12 New Faculty, New College Relations Division
Centenary Announces New Faculty, Administrative Changes for 2000-01 

SHREVEPORT, LA - Twelve new professors, including new holders of three endowed chairs and an endowed professorship, join the faculty when Centenary College opens its 2000-01 academic year today (Monday, Aug. 21, 2000).  In addition, the College has announced several promotions and administrative changes.

Endowed Chairs and Professorships 
New holders of endowed chairs are Dr. Robert Ed Taylor, who returns from retirement to hold T.L. James Chair of Religion; Dr. Alfred McKinney, a former dean and professor at LSU in Shreveport, who has been appointed to the A. Harvey Broyles Chair of Computational Mathematics; and Dr. Michelle J. Wolkomir, a former visiting professor at North Carolina State University, who will hold the Mattie Allen Broyes Inaugural-Year Chair.  In addition, Karen Swenson, nationally known poet and freelance journalist of New York, N.Y., will be the Rea J. Fox Distinguished Professor in Creative Arts and Letters, during the spring semester. 

New Faculty
Also joining the faculty are Leona B. Collins, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education; April Crommett, Instructor in Health and Exercise Science; Michael Hart, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science; J. Derrick Head, Instructor in Mathematics; Ronald Martin, Visiting Professor of Chemistry; Eric L. McIntyre, Instructor in Music; Nathan Thomas, Visiting Assistant Professor of Speech; and Sonia C. Tinsley, Instructor in Health and Exercise Science.

New Associate Dean, Directors
Among those with new administrative titles are long-time English professor Dr. David Havird, who became Associate Dean of the College on June 1; Dwight Seuser, former Director of Annual Giving, who has been promoted to Director of Administrative Computing in the Division of Finance and Administration; and Michael Thomas, formerly of Willis-Knighton, who will direct the College's new Fitness Center and Natatorium, which is expected to open in November.

New College Relations Division
President Kenneth Schwab has announced that the College has restructured its Development and Enrollment Management offices to create a new College Relations Division. Dr. Eugene R. Gregory, Vice President for Development, will assume the title of Vice President for College Relations.  His division will include the offices of Development, Admissions, Financial Aid, and Public Relations, headed respectively by Dr. Katherine Fell, the former Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, who has been appointed to the new post of Director of Development; Timothy Crowley, former Associate Dean of Enrollment Management, who has been promoted to Director of Admissions; Mary Sue Rix, Director of Financial Aid; and Lynn Stewart, Director of Public Relations.  

Fell will be responsible for the offices of Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Church Relations, Special Gifts, and Sponsored Research.  

Four of these offices will be headed by new directors who recently joined the development team. They are Catherine Fraser, former Executive Director of Red River Public Radio, who is the new Director of Annual Giving; Traci G. Alsup, formerly of  Southwestern Electric Power Co. and Public Service Co., who is Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations; Mary "Mimi" McDowell, formerly  of Christus Schumpert Medical Center, the new Director of Church Relations; and Patty Roberts, former Coordinator of Research in the President's Office at Centenary, who is now Director of Sponsored Research.

They join longtime development professionals Janie Flournoy, Director of Special Gifts, and David Henington, Director of Alumni Relations, to complete the development team.

Crowley will oversee an admissions staff charged with identifying, recruiting, evaluating and enrolling students who will be successful in Centenary's learning environment.  The College seeks a select number of students who will subsequently become leaders in their professions and communities.
 
Within the College Relations model, the Dean of Enrollment Management position, formerly headed by Tim Martin, will not be filled.  Martin left Centenary for private industry at the end of June.

Dr. Schwab thanked the members of the Enrollment Management Search Committee and the Faculty Personnel Committee for their advice and counsel during the restructuring process.  "I appreciate the members of these committee who worked long and hard, and were also a part of the dialog in developing this new model," he said.  "All these offices build relationships, and this restructuring will allow us to make the most efficient use of our resources."
 
Dr. Gregory said, "I look forward to the immediate challenge as we work together this fall to select the members of next year's incoming class and to complete our comprehensive campaign.  As Centenary enters the 21st Century, we will continue our long tradition of excellence and our reputation as a student-centered college where students are nurtured and challenged by outstanding and caring faculty and staff."    

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