Converse University welcomes ten new faculty members

Converse University President Dr. Boone Hopkins has announced the hiring of ten new faculty members for the School of Education, School of Business & Data Science, School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, School of the Arts, and The Graduate School.

“We look forward to celebrating the impact these excellent educators will make on our Converse community and in their respective fields,” Hopkins said. “We are excited for these new faculty members to share their experience, knowledge, and passion for teaching at Converse as we continue to provide transformational experiences and open doors of opportunity for our students.”

Converse welcomes the following faculty members to campus in August 2024:

• Dr. Tawio J. Barksdale, Assistant Professor of Education
• Dr. Hannah Barnhill, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
• Dr. Parker Brookie, Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies
• Dawn Dingwell, Assistant Professor of Accounting
• Dr. Jeremy Foust, Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Dr. Patrick Grof-Tisza, Assistant Professor of Biology
• Dr. Timothy J. McMurray, Assistant Professor of Music Education and Orchestra Director
• Dr. Moloud Nasiri, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Dr. Aaron Peterson, Assistant Professor of Leadership
• Dr. Ray Royalty, Assistant Professor of Leadership

Dr. Tawio J. Barksdale will be an Assistant Professor of Education. He has 27 years of experience in K-12 public schools in roles ranging from classroom teacher, curriculum and instructional coach, administrator, behavior interventionist, trainer, and coordinator. He previously served in an adjunct role in the education department at Claflin University. He has authored First Things First – Putting Students Before Standards: A Practical Guide for Building Positive and Engaged Learning Communities and Equitable Schooling for African American Students. He was a contributing author for Handbook of Restorative Practices, which will be published soon. Barksdale holds a BS in Elementary Education from South Carolina State University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Urban Education and Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California (USC).

Dr. Hannah Barnhill joins Converse as Assistant Professor of Chemistry and will be teaching general chemistry and biochemistry. She previously served as an instructor of general and organic chemistry at Spartanburg Community College, where she developed her passion for teaching. Barnhill’s undergraduate research was focused on the synthesis of Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes for solar applications. In graduate school, her interests shifted to biochemistry and organic chemistry, with her graduate thesis studying the development of viral particles into useful nanomaterials for medical sensors and drug delivery, which resulted in several publications. She holds a BS in Chemistry from Roger Williams University and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of South Carolina, where she studied under Dr. Qian Wang. Her current research interests involve using red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins to make useful nanomaterials using bioconjugation and self-assembly; she is also interested in the rising field of machine learning and its application to discovering new protein-based materials.

Dr. Parker Brookie will be an Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. Dr. Brookie received his PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill where he wrote a dissertation on the intersection between queer theories of time and dictatorship memory in 21st Century Latin America. He received his master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and his bachelor’s from Clemson University. His interdisciplinary research areas include contemporary Latin American literature, documentary film, and contemporary art with an emphasis on memory, violence, gender, and queer studies. Aside from teaching in the Spanish and Portuguese departments at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Brookie was a visiting lecturer at the Universidad de Sevilla. He has presented scholarly work at numerous national and international conferences in Latin American studies, and his work is published in Chasqui and Romance Notes.

Dawn Dingwell will join the Department of Economics, Accounting and Business at Converse as an Assistant Professor of Accounting. Professor Dingwell earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Financial Administration from Michigan State University and her MBA from the University of Cincinnati. She has more than 15 years of higher education teaching experience supporting first-generation and historically underrepresented students. Her focus is creating a learning environment for students that encourages curiosity and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Dr. Jeremy Foust will be an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Behavioral & Social Sciences. Dr. Foust earned his PhD from Kent State University and his bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University. His primary research focuses on information avoidance, which is when a person chooses not to learn self-relevant information. With training in both social psychology and health psychology, Dr. Foust’s research applies social psychology to health and health contexts.

Dr. Patrick Grof-Tisza joins the faculty as Assistant Professor of Biology. He received his BS in Biology from Frostburg State University, followed by an MS and PhD in Ecology from the University of California, Davis. He has international teaching experience, leading courses on ecological principles, research design, and data analysis in Finland and Switzerland. Dr. Grof-Tisza’s current research aims to understand how plants can “call for help” by attracting carnivorous insects such as wasps to attack caterpillars and other herbivorous pests using odors emitted upon damage. His previous research predominantly focused on the intricate interactions between plants and insects across a wide range of ecosystems, from the Northern California coastal prairie to the sagebrush steppe of the Eastern Sierra Nevada, and abroad from the tundra in Northern Norway to dry forests in Southern Mexico. Much of this work was funded through a Marie-Curie Fellowship.

Dr. Timothy J. McMurray will be an Assistant Professor of Music Education and Orchestra Director. Dr. McMurray holds a PhD in music education and a master’s degree in instrumental performance and pedagogy from The University of Utah, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brigham Young University. Originally from Maryland, Dr. McMurray comes to Converse from Utah where he served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Education at The University of Utah. He also served as the Orchestra Director at Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah, since 2016. McMurray maintains an active career as a violinist and chamber musician. His research interests include aspects of student learning, self-perceptions, self-regulated behavior, and self-efficacy.

Dr. Moloud Nasiri joins Converse University as an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science program. Nasiri completed her Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing at Clemson University in August 2023. Before joining Converse University, she served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Florida Polytechnic University. Her research interests include human-computer interaction, virtual reality, and user research. She holds a Certificate in Engineering and Science Education and a Master of Science in Computer Science, both from Clemson University.

Dr. Aaron Peterson will be an Assistant Professor of Leadership in the Department of Leadership. He previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership with emphases in higher education and student affairs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Peterson holds an EdD in educational leadership with a focus on higher education administration through Minnesota State University, Mankato, and an M.S. in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Creighton University’s School of Law. Prior to faculty roles, he served in multiple leadership roles in higher education and student affairs. His research agenda focuses on conflict engagement in higher education and other sectors, and he also explores leadership best practices in higher education and other arenas. Peterson is co-author of Leadership in Star Trek: Lessons from the Captain’s Chair and is collaborating on a forthcoming book tentatively titled Second Star to the Right: Essays on Leadership in Star Trek, which focuses on leadership best practices from multiple venues, drawing on the collective wisdom of leaders from all fields.

Dr. Ray Royalty will be an Assistant Professor of Leadership in the Professional Leadership Program of The Graduate School. Royalty has more than 37 years of experience in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer in both active and reserve billets, retiring at the rank of Major General. Significant assignments during his time in uniform include duty with the 1st Infantry Division as a Senior Combat Advisor supporting the Iraqi military; Director of Army Protection, Headquarters Department of the Army G-3/5/7 at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; and as the Commanding General of the 84th Training Command in Fort Knox, KY. Royalty holds an EdD from The George Washington University, an MBA from Winthrop University, a Master of Strategic Studies from The U.S. Army War College, and a BS from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

About Converse University

Converse University empowers students to become transformative leaders who see clearly, decide wisely, and act justly. Converse was founded in 1889 by citizens of Spartanburg, SC, who aimed to create an educational experience for women, and in fall 2020 it welcomed its first undergraduate co-educational incoming class. The University encompasses the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of Business & Data Science, the School of the Arts, The School of Education, The Graduate School, and the Converse College for Women. Converse students experience deep scholarship, transformative mentorship, experiential learning, and wonderful support for and belief in each other. Through this unique formula, Converse is a creator of opportunity for its students through a personalized education that also includes the professional and technical skills graduates need to be successful in their careers. For more information, visit www.converse.edu.