James Filippelli

B.A. – St. Leo College – Theatre/Speech & English Education
M.F.A. – Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Performing Arts Administration
P.D. – Professional Diploma – Fordham University
Educational Administration
Ed.D. – Manhattanville College – Educational Leadership

Dr. James Filippelli retired as an English and Performing Arts teacher after over 35 years at Walter Panas High School in the Lakeland Central School District. The Performing Arts Center at the high school was recently named in his honor, thus renaming the facility as the Dr. James Filippelli Performing Arts Center. Dr. Filippelli began his career at Dominican University in the fall of 1979, initially directing only for The Aquin Players theatre group. In 1980, he developed the entire theatre curriculum that exists today and has grown through the years. He served as an Adjunct Instructor of Communications from 1980 through the fall of 2016. In 2016, he was appointed an Assistant Professor of Fine and Performing Arts. In 2022, he was granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor. He developed the Theatre Minor and co-collaborated with colleagues to develop the Film-Studies Minor. He is presently working with colleagues to develop a dance and music minor. In his 45-year association with Dominican, Dr. Filippelli has had the pleasure to direct many main-stage musical productions involving students from all of the fine arts disciplines – art, music, dance, and theatre.

Regina Alvarez

B.A. – Biological Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York
M.A. – Biological Sciences, subprogram Plant Science, Lehman College, City University of New York
Ph.D. – Biological Sciences, subprogram Plant Science, Graduate Center, City University of New York

Dr. Alvarez joined the faculty at Dominican University in August 2017. She teaches General Biology, Ecology and Botany, among other courses. Prior to teaching at Dominican, she taught for the City University of New York. Before coming to academia, she worked for 19 years for the Central Park Conservancy, the managers of Central Park in New York City. She started as a gardener and worked her way up to Director of Horticulture and Woodland Management. Her focus was on native plants and ecological restoration. Her research focuses on the flora and ecology of urban environments. Dr. Alvarez is also an instructor of botany at the New York Botanical Garden, where she teaches Plant Physiology, Plant Morphology and Introduction to Plant Science.

Kerry Zona

Andrew Burns

B.A. – The State University of New York
M.A.T. – The State University of New York
Ed.D. – Union University

Dr. Burns is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies. His research interests include media’s effects on communication, social media communication, and semiotics of film and television. He is the campus advisor to the Alpha Gamma Phi chapter of the National Communication Association’s honor society, Lambda Pi Eta. In 2016, 2017, and 2018 he was awarded an Excellence in Teaching Grant. Among the courses he teaches are Documentary Film, Broadcast Journalism, and Digital Media.

Jennifer Sassano

B.A. – SUNY, Potsdam
M.A. – SUNY, Potsdam
Ed.D. – Mathematics: Teachers College, Columbia University

Dr. Sassano earned a combined BA/MA in Mathematics, summa cum laude, as an undergraduate at SUNY Potsdam.  Following graduation, she taught junior high and high school mathematics for two years, earning permanent NYS teaching certification for Math 7-12.  She then completed two years of graduate work and teaching at SUNY Binghamton before accepting a teaching position at Dominican University in 1992.  While teaching at Dominican, she earned a doctorate in the College Teaching of an Academic Subject (Mathematics) from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Sassano teaches a variety of classes, including those in the Algebra/Calculus sequence and in the History of Mathematics. She also designed the Discrete Math class for the department. In 2007 she became the Mathematics Coordinator for the University and in 2023 she became the Director of Math & Sciences Division.  Dr. Sassano oversees the Mathematics Placement Examinations for the University.  She is also the Faculty Sponsor for the University’s chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society.

James Reitter

B.A. – SUNY Oswego
M.F.A. – CUNY Brooklyn
Ph.D. – University of Louisiana Lafayette

Professor Reitter has been teaching in higher education for over two decades, specializing in Creative Writing, 19th Century Literature, Folklore, and Film Studies. He has published articles and/or chapters on Charles Dickens, Civil War poets, human/animal interaction and symbolism, and zombies in film. He is also the author of Scratched Records, an ekphrastic book of poetry and art, and co-author of Speculative Modernism: How Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Conceived the 20th Century. In addition, he actively publishes poems ina variety of print and online publications and is currently Editor-In-Chief for Masque and Spectacle, a biannual arts and literature online journal.

