ODU Welcomes New Faculty
November 18, 2003
COLUMBUS, OH -Ohio Dominican University recently added six new full-time faculty members, in the departments of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Philosophy and Theology. Four staff members were also added in the departments of Advancement, Service-Learning, Information Services, and Behavioral & Social Sciences
Gail L. Ukockis has joined the faculty of the Behavioral & Social Sciences Department. Prior to joining Ohio Dominican, Ukockis was a graduate teaching assistant for Colorado State University's History Department, the University of Connecticut's History Department, and The Ohio State University's College of Social Work. In 2003 Ukockis was named "Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year" by OSU's College of Social Work. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in History from Colorado State University, and a master's degree in Social Work from OSU. She is a candidate in Ohio State's doctoral program in the College of Social Work.
Peter Margaritis, an accounting instructor, has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky; a master's degree in Accountancy from Case Western Reserve University; and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska. A CPA, he is a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. Prior to coming to Ohio Dominican, Margaritis was Chair for Accounting for Franklin University's Ross School of Management and Leadership (Columbus, OH).
Jay Young, Ph.D., brings expertise in graduate and undergraduate classroom instruction for both traditional and adult students, as well as electronic distance education delivery, and academic program administration and development. Dr. Young served as a member of the faculty and chair of the MBA program at Franklin University. Before that, he was the Director of the Texas Christian University Leadership Center at the Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth. He received a bachelor's degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University; a master's degree in Management and Administrative Sciences from the University of Texas; and master's and doctoral degrees in Counselor Education and Educational Policy and Leadership from OSU.
Janet Spence, Ph.D., most recently served as a research program assistant in the State of Ohio's Tech Prep Curriculum Services, and was also employed as a graduate assistant in Ohio State University's School-to-Work Workforce Development Clearinghouse and International Enterprise Academy. Prior to that time, she served as program coordinator for Executive Development at OSU. Dr. Spence received bachelor's and master's degrees in Natural Resources and Horticulture from Michigan State University; an MBA with an emphasis on Marketing from OSU; and a doctoral degree with a specialization in Workforce Education and Development, also from OSU.
Janet Rogers has joined ODU as a full-time instructor in the Education Division. Rogers has been an adjunct professor at the university since 1996. She has taught numerous Education courses at Ohio Dominican, as well as at Surry Community College, Dobson, N.C.; Owens Community College, Toledo, Ohio; Lawton Business Schools, Columbus, Ohio; and Shawnee High School, Lima, Ohio. She also served as the academic advisor/admissions representative for Owens Technical College, Toledo; and coordinator of the Academically Disadvantaged Student Program, Lima Technical College. Rogers received a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Cum Laude, from the University of Akron; a master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and Adult Learner Focus from Bowling Green State University.
Michael Dougherty, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of the Division of Philosophy and Theology. He came to Ohio Dominican from Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he taught philosophy while finishing his doctoral degree. Dr. Dougherty holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Thomas More College; a master's degree in Philosophy from The Catholic University of America; and a doctoral degree in Philosophy from Marquette University.
Ashley Dudley has joined the department of Advancement as Director of Annual Giving. In that role, she will be responsible for increasing alumni/aei participation in the Ohio Dominican Fund, and helping the university fulfill its fundraising goals. Dudley has an expansive portfolio documenting her work in higher education. Prior to coming to ODU, she served as an admissions counselor for Southern Methodist University in Dallas; as assistant to the president at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn.; and as an academic counselor and outreach coordinator at Kansas State University's A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She received a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University.
Sheila Rettig is the university's new Director of Information Services. In that role, Rettig is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the Information Services Department, which oversees the delivery and operation of the university's integrated information systems. Prior to coming to Ohio Dominican, Rettig was vice president of application and operations technology for Wendy's International, and an assistant vice president at Huntington Bank. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Technology from Purdue University.
Debra Volzer, Ph.D. is Coordinator of ODU's Center for Instructional Technology. The Center for Instructional Technology, housed in the Spangler Learning Center on ODU's main campus, assists faculty with course development, web-based teaching and learning, and digital media and design. Dr. Volzer has an extensive background in higher education, both from the faculty and administrative side. For the past several years, she has worked in distance education at the state level as director of virtual programs and services for Franklin University; and as a distance learning specialist for the Ohio Learning Network. She earned a bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Kansas; a master's degree in Music from Yale University; and a doctoral degree in Musical Arts from The Ohio State University.
