Faculty & Staff Highlights

Our faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts excel in teaching, mentorship, grant writing and scholarship. Here are a few faculty news highlights from this year.

Andrew Rosenblum: 2025 USM Board of Regents Staff Award Winner

CLA technology support specialist Andrew Rosenblum received the 2025 BOR Staff Award for Excellence in Performance, the highest honor presented by the USM board of regents.

Jeff Kukucka: 2026 USM Board of Regents Faculty Award Winner

Psychology professor Jeff Kukucka received the 2026 BOR Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Service, the highest honor presented by the USM board of regents.

Maggie Biller as a Teacher Who Inspires Us

Psychology lecturer Maggie Biller was featured on list of seven TU faculty members who have inspired students.

Nicole Fabricant Awarded Professorship from University System of Maryland (USM)

Anthropology professor Nicole Fabricant was awarded the Wilson H. Elkins Traditional Professorship to support her project, “Derailed: The Movement to Nationalize U.S. Rail and the No More Sacrifice Zones Regional Colloquium."

Kelly Gray Digs Into Baltimore History

History professor Kelly Gray was profiled in the TU Magazine for her sabbatical research focused on Baltimore and Maryland state history.

Harjant Gill Received Fulbright Scholar Award

Anthropology professor Harjant Gill was awarded the Fulbright-Nehru Research Award and will travel to India to continue his research on the impact of patriarchy, caste, nationalism, and state violence on everyday life.

Erin Girio-Herrera’s Advocacy for Student-Driven Change

Psychology professor Erin Girio-Herrera empowered students to improve support for peers with ADHD and create a lasting impact on campus.

Emily Margolis on Teaching Through Play

Family science professor Emily Margolis’ classes highlighted the importance of community engagement and the use of play to communicate, educate and heal.

Kelly O’Donnell Appointed Editor-in-Chief of History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals

History assistant professor Kelly O’Donnell was appointed new editor-in-chief of History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals beginning March 2026.

Tunde Oduntan Received Fulbright Scholar Award

African history professor Tunde Oduntan was awarded a Fulbright Scholar award for work at Botswana International University of Science and Technology where he will continue work on his manuscript Modern Medicine in West Africa.

CLA Faculty Featured in Experts Guide

Seven CLA Professors were featured as experts in their respective fields in TU's guide for communications and media inquiries.

Inaugural Sabbatical Showcase and Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards

CLA’s Sabbatical Showcase featured thirteen CLA faculty members across seven departments presenting their research. Event Program

Professor Elizabeth Kats presenting — Psychology Professor Elizabeth Kats presents her research on stigma towards substance use disorders.

Sabbatical Showcase Audience View — Faculty discuss their research with audience members.

Sabbatical Showcase Faculty Award — Languages, Literatures and Cultures Professor Alisha Reaves received the CLA Distinguished Faculty Award.

Psychology Administrative Assistant Amy Vickers receives the CLA Distinguished Staff Award.

Other Sabbatical Talks

Feral: An Unbecoming. A (multimedia) reading and sabbatical presentation by Leslie Harrison
Youth, Women, Democracy and Political Activism in West Africa: A Case Study

Faculty Grant Highlights

Kat (Katherine) Ahlrichs

Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

Katherine Ahlrichs received a $506,485 grant from the Maryland State Department of Education to support the Summer Maryland Indigenous Archaeology Program through June 2029. She also received a $22,000 grant from the Maryland Historical Trust’s Historic Preservation Non-Capital Grant Program for the Trowels to Teaching Program.

Karen Eskow

Associate Dean, Office of the Dean

Karen Eskow received $59,093 in funding from the U.S. Department of Education and Maryland State Department of Education for year two of the autism waiver and child/youth outcomes ongoing research collaboration.

Colleen Ebacher

Professor, Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Colleen Ebacher received $28,766 in funding from the U.S. Department of Education for her project, "Partners in Education: Working Together to Enhance the Teaching of Latin America - Peru."

Katie Hrapczynski and Bethany Willis

Professors, Family Science

Katie Hrapczynski and Bethany Willis received $13,000 in funding as sub-awardees on a Florida Atlantic University and Department of Children and Families in Florida grant for their project, "Early Preparation and Support (EPS) of Relative and Non-Relative Foster Parents."

Faculty & Staff Highlights

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Andrew Rosenblum: 2025 USM Board of Regents Staff Award Winner

Jeff Kukucka: 2026 USM Board of Regents Faculty Award Winner

Maggie Biller as a Teacher Who Inspires Us

Nicole Fabricant Awarded Professorship from University System of Maryland (USM)

Kelly Gray Digs Into Baltimore History

Harjant Gill Received Fulbright Scholar Award

Erin Girio-Herrera’s Advocacy for Student-Driven Change

Emily Margolis on Teaching Through Play

Kelly O’Donnell Appointed Editor-in-Chief of History of Pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals

Tunde Oduntan Received Fulbright Scholar Award

CLA Faculty Featured in Experts Guide

Inaugural Sabbatical Showcase and Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards

Other Sabbatical Talks

Faculty Grant Highlights

Kat (Katherine) Ahlrichs

Assistant Professor, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

Karen Eskow

Associate Dean, Office of the Dean

Colleen Ebacher

Professor, Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Katie Hrapczynski and Bethany Willis

Professors, Family Science

Faculty Books