Jeffrey P. Beck, Ph.D, is Director of the School of humanities at Penn State Harrisburg. He was Dean of the Nathan Weiss Graduate School in Union, NJ., professor of Language and Literature and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at East Tennessee State University for nineteen years. He attended the University of Iowa and received his B.A in English in 1986. He enrolled at Indiana University as a fellowship student and received his Ph.D in English. Dr Beck was employed as an Assistant Professor at East Tennessee State University and promoted to Associate Professor. He served as an Assistant Dean and Associate Dean in the School of Graduate Studies and served there as interim dean during extended absences of the Dean of Graduate Studies, Cecilia McIntosh. As a literary historian, he is the author of four books, and many peer-reviewed articles, notes, magazine articles and reviews. He has served many times as a panelist and reviewer for the N.E.H and was nominated for ETSU’s Faculty Research Award.
Peter J. Kareithi, Ph.D, is an Associate Professor of Humanities and Communications and head of the Communications Program at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg. He received his Ph.D in Communication from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Prior to joining Penn State University, Professor Kareithi taught journalism and media studies at several majors American universities, including the American University in Washington, the University of New Hampshire and Ithaca College, New York.
Catherine Rios, M.F.A, teaches writing and digital media, and is the Associate Director of the School of Humanities and the chair of the Communications Program. Her creative activities include screenwriting, filmmaking, and interactive design, and she is the co-creator of 1+1, an interactive engagement game. She is the team lead of the Collaboratory, a proposed learning space for Penn State Harrisburg to enhance interdisciplinary research and STEAM learning. She also serves as a creative consultant for LEAP Research and Innovation, and was a founding resident artist and creative director of the Makespace, a community-created arts collective in Harrisburg, 2012-14. She holds a B.F.A from the Rhode Island School of Design in Glass, and an M.F.A from Columbia University in Screenwriting. Currently she is developing 1+1 for Digital Humanities and STEAM education, and has two screenplays in progress.
Nakho Kim, Ph.D, teaches media and journalism courses. His primary research interest is participatory journalism, where civic communication is empowered through media technologies. He has published a variety of articles and book chapters and has several ongoing research projects including a book chapter titled Institutionalizing Participatory News Media: From Ohmynews to Newstapa. He holds a Ph.D in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Craig Welsh, M.F.A, previously taught for three years at Penn State Harrisburg, Welsh returned to campus in 2008. He is also the principal of a successful design studio based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Additionally, he is the founder of Society of Design, a non-profit organization dedicated to multidisciplinary design education and community service. Welsh earned an M.F.A in graphic design from Marywood University after earning his M.A. in advertising design from Syracuse University, and holds B.S. in architecture from Penn State University.
Amy J. Sauertieg, M.A, joined Penn State Harrisburg in fall 2010. Previously, she has taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY) and Marymount Manhattan College. She began her career developing and marketing entertainment vehicles for such companies as Procter & Gamble, Kraft Foods and Anheuser-Busch, and has been a marketing and public relations executive in a variety of industries, including television, economic development and social services. Ms. Sauertieg is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and has served on the boards of organizations in Harrisburg and New York.
Stephanie L. Morrow, Ph.D, Dr. Morrow holds a Ph.D in Media and Communications from Temple University (2016), an M.J. in Journalism, also from Temple (2002), and an B.A. in Communications from West Chester University (1994). She currently serves as the Program Coordinator in Speech Communications, and regularly teaches undergraduate courses in speech communications and journalism. At the graduate level, she has taught both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In 2017, Dr. Morrow was nominated for the James Jordan Award for teaching excellence. Dr. Morrow was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding performance for the paper “Through the Eyes of Habermas: The Heritage of Liberalism and Deliberative Politics” from the Middle Atlantic American Studies Association, Pennsylvania Political Science Association, and Middle Atlantic Folklife Association in 2011. Her dissertation, entitled “Twelve Days of Hell: A Study of Violence, Urban Space, and Media Coverage of the York Race Riots,” examined the changes in media coverage of the 1969 York race riots, the 30 year anniversary journalism in 1999, and the trial coverage of the men who were arrested for two murders during the riots.
