UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The College of Education announced eight faculty member appointments in August. According to Dean David H. Monk, the addition of these faculty members will keep the college at the forefront of cutting-edge research and will strengthen the professional-preparation programs that the college offers at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The faculty members who are joining the college are Marcela Borge, Karly Ford, Jennifer Frank, Cristin Hall, Ron Musoleno, Peter Nelson, Deborah Schussler and Rachel Wolkenhauer.
Borge is an assistant professor in the Department of Learning and Performance Systems. She received her master of arts degree and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in the cognition and development program. Her current research focuses on the design and assessment of cognitive tools to support the development of effective collective cognitive processes at different levels of scale.
“I am very excited to be a part of a community of scholars that values both learning theory and the application of theory for the design and assessment of learning environments,” said Borge.
Ford is an assistant professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies (EPS), and her research focuses on the relationship between education and social stratification. She received a master of education degree in international education policy from Harvard University in 2007 and a doctorate in sociology of education from New York University in 2014.
Frank, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education (EPCSE), received her doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interests focus on the application of innovative methods and school-based prevention strategies effective in modifying the ecology of risk from middle childhood to late adolescence.
“I look forward to expanding the college's current portfolio of work in school-based prevention practices, promoting innovative methods and finding creative ways to connect classroom learning to the cutting-edge research occurring here at Penn State,” said Frank.
Hall is an assistant professor in EPCSE. She received her master of arts degree in clinical psychology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and her doctorate in school psychology from Penn State. Her current research interests are modularizing evidence-based treatments for remote delivery and using technology to assist with more sustainable changes in practice in school and community settings.
“I chose to join the college because I am committed to mentoring, teaching and clinical training,” said Hall. “I think that the school psychology program at Penn State has done an excellent job of implementing the scientist-practitioner model of training, and I'm excited to be a part of that continued mission.”
Musoleno is an associate professor in EPS. He earned his master of education degree from Penn State and his doctorate from the University of Kansas. Musoleno has been an educator and administrator in both private overseas schools in Italy and Greece, and in U.S. public schools for more than 30 years. He is also the director of the online principal certification program available through Penn State World Campus and serves as the certification officer for both the principal certificate and the superintendent’s letter of eligibility.
“It's a joy to be able to teach at my alma mater,” said Musoleno. “Being able to contribute to the University and to the college that shaped my career is most rewarding."
Nelson is an assistant professor in EPCSE. He completed his doctoral training in school psychology at the University of Minnesota after obtaining his master of arts degree in education from the University of Mississippi. A former high school teacher, his primary research interests focus on prevention and intervention in the classroom setting.
“The people and mission of the school psychology program were a strong factor in my decision to join the college,” said Nelson. “The similarities between the values of the program and my own belief system gives me the opportunity to teach and engage in research freely, knowing that fellow faculty and staff are readily available for support and collaboration.”
Schussler is associate professor in EPS and an affiliate at the Prevention Research Center. She received her doctorate from Vanderbilt University in curriculum and instructional leadership and her master of education degree from Middle Tennessee State University in curriculum and instruction. Her research interests include teacher education, moral development and social-emotional learning.
“It is exciting to be a part of a faculty who are keenly interested in collaborating with a variety of stakeholders, across the University and outside of it, to more comprehensively understand and improve critical educational problems,” said Schussler.
Wolkenhauer is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She received her doctorate and master of education degree from the University of Florida. Her research interests include school-university partnerships and practitioner inquiry as a form of professional learning for pre-service and in-service educators.
“Penn State’s College of Education lives in the connection of theory and practice,” said Wolkenhauer. “It has always been important to me that I stay closely connected to schools. As a faculty member in the college, I am a member of one of the most influential and successful professional development school (PDS) programs in the nation.”