts in Society courses. She explains, “these courses have allowed me the unique opportunity to interact with non-art majors, where my goal is to show them that the Arts can function as a conduit to gaining an enlightened understanding of our world and our humanity.” Currently she holds a temporary position as Assistant Professor of Art in the Department of University Studies where she teaches the First-Year Experience Seminar tailored for the discipline-specific, Visual Arts Learning Communities at KSU. Ms. Lovelace is also a professional artist actively maintaining both a regional and national exhibition record, specializing in book arts and public installation artwork. On display at the KSU Center, is an exhibit she recently co-curated consisting of art and non-art majors’ student work, created to accompany the Anne Frank Project, and personal artwork donated to their Permanent Collection.

Ms. Deborah Mixson-Brookshire
Ms. Deborah Mixon-Brookshire received a B.B.A. in Accounting and a M.B.A. with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from Kennesaw State University. Her motto/life creed is LIVE, LEARN, LAUGH, and have FUN while embracing yourself and others. Ms. Mixon-Brookshire was very active in her undergraduate and graduate life while attending KSU. She uses her experiences to relate to her students, and sets as a goal in her KSU 1101 classes to allow the students to explore the college journey while learning about themselves through a variety of topics.

Ms. Peggy Moser
Ms. Peggy Moser (Instructor of English, Reading, and KSU 1101, Department of University Studies) has been at KSU since 1994. She has a diverse background, having taught in Japan and Germany, where she sponsored student councils for three years and The Netherlands where she supervised the floor secretaries for the Model United Nations at the Congressgabouw in The Hague for two years. In Germany, she was career counselor at Nurnberg American High School where she maintained a large career library for over 2,000 students. She was given a meritorious achievement award while teaching at this school. At College of the Canyons, Valencia, California, she taught ESL, English, and reading to a large Spanish community for three years. While teaching English and reading in Meridian, Mississippi, for ten years, she was on the steering committee for instigating a pilot program which put in place survival skills for students in grades K-12, and she co-authored the book which stated the policies and requirements for this program. She taught Adult Education in the night program at the Meridian Jr. College, which included a large Choctaw Indian population bussed from Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Meridian City Fire Department employees. Ms. Moser is an artist, has co-directed numerous plays for children in school systems where she taught and The Meridian Little Theatre, is a music lover, and is a better-than-average cook. Her motto is “Learn something from everyone you meet.”

Mr. John Pritchard
Mr. Pritchard is a native of Canton (GA) and a graduate of Cherokee HS. His undergraduate work was completed at Columbus State University (BMusic) and his graduate work at the University of Michigan (MMusic). He earned his teaching certification at Kennesaw State University and subsequently taught band and other music-subjects at Dean Rusk Middle School and Sequoyah High School (Canton, GA) 1997-2001. He has been on the faculty at KSU since 2002, teaching FYE and music courses.

Mr. Michael D. Redd

Mr. Wesley Riddle
Wes Riddle (Coordinator of the Center for Student Leadership) is originally from South Carolina where he received his B.A. in Communications from the University of South Carolina Aiken in May of 2003 and then went on to receive his M.Ed. from the University of Georgia in May of 2005. Wes has been an instructor at Kennesaw State since July of 2005. 

Ms. Lesia Schnur
Ms. Lesia Miller Schnur received her Master’s degree in Library and Information Sciences from the University of South Florida and a second M.A. in Professional Writing, Kennesaw State University. As an academic librarian, she realized that her place was in the classroom. Transitioning to an Instructor in the Department of University Studies at Kennesaw State University, she teaches the KSU 1101: First-Year Experience course, as well as English Composition I and II. Her research interests include improved bibliographic instruction and utilization of technology in the classroom. Her lectures focus on the importance of multiple genres and interactive group projects.

Dr. Deborah N. Smith
Deborah N. Smith is an assistant professor at KSU, where she teaches Freshman Seminar and Senior Seminar. In the past, she has held positions at other higher education institutions in the areas of student life and wellness. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Furman University, a M.Ed. in Student Personnel in Higher Education from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Georgia State University.

Dr. Carlton Usher
Dr. Carlton Anthony Usher studied Business Information at Virginia State University. He consequently earned his Masters in history at Clark Atlanta University where his emphasis of study was African American, Diaspora, and Global Studies. Subsequent to completing graduate work in both History and American Studies; he pursued a Ph.D. in Political Science. Dr. Usher is especially interested in the relationship between culture and politics, particularly popular culture. His book on the political philosophy titled, A Rhyme is a Terrible Thing to Waste (Africa World Press, 2006 ) grew out of that concern. In 2005, he was accepted to participate in EXCEL 2005, a university wide leadership program. Currently he serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of University Studies. Carlton is a Community Based Learning Fellow (CBL) and an active member of the American Democracy Project Team. He believes that “there is enough room on the planet for all of our ideas.”

Mr. Brian Wooten
Brian M. Wooten is the Director of the Center for Student Leadership and Instructor of University Studies at Kennesaw State University. He received a Bachelor’s degree in History from Furman University and a Master’s degree in public affairs with a focus in Student Development Theory from Kennesaw State University. He has worked at Kennesaw State for 10 years. He has been a contributing writer for the lithograph on the Development of Community on College Campuses for the First Year Experience.

If you have any questions about your participation in the First-Year Seminar,
please contact Ms. Kathy Matthews.

Send emails regarding this web site to: lschnur@kennesaw.edu
This page last modified September 3, 2006
Copyright © Kennesaw State University