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Brewton-Parker Welcomes 12 New Faculty for 2005-06 Year

Four of Brewton-Parker College’s 12 new faculty for 2005-06 have served the college in previous capacities, while three other first-year faculty bring international experiences in their areas of expertise, announced Dr. T. Ronald Melton, the college’s provost.

The list of new faculty includes two new division chairs, Dr. H. Lee Cheek and Dr. Dean Williamson, both of whom have previously served at Brewton-Parker.

Cheek, who was in Brewton’s Parker’s Division of Social and Behavior Science from 1997-2000, returns as a professor of political science and chair in the division. During his previous tenure at Brewton-Parker, Cheek was acting division chair, part-time institutional research and director of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaccredidation self-study.

Cheek is the author of several books and has presented numerous scholarly papers. He also is an ordained minister who has served as a military chaplain. Cheek’s education includes a doctorate from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., master’s degrees from Duke University in Durham, N.C., and Western Carolina University and a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina.

Williamson enters his seventh year at Brewton-Parker, his first as chair of the Business Division and associated professor of business. He also will retain his duties as executive director for planning and institutional research on a part-time time basis. Williamson began at Brewton-Parker as director of public relations in 1999 until he moved into planning and institutional research in 2002.

Williamson has considerable experience in journalism and has taught both journalism and leadership courses at Brewton-Parker. He has a doctorate degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., a master’s degree at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, and a bachelor’s degree from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.

The Division of Education begins the year with an interim chair in Dr. Bowman Barr, who retired in 2003 as professor and director of Professional Lab Experiences after 15 years on the Brewton-Parker faculty.

Mark Stokes, a 2003 graduate of Brewton-Parker, has been hired as an instructor of drama in the Division of Arts and Letters. Stokes was an adjunct instructor in 2004-05 and was the class instructor and the assistant director and stage manager of the spring musical production of “Into the Woods.”

Stokes has performed in, written and directed plays at Brewton-Parker and worked as a journalist. He is completing a screenplay in connection with the completion of his master of fine arts degree from Hollins University in Roanoke, Va.

Dr. Thomas Brucie also joins the Division of Arts and Letters as an assistant professor of English and creative writing. He has taught at Binghamton (N.Y.) University, from where he earned his doctorate; the University of Scranton (Pa.); and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, from where he received his master’s degree.

Brucie, whose bachelor’s degree is from Hobart College in University in Geneva, N.Y., has published a number of stories and poems.

Valerie Kasay joins the Division of Business as an assistant professor of business information systems. She has taught at Georgia Southern University, from where she has a master of business administration degree, along with Altamaha Technical College in Jesup and Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia. She also has served in numerous positions in business and industry.

Kasay is pursuing another master of business administration degree from Georgia College, and her bachelor’s degree is from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.

Dr. Juan Pablo Stegmann, who has degrees from Warsaw University in Poland and taught and worked in Argentina, has been named an associate professor of business for Brewton-Parker’s external programs in Liberty County and Savannah.

Stegmann has taught at the University of North Florida and at universities in Argentina. He has considerable experience in business and industry in Argentina. Steggmann’s doctoral and master’s degrees are both from Warsaw University.

Dr. Ben Caston is one of three new faculty members expected in the Division of Music. Caston, an assistant professor of voice, has taught at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, from where he received doctorate and master’s degrees. He also has served as minister of music at several Baptist churches and performed widely.

Caston’s education also includes a bachelor’s degree from William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Miss., and an associate degree from Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Stephanie Fort joins the music faculty as an assistant professor of voice. She received her master of arts degree from Pennsylvania State University and was a private voice teacher and worked in churches in State College, Pa. Fort’s bachelor of music degree is from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.

Dr. Armenio Suzano Jr. is a new associate professor of music who will direct instrumental activities. A native of Brazil, Suzano’s specialty is the clarinet, and he comes to Brewton-Parker from Indiana Wesleyan University and has worked extensively in churches.

Suzano’s doctor of musical arts degree is from the university if Michigan and his master of music degree is from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He received his bachelor of music from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Dr. Winnifred Whittaker, a native of Jamaica, joins the Social and Behavioral Science Division as an assistant professor of sociology and human services. She has taught at Saint Leo University near Tampa, Fla., and also has been employed as a therapist and program specialist by medical and educational institutions.

Whittaker has a doctorate degree from Argosy University in Sarasota, Fla., with master of business administration and bachelor of social work degrees from Saint Leo and a master of social work degree from the University of Central Florida.

A new assistant professor of Christianity is expected to join the Brewton-Parker faculty in January for the spring 2006 semester. Bryan Cribb is completing his doctorate at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and is expected to graduate in December.

Cribb is the editor of Towers, the campus newspaper of Southern Seminary, and has served in church positions in Louisville. He has a master of divinity degree from Southern Seminary and has two bachelor’s degrees, one in math and another in political science, from Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

“We are impressed with the credentials with the faculty we are adding this year,” Provost Melton said. “They bring an interesting dynamic to the institution, with a good mix of people from diverse backgrounds that will enrich the campus. We look forward to them joining the BPC family.”

-BPC-