Arts & Humanities

Professor Laura Barlond-Maas, a mother of five who lives in Olivet, has worked at Olivet College since 1990. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Olivet College in 1988 and a master’s from Vermont College of Norwich University.

Prof. Barlond-Maas teachers advanced composition, children’s literature, and is currently teaching Honors Seminar, a course for students in the Global Citizen’s Honors Program. She enjoys teaching novels, whether for nineteenth century literature or a course called ethnicities.

Prof. Barlond-Maas leads a number of faculty development workshops at Olivet College and has developed several long-term courses such as Writing Across the Curriculum, Writing Intensive Courses, Teaching Across the Curriculum and short-term courses for faculty of all disciplines. Currently, she is facilitating a Partners in Teaching series for the provost as well as directing several special projects, such as Advanced Learning Term and the newly revised Dean’s Scholars Series.

Outside of Olivet College, she has formally served as the mayor of the City of Olivet from 2001-2005 after serving as a City Councilwoman from 1997-2001.

Professor Karen Chaney teaches in the areas of religious studies, ethics and philosophy, as well as serving as dean of faculty and director of the liberal arts core program. She has a long-standing commitment to liberal arts education as a means for deepening our awareness of the human experience and for enriching our lives.

Chaney attended Michigan State University, studying political philosophy at James Madison College and the Honors College. Since her years at MSU, she has maintained an interest in the evolution of classical liberal thought from its eighteenth century European origins to today’s concepts of global human rights: What constitutes a “human right” and why? Do human rights vary from culture to culture? Can rights exist outside of a framework of common understanding and, most importantly, without a means of enforcement? Do the different life experiences of men and women result in different understandings of human rights and their scope? Her doctoral work in social ethics at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, examined concepts of global justice in debates regarding agricultural protectionism at the World Trade Organization. She served as a fellow at the Center for Ethics and Social Policy, and has had an active interest in global politics and economics, particularly in the region of Latin America. She has traveled in Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain.

Along with interests in political theory and ethics, Chaney has had a lifelong engagement with religious studies and religious leadership.  She completed a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard University, with a focus on women’s studies in religion and professional training in the ministry. She was instrumental in developing Olivet College’s current religious studies, ethics and philosophy curriculum, through which students are able to earn a minor in religious studies and ethics. She is directing efforts on campus to develop a center for vocational and spiritual exploration, providing a space to encourage the spiritual development of students and providing opportunities for vocational reflection and growth.  She particularly enjoys teaching world religions, providing students with a greater awareness of the ways in which spirituality is expressed in different religious traditions and cultures.

Chaney teaches courses in biomedical ethics; philosophy; world religions; gender, sexuality and religion; and Christian history. Her research interests include the relationship between social mobility and shifting frameworks of ethical obligation. She has mentored students in presentations for the Michigan Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters annual conference, and has worked with students on independent projects in environmental ethics, social and political reconciliation, and the comparative study of religion. She encourages interested students to continue their studies in graduate or professional school, as well as to study abroad if possible in order to experience the complexities of other cultures. 

After a sixteen year career as a hotel general manager with Residence Inn, Hilton and Omni hotel franchises, Mike returned to his Alma Mater in 1992 with his wife Judy initially serving as Director of the Annual Fund and Alumni Director, later taking responsibility for Church Relations. He currently serves as Director of Service Learning and Campus Ministries, Co-Advisor to the International Students, and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Religion.

He has taught Self and Community since it was adopted as part of the Olivet Plan in 1995. He also teaches Freshman Seminar, various courses in Religion, and a cultural immersion/service learning class in central Mexico during the ILT.

Mike has lead annual Katrina relief trips to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast since December, 2005 and has co-lead, with Dr. Maria Davis, Alternative Spring Break Trips to the Heifer Project Ranch in Arkansas for ten years.

Fales is the recipient of the Olivet College Advisor of the Year Award and the Michigan Campus Compact Faculty/Staff Award.
He is a 1975 graduate of Olivet College with a Secondary Teaching Degree. He did graduate work in Urban Planning and Historic Preservation at George Washington University and has a Master of Ministry/ Master of Divinity Degree from Earlham School of Religion. He is married to Judy who also works at the college. Together with their three sons they live in the former home of Dr. and Mrs. Edward Spear on Yale Street in Olivet.

A Michigan native, Professor Kirk Hendershott-Kraetzer has taught college courses since 1988. He earned his bachelor’s in English from Hope College, his master’s in English and creative writing from Western Michigan University and his doctorate in English from Michigan State University. While earning his doctorate, Prof. Hendershott-Kraetzer studied sixteenth and seventeenth century English literature and drama, as well as film and television criticism and theory; and developed the first film and TV comprehensive reading list in the English department He was also a member of the first Shakespeare on Film seminar at the Folger Library in Washington, D.C.

