FACULTY & STAFF
ADMINISTRATIVE
Director:
Yi-Chun Tricia Lin (林怡君), Ph.D.
liny4@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6864
Administrative Assistant/Secretary:
Caroline Chamberlain
chamberlaic1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6133
The Women's Studies Steering Committee (2012-)
Rosalyn Amenta
Brandon Hutchinson
Sobeira Latorre
Yi-Chun Tricia Lin
Annette Madlock Gatison
Jane McGinn
Virginia Metaxas
Jessie Whitehead
FACULTY
AMENTA, ROSALYN, Adjunct Professor, Women's Studies; B.A., Southern Connecticut State University;
M.A.R., Yale Divinity School; Ph.D., Fordham University
amentar1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5864
Rosalyn Amenta received her Ph.D. in the history of religions at Fordham University,
and her Master of Arts in Religion at Yale Divinity School. Her area of specialization
is comparative religious philosophy with an emphasis on the image, status and role
of women in world religions.
Dr. Amenta has taught numerous courses in Women's Studies, Anthropology, Sociology,
Religious Studies and Philosophy at Southern including the team-taught interdisciplinary
institutes, Woman, Heal Thyself and Women and Professional Ethics. She served as
Co-Coordinator of the Women's Studies Program 1989-2002 and Graduate Coordinator of
Women's Studies 1999-2002.
ANTHIS, KRISTINE, Associate Professor, Psychology; B.A., St. Xavier University; M.A., Ph.D., University
of Nebraska
anthisk1@southernct.edu
Kristine Anthis earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska in
2000. She has been an assistant professor of psychology at SCSU since 2001. Her publications
concern the role that stressful life events play in adolescent and adult identity
development. She teaches the Women's Studies graduate course Psychology of Women.
She was the Graduate Coordinator for Women's Studies during the Spring 2003 semester.
APPLEBY, GEORGE A., Professor, Health and Human Services; B.A., University of Connecticut; M.S.W., University
of North Carolina; D.S.W., Columbia University
applebyg1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6567
APPLEWHITE, HARRIET B., CSU Professor, Professor, Political Science; B.A., Smith College; M.A., Ph.D., Stanford
University
applewhiteh1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5659
ARBOLEDA, CARLOS A., Professor, Foreign Languages; B.A., Universidad de Santiago De Cali, Colombia; M.A.,
Ph.D., Syracuse University
arboledac1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6754
BEALS, POLLY, Associate Professor, History; B.A., College of Wooster, Ohio; M.A., University of
Pennsylvania; Ph.D., Rutgers University
bealsp1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5610
Polly Beals received her Ph.D. from Rutgers University where she concentrated in
comparative women's history, British history, and modern European history. She is
engaged in a study of a British socialist feminist organization, the Fabian Women's
Group, from its origins in the late 19th century up through its contributions to the
second wave of feminism in the 1960s. She has been a member of the SCSU Women's Studies
program since 1992. She has taught in the graduate Women's Studies program (History
of Feminist Thought and Research Methods) and supervised graduate Women's Studies
teaching internships in her undergraduate Women in Modern Europe course. She is currently
a member of the Women's Studies Steering Committee.
BENNETT, THERESE, Professor, Mathematics; B.A., Temple University, M.A., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
bennettt1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6997
Terri Bennett is an associate professor of mathematics at Southern. She earned her
Ph. D. in applied mathematics at the University of Pittsburgh , where she wrote her
dissertation on a mathematical model of the optical finishing process for telescope
lenses. Since then, she spent a year's sabbatical reviewing the literature on women's
issues in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), has written a review
essay on bibliographic materials in this area, and has given a talk on gender differences
in spatial visualization skills. She is currently working on an annotated bibliography
and on the development of a course on gender issues in mathematics and science.
