TAMIU Adds 34 New Faculty Members

The Fall Semester is now underway at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) and the campus has welcomed 34 new faculty members from all around the world.

The new faculty members were introduced at the annual Fall Faculty and Administrative Staff Assembly Monday.

Provost and vice president for Academic Affairs Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the new hires help the University to sustain its growth.

“These new faculty members, recruited from all over the world, will enable us to continue to both drive and sustain our academic growth and program offerings.  They are an impressive group and we are delighted to have them join our faculty.  While our students are the primary beneficiaries, we look forward to our new faculty members’ full engagement and outreach efforts here in Laredo,” Dr. Arenaz said.

TAMIU’s Fall semester began Wednesday, Aug. 27.  Late registration continues through Friday, Aug. 29.

The new faculty members, by College, title, highest degree earned and institution granting are listed below.

College of Arts and Sciences

Elaine Almanza, visiting instructor of Biology - M.S., Texas A&M International University; Jaime E. Campbell, visiting instructor of English – M.A., Pittsburgh State University; Sara Castro-Olivo, associate professor of psychology - Ph.D., University of Oregon; Timothy E. Dolan, professor of Public Administration - Ph.D., University of Hawaii; Daniel B. García, visiting instructor of Music, M.M., The University of Texas; Muhammad Z. Hasan, assistant professor of Engineering - Ph.D., New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Kate A. Houston, assistant professor of Criminal Justice - Ph.D., University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Also Traci Klein, assistant professor of Dance - M.F.A., New York University; Ursula Klein, assistant professional in English - Ph.D., Stony Brook University (SUNY); Jacob Makay, visiting assistant professor of Mathematics; Sofia C. Maldonado, instructor of Systems Engineering - M.S., TAMIU; Aaron A. Olivas, assistant professor of History - Ph.D., University of California - Los Angeles; Tariq Tashtoush, visiting assistant professor of Engineering - Ph.D., State University of New York at Binghamton; Elizabeth C. Terrazas-Carrillo, assistant professor of Counseling Psychology - Ph.D., University of Oklahoma; Bilal Wajid, visiting instructor of Engineering - B.Sc., University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan, and Thomas T. Zawisza, assistant professor of Criminal Justice - M.A., East Tennessee State University.

A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business

Christopher J. Boudreaux, assistant professor of Accounting – Ph.D., Florida State University; Lina De la Garza, instructor of Business Communication - Ed.D., Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Yusun Jung, assistant professor of Management Information Systems - Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University; Robin L. Knowles, assistant professor of Accounting - Ph.D., University of Connecticut; Cynthia B. Lloyd, Ph.D., Morgan State University, and Thant Syn, assistant professor of Management Information Systems - Ph.D., Florida International University.

College of Education 

Stephen D. Benigno, assistant professor of Educational Administration - Ph.D., University of Southern Mississippi; Puneet S. Gill, assistant professor of Curriculum and Instruction - Ed.D., University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa; Karyn E. Miller, assistant professor of Educational Administration - Ph.D., Michigan State University; Jason M. Norris, assistant professor of Kinesiology - Ph.D., Arizona State University; Jacqueline E. Romano, assistant professor of Bilingual Education - Ph.D., Texas Tech University; Tonya M. Trepinski, assistant professor of Special Education - M.Ed., Texas Tech University; Bonnie J. Villarreal, assistant clinical professor of Reading - M.S., TAMIU, and María de Lourdes Viloria, assistant professor of Educational Administration - Ph.D., Texas A&M University.

College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Wendy L. Donnell, assistant professor of Nursing - Ph.D., University of Texas-Arlington; Carol A. Gunnoe, clinical assistant professor - F.N.P., University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio; Julio Lujano, assistant professor of Nursing - D.N.P., Rocky Mountain University, and Angelica M. Michelangeli, clinical assistant professor of Nursing - M.S.N., TAMIU.

For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.

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Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu