Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), a Maricopa Community College, has hired five new faculty members who will begin teaching classes this fall semester. During the past year, the college has begun the transition to the Learning College model. The Learning College model includes five objectives that the college will apply to every aspect of everyday teaching and operation - staff recruitment and development is one of these objectives."
This year, EMCC continues to focus on factors and strategies that contribute to good learning experiences for students and employees. This commitment causes us to be diligent in the recruitment and hiring of the best possible professionals for our highly coveted faculty positions. We are very excited to have these experts joining the ranks of our faculty," said Dr. Bryan Tippett, vice president of academic affairs.
Estrella Mountain's new faculty hires for 2008 are as follows:
-Alex Pirehpour-Andrews, English, holds a Master of Arts in English with an emphasis on Ethnic Literature and a Bachelor of Arts in English, both from Arizona State University. Andrews also holds an Associate of Arts in English from Glendale Community College. In his ten years of teaching experience, Andrews has focused on the perspectives of underrepresented groups in the United States and abroad, and applied this to his study and presentation of English and literature courses. He has taught at Estrella Mountain as an adjunct instructor for three years where he has developed and instructed several new classes while being a key contributor to the college's diversity committee and student organizations.
-Maria Barros, Nursing, holds a master's degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix, a bachelor's degree in nursing from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and a bachelor's degree in Economics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Barros has taught nursing as an adjunct faculty member at Scottsdale Community College during the last year and has also taught at Arizona State University for three years. She has extensive hospital experience including positions as staff nurse and clinical educator at Scottsdale Healthcare and Banner Health Arizona.
-Erin Blomstrand, English, holds a post-master's Certificate in Community College Teaching from Cappella University, a Master of Arts in English Literature from Mills College in Oakland, California, a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, and an Associate of Arts in General Education from Diablo Valley College in California. She is also currently working on a Doctor of Education at Cappella University. Blomstrand has taught English courses at Estrella Mountain Community College since 2004 and has participated in numerous campus events that focus on diversity and globalization.
-Michael Boring, Ph.D., Philosophy, holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Fordham University in Bronx, New York, a Master of Arts in Philosophy, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, both from San Diego State University in San Diego, California. Boring has ten years of experience teaching philosophy at New York and Colorado-area community colleges and universities. He also has extensive experience working with economically disadvantaged students and providing tutoring services in reading and mathematics.
-Debra Storey, Nursing, holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. She has more than 20 years of nursing experience and has taught for several of the Maricopa Community Colleges during the last few years. She has experience in a variety of specialties including new-born nursery, neonatal intensive care, pediatric psychiatry, high-risk perinatalogy, labor and delivery, pediatric/obstetric community/home health nursing, cardiology, oncology, and more.