BIER, LISA, Social Sciences Reference Librarian
bierl1@southernct.edu
Lisa Bier is an associate librarian at SCSU's Buley Library. She is the librarian
liaison for the departments of Anthropology, Sociology, Social Work, Political Science,
and Marriage and Family Therapy. Her book, American Indian and African American People,
Communities, and Interactions: An Annotated Bibliography, was published in 2004 by
Greenwood/Praeger Press.
BLACKMER, CORINNE, Associate Professor, English; B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
blackmerc1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6715
Corinne E. Blackmer received her B.A. in English, her M.A. in Ancient and Modern
Rhetoric and, in 1991, her Ph.D. in American literature and language from UCLA. She
worked with Lillian Faderman and Paula Gunn Allen and, appointed a Visiting Assistant
Professor at UCLA for two years, piloted a seminar in pre-Stonewall Lesbian Literature
and Culture as well as another course in Culture, Ethics, and Sexuality. She was
also actively engaged in ACT-UP and is currently a speaker for Love Makes a Family,
the non-profit Connecticut organization dedicated to the legalization of same-sex
marriage. At Southern, she teaches American literature, "Gay and Lesbian Literature
and Film," "Queer Theory," and two university-wide literature requirements: "Sexuality
and Ethics in Contemporary Culture" and "Jewish American Literature." In addition,
she teaches "The Literature of the Hebrew Bible." Her course offerings and her research
emerge from her identities as a Jewish lesbian feminist. She has published numerous
articles on queer representations and authorship in American and, on occasion, British
literature, and her book "Sapphists, Suffragists, and Streetwalkers" is under submission
to U Mass Press. She has recently completed the second draft of an ambitious project,
tentatively titled, "The Exiled Word: Meditations on Post-Holocaust Feminist Biblical
Interpretation."
BLOCH, JON, Professor, Sociology; Ph.D., Indiana University
blochj1@southernct.edu;(203) 392-5685
BRENY, JEAN M., Professor, Public Health; MPH, San Jose State University; PhD, University of North
Carolina School of Public Health
brenybontej1@southernct.edu
Jean M. Breny received her BA in Communications from Western Connecticut State University
in 1986, her MPH in Community Health Education from San Jose State University in 1994,
and her PhD in Health Behavior/Health Education from the University of North Carolina
School of Public Health in 2000. She joined the Department of Public Health as an
Assistant Professor in 2000 and currently teaches undergraduate and graduate-level
community health education courses. Dr. Breny's dissertation research was an exploration
into social and cultural factors that affect low-income African American women's ability
to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. Her work with HIV/AIDS includes
program planning and evaluation, HIV behavior modification, and HIV medication adherence
research. Dr. Breny's current efforts focus on eliminating health disparities through
research and practice efforts that are participatory, community-based, and culturally
sensitive.
BUZZELL, JUDITH, Professor Emerita, Education; M.A., University of Wisconsin; 6th Year, Columbia
University.
buzzellj2@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6431
CONFORTI, ROSEMARIE, Associate Professor, Media Studies; B.S., Southern Connecticut State University;
M.A., Ph.D., New York University
confortir1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5379
CRAWFORD, ILENE, Professor, English; B.S.S., Cornell College; M.A., State University of New York at
Binghamton; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee crawfordI1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-7051
Ilene Crawford is an Associate Professor of English and Women's Studies. She holds
a PhD in English with a specialization in rhetoric and composition studies from the
University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee, an MA in English from the State University of
New York at Binghamton, and a Bachelor of Special Studies in Classical Studies from
Cornell College. Dr. Crawford teaches courses that examine histories of race, class,
gender, nation, and sexuality and their effects on the material lives of individuals
and groups. As a teacher and a writer she is particularly interested in questioning
traditional definitions of research and scholarly writing. Her publications include
articles and chapters on feminist rhetoric and feminist rhetorical methodology. Her
most recent work examines the effects of globalization on Vietnamese women's literacy
practices.
