September 28, 2022 – A diverse and dynamic cohort of 24 new full-time faculty spanning six academic schools has joined Marist College for the 2022-23 academic year. The new faculty cohort is the largest in the College’s history and represents a strong commitment to recruiting outstanding faculty who are leaders or rising stars in their field.  Their contributions, in and out of the classroom, will elevate and expand the educational experience for Marist students and the impact of Marist teaching and research on the world.

“The arrival of these excellent new faculty is the result of an historic effort to attract talented new faculty to join our vibrant learning community.” said President Kevin Weinman. “This was a unique opportunity to recruit and hire faculty with a diverse range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. I am excited for the contributions they will make to intellectual life at Marist and for the new doors and possibilities they will open for our students,” he said.

Weinman launched this important new initiative last fall after only a few weeks on the job. This cohort brings with it a wide range of real-world and academic experience to the College. While many colleges and universities have had to pause on hiring during and following the pandemic, Marist took this bold step to make important additions to its faculty.

“Bringing in this new cohort of faculty at roughly the same time was an exciting challenge for us, and it sends a clear signal about how highly Marist prioritizes academic excellence,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Wermuth. “We are excited to welcome these experts in their respective fields, and believe Marist students will benefit from a wider range of perspectives and courses from which to choose.”

The new faculty are:

School of Communication and the Arts

• Chris Riviezzo, Interim Director of the Center for Sports Communication
• Jeffrey Basinger, Assistant Professor of Communication
• Malcolm Jones, Professional Lecturer of Music and Director of Bands
• Patrick Boylan, Professional of Lecturer of Fashion
• Steven Dana, Associate Professor of Art and Digital Media

School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

• Dr. Adar Eisenbruch, Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Dr. Joelle Fingerhut, Assistant Professor of Education
• Dr. Meghan Caulfield, Assistant Professor of Psychology

School of Management

• Michael Bell, Professional Lecturer of Business Law
• Dr. Mohammadali Koorank Beheshti, Assistant Professor of Marketing
• Patrick Gosselin, Assistant Professor of Finance
• Tracey Niemotko, Associate Professor of Accounting

School of Science

• Katherine Donivan, Lecturer of Medical Technology
• Dr. Michael LaCroix-Fralish, Clinical Assistant Professor of PA Studies
• Dr. Michel Becuwe, Assistant Professor of Biology
• Dr. Padmavati Garvey, Clinical Assistant Professor of PA Studies

School of Liberal Arts

• Dr. Fungisai Musoni, Assistant Professor of History and Director of the African Diaspora Program
• Dr. Laura Quijano, Lecturer of Spanish 
• Dr. Magda Desgranges, Assistant Professor of English
• Dr. Shanaaz Mohammed, Assistant Professor of French

School of Computer Science and Mathematics

• Dominick Foti, Professional Lecturer of Computing Technology
• Dr. Malick Ndiaye, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
• Dr. Reza Sadeghi, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Dr. Sandhya Aneja, Assistant Professor of Computer Science

The new faculty will be introduced to the Marist community through a six-part series. Click on one of the below red buttons to learn more about the faculty members from each of their respective schools. 

Series Installments: