College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts

David Scott (Interim Dean)
Location: AG/ET Suite 222, 903-886-5175
College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts Web Site


Dr. Robert Rodriguez, Interim Associate Dean

The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts comprises the departments of:  Art, History, Liberal Studies, Literature and Languages, Music, Political Science, Sociology and Criminal Justice, and Theatre.  The college also houses the Paralegal Studies program as well as popular minors in African American Studies, Gender Studies, Latin American and US Latino Studies and Legal Studies.

The programs in these departments provide a well-rounded education in the liberal arts traditions, in the disciplines of humanities, social sciences and creative arts.  We provide a strong emphasis on discipline-based scholarship, plus challenging opportunities for professional and personal development.  Our programs provide over 300 concerts, theatrical productions, gallery exhibitions, and lectures annually. 

Advanced degrees at the master's level are offered in each of the departments with a Ph.D. in English through the Department of Literature and Languages and a MFA through the Department of Art. In addition, certificate programs are available. 

The College houses creative and liberal arts education at A&M-Commerce.  It fosters excellence and it promotes a global vision in its endeavors.  The College also serves its students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community at large - regionally, nationally, and internationally - and it encourages diversity in all its activities. 

The College's Foundational Principles are to:

     Deliver transformative, experiential and relevant programs
     Foster engaging learning environments
     Prepare students for career success
     Promote world-class scholarship and creative endeavors
     Encourage diversity in all its activities

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GDRS 500 - Gender Theory
Hours: 3
This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to a variety of theoretical approaches to gender and sexuality studies, including feminist theories and queer theories. It explores feminist ideas and debates concerning the intersection of race, class, gender, and sexuality. This course provides the methodological framework for further work in Gender Studies by introducing students to the ways in which gender scholars utilize theory to systematically analyze how the world works and how gender and sexuality impact and are impacted by political, social, and economic social structures in the United States and globally.

GDRS 597 - Special Topics
Hours: 3
Special topics in Gender Studies, topics and disciplines may vary. May be repeated once for credit as topic changes.

Art

Joseph Daun
Professor
B.F.A., Florida State University; M.F.A., University of Texas at San Antonio

Josephine Durkin
Associate Professor
B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University; M.F.A., Yale University.

Josh Ege
Associate Professor
B.F.A., University of North Texas; M.F.A. Texas A&M University-Commerce

Mitchell McGarr
Associate Professor
B.F.A.,Texas Tech University; M.F.A., Texas A&M University-Commerce

Leigh Merrill
Associate Professor
B.F.A. University of New Mexico; M.F.A., Mills College

Emily Newman
Associate Professor
BA., Carleton College, MA., The Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D., The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Chad Smith
Associate Professor
M.S., East Texas State University; M.A., Texas AM University-Commerce.

Vaughn Wascovich
Professor
B.F.A., Youngstown State University; M.F.A., Columbia College.

History

Andrew C. Baker
Associate Professor
B.A., Grove City College; M.A., James Madison University; Ph.D., Rice University

Jessica Brannon-Wranosky
Distinguished Professor of Digital Humanities and History
B.A., M.A., Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi; Ph.D., University of North Texas

Mylynka Cardona
Assistant Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of Texas at Arlington

Andrew Donnelly
Assistant Professor
B.A., M.A. Boston University; M.A. Tufts University; Ph.D. Loyola University Chicago

Veronica Duran
Assistant Professor
B.A., M.A. University of Texas-Pan American; Ph.D. (as of 8/13/2022) University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sharon A. Kowalsky
Associate Professor, Department Head, and Director of Gender Studies
B.A., Washington University in S. Louis; M.A., Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

William F. Kuracina
Professor
B.S., Clarkson University; M.A., State University College at Buffalo; Ph.D., Syracuse University

Derrick D. McKisick
Associate Professor
B.A. University of Arkansas at Little Rock, M.A., Ph.D. University of Arkansas

E. Mark Moreno
Associate Professor
B.A. San Jose State University; M.A., Ph.D., Washington State University

Cynthia Ross
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Nevada; M.A., Ph.D, Washington State University

John H. Smith
Professor
B.A., M.A., University of North Carolina; Ph.D., University of Albany

Literature and Languages

Tiffany Anderson
Assistant Professor
B.A., M.A., Southern Methodist University; Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Salvatore Attardo
Professor
Ph.D., Purdue University.

Flavia L. Belpoliti
Associate Professor
B.A., USAL University, M.S., Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ph.D., University of Houston.

William Bolin
Associate Professor
B.A., Texas State University; M.A., Texas A&M University-Kingsville; M.A., Holy Apostles College and Seminary; Ph.D., Texas Christian University

Shannon Carter
Professor
B.A., Texas AM University-Corpus Christi; M.Ed., University of North Texas; Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University.

Dongmei Cheng
Associate Professor
B.A., Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China; M.A., Winona State University; Ph.D., Northern Arizona University

Maia Fernandez-Lamarque
Professor
B.S., I.G.V. University; M.A., Lousiana State University; Ph.D., Tulane University

M. Hunter Hayes
Associate Professor and Department Head
B.A., University of Kentucky; M.A., Ph.D., University of Southern Mississippi.