DISANO, CYNTHIA L., Director Emeritus of Student Activities and Special Events; Adjunct Professor,
Sociology and Women's Studies; Ph.D., University of Connecticut
disanoc2@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6168
Cynthia L. DiSano has been employed at Southern Connecticut State University since
September 1970. She teaches Gender and the Law in Women's Studies, Juvenile Delinquency
and Introduction to Sociology in the Sociology Department. She is currently a full
time administrator at Southern Connecticut State University as the director of the
John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts. She also does risk management for the university.
She received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership with a Concentration in School and
University Law from the University of Connecticut, her M.A. in Student Personnel Services
in Higher Education from New York University, and her B.A. in Social Sciences/Secondary
Education from Rhode Island College. She was appointed by Governor Rowland to the
State Insurance and Risk Management Board for the State of Connecticut and served
eight years. Additionally, for the past four years she has been a member of the Board
of Directors of CWEALF (Connecticut Women's Education And Legal Fund), which advocates
development of women and girls in the state of Connecticut.
EICH-KROHM, ASTRID, Associate Professor, Sociology; B.A., M.A., Ph.D., State University of New York,
Albany
eichkrohma2@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5683
EMMELMAN, DEBRA S., Professor, Sociology; B.A., Indiana University; M.A., Ph.D., University of California
at San Diego
emmelmand1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5686
GARVEY, SHEILA, Professor, Theatre; M.A., Northwestern University; Ph.D., Indiana University .
garveys1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6102
GORNIAK-KOCIKOWSKA, KRYSTYNA, Professor, Philosophy; Ph.D., Temple University .
gorniakk1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6784
GUARINO, JENNIFER, Adjunct Professor, English
guarinoj1@southernct.edu
HAYMES, ELAYNE B., Associate Professor, Social Work; B.A., Hunter College; M.S.W., Adelphi University;
Ph.D., Fordham University
haymese1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5685
HOLBROOK, SUE ELLEN, Professor, English; A.B., M.S., Ph.D., University of California-Los Angeles
holbrooks1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6740
HUTCHINSON, BRANDON, Associate Professor, English; B.A., Hobart and William Smith College; M.A., Ph.D.,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
hutchinsonb1@southernct.edu ; (203) 392-7114
JACKSON, SHIRLEY A., Professor, Sociology; B.A., Wayne State University; M.A., Ph.D., University of California,
Santa Barbara
jacksons1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5676
Shirley Jackson's area of specialization are race/ethnicity, gender, and social movements.
She also does work on African American women's organizations, race and class in Cuba,
the United States, and Brazil. Dr. Jackson is an active member of several professional
sociology associations. Her most recent research project has been with former SCSU
graduate student, Dina Giovanelli. Their project was a socio-historical exploration
of U.S. and global themes of race/ethnicity and gender in political cartoons during
WWII and the Civil Rights Movement and was presented at the American Sociological
Association and Society for the Study of Social Problems conferences in August 2004.
Her research has focused on race and class in Cuba since the Cuban Revolution. She
is in the process of developing a project that would permit faculty and students to
travel to Cuba. Additionally, she is working on the development of affirmative action
policies on education in Brazil. In addition, Dr. Jackson has conducted research on
mentoring programs for African American girls and empowerment in African American
women's organizations.
KERR, AUDREY E., Professor, English; B.A., Rutgers University; M.A.R., Yale University; M.A., Ph.D.,
University of Maryland, College Park
kerra1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5114
Audrey Kerr received a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers, M.A. and Ph.D. in
English Literature from University of Maryland and a MAR in Religion and the Arts
from Yale Divinity School (Gabriel Scholar, 1999-2001). She has been an associate
professor of English at SCSU since 2001, with a specialization in African American
Literature. She is also Chaplain and Spiritual Director at Leeway, Inc.,a skilled
nursing facility for people living with HIV and AIDS. Audrey joined Women's Studies
as Graduate Director in Fall 2004.
