Education: Jobs Landed

When introducing new faculty for a new year, most colleges and universities probably only have to send out a quick note with one or two mugshots attached. At Lake Superior State University, they fully believe in going big or just going home, so when they hire new staff to work with their student population, they have to take a group picture.

LSSU announced the hiring of 12 new faculty members for this fall semester. Included in the hiring are:

Jodi Chesebro is an accounting instructor in the School of Business who graduated cum laude from LSSU in 2006 with multiple majors in accounting, business education and business administration-management.

Gordon Nakagawa joins the College of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences as a visiting professor of diversity and communication. He holds a bachelor of science and master of arts degree in interpersonal communications from Ohio University. He obtained a doctorate in communication studies from Southern Illinois University.

Benjamin Lassester joins the chemistry department as an assistant professor, filling in for Prof. Marshall Werner, who is on sabbatical this year. Lassester holds a doctorate in biochemistry from Texas A&M University and a baccalaureate from the University of Dallas, also in biochemistry.

Jun Li comes to LSSU as an assistant professor of biology, fish health, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where he was a research associate in immunology in their pathology department. Li holds a doctorate in fish physiology and pathobiology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong; a master's in fish genetics and virology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and a baccalaureate in microbiology and immunology from Wuhan University, China.

Yevgeny Medvedev replaces long-time French professor Marcel Pichot, who retired this past spring after more than 30 years at LSSU. Medvedev -- who is no relation to Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev -- has a freshly minted doctorate in French literature from the University of Toronto; a master of philosophy and art in French lit from Columbia University; and a B.A. in economics, summa cum laude, from UCLA.

Joseph Moening joins the School of Engineering as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. Moening received his doctorate in electrical engineering this past August from the University of Toledo, Ohio, for perfecting techniques in laser micromachining.

Jason Pilarski joins the School of English and Language Studies and as an instructor of English. He taught college composition and technical writing at Northern Michigan University this past spring while completing a master of arts degree that examined writing genres in speculative fiction, poetry, and novels. Pilarski's baccalaureate in English writing, also from NMU.

Mary Reynolds-Keegan joins the Nursing faculty as an assistant professor. Reynolds-Keegan holds an LPN diploma, registered nursing degree, and master's in nursing administration from Northern Michigan University, where she also earned a post-master's nurse educator certificate. She is a candidate for a doctorate of nursing practice from Oakland University, Rochester, Minn.

Patrick Santoro has hired into the School of Communication Studies and Performing Arts as an assistant professor. He comes to LSSU from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where he earneda doctorate. He holds a bachelor's degree in humanities and Master of Arts in performance from the University of South Florida.

Paula Jo Shingler migrates from adjunct clinical nursing instructor to assistant professor in LSSU's School of Nursing. Shingler holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Mercy College in Detroit, and a master's in nursing education from Michigan State.

Robert Cooper is a full-time instructor in the School of English and Language Studies. Cooper holds bachelor's degrees from Nippising University (North Bay, Ont.) and the University of New Brunswick, as well as a master's of education from the University of Toronto.

Jamiee Gerrie comes aboard as an instructor in the School of Nursing after a 16-year career at War Memorial Hospital in the Sault, Gerrie got her B.S. in nursing from LSSU.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Lake Superior State University

Jason Erickson found himself in a place he was really looking forward being recently: Home.

Erickson returned back to the Gladstone area thanks to his new job at Bay De Noc College where he was recently hired at the new Network System Administrator.

Before coming to Bay, Erickson was at Perry Public Schools in Perry, Mich. As the System Administrator, and before that was at Big Bay Broadband as a Network Administrator.

"I'm excited to move back to the Upper Peninsula, and to see where the technology will take us in the years to come," says Erickson.

Erickson was born and raised in Gladstone and received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Networking and system administration from Michigan Technological University. He has also obtained an Associates of Applies Science in Automation Technology and Computer Systems Technology from bay College.

His interests include basketball, volleyball, snowboarding, video game and backpacking. He his married and his wife, Annie, recently graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Rhonda Peterson has been a long-time member of the CCI Systems staff and that dedication has paid off. CCI recently announced Peterson is being promoted to the position of director of engineering operations for the company, which is based in Iron Mountain.

"Rhonda has been a huge asset for our team since she started with CCI in 1997," says Rick Hurzeler, a CCI vice president. "She has deep knowledge in both fiber optic and coaxial design and has extensive experience working with many different operators."

Peterson will be responsible for staffing and execution of projects, supervising project managers, creating and refining processes related to project management, project accruals and invoicing as well as creating project guidelines.

Peterson has been a consistent performer for CCI since she started working for them as a CAD route drafter. From there, she worked her way up and was most recently a project manager.

During her time with CCI, Peterson has:

- Assisted in the development of the engineering database to track 135,000 miles of upgrade engineering for Charter Communications in 2000.
- Developed the Project Coordinator and Project Coordinator Assistant Programs to manage the engineering work for 135,000 miles of upgrade for Charter Communications in 2000.
- Led the CCI team to develop Bresnan mapping standards for 3,000 miles of upgrade in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Montana in 2003.
- Led the CCI team to develop Fiber As-built Management (FAM) documentation standards in 2007.

Peterson achieved her Bachelor's Degree from St. Norbert College. She resides in Norway, Mich., with her husband, Roger, and two children.