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Faculty/Staff News

The ‘sense of whimsy’ emanating from Shaul’s office at UWA

  • Posted 11.28.22
  • 10 minute read time
When Dr. Lesa Shaul reclines in her chair, within arm’s reach are shelves of classic literature, the poetry of Percy Shelley, William Faulkner’s streams of consciousness, the brilliance of Robert Penn Warren. For a professor of English, the cramped space seems an oasis of calm, a few square feet bloated with printed words worthy of memorization.

Fulbright Award provides UWA’s Dumas with unique opportunity

  • Posted 11.04.22
  • 6 minute read time
A mixture of serendipity and archeology, with a pinch of salt on the side, is behind Dr. Ashley Dumas’ recent Fulbright Specialist Award and her upcoming trip to the University of Rzeszow in Poland.

UWA’s erstwhile stargazer brings his passion to students

  • Posted 11.03.22
  • 7 minute read time
On Alabama nights when clouds didn’t shroud the stars, Lucas Johnson and his father would haul a powerful telescope from their basement into an open space and explore the heavens. They lived “in the middle of nowhere,” a bit south of Decatur, where light pollution was rare as a neighborhood hockey game.

UWA participating in Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills program

  • Posted 10.18.22
  • 5 minute read time
Dr. Andrew Rindsberg, a professor of geology and paleontology at the University of West Alabama, needs no reminder of the last time the earth wobbled with severity in Alabama.

Grant boosts UWA’s efforts to be ‘part of the solution’ with sexual-assault awareness

  • Posted 09.08.22
  • 7 minute read time
When Byron Thetford added the role of Title IX coordinator to his duties this year at the University of West Alabama, he already knew the value of concentrating on students’ well-being and their campus experiences. Serving seven years as UWA’s director of student life and support had taught him that much.
UWA band director Tyler Strickland

Marching Tigers’ new director sees ‘tremendous potential’ for growth

  • Posted 08.30.22
  • 9 minute read time

Dr. Tyler Strickland is a piano-playing, would-be percussionist from Birmingham who longed to bang drums in his school band, learned instead to play saxophone, married Auburn University’s first female drum major, directed high school bands in two states and spent the last three years as a graduate assistant with the University of Iowa bands.

UWA Associate Professor of Sport Management LaJuan Hutchinson.

UWA students select popular Hutchinson for William E. Gilbert Award

  • Posted 07.01.22
  • 7 minute read time
As an associate professor of sport management at the University of West Alabama, the 55-year-old Hutchinson is renowned for his passion for teaching, a willingness to mentor students, and his admitted love of sports. In May, Hutchinson was selected by the student body for the William E. Gilbert Award, one of UWA’s most prestigious annual honors that recognizes outstanding teaching and excellence in classroom instruction.

The self-styled farm girl who keeps UWA’s athletics department in line

  • Posted 06.27.22
  • 8 minute read time
Her Foust Hall office is adorned with jerseys and balls autographed by Tiger athletes. She refers to UWA’s coaches as “my coaches.” Her boss, Director of Athletics Kent Partridge, admits she is his department’s sole constant. “And thank the Good Lord for that,” he said.

UWA’s Hill: ‘I’ve never wanted to be anything but a nurse’

  • Posted 05.27.22
  • 8 minute read time
Polite as possible, Dr. Chineda Hill, an associate professor of nursing at the University of West Alabama, is nonetheless adamant. She permits no hesitation. She harbors no doubt. A smile shades her spunk. “I’m a nurse,” she said. 
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