April 3, 2020
Three Ursulline College faculty members were promoted and one was granted tenure, Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathryn M. LaFontana, PhD, announced on April 3, 2020. Regina Prosser, DNP, was tenured and promoted to associate professor, Sarah Preston, PhD, was promoted to professor, Jennifer Schwartz Mrazek, MAAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, was promoted to assistant professor.
"Dr. Prosser is an exceptional teacher and advisor, with strong student evaluations for all courses. She is a recipient of the Advising Award. She was fundamental to the development of the College's fully online, RN to BSN program, and expertly manages that program, including clinical experiences," LaFontana said.
Prosser is active on numerous departmental, College, and external committees and serves as chair of the Instructional Technology Committee, through which she mentors and guides faculty members in instructional design and online pedagogy. She has published a module in the Sigma Theta Tau International (nursing honor society) online course, Return to Nursing, and has given numerous presentations at national and international conferences.
Preston has published a chapter about Marguerite Perey, the discoverer of Francium, in an American Chemical Society publication, and has made several peer-reviewed pedagogical presentations at professional society meetings. She continues to excel in teaching, and has served the College admirably in her roles as department chair, Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness coordinator.
"Dr. Preston's commitment to science education and the mentoring of women in the sciences is especially noteworthy, and our undergraduate science majors are fortunate to have such a good teacher and scholar to lead them as a role model," LaFontana said.
"Schwartz Mrazek has demonstrated impressive accomplishments in the categories of teaching, advising, and colleagueship, including especially an advising method which serves as an excellent model for improving retention and persistence, as well as encouraging students to stay at Ursuline for the Counseling and Art Therapy master’s program," said LaFontana.
Schwartz Mrazek is the inaugural recipient of the Advising Excellence award, and the detailed constructive feedback she provides to every student is invaluable. Her scholarship is closely tied to undergraduate education in Art Therapy, and she has made peer-reviewed presentations at regional and national conferences. In December, she published a first author article in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association.
Pictured above, from left, are Jennider Schwartz Mrazek, Sarah Preston and Gina Prosser.
