Faculty & Staff Directory
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Dr. Matthew A. Butkus earned undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University (BSLA – German/Philosophy) and the University of Pittsburgh (Psychology), graduate degrees from Duquesne University (MA – Philosophy; PhD – Health Care Ethics), and is a certified Healthcare Ethics Consultant (HEC-C) through the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. He teaches for both the College of…
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Dr. Rita Costello earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and English from Bowling Green State University, her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and English from Wichita State University, and her PhD in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her research interests are broad from composition pedagogy to popular…
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Michael Robins holds degrees from the University of Oregon (BA in English) and UMass Amherst (MFA in Creative Writing). He is the author of five collections of poetry, most recently The Bright Invisible (Saturnalia Books, 2022), and his writing has appeared in American Poetry Review, The Common, New England Review, Poetry, Puerto del Sol, and…
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Mike Horner earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (BA – English) and his graduate degrees from McNeese State University (MFA – Creative Writing, Fiction; MA – English Literature). He is the Director of the MFA Creative Writing Program. He teaches graduate and undergraduate writing and literature courses. Horner is the author…
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Dr. Emily A. O’Dell earned an undergraduate degree from University of California, Santa Barbara (BA in French) and graduate degrees from Louisiana State University (MA in French Studies & PhD in Comparative Literature). Her research interests include folklore and literature of Louisiana and the Caribbean. Her work has been published in The Louisiana Folklife Journal, The…
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Kevin Thomasonis the author of the poetry collection, Even the Sky. He teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing and directs McNeese’s first-year writing classes. Courses Taught:
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Dr. Jimmy F. Trahan is an accomplished educator with nearly two decades of experience teaching English and Psychology here at McNeese. He holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Learning from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in both English and Psychology from McNeese State University. Courses Taught:
Read Jimmy Fields Trahan's Full BioDr. Michael Crawford earned a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in European History with a focus on the period of the Renaissance and Reformation and an emphasis on Spanish history during this time period. He previously earned a BA in International Studies from the University of Washington. His book The Fight for Status and Privilege…
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Dr. Jessica DeJohn Bergen earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southeastern Louisiana University and later completed a second Bachelor of Arts in American Studies with a minor in African American History at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in History from the same institution…
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Dr. Philippe Girard earned his BA in Political Sciences from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (‘Sciences Po’) and his MA and Ph.D. in History from Ohio University. A native of the French Caribbean, he specializes in the history of the Haitian Revolution. His most recent books are “A Day in Colonial Haiti” (2024) and…
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Dr. Ilya A. Okhotnikov earned his Doctor of Ministry in Family Ministry and Counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Philosophy in Family Sciences from the University of Kentucky. He has been a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) through the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) since 2018. Dr. Okhotnikov serves as the…
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Victoria Jeansonne earned undergraduate degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University (BA in History, BA in Political Science) and Nunez Community College (AA in Paralegal Studies). She holds a MA in Political Science from Louisiana State University, and is currently a PhD candidate, ABD in Political Science from Louisiana State University, with an expertise in American Politics and…
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Dr. Johannes “Hanno” Bulhof earned his BA in Philosophy from the University of Texas and his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. He specializes in logic, ethics, the history of philosophy, political philosophy, and modal metaphysics. Courses Taught
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Dr. Tuminello is an assistant professor of philosophy at McNeese State University and a certified Healthcare Ethics Consultant (HEC-C) through the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. His research interests include the philosophies of food, medicine, animals, and the environment through the lenses of hermeneutics, pragmatism, and Jainism. Courses Taught
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While studying mathematics and computer science at California State University at Chico, Todd Furman got bit by the philosophy bug. Todd changed his course of study and graduated from Chico State with a B.A. in philosophy in At Chico, Todd focused his studies on (French) existentialism, epistemology, and David Hume. Todd received his Ph.D. in…
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Dr. Gregory Clark earned his Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement Administration and his Master of Science in Sociology from Western Illinois University, and his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. He is a lifetime member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. He research interests include assessing public attitudes toward crime…
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Dr. Michael T. Smith is a Professor and serves as the Head of the Department of History. He earned his PhD in American History from Pennsylvania State University in 2005. Courses taught:
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Dr. Stan Weeber earned sociology degrees from Simpson College (B.A.), Mississippi State University (M.A.) and the University of North Texas (Ph.D). His sociological interests include collective behavior, social movements, and political and historical sociology. His work has been presented at annual meetings of the American Sociological Association, the American Society of Criminology, the Society for…
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Barbara H. Wyman earned her Masters of English Literature and Masters of Fine Arts degree in poetry and translation from McNeese State University, focusing on Latin translation. She is co-translator and co-editor of the Ignatius Critical Edition of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy. Current research focuses on John Henry Newman’s poetry and Boethian influence in Early Modern…
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Dr. Scott Goins earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee, and his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Florida State University. Dr. Goins serves as the Director of the McNeese State University Honors college, and translated and edited the Ignatius Critical Edition of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy with Barbara H. Wyman. Courses…
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