Dr. Kerr has published work in African American spirituality, African American Women's
Literature and Literature and AIDS. Her first book is titled "The Paper Bag Principle:
Myth-Making and Rumor in the Growth and Development of Black Washington, D.C."
LIN, YI-CHUN TRICIA (林怡君), Professor and Director, Women's Studies; B.A., National Taiwan Normal University;
M.A., Tamkang University, Taiwan; Ph.D., State University of New York at Stony Brook
liny4@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6864
A 17th-generation daughter of Taiwan, Yi-Chun Tricia Lin (林怡君) is Director and Professor
of Women's Studies Program at Southern Connecticut State University. She traveled
from her native island to pursue a doctoral degree in continental philosophy and theory.
In the process, she found herself home in ethnic studies and women's studies. Her
dissertation, a study of Asian American women's cultural and literary productions,
was her first step away from her "European" education. Since her doctoral days, her
research and teaching have gone intensely ethnic, feminist, and post-colonial. Among
her recent projects is a comparative cultural studies of Indigenous and diasporic
women's writing from the Caribbean and Pacific islands. Before joining the Women's
Studies faculty at Southern in 2004, Lin taught writing and literature and Asian
American literature at City University of New York/Borough of Manhattan Community
College from 1994-2004, where she discovered her passion for teaching for liberation
of all minds and found her calling in struggle for peace and justice.
LAROCCO, STEVEN M., Professor, English; B.A., University of Massachusetts; M.A., Ph.D., Rice University
laroccos1@southernct.edu ; (203) 392-5494
LATORRE, SOBEIRA, Assistant Professor, World Languages and Literatures; B.A., Amherst College; M.A.,
Ph.D., Stony Brook University
latorres1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6774
MADLOCK GATISON, ANNETTE., Associate Professor, Communication; B.A., M.A., Bethel University; Ph.D., Howard
University
madlocka1@southernct.edu ; (203) 392-5522
MCGINN, JANE, Professor, Communication; B.S., Howard University; MLS, University of North Carolina,
Greensboro; Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
Tel. (203) 392-5086
mcginnj1@southernt.edu
METAXAS, VIRGINIA A., Professor, History/ Women's Studies
metaxasv1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5607
Virginia Metaxas received her B.A. in American Studies/Women's Studies at SUNY Old
Westbury in 1977, and her Ph.D. in History at SUNY Stony Brook in 1984. She teaches
a variety of courses including U.S. Women's History, Hawaiian History, and Feminist
Research Methods. She's been active in the Women's Studies program at SCSU since
1988, serving on various committees and teaching in the undergraduate and graduate
programs. She has published books and articles on the history of childbirth in America
and the history of occupational therapy in America. In Spring 2003, she participated
in a Rockefeller Fellowship Program at the University of Hawai'i titled "Gender and
Globalization in Asia and the Pacific." At present, she is working on two writing
projects: a biography of Ruth A. Parmelee, an early twentieth century physician who
served in Asia Minor and Greece, and a social history of healers and epidemics in
nineteenth century Hawai'i.
NEVEROW, VARA, Professor, English; B.A., Nyack College; M.A., Ph. D., New York University
neverowv1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6717
Vara Neverow received her Ph.D. from New York University. Her academic research includes
work on Virginia Woolf, feminist theory, composition theory and pedagogy. Dr. Neverow
is in her second term as President of the International Virginia Woolf Society and
is the editor of the Virginia Woolf Miscellany. She is currently the chairwoman
of the English Department and teaches classes at the undergraduate and graduate level.
