Goshen College introduces new faculty members

GOSHEN, Ind. — Goshen College is pleased to announce and welcome new faculty members for the 2003-04 academic year.

Sonny Carreno has been named director of the Goshen College Jazz Band. A professional drummer, Carreno will give leadership to “Lavender Jazz” for on and off-campus performances. Carreno earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas State University-San Marcos, and then gave band instruction in the Victoria (Texas) Independent School District. He also teaches English as a New Language (ENL) for Goshen Middle School and drums professionally.

Lisa Renee English, assistant professor of biology, is teaching biology courses half-time and serving half-time as the Merry Lea Lindsey Fellow for Environmental Biology; at Merry Lea she will be responsible for coordinating student research, directing the environmental studies major and leading other education activities at Merry Lea. English is completing a doctorate in biological sciences, with an emphasis in science teaching, at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she also earned a master’s degree in biological science. English was an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and Carrol Tech Community College.

Lisa Felix joins the Good Library staff as technical services librarian. She comes to the college from the University of Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Library, where she served as coordinator of office services and, prior to that, as library specialist in the serials cataloging unit. Felix recently completed coursework for a master’s degree in library and information science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business at Calumet College of St. Joseph (Hammond, Ind.).

Marc Green is the Goshen College Maple Leafs new head softball coach. A 2003 Goshen College graduate with a degree in physical education, Green played on the varsity golf team and was an assistant coach for women’s soccer and women’s basketball. He was previously head softball coach at Parkland Community College for three years; there, he was twice named conference coach of the year.

Amos Kratzer joins Goshen College as a counselor in the Admission Office. A 1999 Goshen College graduate with an elementary education major, Kratzer has taught at Chicago Mennonite Learning Center and Redeemer Community Christian School in Elkhart, Ind. He also did mission work in Bolivia.

Susan Landes Beck was named director of counseling after serving part time in that capacity for the past year. Prior to joining the college, she helped create and then served as executive director of the Violence Intervention Project in Elkhart County. She also worked as a clinical therapist and co-managed Mirror Valley Retreat Center in Southern Michigan. Beck is a 1994 graduate of Goshen College who majored in social work; she received a master’s degree in social work at Western Michigan University.

Anne Meyer Byler was named as the Plowshares librarian — the Good Library’s first peace resources librarian. Meyer Byler graduated from Goshen College in 1981 and earned a master’s degree in library science from University of Champaign-Urbana. She did reference work at the Champaign (Ill.) Public Library for 11 years. She now serves on the board of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, has led conflict resolution and anti-racism workshops and chairs the Goshen Study Circles Steering Committee.

Bobby Meyer-Lee will join the English department in the spring semester of the academic year as assistant professor of English after finishing a term at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., where he has been on faculty. Meyer-Lee received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Williams College and a doctorate in English from Yale University.

Jason K. Samuel is general manager of WGCS, the college’s radio station of 91.1 FM, and assistant professor of communication. Samuel has worked as sales associate, sports director and air talent for radio stations across Northern Indiana. He was named the Indiana Sportscaster of the Year by the Indiana Sportscasters Association in 1998 and 2001, and Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer in 1998. Samuel is a 1993 Goshen College graduate, with a communication major and business minor.

Margot Zahner is director of the academic support center and will teach English this fall. Zahner received a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis in multicultural education, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and philosophy from Macalaster College in St. Paul, Minn. She has taught in Ecuador and Guatemala, and also began a peace camp for low-income youth in Colorado Springs, Colo., and directed academic summer camps for Spanish-speaking youth in San Jose, Calif.

Lisa Zinn joins the Merry Lea faculty as environmental science educator and volunteer coordinator. Zinn received a master’s degree in environmental science from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) after earning an undergraduate degree in biology from Houghton (N.Y.) College. She was employed by Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies and worked for a YMCA camp developing environmental education programs. Last year, she taught earth science and chemistry courses at a Christian school in Jamestown, N.Y.

Launa Rohrer Beck is now full-time associate dean of students. Nancy R. Nussbaum moved from director of learning resource center to director of international research.

Goshen College is a national liberal arts college known for leadership in international education, service-learning and peace and justice issues in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program and exceptional educational value, GC serves more than 1,000 students in both traditional and nontraditional programs. The college earned citations of excellence in U.S. News & World Reportand Barron’s Best Buys in Higher Education. For more information, visit the collegeÕs Web site at www.goshen.edu.

Editors: Photos available. For information, contact Jodi H. Beyeler at jodihb@goshen.eduor (574) 535-7572.