Faculty

Wilkes University has been awarded a $27,182 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to study how forest management practices influence declining bird species in northeastern Pennsylvania, including prairie warblers and wood thrush. The funding is part of nearly $530,000 announced by the Shapiro Administration to …

The Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University will host evening readings in a variety of genres, featuring alumni, faculty, and guest artists. These readings are free and open to the public and will take place during the program’s low-residency program in January, from Sunday, January 4, …

For assistant biology professor Yuzo Yanagitsuru, it all boils down to something quite simple: “I like fish.” It may sound straightforward, but anyone who knows him would understand that Yanagitsuru’s journey to Wilkes, and the research he oversees here, has been the culmination of a lifelong passion.

“Entrepreneurship is not a solo venture,” says Terry Chase, executive director of the newly established Cohen Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “It takes the support of multiple parties and that is the role that the CCEI is designed to fulfill.” Formed in 2025 as a result of a transformative gift …

Wilkes University has announced the following faculty members have been promoted to the rank of full professor: Edward Bednarz III was promoted to professor of mechanical engineering. Bednarz joined Wilkes University in 2013. A Wilkes alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and physics, Bednarz earned his master’s degree …

Wilkes University recently recognized 11 faculty and staff members at the 2025 Teacher Recognition and Effectiveness Committee (TREC) Awards Ceremony. The recipients of this year’s awards are: Megan Youmans, 2025 Carpenter Award RecipientMegan Youmans, associate professor of chemistry, received the Carpenter Award. The award, considered Wilkes University’s highest honor for …

Whether he’s working with old video or new technology, Eric Ruggiero, associate professor and chair of digital design and media art, shows his students how he turns classroom skills into action and gives them a glimpse of the many facets of a creative career. He even picked up another award …

Gina Zanolini Morrison, professor of global cultures, plans to retire in August of 2025, but shows no signs of slowing down her academic pursuits. Instead, she’s using her Fulbright Scholar award to put a different spin on her research in hopes of reaching new audiences with her play, The Women …

Wilkes University recently welcomed eleven new faculty members for the fall semester. The new faculty and their areas of specialization include: Jessica Anderson has joined the College of Arts and Sciences as an associate professor of neuroscience. Anderson was previously the program director and associate professor of neuroscience at King’s …

Wilkes University recognized nine faculty and staff members at the 2024 Teacher Recognition and Effectiveness Committee (TREC) Awards Ceremony. The recipients of this year’s awards are: Joyce Victor, 2024 Carpenter Award RecipientJoyce Victor, associate professor of nursing, received the Carpenter Award for Teaching. The award, considered Wilkes’ highest honor for …