The College of Education & Human Performance faculty represents many disciplines, many strategies, and many visions. By bringing together a diverse group that is able to build a strong and collaborative learning community  through different perspectives, the College of Education is able to create new and innovative classroom for students in the 21st century.

 

Photo of Dr. Bill Baronak Dr. Bill Baronak Associate Professor

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Educational Leadership-West Virginia University Master of Arts, Broadcast Journalism-Point Park University Bachelor of Arts, Communications-Clarion University of Pennsylvania Office Hours - Spring 2021  

Photo of Dr. Hilary Bougher-Muckian Dr. Hilary Bougher-Muckian Associate Professor of Early Intervention

Education PhD in Education, West Virginia University Master of Science in Educational Psychology, West Virginia University Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Studies/Early Childhood Special Education, West Virginia University   Most Recent Publications Bougher-Muckian, H.R., Root, A., Floyd, K., Grygas Coogle., C., & Hartman, S. (2017). The association between adaptive functioning and parents' attributions for children's emotions. Early Child Development and Care. In press. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2017.1396979 Bougher-Muckian, H. R., Root, A. E., Coogle, C. G., & Floyd, K. K. (2016). The importance of emotions: The socialisation of emotion in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Early Child Development and Care, 186(10), 1584-1593. doi:10.1080/03004430.2015.1112799 Bougher-Muckian, H.R., Coogle, C.G, Floyd, K., & Root, A. (2018). Parent perceived early intervention outcomes and helpfulness based upon disability category. Manuscript in press for Scholar Practitioner Quarterly.   Most Recent Conference Presentations Bougher-Muckian, H. R., Root, A., Coogle, C. G., & Floyd, K. (2017). Autism and Emotion Socialization: Parents’ Emotional Expressions as Predictors of Parents’ Emotion Socialization Practices. Presentation for the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Austin, TX. Bougher, H.R., Root, A. Coogle, C.G., & Floyd, K. (2015). Autism Severity and Parental Attributions as Predictors of Parent Emotion Socialization Practices. Presentation for the Annual Meeting of the Council for Exception Children Convention and Expo, San Diego, CA. Bougher, H.R., Grady, J., Root, A., & Clarke, S. (2015). The Relation between Child Temperament and Mothers' Response to Children's Emotions: The Role of Child Age and Child Gender. Presentation for…

Photo of Dr. Angela Curfman Dr. Angela Curfman Associate Professor of Teacher Education

Ed.D Curriculum and Instruction, minor in Literacy-West Virginia University M.S. in Education, minor in Elementary Reading and Literacy-Walden University B.S. in Education, minor in Elementary Education-Ohio University

Photo of Dr. Miriam Roth Douglas Dr. Miriam Roth Douglas Professor of Education/Community Education Director

Education Ph.D. West Virginia University, Education/Curriculum, Literacy, and Cultural Studies M.A. West Virginia University, Foreign Languages M.A. University of Bamberg (Germany), Elementary Education/Art Education B.A. University of Bamberg (Germany), Elementary Education/Art Education Professional Experiences West Virginia University, Adjunct Instructor Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Instructor West Virginia University, Office for Diversity & Global Initiatives Graduate Assistant West Virginia University, Department of World Languages, Literatures & Linguistics Graduate Teaching Assistant Leuphana University (Germany), Lecturer of German St. Francis Elementary School, German Teacher Fulbright International Educational Exchange Program, Fulbright Scholar Most Recent Publications and Presentations Germany: Land of Fairy Tales, Romantic Roads, and Much More… 2014, International Education Month, West Liberty, WV Community Education – Return, Rediscover, Reconnect 2014, Big Ideas, Wheeling, WV Phenomenological Inquiry 2014, College of Human Resources & Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies, SCFD 782: Nature of Inquiry, Morgantown, WV The Reggio Emilia Approach – A Link to Community Education as well as Formal & Non-Formal Learning Spaces & Environments?! 2014, Language of Joy Conference, Morgantown, WV Creativity & Education. A Mutually Exclusive Paradox? 2013, WV Art Education Association Conference, West Liberty, WV The Arts-Integrated Curriculum (AIC) in a Rural Appalachian Elementary School in WV and its Positive Impacts 2013, Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA Understanding the Sandy Hook School Tragedy 2013, Lyon Tower’s Blue and Gold, Morgantown, WV Phenomenological Inquiry 2012, College of Human Resources & Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies, SCFD 782: Nature of Inquiry, Morgantown, WV The…

Photo of Dr. Nicole Ennis Dr. Nicole Ennis Interim Dean of College of Education and Human Performance, Associate Professor

Dr. Nicole Ennis resides in West Liberty and has been a teacher and teacher leader in public education for 16 years.  She has worked as a preschool and special education teacher, reading specialist, principal, and assistant superintendent.  She is 2003 Graduate of West Liberty University with a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Educations.  She earned her M.A. in Reading Education from Marshall University and Principal and Superintendent Certification from Salem International University.  She is a 2017 graduate of Robert Morris University with a Ph.D. in Instructional Management and Leadership. Her research interest includes reading education, special education, and school leadership.