Outside of his academic interests, he is an avid birder and naturalist, enjoys listening to and playing a diverse array of music, and regularly watches cartoons.   

Tanya Radford

B.A. – English: University of Utah
M.A. – English: University of Utah
Ph.D – English: City University of New York – Graduate Center

Tanya Radford is Assistant Professor of English and Co-Director of Honors at Dominican University, where she teaches beginning and advanced writing courses, early American literature, Enlightenment literature, and children’s and young adult literature.  She completed her B.A. and M.A. degrees at the University of Utah and then earned a Ph.D. in English from the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. Her doctoral research focused on affective response in 18th Century literature, and her current research continues that work by considering the cognitive and social benefits of leisure reading and the representation of reading, books, and libraries in works for young readers. She has published on Laurence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey. In addition to her role as co-director of honors at DUNY, Dr. Radford serves on the executive board of the Northeast Regional Honors Council as well as the NRHC’s student journal – Illuminate – as part of its editorial team.

Margaret E. Mulligan

B.S. – Mathematics: University of Scranton
M.S. – Mathematics: Seton Hall University

Professor Mulligan has been a full-time faculty member in the Mathematics department since 2002. She came to the college from the corporate world.

After graduating from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Magna cum laude, she worked at Bellcore (now Ericsson Technologies) for 12 years. As a Member of Technical Staff, she worked in the software division supporting outside plant engineers in the various telephone companies. She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Mathematics from Seton Hall University, graduating with honors.  

Professor Mulligan began at Dominican University as an adjunct instructor in January 1990 teaching Statistics in the Weekend College Program. She then taught the basic Math sequence in the ACCEL program for many years.

In addition to her degrees, Professor Mulligan holds NYS Teacher Certification for grades 7-12. She has been both a middle school and high school substitute teacher and taught as a long-term substitute for 5th grade and Advanced Math for eighth graders.

Lydia Maynard

B.S. – Virginia Tech (Mathematics)
M.A. – Virginia Tech (Education)
Ph.D. – Teachers College, Columbia University (Mathematics Education)

Dr. Lydia Maynard joined the mathematics department at Dominican University in 2012 after earning her doctorate in Mathematics Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. During the time she was working on her degree, she worked as an adjunct instructor in Manhattan at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Fashion Institute of Technology. 

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Maynard’s interests include community service and music. She has traveled to Honduras, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Mexico to volunteer with local groups. She has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity on two separate occasions — to Philadelphia and Baltimore, to help construct affordable housing for families in need. She has also volunteered with Dominican University students to go on Midnight Runs to bring food to the homeless on the streets of Manhattan. She also directs the a capella group on campus, Pitches and Cream. The group has performed at various school events, a Rockland Boulders game and even at a Mets game at Citifield. 

Kathleen Hickey

B.A. – Queens College, CUNY
M.S. – Queens College, CUNY
Ed.D. – Teachers College, Columbia University

As an educator for 40 years, Professor Hickey has taught a variety of students, ranging from traditional-aged students to returning adults, both undergraduate and graduate students. In 2023,  Kathleen was appointed as the University’s Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division. Her research interests include reading and writing with special emphasis on “remedial” work at the college level. She was instrumental in revamping Dominican University’s Freshmen Writing Sequence to accelerate students with their remediation so they could swiftly proceed with their college careers.

Additional research interests span the gamut from at-risk students to multicultural aspects of literature. She is a member of NCTE—National Council of Teachers of English, the NYCLA—New York College Learning Association, and NADE—the National Association of Developmental Educators. Yearly, she judges The Global Undergraduate Awards, an international competition of undergraduate papers from around the world.  Additionally, each fall, she participates in the NCTE Day of Writing, submitting entries for their National Day of Writing.

Her outside interests include traveling, attending plays, reading, listening to all genres of music, and generally being active.

See Professor Hickey's Presentations and Publications

“Revamping a Developmental Program: Making Big Changes” in The English Record—New York State English Council.

