This semester, there are several new professors filling in throughout several departments. These adjuncts are not permanently a part of the faculty at Blackburn College, but all were hired by the school. These faculty are not on track to be tenured at the university and are a step below being a professor.
Edward Myers is an adjunct teaching two sections of writing 112. He has his Master of Arts from the University of Illinois Springfield, and has taught at Lincoln Land Community College, Lincoln College, the University of Illinois Springfield and Blackburn for a semester in 2006. He has taught several levels of composition, business writing, film, literature and humanities. “I want the students to know that I am always willing to help in whatever ways I can,” said Myers.
Peter Hough is teaching ethics classes at Blackburn, replacing Dr. Mike Bradley. He graduated from Truman State University with a degree in English with an emphasis on linguistics. He also attended Fuller Theological Seminary. He has never taught at a college before Blackburn.
Chris McDonald is filling in by teaching political philosophy. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Lancaster in Great Britain, his home country. He has a masters and a doctorate from University of Georgia. He taught at the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech prior to going to Lincoln Land Community College, where he is a full-time tenured faculty member for the last twenty years. He has also taught at several other local community colleges, mainly covering sabbatical. He has taught, written and researched in the fields of international politics and political theory. “Related to my interest in modern international politics, I have had a lifelong interest in the first world war and often lecture on the topic,” McDonald said. “I have lead student groups to tour battlefields in France and Belgium and a few years ago published a collection of letters written by a Springfield native who volunteered as an ambulance driver during the war.”
Louise Jett is teaching news writing this semester. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Master of Education degree. She works full time as a media specialist at Lewis and Clark in Godfrey, teaching news writing, social media marketing, InDesign and continuing education classes. She also works part-time as a social media manager for the Ethical Society of St. Louis. “My favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut because in teaching me to connect with the flawed characters in his novels, he helped me to love and accept others, including myself,” said Jett.
Matthew Slightom is teaching principles of Agribusiness Management this semester. He graduated from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a specialization in finance. He is the farm manager and assistant portfolio manager at CNB Bank & Trust, N.A. in Carlinville. Slightom is also the treasurer for the Carlinville National FFA Organization Alumni and serves on the board of directors for the Jerseyville Mutual Insurance Company. Slightom wants students to know “it will be greatly beneficial for students to understand how agriculture affects their lives and to understand the operations of a farm.”