Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus welcomes six new faculty members to its campus community: Debra Browell, joined the Nursing Department as an instructor; Abiola Fanimokun, is an assistant professor of business; the new Physical Therapist Assistant Program welcomes Stacy Sekely, program coordinator and instructor; and Pamela Pologruto, clinical coordinator and instructor; Richard Phelps is on board as an instructor of mining technology and James Precht is an assistant professor of history.
Browell has previous teaching experience at the Washington Hospital School of Nursing and Westmoreland County Community College as a nursing instructor. Prior to becoming an instructor, Browell was a staff nurse at the Washington Hospital in the orthopedic, obstetrical, oncology and cardiac units. She has a master of science degree in nursing from West Virginia University, a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Waynesburg College, and is a Registered Nurse.
Fanimokun brings many interests and a wide array of studies to the business degree program. She received her doctorate of philosophy in business administration from Florida Atlantic University, where she also was an instructor for five years. Her dissertation is titled “Developing and protecting the ‘golden’ idea: Entrepreneurs and advisors” and her areas of specialty include entrepreneurship, strategy and international management. Fanimokun also has a master of science degree in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University, and a bachelor of science in electrical and electronics engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile Ife, Nigeria.
Sekely has taught and worked in the physical therapy field for more than a decade. Starting out in North Carolina, she was a research technician, physical therapy research consultant, clinical manager and physical therapist. At Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center she was the neurology team leader for three years. From there she made the move to Pennsylvania and taught at Mount Aloysius College as an assistant professor in physical therapy and was the Physical Therapist Assistant program director. Sekely, an American Physical Therapy Association credentialed clinical instructor, received her doctorate of physical therapy from Temple University, a master of physical therapy degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a bachelor of arts in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Pologruto joins Sekely in the newly created Physical Therapist Assistant program. A local physical therapist, she joins the campus with knowledge in orthopedic, neurological, cardiac and respiratory diagnosis. She was formerly a teaching assistant at Saint Francis University, where she also received her master of physical therapy and bachelor of health science. Pologruto created the Brachial Plexus Teaching and Learning CD-ROM for use at Saint Francis University in the anatomy course.
Richard Phelps brings experience atypical of mining engineers to the Mining Technology program. With work in education, operations, research and development, design, permitting, finance, and communication, Phelps has a thorough knowledge of the current mining industry and mining in Pennsylvania. He was the editor-in-chief of the Engineering & Mining Journal in Chicago, Ill.; has authored over five dozen featured articles; taught courses on practical mine finance for master and doctoral degree candidates at Missouri University of Science & Technology; and worked as principal of Phelps & Associates. Phelps graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla with a bachelor of science and professional degree in mining engineering.
Precht has a wide range of teaching experience, including at NcNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.; Arizona State University; Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Az.; and Northern Arizona State University Downtown. He also has experience teaching high school students for college credit and online classes about the American West and the Vietnam War. Precht’s research interests are 20th and 21st Century American Indian history, Indian gaming, tribal politics, tribal-state relations, American Indians in the modern South, and American Indian identity in the South. He has written and co-authored more than 10 publications, presented many exhibits and conferences, and has been part of numerous oral history interviews. Precht received his doctorate of philosophy in history from Arizona State University and a master of arts in history from Central Missouri State University.