“Working With Marginalized Students—Uncovering Some Assumptions.” National Association of Developmental Education

38th Annual Northeast Modern Language Association Convention “Lovely, Lilting Voices: Contemporary Irish Women Poets’ Environs”

Bridging the Dominican Cultures at Dominican University Colloquium at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Kevin Hermberg

B.A.– English: Fort Lewis College
B.A.– Philosophy: Fort Lewis College
M.A.– Philosophy: Marquette University
Ph.D.– Philosophy: Marquette University

Kevin Hermberg joined the faculty at Dominican University in 2007.  Professor Hermberg’s research focus on 20th and 21st century European Philosophy (especially phenomenology and existentialism), but he is especially interested in putting various traditions and disciplines into conversation with one another.  He works primarily at the intersections of analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, literature, and natural sciences.  Professor Hermberg’s teaching experiences and interests are similarly cross-disciplinary and include work in the natural sciences, literature, and  writing, in addition to philosophy.  Before joining the faculty at Dominican University, professor Hermberg taught at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Carthage College, and Marquette University.

Professor Hermberg is founding editor (with Pol Vandevelde of Marquette University) of the book series, Issues in Phenomenology and Hermeneutics, published by Bloomsbury Academic Publishing. He is on the editorial board of American Association of Philosophy Teachers Studies in Pedagogy.  Dr. Hermberg is also actively involved with various groups and associations, including:

See Professor Hermberg's Publications and Presentations

Publications:

  • “Not Just Accommodating: Pedagogy Beyond the Archetypical” (with Rory Kraft), in Teaching Through Challenges: Preparation and Adaptability in the EDI Classroom. Rowman and Littlefield, 2020.
  • “Diversity Is Not Enough: The Importance of Inclusive Pedagogy” (with Melissa Jacquart, Rebecca Scott, Stephen Bloch-Schulman).  Teaching Philosophy, 2019.
  • Philosophy Through Teaching, Philosophy Documentation Center, 2014 (book co-edited with Emily Esch and Rory Kraft, Jr.).
  • Phenomenology and Virtue Ethics. Bloomsbury, 2013. (book co-edited with Paul Gyllenhammer).
  • Variations on Truth: Approaches in Contemporary Phenomenology. Continuum, 2011. (book co-edited with Pol Vandevelde).
  • “Phenomenology and Virtue Ethics: an Introduction” (chapter in Phenomenology and Virtue Ethics).
  • “Husserl’s (even more) Social Epistemology” (chapter in Variations on Truth: Approaches in Contemporary Phenomenology).
  • Husserl’s Phenomenology: Knowledge, Objectivity and Others. Continuum, 2006. (single authored book).

Professor Hermberg has presented papers on the teaching of philosophy as well as on his scholarly research.  Recent presentations have been on a variety of topics, including:

  • Strategies for Pre-Emptively Smoothing [somewhat] the Waters of Gen. Ed. Revision (Association for General and Liberal Studies, St. Louis, MO)
  • Successful Gen. Ed. Curriculum Revision—One College’s Story, Process, and Strategies (Association for General and Liberal Studies, St. Louis, MO)
  • Inclusive Practices: Moving Beyond Accommodation of Neurodifferences, with Rory Kraft (AAPT International Workshop-Conference on Teaching Philosophy, Otterbein University)
  • Phenomenological Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning, and Affectivity (Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists, Duquesne University)
  • Social Justice in the Philosophy Classroom,” with Rory Kraft (AAPT International Workshop-Conference on Teaching Philosophy, North Carolina A&T State University).
  • Husserlian Interdependencies: Consciousness-Embodiment (Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists, Ramapo College, NJ)
  • Husserl and Others: A Pair of Pairings (State University of New York, New Paltz)
  • Plato’s Theory of Forms as a Guide to Living in the “Real World” (Association of Core Texts and Courses, Milwaukee, WI)
  • Husserl’s Social Epistemology (Collective Intentionality-VII conference, University of Basel, Switzerland)
  • Teaching God (and other “hot moments”) … issues and approaches (18th International Workshop-Conference on Teaching Philosophy, AAPT, Coastal Carolina University)
  • A non-defensive defense of philosophy (17th International Workshop-Conference on Teaching Philosophy, AAPT, University of Guelph, Canada)
  • Edmund Husserl and Social Epistemology (Conference on Phenomenology, Marquette University)
  • Phenomenology as Philosophy of Mind (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
  • Taking the Humanities to the Public (Carthage College)
  • Utilizing Student Web Sites to Intertwine Breadth and Depth Our Courses (International Workshop-Conference on Teaching Philosophy, University of Toledo)
  • Wittgenstein’s Form of Life (Marquette University)
  • “Facticity and Transcendence in Husserlian Phenomenology: Intersections and Interdependencies” (Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists, Brock University, Canada).
  • “Living Well and Working Toward a More Just World: Plato as Guide and Motivator” (Colloquium of Dominican Universitys and Universities, Molloy College, NY).
  • “The Overlooked Others in Husserl’s Epistemology” (Interdisciplinary Coalition of North American Phenomenologists, St. Louis University, MO).

Colleen A. Evans

B.S. – Chemistry/Biology: Ouachita Baptist University
M.S. – Organic Chemistry: University of Missouri
Ph.D. – Higher Education: Seton Hall University

Professor Colleen Evans joined the Science Department as an adjunct professor in 2003, became an instructor in Chemistry in the Science Department in 2007 and was promoted to assistant professor of Chemistry in 2015. Professor Evans has taught General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry courses. 

Professor Evans’ research interests are focused on developing new and general synthetic organic methods for use in the design of novel compounds of biological and medicinal interest. The main current emphasis is twofold: 1) the application of selective thionation reactions to compounds of biological interest such as heterocyclic compounds and short peptides and 2) the development of novel thionating agents that are selective and practical for use in a wide variety of synthetic transformations. Professor Evans has also educational research interests which include retention of science students at the undergraduate level, exploration of innovative teaching methods and curriculum design to enhance the learning experience of science students, and increasing the number of science majors who become middle school and high school science teachers

One avenue of thionation reactions has been applied to serotonin receptors HTR1A/2 partial agonist/antagonist small molecules such as the clinical candidate adatanserin which led to the discovery of a novel agent thioadatanserin with EC50 of 6.7 nM against 5-HTR1A and IC50 of 62.3 nM against 5HTR2A as a potential agent for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Thioadatanserin was further modified by a novel tandem dialkylation reaction giving unexpected analogues.  The structure of one analogue was determined using X- ray single structure crystallography.

In another project, research is being carried out with our undergraduate research students to discover covalent peptidomimetic inhibitors of calpain enzymes as potential treatment of diseases such as muscular dystrophy.

Recently, she discovered a novel thionating agent which was termed TMPT whose X-ray crystal structure indicates high degree of symmetry that may be useful in achieving desired selectivity in thionation reaction. The scope of this novel thionating agent is being actively investigated.

Professor Evans spearheaded the curricular design and implementation of the new chemistry minor which was first offered in 2015. She has also served on the curriculum committee, freshman directorate, and adhoc committee charged with developing College-wide Educational Goals and Learning Objectives. As a coordinator of Science Department Seminar Series (2012-2015) she brought scientists from diverse disciplines to campus to speak and meet with Dominican University students.  Currently, she is the Chairperson of the Dominican University Institutional Review Board. 

Prior to joining Dominican University, Professor Evans’ scientific career started in 1984 as a synthetic chemist in the Agricultural Products Department at E. I. Dupont de Nemours (Wilmington, DE) working on the important class of sulfonyl ureas herbicides.  In 1987, she then joined the Medicinal Chemistry Department of BioChem Pharma (Quebec, Canada) as a research scientist and was involved in the discovery of Epivir licensed for the treatment of AIDS and hepatitis B infections.

Professor Evans is a recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship – Kiel, West Germany (1980-1981) and co-recipient of Prix-Galien Research Award (1996)

See Dr. Colleen Evans’ selected publications and presentations

C. A. Evans, A. Zuluaga, D. Vasquez Matute, S. Baradaran-Noviri, N. Perez-Cervantes, M. A. Siegler, Synthesis and biological evaluation of thioadatanserin and its dialkylated products as partial 5-HTR1A agonists and 5-HTR2A antagonists for potential use in depression and anxiety disorders. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2020, 30, in press.

