Meet the New Faculty and Staff

Welcome new faculty and staff in the College of Arts and Sciences!

 Shawn Adkins,  Pre-Health Professions Advisor

Shawn Adkins holds an Ed.D. in educational practice and leadership from the University of North Dakota, an Ed.S. in education innovation and leadership from Fort Hays State University, a M.S. in management from Indiana Wesleyan University and a B.A. in political science from Berea College.  Before coming to Xavier to serve as the Pre-Professional Health Advisor, he spent much of the past decade as an academic advisor for nursing and pre-health programs at two other universities.  He is a proud member of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) and the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).  

Michelle Blevins, College Operations Coordinator

Michelle Blevins has bachelor’s degree in business finance and computer science and is currently working on a master’s degree in pastoral ministry here at Xavier. Her previous work experiences include retail, banking operations and technology, and youth and young adult ministry.

 Chase Cormier, Visiting Faculty, French

Chase Cormier holds a Ph.D. in Francophone Studies from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he also served as editor of Feux Follets, an in-house review of creative writing and visual art from 2018 to 2023. His research examines literary trends in Francophone North America, with a particular interest in Louisiana French literature and food. He is the founder and host of Louisiane en vers, a bilingual podcast that explores current poetic trends in Louisiana and pays special attention to the therapeutic role of poetry in the region by responding to intergenerational trauma with community healing. 

Matthew Lee, Visiting Faculty, Director of Choral Activities, Music and Theatre

Matthew Lee (he/him) is a versatile conductor and accomplished singer hailing from Mississippi. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Choral Music Education from the University of North Texas’ College of Music, a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. With a passion for building organizational structures and fostering community, Lee has garnered extensive experience in the arts industry. His training under esteemed choral conductors, including Drs. Joe Miller, Brett Scott, Jerry McCoy, and Richard Sparks, has greatly shaped his conducting expertise.
 

Mark Mitchell, Assistant Professor, Biology

Mark Mitchell earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Cincinnati and his M.S. in biology from Loyola University Chicago. His expertise is in plant ecology and environmental sustainability. He teaches general biology and botany. Mark’s research seeks to apply and improve vegetated systems to address environmental issues associated with urbanization and food production. His laboratory group is currently focused on 1.) Understanding the benefits that vegetated systems such as green roofs (think plants on a roof) provide in urban areas and how they can be managed and designed better to maximize these benefits, and 2.) Understanding and implementing strategies for maximizing crop production and other benefits from agricultural systems, including carbon and nutrient sequestration and wildlife habitat. Strategies of interest include wetland restoration, drainage water recycling, biochar, and cultivation of native edible plants.

Shouryya 'Sony' Mitra, Assistant Professor, Mathematics

Shouryya 'Sony' Mitra, Ph.D. was born and brought up in India, Sony received a 5-year BS-MS dual degree in Mathematics from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata in 2018. Soon after, he moved to US as he completed his Masters in Statistics from University of Kentucky in 2020. Sony graduated with his PhD in Statistics from University of Kentucky in 2024. His research area is High Dimensional Statistics, and he loves teaching.

 

Florenz Plassmann, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Florenz Plassmann earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Virginia Tech; he has served as Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University, and for over 20 years, he was a faculty member in the departments of economics and political science at Binghamton University, where he also served as chair of the Economics Department and as Associate Dean of Harpur College of Arts & Sciences.  Dr Plassmann has been a program director of the economics program at the National Science Foundation as well as a visiting resident scholar at the International Monetary Fund.  He is a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and a past associate editor of the journal Economics Bulletin.  Dr Plassmann has served on over 20 doctoral committees, and he is the author of more than 30 publications.

Kara Schatz, Assistant Professor, CSCI

Kara Schatz earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in computer science from North Carolina State University with a dissertation on domain-aware knowledge-graph construction and analysis. During graduate school, she taught courses on Python, SQL, and Data Science. Before graduate school, she earned a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from Xavier University, and she is thrilled to be a part of the Xavier community once again. 

Nick Tackes, Besl Chair for Ethics/Religion and Society

Nick Tackes holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Religion from Columbia University and a B.A. in Religion from Carthage College. Since 2022, he has taught Asian Studies and Religious Studies at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. Tackes researches religion and healing in contemporary South Asia, and his analytical focus is on Hindus who apply ritual practices to solve everyday problems and societal crises. His current book project, Everyday Eschatology, compares the ritual programs of two Hindu institutions that are preparing for the end of the world. 

Jenna Wood, College Operations Coordinator

Jenna Wood earned an Honors B.F.A in Fine Art from Xavier University in 2024. Jenna is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and worked as a Student Recruitment Director for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions while completing her degree. She brings her experience and knowledge of Xavier as a student into her role as a College Operations Coordinator for the College of Arts and Science Dean’s Office.