Faculty Members earn Promotion & Tenure

Posted July 25, 2017 at 12:07 pm

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College recently promoted and granted tenure to select faculty members who have, over time, demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching, advising, professional development, and service to the College and the community. Their work with students is exemplary and serves as an inspiration to students and colleagues alike.

Eligible faculty members go through a rigorous application and review process that assesses their effectiveness in full-time teaching/advising as well as service to the College, the community, and professional development.

Advancement in Rank was determined during the Board of Trustees April meeting. Tenure was determined during the Board of Trustees June meeting.

Faculty Earning Advancement In Rank:

Dr. Robert Clark from Assistant to Associate Professor, Criminal Justice and Social Sciences. Dr. Clark holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Leadership Studies, an M.A. in the Sociology of Human Services, and a B.A. in Applied Sociology all from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Clark is active in a number of local and national criminal justice and sociological organizations and holds leadership positions in several. He has presented sessions on victim precipitation and offender responsibility at international and national conferences. Prior to his full-time appointment at the College, Dr. Clark worked in child welfare and victim services as well as the juvenile and criminal court systems in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia.
Ms. Jeannine McDevitt from Associate Professor to Professor, English. Employed by the College since 2002, Ms. McDevitt holds the M.A. in English Literature from Purdue University and a B.A. in English from Seton Hill University. As Department Chair for English, Ms. McDevitt conducts departmental meetings, coordinates assessment, provides departmental professional development, conducts peer observations, and otherwise provides a full range of support to adjunct instructors. Ms. McDevitt also provided leadership in online teaching that advanced the College’s capacity in this important delivery mode. She has presented sessions on assessment, adjunct faculty collaboration, and connecting effectively with students at national conferences as well as locally.
Ms. Jill Mitchell from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, Biological Sciences. Ms. Mitchell began her employment as a full-time faculty member in 2010. She holds a B.A. in Biology from IUP, a B.S. in Biology Education from IUP, and an M.A. in Science Education from Western Governor’s University. Ms. Mitchell served as Lab Manager and Program Coordinator of Biological Science. Her work in course development includes Genetics, Forensic Biology, a fully on-line Biology lecture/lab, and a new Academic and Career Planning course for first-year students. Ms. Mitchell participated in several national conferences, presented locally at an American Association of University Women’s STEM event, conducted a CSI workshop for Girl Scouts. Ms. Mitchell is active with St. David’s Lutheran Church and Conemaugh Twp. School activities.
Ms. Tammy Calpin from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Medical Assisting Technology. Ms. Calpin began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in August 2014. She holds an M.S. in Nursing Education from IUP, a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, and Nursing and Paramedic Diplomas from Conemaugh School of Nursing. Ms. Calpin was instrumental in preparing the College’s Medical Assisting Technology program for a highly successful national accreditation visit by MAERB/CAAHEP in 2016. She contributed to the text, “Introduction to Health Professions 7th Edition” and reviewed chapters in a forthcoming Anatomy and Physiology text (Goodheart-Wilcox). Locally, Ms. Calpin assisted in the preparation of three successful Lee Initiatives grants to advance the MAT program, volunteers with the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic and the East Taylor Township Fire Department (EMS) and Scuba and Water Rescue.
Ms. Michelle Myers-Claypole from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences. Ms. Myers-Claypole began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in August 2014. She co-published “Seasonal Activity, Density, and Collection Efficiency of the Blacklegged Tick in Mid-Western PA” in the Journal of Medical Entomology. She and students have participated in an on-going study with the United States Department of Agriculture. She is the founding faculty advisor for the Rotaract Club and served as a judge for the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Regional Competition. Prior to her full-time employment with the College, she was a Veterinary Technician Instructor at the Indiana County Technology Center and held several other biology/veterinary related positions. She holds a B.S. in Pre-Veterinary Biology from Juniata and an M.S. in Biology from IUP.
Ms. Robin Hughes from Instructor to Assistant Professor, Mathematics. Ms. Hughes began her career with Pennsylvania Highlands as a full-time faculty member in January 2014. Ms. Hughes holds a B.S. in Mathematics from UPJ, an MBA from St. Francis, and a M.Ed. in Math Education from Kent State. Her service to the community includes participation in the “MATHCOUNTS” program and the Technology Student Association Leadership Conference. She maintains memberships in the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC), the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (PCTM), and the Pennsylvania State Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges (PSMATYC).

Faculty Earning Tenure:

Ms. Sherri Slavick, Assistant Professor, Physical Sciences. Ms. Slavick began her career as a full-time faculty member in January 2012. Ms. Slavick holds a B.S. in Secondary Education from University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and a M.S. in Education from Lebanon Valley College. She served as a Pennsylvania Department of Education Major Program Reviewer for graduate and undergraduate programs. She also holds a Certificate of Completion from Quality Matters in “Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR)”. She maintains memberships in the Pennsylvania Science Teacher Association, American Association of University Women, and Cambria/Somerset County Safety Consortium, and Pennsylvania State Math Association of Two Year Colleges.
Mr. Dennis Miller, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice. Mr. Miller began her career as a full-time faculty member in August 2012. Mr. Miller holds a B.A. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a M.A. in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He holds memberships in the Community Relations Board at the Federal Correctional Institution located in Loretto, PA., the Academy of Criminal Justice Science, and the American Correction Association. Prior to his employment at the College, his professional experience included serving as a police officer, correctional treatment specialist, and hostage negotiator.