March 31, 2025

President Stuart Rayfield has approved the promotion and/or tenure of 20 members of the Columbus State University faculty—granted in recognition of their commitment to teaching, scholarship and service. Their new appointments will begin with the 2025-26 academic year.

GRANTED TENURE

Riduan Abid, Ph.D., TSYS School of Computer Science, D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology
Reba Wissner, Ph.D., Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music, College of the Arts

PROMOTED TO SENIOR LECTURER

John “Alex” Avila, DMA, Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music, College of the Arts
Anna Dimitrova, Ph.D., Department of Society, Culture & Languages, College of Letters & Sciences
Leslie Haines, Ph.D., Department of English, College of Letters & Sciences
Jose Perez, M.S., Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, College of Education & Health Professions

PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Mohammad Jafari, Ph.D., Department of Earth & Space Sciences, College of Letters & Sciences

PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WITH TENURE

Benjamin Baker, Ph.D., Department of Communication, College of the Arts
Jessica VanValkenburg Banks, Ed.D., Department of Teacher Education, Leadership & Counseling, College of Education & Health Professions
Kisun Kim, Ph.D., Department of Communication, College of the Arts
Rebecca Toland, Ph.D., Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, College of Education & Health Professions
Jennafer Vondal, Ph.D., School of Policy, Justice & Public Safety, College of Letters & Sciences

PROMOTED TO FULL PROFESSOR

Patricia Anafi, Ph.D. Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, College of Education & Health Professions
Basil Conway, D.Phil, Department of Teacher Education, Leadership & Counseling, College of Education & Health Professions
Michael Dentzau, Ph.D., Department of Teacher Education, Leadership & Counseling, College of Education & Health Professions
Michelle Folta, Ph.D., Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music, College of the Arts
Kevin Hurt, Ph.D., Department of Management & Marketing, D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology
James Ogburn, Ph.D., Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music, College of the Arts
Youngrak Park, Ph.D., Department of Communication, College of the Arts
Amy Parsons, MLIS, Columbus State University Libraries

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Main image: faculty members apperar in alphabetical order from left to right.

Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu