Dr. William J. Ehmann, Marymount University’s provost and vice president for academic affairs and enrollment management, has announced that eight faculty members have earned tenure, two have been promoted to full professor and seven have been elevated to associate professor.
“I’d like to congratulate each of these faculty members on these milestone achievements as recognized by their peers and the University,” Dr. Ehmann said. “Their callings to teach, engage scholarship and perform service are essential for Marymount to keep delivering on our mission to our students.”
Promoted to Professor
Dr. Stephanie Ellis Foster
Criminal Justice; department chair
Dr. Ellis Foster joined the faculty as an adjunct in 2003 and became an assistant professor in 2006. Her research is related to juvenile justice, specifically the contributing factors in the development of persistent criminal behavior. She has also studied the relationship between severe and chronic poverty and serious violence. She earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. from American University and her bachelor’s degree from MU.
Dr. Tonya-Marie Howe
Literature and Languages; incoming department chair
Dr. Howe’s research focuses on 18th-century British cultural studies, embodied genres and digital humanities. Specializing in the study of popular performance genres, she presents widely at national conferences and co-directs a digital anthology project of British and American Literature in English (1650-1800). She earned her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and her master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She joined the faculty in 2006.
Granted Tenure at Current Rank of Associate Professor
Dr. Matthew Shadle
Theology/Religious Studies
Dr. Shadle joined the faculty in 2014. His research focuses on the role of identity and imagination in theological and ethical reflections on social issues. His book, “The Origins of War: A Catholic Perspective” (Georgetown University Press, 2011), explores the role of identity in contributing to armed conflict. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College and both his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Dayton.
Granted Tenure and Promoted to Associate Professor
Dr. Matthew Bakker
Sociology
Dr. Bakker’s research has focused on transnational migration, with an emphasis on migration from Mexico to the United States. He has explored the cross-border organizing practices of migrants, the construction of migrants’ remittances as a development tool and US immigration enforcement. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. He joined the faculty in 2014.
Dr. Mark Benbow
History and Politics
Dr. Benbow joined the faculty in 2007 as an adjunct before becoming an assistant professor in 2012. His research interests are Woodrow Wilson, prohibition and the Washington, D.C., area. He also serves as Museum Director for the Arlington Historical Society and manages the Arlington Historical Museum (The Hume School). He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hanover College, his master’s degree from Wright State University and his Ph.D. from Ohio University.
Moira Denson
Interior Design
Denson is a NCIDQ-certified interior designer with professional experience in project delivery and interdisciplinary coordination of healthcare, workplace, hospitality and residential building types. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University and her master’s degree from Marymount. Her research interests target improving the design process and exploring the impacts of design on overall health and well-being. She joined the faculty as an adjunct in 2004 before becoming an assistant professor in 2013.
Dr. Gwendolyn Francavillo
Health and Human Performance
Dr. Francavillo’s research areas include sexual assault, stress management and yoga. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, her master’s degree from George Washington University and her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has worked in corporate, wellness and fitness industries and has served on the faculty of Montgomery College, Walden University and Gallaudet University. She joined Marymount’s faculty in 2013.
Dr. Brian Hollar
Accounting, Economics and Finance; economics program director
Dr. Hollar earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech, an M.B.A. from the University of Florida and his J.D. and Ph.D. from George Mason University. He has worked for some of world’s largest corporations. His research interests include the economics of religion, law and economics, public choice and economic development. He joined the faculty in 2012.
Dr. Ioana Marcus
Clinical Mental Health Counseling; director
A licensed professional counselor, Dr. Marcus’ research includes eating disorders and body image in Latinas and diverse populations, multicultural/immigration matters, social justice issues and equine-facilitated therapy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, her M.S. from Troy University and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She joined the faculty in 2012.
Dr. Jennifer Tripken
Health and Human Performance; interim department chair
Dr. Tripken’s research interests include public health ethics, qualitative research, needs assessment design and teaching pedagogy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, her master’s degree from Boston University and her Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught health education for several years at public schools in New York State before joining the Marymount faculty in 2012.
