New Faculty for 2018-19 at Mars Hill University
Mars Hill University began classes for its traditional program on Tue., August 21. Along with new students, the university welcomed new full-time faculty for the 2018-19 academic year.
Sharon Bigger, Visiting Associate Professor of Nursing, is certified in hospice and palliative care as well as nursing professional development. She has bachelor’s degrees in nursing and in sociology, and a master’s in philosophy and religion, and is completing a Ph.D. in nursing at East Tennessee State University. Her practice background is in both hospice and community health at the local, regional, and international levels.
Chrystal Cook, Lecturer of General Studies, has been an adjunct instructor at Mars Hill since 2013, and moves to a full-time role this fall. She also has taught at UNC Asheville and AB Tech Community College. Rev. Cook is a minister who officiates weddings and guest speaks in pulpits on weekends.
Sue Fair, Visiting Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, is an Asheville native and a graduate of West Henderson High School. She earned her undergraduate degree at Florida A & M University, and holds a graduate degree in theatre education from Florida State University. She also served her country in the Army Reserves for eight years as an intelligence officer. Fair has worked at Gardner-Webb University as the theatre arts department interim chair, instructor, designer, and managing director. She has also worked at Flat Rock Playhouse, Tallahassee Community College, and Young Actor’s Theatre.
Audrey Martin-McCoy, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, holds a Ph.D. in educational research and policy analysis from NC State University. She most recently worked as director of research and evaluation for the NC State Board of Education.
Martin-McCoy’s husband, Jonathan McCoy, is a Mars Hill alumnus of the class of 1992. Following a 24-year career as a high school teacher and coach, he joins the MHU faculty as an Instructor of History and facilitator for an African American studies program that is under development.
Misty Shane, Visiting Assistant Professor of Nursing, has worked in neonatal and pediatric ICUs across North Carolina, including Duke University and Mission Hospital. Her experience in nursing education began in 2010 and includes working as an adjunct clinical instructor in the community college setting for four years and three years in an A.D.N. and Practical Nursing Program. Shane’s teaching philosophy includes being a caring, and compassionate educator. She values the importance of student success through demonstrating these caring attributes with each student encounter.
Robert Zinna, Assistant Professor of Biology, earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at Winthrop University. He worked as an imaging technician for the Medical University of SC before completing his Ph.D. in Entomology from Washington State University, where he worked on the evolution of insect weaponry. He spent two years as a Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Fellow at the University of Arizona studying how mosquitoes respond to Zika virus and teaching at Pima Community College.
Heather Zurburg, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, joined the university last year and moves full-time into her faculty role for the fall semester. She earned her BA in criminology from the University of Florida, her master’s in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University, and her Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from Florida State University. This summer she brought to Mars Hill an opportunity for criminal justice students to work with the federal government’s Human Smuggling & Trafficking Center (HSTC) in the fight against human trafficking.
Two recently retired faculty, Mike Robinson, Visiting Associate Professor of Music, and Neil St. Clair, Visiting Professor of Musical Theatre, return on an interim basis to fill vacant positions:
Other new faculty for 2018-19 include: Jeddidiah Griffin, Assistant Professor of Biology; Andreja Lukic, Assistant Professor of Social Work; and Cynthia Nicholson, Lecturer of Spanish.
About Mars Hill University
Mars Hill University is a premier private, liberal arts institution offering over 30 baccalaureate degrees, as well as master’s degrees in criminal justice, elementary education, and management. Founded in 1856 by Baptist families of the region, the campus is located just 20 minutes north of Asheville in the mountains of western North Carolina. The university’s Asheville Center for Adult and Graduate Studies is located on Airport Road in Arden.
For more information, please visit www.mhu.edu