Melanie Gardner, M.S, Lecture in Speech Communications. Gardner earned a Master of Science degree in Communication Studies in 2008 from Shippensburg University. She has been an instructor of Communication Arts and Sciences and International Art at Penn State Harrisburg since 2012. She previously taught communications at Harrisburg Area Community College. Gardner is a veteran broadcaster with more than 25 years experience in both television and radio. Previous job titles include anchor, reporter, producer, assignment desk editor, on-air personality, host, and music director at several local stations including WGAL, WPMT, WHP, and WARM 103.3.
Beatrice Epwene, Ph.D, is Assistant Teaching Professor of Communication. She holds a Ph.D. in New Media from Indiana University of PA and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Point Park University. Her Higher Ed experience is extensive and her teaching portfolio includes a variety of Strategic Communication and Media courses.
Her areas of expertise are in Strategic Communication and Public Relations. She interned at Ketchum Public Relations in Pittsburgh and she spent years in the Television Newsroom at WFMZ-69 News, covering the Lehigh-Berks-Bucks Market as Web Editor and Content Producer. During that time, she worked first hand with college interns and new graduates, helping them hone skills in their future jobs in media. She brings that industry knowledge into the classroom and coordinates Internships for the School of Humanities.
She also holds Master’s degrees in English Education and African Literature studies. She is AFAM Minor Advisor and the chairperson for The Committee on Race, Ethnicity and Diversity (CORED) at Penn State Harrisburg and she advises the Penn State Harrisburg PR Club. She served for five years as Community Literacy Coordinator and she is Founder-Proprietor of The Knowledge HQ Center for Learning in Kumba. She is Equal parts professor and industry expert and she spends her out of class time on research and on developing no-code software apps.
Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D, is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Digital Media and video/film writer/producer/director. For over 30 years, Dr. Nulph has taught broadcast, film and digital production, screenwriting and photography. While teaching college, Dr. Nulph continues to work as an award-winning independent producer/director for such clientele as Ameritrade, ESPN, QVC Network, The Missouri Humanities Council, The Georgia Department of Education, The Parkinson Foundation of The Heartland, the Houston Area Parkinson Society, The Missouri Departments of Corrections and Family Services, the US Navy, and many others. His video work and documentaries have won numerous international awards. Dr. Nulph was also a contributing editor for VideoMaker Magazine for fourteen years; eight years as author of their monthly lighting and directing columns. Dr. Nulph’s research focus includes visual aesthetics and theory, environmental journalism (he taught biology for five years at the high school level) and as an advisor for student media for 20 years. When not exploring the world with his camera, Dr. Nulph is challenging his students to see beyond the obvious and excel in whatever endeavor they choose.
Yonatan Tewelde, Ph.D, is a media and communication scholar, educator as well as a videographer and photographer. His areas of research interest lie on visual culture, intersectionality of transnationalism, diaspora, peace and new media. He earned a Ph.D. in Media Arts and Studies from the School of Media Arts and studies at Ohio University (2020), after completing his MA in Communication and Development from Ohio University (2017) and an M.A. of Communication from Yasar University in Turkey and Koblenz, RheinAhr University in Germany (2015), and a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Asmara, Eritrea (2005).
Dr. Tewelde has contributed publications in peer reviewed journals in the fields of visual culture, film, and journalism and has presented his work at several national and internationals conferences. He was awarded the Broadcast Education Association (BEA’s) 2021 “Keneth Harwood Award” for best doctoral dissertation in the field of broadcasting and electronic media for his study “Chatroom Nation: an Eritrean Case Study of a Diaspora Public” exploring creative uses of new media by diaspora communities for political activism and mobilization.
Dr. Tewelde also has industry experience as a cinematographer and editor producing several feature films, documentaries, music videos and commercials. In 2011, he was Awarded Eritrea’s national “Raimoc” award for best music video directing and videography.
ADJUNCT
Elizabeth L. Dunham, M.L.S, lecturer in Communications, teaches film and communication courses. She has been teaching at Penn State Harrisburg since 2006. Dunham earned a Master of Liberal Studies from the University of Minnesota (2003), where her research focused on the depiction of women in film and literature, and a BA in Journalism from Michigan State University (1989). Dunham started her career in print news, working as a writer and assistant editor for two regional magazines. Following that, she worked as a marketing executive for several organizations, including the Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association, where she developed and produced all print and electronic material, including websites, brochures and newsletters.