As Central Methodist University welcomes both new and returning students to campus for the fall semester, new members of the faculty have also been preparing for the start of classes on August 18. Central has brought in several new professors on a full-time basis, including multiple alumni.
New to the faculty this year are alumni Candy Marshall ’94 and Chuck Moore ’91, as well as Mason Crawford, Tim Koneval, Emily Luebbering, and Joseph Ozias.
A longtime teacher and guidance counselor at the high school level, 1994 Central graduate Candy Marshall is stepping into the role of visiting assistant professor of psychology. She will be teaching developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology, some of which will take place in the T. Berry Hall classroom next door to where she met her husband (Alan Marshall ’91) in a philosophy class.
Marshall says she is delighted to be teaching at her alma mater, where aside from her studies, she was involved as a member of the marching band, cheer team, Delta Pi Omega sorority, and an editor for the Ragout. She is looking forward to helping CMU students have the same well-rounded experience that she had.
“Teaching is the only profession I have ever considered. I always knew I wanted to teach, and I cannot imagine doing anything else,” she said. “Teaching at CMU is literally my dream job! Walking around campus as a faculty member feels surreal and brings back so many great memories. I am so excited to be ‘home’ and can’t wait to meet my students.”
Also returning to his alma mater as a member of the faculty is Chuck Moore, who was named as the new director of bands in May. In addition to his directing duties, Moore will be teaching marching, concert, and jazz band in the fall, as well as acting as the faculty advisor for the student NAfME (National Association for Music Education) organization at CMU.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of teaching and inspiring students,” he said. “I am also excited to share the rich history and tradition of the Central band with current and future students.”
Mason Crawford is joining the faculty as an assistant professor of nursing and will be teaching multiple courses for the program this semester. Crawford has been a practicing nurse for 15 years, working in bedside care, leadership, and quality improvement. He says he’s looking forward to helping his students connect classroom learning to real-world nursing.
“Over the years, I’ve discovered how much I enjoy mentoring others and helping new nurses grow in both skill and confidence,” said Crawford. “That passion is what led me to the classroom, where I can help shape the next generation of nurses before they step into practice.”
Joining the faculty as an associate professor of biology this fall is Tim Koneval, who will be teaching courses in biodiversity and animal behavior. A lifelong lover of the outdoors and wildlife, Koneval will also have curatorial responsibilities for the Stephens Museum of Natural History, located on the first floor of Stedman Hall.
“I have loved the outdoors and plants and animals for as long as I can remember, so biology was a natural fit for me,” he said. “[As a professor] I always enjoy getting to know the students, and as far as CMU specifically goes, I am looking forward to seeing what resources are available at the museum and nature areas.”
Emily Luebbering began working with Central as an adjunct last fall but has since joined the faculty as a full-time professor in the occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program. She says her interest in OTA began while she was taking a health professions class and had the opportunity to shadow an occupational therapist. She’s looking forward to continue to learn alongside her students.
“I’m excited to see my returning students and get to know the incoming students to our OTA program,” said Lueberring. “I’m hoping to continue to learn more and more through teaching a variety of students and to better my teaching skills, as I am new to the profession.”
Rounding out the new faculty for the semester is Joseph Ozias, who steps into the role of assistant professor of English. Ozias, who says he was set on the professorial path by his own teachers at Ohio Dominican University, will be teaching courses in literature and composition.
“I am excited about many things this semester, but first and foremost I am looking forward to entering this community,” he said. “In the years since obtaining my bachelor's degree, I have been longing for, and even sometimes chasing, the kind of campus experience I had as an undergrad: one in which you were surrounded by a smaller, tight-knit, and welcoming community. I can already tell that Central Methodist University is exactly that.”