Photo of Dr. David Hanna Dr. David Hanna Professor of Athletic Training/Athletic Training Program Director

- Education - TBA - Professional Experiences - TBA - Most Recent Publications and Presentations - TBA  

Photo of Dr. Aaron Huffman Dr. Aaron Huffman Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education

- Education - TBA - Professional Experiences - TBA - Most Recent Publications and Presentations - TBA  

Photo of Dr. Ronald Hulewicz Dr. Ronald Hulewicz Instructor, Teacher Education Residency Faculty

Doctoral Candidate, PhD Curriculum & Instruction at Florida State University (anticipated Spring 2020) M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction K-12 (minor in Coaching & Kinesiology) Michigan State University, 2014 B.A. in Elementary Education Michigan State University, 2012

Photo of Lou Karas Lou Karas Director, Center for Arts and Education

M.Ed. from University of Pittsburgh B.A. from Allegheny College  

Photo of Dr. Ryan Koenig Dr. Ryan Koenig Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology/Exercise Physiology Program Director

- Education - TBA - Professional Experiences - TBA - Most Recent Publications and Presentations - TBA  

Photo of Dr. Nicole LaRue Dr. Nicole LaRue Assistant Professor, Exercise Physiology

West Liberty University 2006: Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Physiology Chatham University 2009:  Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy Eastern Kentucky University 2019:  Doctorate Degree in Occupational Therapy   Locally practicing Occupational Therapist with the adult neurological population

Photo of Dr. Jason Metz Dr. Jason Metz Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology

Ph.D in Exercise Physiology-University of Pittsburgh M.S. in Exercise Science-California University of Pennsylvania B.S. in Exercise Science-Frostburg State University

Photo of Alexis Montes Alexis Montes Program Coordinator for Teacher Candidates
Photo of Dr. Stephen Richards Dr. Stephen Richards Professor of Teacher Education
Photo of Dr. Sarah Schimmel Dr. Sarah Schimmel Associate Professor of Education/Teacher Education Program Director

- Education - Ed.D. Northcentral University, Special Education M.A. California University of Pennsylvania, Advanced Studies in Secondary Education B.A. Bethany College, Elementary Education and Multi-categorical Special Education - Professional Experiences - Wesley Spectrum Highland Services, Middle School Special Education Teacher Elizabeth Forward High School, High School Learning Support Teacher - Most Recent Publications and Presentations - Moving toward Continuous Assessment Improvement with a Unified Leadership and Vision, Co-presented 2011, LiveText National Conference, Chicago, IL Cost-efficient Sensory Strategies in the Classroom, Co-presented 2010, Annual Conference of the Council for Exceptional Children, Nashville, TN Through the Eyes of Students:  WLU PDS, Co-presented 2010, National Professional Development Conference, Orlando, FL

Photo of Ken Sexton Ken Sexton Assistant Professor of Education
Photo of Melesa Swartz Melesa Swartz Assistant Professor
Photo of Kathleen Wack Kathleen Wack Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education

Wack serves as an Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education in the College of Education and Human Performance, where she has taught since 2011. Prior to that, she served as a K-12 district level administrator, teacher, and coach. She received a B.S. in Physical Education from Bethany College;  M.S. in Physical Education, Science of Exercise, from Slippery Rock University; Education Administration Certification through Hood College; and is a doctoral candidate in Coaching and Teaching Studies at West Virginia University. Professor Wack’s service and research focuses on making K-12 schools healthier and more physically active through school-university partnerships. She received national recognition for this work when named the National Healthy School Hero from the Action for Healthy Kids organization. The Active Eagles program that Wack organized led in part to WLU achieving the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll national designation. She received commendations for her volunteerism from the governors of both West Virginia and Maryland; the mayor and City Council of Wheeling; and five community organizations. She received the Scholar Award from SHAPE-WV for delivering more than 100 national, state, district, university, and school-level presentations. She is particularly proud of spearheading a campaign over the last five years to build a $225,000 inclusive playground for the school and community at Woodsdale Elementary School. Wack was also nationally recognized as an athlete. She was named the 1998 Woody Hayes Division III Woman of the Year, NCAA Woman of the Year for West Virginia, and was an Academic All-American in both swimming…

Photo of Dr. Richard Whitehead Dr. Richard Whitehead M.A.Ed. Interim Department Chair, Assistant Professor

Dr. Richard L. Whitehead returned to WLU ’11 in the Spring of 2022 after spending nearly 11 years in public education as both a teacher and building level administrator. He graduated West Liberty University with a B.A. in Secondary Education (Social Studies and General Science). Additionally, he earned a Masters in Business Administration from Ohio University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Salem University. In 2019, Dr. Whitehead graduated from Grand Canyon University with an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in K-12 Leadership, where he is also employed as a part-time Senior Doctoral Adjunct & Dissertation Chair.