Huntington College Welcomes Four New Faculty Members
FOR RELEASE: Monday, September 10, 2001
Huntington, Ind. "Huntington College welcomed four new members to its faculty at the start of the school year. Ms. Kathy A. Turner joined the Education Department, Mr. Michael J. Burnett joined the Theatre Department, Dr. George W. Killian, Jr. joined the Music Department and Dr. Ray A. Seilhamer joined the Graduate School of Christian Ministries. Dr. Ron Webb, Vice President and Dean of Huntington College, will introduce the new faculty at Wednesday's HC Foundation breakfast. Ms. Kathy A. Turner accepted the position of Instructor in Education. She holds a B.A. from Greenville College and an M.S. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities. She spent several years teaching special education in the public school system, and for the last two years has been a full-time faculty member in the Education Department at Central Christian college in Kansas. In addition to her classes at Central Christian college, Turner taught as an adjunct at Tabor College. She also served on the Site Council for Roosevelt Elementary School in McPherson, Kansas, and helped them prepare for their state accreditation visit last April. In 1998, Turner was a presenter at a workshop for teachers at ESSDACK (an educational consortium in central Kansas) on Continuous Progress/Multiage Education and its implications for Special Education. Kathy and her husband, Gary, - who is HC's athletic director and men's and women's tennis coach - have three children, Matthew, Katie and Andrew.
At Huntington College, the loving, caring, friendly atmosphere is really awesome, as is the quality of the faculty, said Ms. Turner. I look forward to getting the students excited about being teachers.
Mr. Michael J. Burnett accepted the appointment as Assistant Professor of Theatre. He completed his B.A. in theatre at Sul Ross University in Texas and his M.F.A. in scenic design from the University of Mississippi. Burnett has worked for several years as Technical Director and Designer at the Seven Stages Theater in Atlanta, working with local and international theatre artists on productions on the stage. Before coming to Huntington, Burnett served as Technical Director/Designer and adjunct professor of theatre at North Carolina Wesleyan College, where he started a weekly praise and worship service. Burnett served as a volunteer music minister at his church in North Carolina. Mike and his wife, Ella, " an adjunct professor in theatre and speech at HC " have one son, Connor, who is two years old.
I look forward to building the technical theatre program and major, said Burnett, and continuing to be used by God in whatever endeavors he has for my family and me.
Dr. George W. Killian, Jr. accepted the appointment as Assistant Professor of Music. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education in 1988 from Anderson University. Killian traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe with the Anderson University Chorale. He received a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Ball State University in 1991. While at Ball State University, Killian was a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Choral Conducting. In December of 2000, he graduated from Arizona State University with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music. While at Arizona State University, he was the conductor of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble and taught the Beginning Choral Conducting class. During the previous seven years Killian was the Director of Vocal Music at Casa Grande Union High School in Casa Grande, Arizona. Killian was a regular soloist with the Phoenix Bach Choir. He also appeared with the Phoenix Boys Choir and the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. He was the tenor soloist for the premiere performance of James DeMars' American Requiem, which was performed by the Arizona State University Concert Choir and University Choir, and members of the Phoenix Symphony. Killian appeared as tenor soloist with the Arizona State University Orchestra, Choral Union, and Concert Choir for Ralph Vaughan Williams' Hodie. Twice, Killian placed in the Regional Auditions of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. George and his wife, Joni, - an adjunct voice teacher at HC " have a daughter, Kaylie, who is five years old.
I love the Christian atmosphere on campus and the way that faculty treat each other with respect and consideration, said Killian. My goal at the college is to help the music department reach its full potential by graduating competent, successful, and most importantly, Christian musicians.
Dr. Ray A. Seilhamer accepted the appointment as Associate Dean for the Graduate School of Christian Ministries, Director of Pastoral Ministries and Professor of Practical Theology. He holds a B.A. in history from Huntington College and a Bachelor of Divinity from Huntington College Theological Seminary. Seilhamer has a Masters degree in theology, homiletics and liturgics from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Theology from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Seilhamer was active in pastoral ministry since 1961, and has served as president of Evangelical School of Theology. He has been a member of the Huntington College Board of Trustees since 1993 and chaired the trustees' Advancement Committee since 1994. Seilhamer was bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ from 1993-2001. Ray and his wife, Ruth, have three grown children and ten grandchildren.