PALMA, GIUSEPPINA, Professor, Foreign Languages; Ph.D., Yale University .
palmag1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6753
RHODES, JAMES F., Professor, English; B.S., Holy Cross College; M.A., University of Rhode Island;
Ph.D., Fordham University
rhodesj1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6897
ROFUTH, TODD, Professor, Social Work; B.A., M.S.W., University of Minnesota; D.S.W., University
of Pennsylvania
rofutht1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6557
Todd Rofuth has been a professor at Southern since 1990 and was the director of the
Urban Studies Program for 10 years. He has been the chairperson of the Social Work
Department since 2001. Prior to his current academic job at Southern, Dr. Rofuth served
as the Director of Welfare Employment for the State of Maryland from 1987-1990, and
as the Director of Client Rights for Pennsylvania's Mental Health and Mental Retardation
hospitals. From 2000-2002 he was the Co-Coordinator with Vara Neverow for Southern's
10-year reaccreditation self study for the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges. He has had 24 years of post MSW social work practice experience primarily
in social welfare policy analysis, research and supervisory positions in federal and
state government and private consulting. For the last 14 years he has provided consulting
services to state and local governments and non-profit agencies in the areas of program
evaluation, strategic planning, and the development of goals, objectives and outcome
measures.
SELVAGGIO, MARIE, Professor, Anthropology; B.A. Douglass College; M.A., Ph.D., Rutgers University
selvaggiom1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5681
Marie Selvaggio received both her Ph.D. & M.A. in Anthropology from Rutgers University
and B.A. in Anthropology & Archaeology from Douglass College. Her interest in Women's
Studies dates back to her undergraduate days at Douglass, one of the oldest women's
colleges in the nation. At Douglass, she focused on Native Americans and Women's Studies.
As part of her undergraduate education, she excavated Native American archaeological
sites in the U.S. and in Latin America. Later, her interest expanded to include African
archaeology. Her Ph.D. research was conducted in East Africa.
She is presently the co-director of SCSU's Tanzania Field School in Anthropology.
Her research has been published in Current Anthropology, The Journal of Human Evolution,
Archaeological Science and other academic journals. Dr. Selvaggio is currently writing
a book about women's role in prehistory. She has been a member of the Women's Studies
faculty at SCSU since 1994.
SCHOFIELD, CINDY, Women's Studies Reference Librarian
schofiedbc1@southernct.edu
SKOCZEN, KATHLEEN, Professor, Anthropology; B.A., San Diego State University; M.A., Ph.D., Syracuse
University
skoczenk1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5679
Kathleen Skoczen received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology with a certificate in
Women's Studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University. Her
research focus is women, health, tourism, development, identity and religion in the
Dominican Republic. She has spent more than five years living in the Dominican Republic
since 1985. She has published in several places including The Women's Health Journal
and the American Anthropology News, and presents at regional, national, and international
conferences regularly. She has received a Fulbright Fellowship, National Science
Foundation Award, Rockefeller Foundation Grant and other grants for her continued
research on Dominican women, health, tourism, development, identity and religion.
She teaches Global Women's Issues and the Anthropology of Women and Health, as well
as several courses through the Anthropology Program.
SONNENSCHEIN, DANA L., Professor, English; B.A., University of Iowa; M.A., Johns Hopkins University; M.A.,
Ph.D., Boston University
sonnensched1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6735
SUCKLE-NELSON, JESSICA, Associate Professor, Psychology; B.A., Syracuse University; M.A., West Chester University;
Ph.D., University of Rhode Island
sucklenelsj1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5860
VANCOUR, MICHELE L., Associate Professor, Public Health; B.A., Central Connecticut State University;
M.P.H., Southern Connecticut State University; Ph.D., New York University
vancourm1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-5530
VILLANI, CHRISTINE J., Professor, Education; B.S., Mercy College; M.A., Hofstra University ; Sixth Year
Diploma, Southern Connecticut State University; Ed.D., Fordham University
villanic1@southernct.edu
WHITEHEAD, JESSIE L., Associate Professor, Art; B.F.A., M.F.A., Mississippi University for WOmen; Ph.D., Florida
Sate University
whiteheadj3@southernct.edu; (203) 392-8913
WORDEN, BARBARA, Professor, Social Work; B.A., Pennsylvania State University; M.S. W., University
of Connecticut; Ph.D., Columbia University
wordenb1@southernct.edu; (203) 392-6563