Christian Hempelmann
Associate Professor
M.A., Youngstown State University; Ph.D., Purdue University

Gavin Johnson
Assistant Professor
B.A. Nicholls State University; M.A. North Carolina State University; Ph.D. The Ohio State University

Ashanka Kumari
Assistant Professor
B.A.C., University of Alabama; M.A., University of Nebraska; Ph.D., University of Louisville

Eralda Lameborshi
Assistant Professor
B.S. Harding University; M.A. Stephen F. Austin State University; Ph.D. Texas A&M University

Mimi Li
Associate Professor
B.A., M.S., Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Ph.D., University of South Florida

Kelin Loe
Assistant Professor
B.A. St. Olaf College; M.F.A., M.A., Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Amherst

Lucy Pickering
Professor
B.A., West Sussex Institute of Higher Education; M.A., Ph.D., University of Florida.

Karen Roggenkamp
Professor and Interim Dean, Honors
B.A., University of Michigan; Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Rebecca Rowe
Assistant Professor
B.A. Hollins University; M.A. Kansas State University; Ph.D. University of Connecticut

Deborah Scaggs
Assistant Professor
B.A. University of Illinois; M.A. University of Massachusetts; Ph.D. Saint Louis University

Charles Woods
Assistant Professor
B.A., M.A. University of Montevallo; Ph.D. Illinois State University

Music

Jeffrey Baker
Associate Professor
B.M, University of Oklahoma; M.M., D.M.A., University of North Texas

Chris Beaty
Professor
B.S., Austin Peay State University, M.A., University of Cincinnati, D.M.A., University of Memphis

Mary Druhan
Professor
B.M., Louisiana State University; M.M., University of Cincinnati; D.M.A., Louisiana State University.

Randall Hooper
Professor and Director of Choral Activities
B.M.E., Texas State University; M.M., Baylor University; D.M.A., Louisiana State University.

Brock Johnson
Assistant Professor
B.M., Oklahoma State University; M.M., New England Conservatory of Music; D.M.A., University of North Texas

Daniel Kelly
Professor
B.S., Austin Peav State University; M.M., D.M.A., University of Illinois.

Michael H. Morrow
Associate Professor
B.S., Indiana State University; M.M., Morehead State University.

Luis Sanchez
Professor
B.M., Conservatorio Nacional de Música “Carlos Lopez Buchardo”, M.M., D.A., Ball State University

David Scott
Professor and Interim Dean of the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts
B.M.E., Baylor University, B.M., Baylor University, M.M., The Ohio State University, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Julee Walker
Associate Professor
B.M., The University of Texas at Austin; M.M., San Francisco Conservatory of Music; D.M.A., University of North Texas

Brian Zator
Professor
B.M.E., Baylor University; M.M., University of Michigan, D.M.A., University of North Texas

Political Science

Jangsup Choi
Associate Professor
BA., MA., Dankook University, Korea; Ph.D., Texas Tech University

Jeffrey Herndon
Associate Professor, Department Head, and Coordinator, Legal Studies Program (minor)
B.A., M.A., Texas State University San Marcos; Ph.D., Louisiana State University.

Chad King
Assistant Professional Track
B.A., University of Maine; M.A., Ph.D., Stony Brook University.

Robert Rodriguez
Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean CHSSA
B.A., University of California; M.A., Ph.D., University of Kansas.

Sociology and Criminal Justice

Willie J. Edwards
Associate Professor and Department Head
B.A., M.A., East Texas State University; Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Nicole Farris
Associate Professor
B.A., Ph.D, Texas A&M-College Station, M.S. Texas State

Julia Meszaros
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Wisconsin, M.A., San Diego State University, Ph.D., Florida International University

Amny Shuraydi
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Michigan, M.A., University of Windsor; Ph.D., University of Texas at Dallas

Jiaming Sun
Professor
B.A., Shanghai University; M.A., Fudan University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago.

Yvonne Villanueva-Russell
Dean of the College of Innovation and Design
B.A., M.A., Western Illinois University; Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia.

Elvira White-Lewis
Associate Professor
BS., North Carolina A&T State University, M.A., University of Maryland, J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, Ph.D., Prairie View A&M University.

Theatre

Carrie Klypchak
Associate Professor
B.F.A., M.A., Southwest Texas State University; Ph.D., Bowling Green State University.

Michael Knight
Associate Professor
B.S., Texas AM University-Commerce; M.F.A., The University of Mississippi.

Dennis Maganza
Professor
BA., Saint Louis University; M.F.A., University of Minnesota;

Jackie Rosenfeld
Assistant Professor
B.A. Angelo State University; M.F.A. Texas Tech University

Cade Sikora
Assistant Professor
B.A. University of Wisconsin; M.F.A. Ohio State Univeristy

Andrea Williams
Assistant Professor
B.S., Ripon College; M.F.A., University of Arkansas

Rebecca Worley
Assistant Professor
B.F.A., M.F.A., Texas Tech University