FACULTY CORNER - Wittenberg University is committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship. The following is a collection of professors’ contributions to their fields, campus, and the community, along with recent recognitions.

Collegium Award Winners

Wittenberg’s Faculty Development Board is pleased to announce that this year's Collegium Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching winners are Shelley Chan, professor of Chinese language and cultural studies, and Travis Proctor, associate professor of religion.

An annual award that recognizes outstanding teaching as well as a faculty member’s commitment to growing and improving as a teaching scholar, the Collegium Award is the only teaching recognition at Wittenberg that is awarded by the faculty itself. Any faculty member who has taught at Wittenberg for at least three years is eligible for this award. The award carries with it a one-time $1,000 stipend.

Chan earned her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado-Boulder, her M.A. from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her B.A. from Hong Kong Baptist University. Specializing in modern and contemporary Chinese literature, culture, language pedagogy, and gender studies, she taught at Stanford University, the University of Colorado-Boulder, Beloit College, and Kalamazoo College before joining the Wittenberg faculty in 2004.

As one of her peer’s notes, “Dr. Chan is a gifted teacher who holds students to high standards. Her students respect her and her knowledge, they appreciate the multifaceted learning experiences they have in her courses and her constant encouragement, and they value their growth in the process. These are but a few of the reasons Dr. Chan is a truly outstanding educator.”

Peers and students alike recognize Chan’s warm, personable nature and her ability to create a fun, relaxing atmosphere even while teaching difficult material. As one student states, “Dr. Chan is easily one of the most personable, interesting, and engaging professors I have ever had in my life.” Another student describes her as “a pillar of compassion.”

Proctor received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He first joined Wittenberg in 2019 and specializes in religions of the ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on histories of Christian cultures in the ancient world (ca. 50-500 CE). His teaching emphasizes critical, experiential learning that connects historical issues with topics of contemporary significance, including connections between ancient forgeries and modern “fake news,” historical and contemporary notions of gender/sexuality, and the interactions between religious cultures and human treatment of the environment. 

As one former colleague stated, “Travis is consistently superb in his ability to begin class building interest and momentum with student discussion and questions, and then using that momentum to introduce challenging themes, materials, and approaches.” Additionally, his course “pushes students to new ways of thinking and new material through the vehicle of engaged learning and student participation.” Students share this sentiment, commenting: “Discussions and debates made me think critically and hear other people’s views, while creative projects like writing or art let me connect to the material in a personal way.”

Proctor continually seeks out ways to improve his teaching and engage students. One reviewer noted that he “demonstrates compassion and understanding for student needs, creativity in addressing the difficulties of his discipline and course material, and flexibility and willingness to change his teaching in response to specific critiques and suggestions that have emerged over the years.” This commitment is demonstrated by the welcoming atmosphere he cultivates in class, wherein one student states, “I never felt nervous to share my opinion about a topic that we were covering.”

Theatre Professor Earns Grant

Adrienne Oehlers, visiting assistant professor of theatre at Wittenberg, was recently awarded the Jessica Berson Dance Research Assistance Fund Grant for her work The Radio City Rockettes: A History of 100 Years of American Precision Dancers through the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), a U.S.-based professional organization that fosters scholarship on worldwide theatre and performance, both historical and contemporary.

Oehlers and Quanda Johnson from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, were both recipients of the grant that is intended to expand access for part-time, adjunct, and contingent faculty in their research work in dance-based fields, and/or to support their travel to ASTR’s annual conference.

ASTR sponsors or coordinates several awards, grants, fellowships, and prizes to support and recognize outstanding scholarship in theatre and performance studies. Oehlers was one of 32 recipients for 24 awards.  

Founded in 1956 to encourage theatre scholarship and to provide a link with other similar groups represented in the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR/FIRT), ASTR is the only theatre organization in the United States affiliated with IFTR and the American Council of Learned Societies. ASTR cooperates with the Theatre Library Association to host its annual conference and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education in many endeavors of mutual interest.

Broz to Serve as Associate Provost

Stefne Broz, associate professor of communication and digital media (CMDM), was recently named associate provost for undergraduate student success. Broz, a member of Wittenberg’s faculty since 2002, has served in various leadership positions and has engaged in a vast number of student success initiatives, including leading multiple experiential learning opportunities for Wittenberg students. 

She served as chair of the CMDM department for six years, directed the Oral Communication Center for three years, and has actively participated in Credo’s Move the Needle initiative. She has also served on the FIRE Week advisory committee, led multiple FIRE Week trips and a summer field study program in Japan, and directed the Communication and Business Leaders Experience (CABLE) program for four years. Broz has also continuously worked with summer orientation programming and has a track record of exceptional advising for first-year students, as well as with majors and minors in the CMDM department along with serving on the GEAC and the FEB during her time at Wittenberg.

Transformative Workshop

As part of our broader initiative to foster a more inclusive and empathetic campus environment, Wittenberg offered a transformative workshop hosted by the Diversity Advisory Board, the Provost’s Office, and the President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PCDEI) in late January. The engaging two-hour session, Building Trust Through Emotional Intelligence, was facilitated by renowned expert Patrice Borders, J.D. and open to faculty, staff, and students.

Focusing on actionable strategies to build interpersonal trust, enhance collaboration, and cultivate psychological safety, the workshop offered interactive activities and meaningful discussions where participants explored the neuroscience of trust and emotional intelligence, developed skills to navigate challenging conversations with empathy, and gained practical tools to strengthen relationships and promote inclusivity.

Business Class Working with Haitian Community

Wittenberg students taking the 250 International Business class with Sunny Jeong, associate professor of business and economics, recently conducted interviews with members of Springfield’s Haitian community to explore their experiences and challenges as part of the coursework for the class.

“This project has provided powerful insights into cross-cultural competence and the realities of immigration, and it has allowed our students to apply these learnings directly to an international business context,” Jeong said. “The project also showcases Wittenberg’s commitment to hands-on, socially relevant education of liberal arts institute. This project exemplifies the power of experiential learning in shaping globally aware and socially responsible business leaders."

The class of 50 students explored cross-cultural competence through the interviews with Haitian immigrants in Springfield at a time when issues of immigration, cultural integration, and global perspectives are crucial. The assignment, originally focused on interviewing homeless individuals in past years, was adapted to examine the Haitian community, which has been facing significant challenges due to the city's recent crisis, including 37 bomb threats.

Through interviews with Haitian immigrants, students learned about the harsh realities and inspiring resilience of the Haitian community. Both individuals shared how political instability in Haiti forced them to flee their homeland, and while they work tirelessly to support their families, they dream of returning to a safe and stable Haiti.

One of the key aspects students reflected on was the cultural and linguistic barriers Haitian immigrants face. Despite these challenges, students were struck by the Haitian community’s strong sense of solidarity and mutual support. This hands-on learning experience also enabled students to apply cross-cultural competence skills directly to international business contexts. Students recognized the importance of engaging with cultural differences thoughtfully and respectfully. They noted that effective communication in global business requires understanding diverse perspectives and overcoming biases.

These stories not only enhanced students’ understanding of cross-cultural competence but also brought Wittenberg University’s commitment to social relevance into the classroom.

This project is one example of how Wittenberg University continues to provide impactful, real-world educational opportunities that encourage students to engage deeply with global challenges while fostering empathy, understanding, and leadership skills.

Andrew Graff’s Second Novel Now in Paperback

Andrew Graff’s second novel True North, which has been receiving considerable attention, including rave reviews in the Washington Post, Goodreads, Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, and most recently, CBS News, was recently released on paperback.

Graff, associate professor of English and director of creative writing at Wittenberg, takes readers back to his childhood home in Wisconsin’s Northwoods in his new novel, but this time for an adventure in marriage and white-water rafting as one couple, Sam and Swami Brecht, navigate the changing currents of family, community, and the river itself.

His debut book, Raft of Stars, landed on the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association best-sellers list five days after its publication, appearing in the No. 13 spot on a list that included renowned writers Kazuo Ishiguro, Kristin Hannah, Brit Bennett, Harlan Coben, Fredrik Backman, and Lisa Scottoline for the week ending March 28, 2021. The book was also selected as an Indie Next pick for April 2021, named one of Parade’s Best Books for Spring 2021, and promoted as Lead Read by publisher Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Available through HarperCollins Publishers, the True North in paperback is on sale at: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/true-north-andrew-j-graff?varian….

Raffensperger Publishes New Book

Professor of History Christian Raffensperger, the Kenneth E. Wray Chair in the Humanities and director of the Margaret Ermarth Institute for the Public Humanities at Wittenberg, has a new book coming out soon through Cambridge University Press. Kyivan Rus in Medieval Europe, part of the Rethinking Byzantium series, currently has an online element available for free at https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009570022 . The print publication became available on March 27, 2025. 

According to the Cambridge Press website, the element provides an accurate historical account of medieval Rus that corrects the modern misuse of medieval history. The element and the book synthesizes existing scholarship on Rus to present a complete picture of the kingdom of Rus, and its orientation within the wider medieval world, with a particular focus on the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Raffensperger spent the month of May lecturing in at Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Named as the Director of Studies at the Sorbonne, he was there from May 1-31 after being invited to present a series of lectures over the course of the month.

His lecture series was titled "Kyivan Rus (10th-11th cen) in the Context of Medieval Europe." Individual lectures included Rus or Russia, Medieval Europe or “the East?”, The Christianization of Rus in the context of Christendom, Kinship and Political Ties: Women as Vectors, and King, Prince, Duke? Titles and Their Importance for Rus and Medieval Europe.

Students Drawn to Wittenberg for First Year Research

Since its inception in 2017, Wittenberg has offered numerous scholarships to incoming students through the First Year Research Awards (FYRA) program. FYRA scholarships are designed to match outstanding students with Wittenberg’s award-winning faculty. Wittenberg has had a total of 136 FYRA students. During the fall semester, there were 25 students and this spring there were 22. 
 
Students selected for First Year Research awards work closely with a faculty member while pursuing exciting research opportunities in their first year at Wittenberg. The award is $2,000 ($1,000 per semester) for the student’s first year only. This is a non-renewable award. First Year Research Awards can be combined with other Special Interest Awards.