C. A. Evans, R. Chen, and R. P. Hudes, Understanding determinants for STEM major choice among students beginning community college. Community College Review, 2020, 48, 227-251.

E. B. Voura,, M. J. Montalvo, K. T. Dela Roca, J. M. Fisher, V. Defamie, S. R. Narala, R. Khokha, M. E. Mulligan, C. A. Evans, Planarians as models of cadmium-induced neoplasia provide measurable benchmarks for mechanistic studies, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2017, 142, 544-554.

C.A. Evans, L. Bernier, J. Dugas and T.S. Mansour, Efficient resolution of oxidized Cleland’s reagent by C2 symmetric Boc-L-phenylalanyl esters, Tetrahedron Letters, 1997, 38, 7657-7600.

C.A. Evans, R.T. Hewgill and T.S. Mansour, Asymmetric synthesis of 2’-phosphonomethyl(3’,4’-dihydroxybutyl)cytosine and –guanine nucleotides, Tetrahedron: Asymmetry, 1997, 8, 2299-2302.

T.S. Mansour, C.A. Evans, M. Charron and B.E. Korba, Discovery of imidazo[1,2-c]pyrimidin-5(6H)-one heterosubstituted nucleoside analogues with potent activity against human hepatitis B virus in vitro, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 1997, 7, 303-309.

H. Jin, M.A. Siddiqui, C.A. Evans, H.L.A. Tse, T.S. Mansour, M.D. Goodyear, P. Ravenscroft and C.D. Beels, Diastereoselective synthesis of the potent antiviral agent (-)-2′-deoxy-3′-thiacytidine and Its enantiomer, Journal of  Organic Chemistry, 1995, 60, 2621-2623.

K. Bednarski, D.M. Dixit, W. Wang, C.A. Evans, H. Jin, L. Yuen, T.S. Mansour, D.J. Knight, S.M. Walcott and J.A.V. Coates, Inhibitory activities of herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2 and human cytomegalovirus by stereoisomers of 2′-deoxy-3′-oxa-5(E)-(2-bromovinyl)uridines and their 4′-thio Analogues, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 1994, 4, 2667-2672 

C.A. Evans, D.M. Dixit, M.A. Siddiqui, H. Jin, H.L.A. Tse, A. Cimpoia, K. Bednarski, T. Breining and T.S. Mansour, Divergent asymmetric synthesis of dioxolane nucleoside analogues, Tetrahedron: Asymmetry, 1993, 4, 2319-2322

Stereoselective Synthesis of Nucleoside Analogues using Bicyclic intermediate, PCT: PCT/CA/9400311, published December 22, 1994.

C. A. Evans and R. Chen, Toward the Understanding of Community Colleges in STEM Education Landscape: Development of STEM College Major Choice Model, 38th Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Conference, St. Louis, MO, November 2013.

C. A. Evans and R. Chen, Determinants of STEM Majors Choice:  A Comparison between Community Colleges and Four-Year Institutions, American Education Research Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2014.

C. A. Evans, Tools for Building Bridges Across the Science Disciplines: A Guide to Concept and Curriculum Mapping, 2015 General Meeting of American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, LA, May 30, 2015.

Andrea Zuluaga (C.A. Evans, mentor), Synthesis of thioadatanserin: Illuminating the public on drug discovery in academia, 2017 Northeast Regional Honors Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Natalia Perez-Cervantes (C. A. Evans, mentor), Synthesis of novel alkyl piperazinyl salts as potential anxiolytic and antidepressant agents via chemoselective alkylation of thioadatanserin,  73nd annual Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) Manhattan College, New York, April 6, 2019.

Graduated research students: 

Sarah Baradarin-Noviri, Shaheim Hill, Jovana Jones, Gene Kerstanski, Tiffany Ortiz, Jennifer Paride, Natalia Perez –Cervantes, Abel Rosario, Diego Vasquez Matute, Andrea Zuluaga