Prof. Hendershott-Kraetzer has presented papers at numerous regional, national and international conferences. He has also led a workshop on the effective presentation of one hour talks and lectures at a national meeting of the Shakespeare Association of America. His research focuses on film, TV, theatrical and non-dramatic performance, and classroom pedagogy and methodology. His paper on presentations of Juliet in one-hour TV dramatic series is forthcoming in The Selected Papers of the Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference. He is currently working on an article on Juliet on Facebook for a themed issue of the journal Borrowers & Lenders. He also done consulting work with ProQuest, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Prof. Hendershott-Kraetzer has mentored student presentations at the Michigan Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, and at the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Consortium; as well as the 2012 Nature in Words Fellow, Carrie Jacob (Olivet, class of 2013), at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.  

He teaches courses in the Global Citizens Honors Program (which he helped create); and also teaches Shakespeare through performance, introduction to film, British literature, poetry writing, and writing and rhetoric.

Professor Joanne Williams is a Jersey girl who grew up with Bruce Springsteen on her playlist and a pen and paper in her hands. Her love of reading and writing started when she penned a short science fiction story in the fourth grade, writing on a typewriter in an office she set up in a bedroom closet.

Prof. Williams has worked on numerous local weekly and daily newspapers in her life, finishing a more than 15-year career in journalism at a daily Gannett newspaper in Wisconsin. After some jobs in tourism, marketing and promotions, she has been teaching journalism at Olivet since 1998.

At Olivet, Prof. Williams teaches in the journalism and mass communication program, specializing in reporting and editing, and also occasionally finds herself teaching writing and rhetoric and self and community courses. She is the adviser for the award-winning student newspaper, the ECHO, as well as other groups on campus, including a Greek society. Prof. Williams is also the director of the college’s Career Service Network, overseeing the personal and professional development of students through programs to support their career goals and success.

A past president of the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, Prof. Williams is an active member of a number of journalism and other professional organizations, including the College Media Advisers, the Associated Collegiate Press, and the Society of Professional Journalists, where she judges student media work from across the country.

At Olivet College, Prof. Williams has been honored to receive numerous advising and teaching awards, including the Drs. Gorton and Peggy Riethmiller Outstanding Faculty Member Award. One of her most prized honors was speaking at the 2013 Baccalaureate program to graduating seniors and friends, at their request.

Prof. Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a master’s degree in humanities from California State University, Dominquez Hills. Her thesis was “The Olivet College Writer’s Conferences, 1936-41.”

Professor Byrd grew up in South Haven, Mich. He followed his interest in religion to Western Michigan University, where he studied comparative religion, philosophy, music and history under Dr. Rudolf Siebert and others. He directed his attention specifically on contemporary Islamic thought and praxis, Arabic language, and critical theory. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Michigan University, he moved on to study for his doctorate in philosophy at Michigan State University, where he specialized in philosophy of religion, the Frankfurt School, and all manner of social and political thought.

Byrd has published many articles, book chapters and book reviews, and has recently published a book entitled Ayatollah Khomeini and the Anatomy of the Islamic Revolution in Iran: Towards a Theory of Prophetic Charisma through University Press of America. His latest book, The Gospel According to John Galt: A Critique of Ayn Rand’s Philosophy of Religion is due to be released in the fall of 2014 by Lexington Books. He is currently working on his third work entitled Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes: Essays on Modern Religion, Violence, and Genocide, and is editing a volume with Dr. Seyed Javad Miri of Tehran University on Malcolm X and religion.

Prof. Byrd teaches self and community, civilization studies, introduction to philosophy, political philosophy, Islamic tradition, western religious traditions, Arabic, and has taught two classes abroad, one in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, and the other in Greece and Italy.

Timothy Flynn, Ph.D., professor of music and has worked at Olivet College since 2002.

He teaches courses in music history, music theory, form and analysis, and musical composition. He has also taught courses in French and writing and rhetoric. Prof. Flynn conducts the Olivet College Choir and Women Chorale.

Timothy S. Flynn received his undergraduate degree from George Mason University in Virginia, and his master’s and Ph.D. in musicology from Northwestern University in Illinois. He is professor of music at Olivet College where he conducts the choral ensembles, teaches music history, music theory and interdisciplinary courses in the arts and humanities. In addition, he has directed the opera and musical theatre productions for the college. As choral director, Dr. Flynn has conducted performances of the Olivet College Choir and Chamber Singers in Toronto, Ontario, Chicago, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and various venues throughout Michigan.  He has led interdisciplinary college seminar courses on art, architecture and music which have traveled to Italy (Venice, Florence and Rome) and France (Paris Giverny and Versailles).

In addition to his responsibilities at Olivet, Dr. Flynn also recently served as the director of music and organist at St. Mary Roman Catholic Cathedral in Lansing where he conducted the Cathedral Choir in performances at the Vatican in Rome, at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the Basilica of St. Mark in Florence and at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.  Founding director of the St. Cecilia Chorale, Dr. Flynn has conducted this ensemble in performances in Toronto, Ontario and Lansing. As an organist, he has performed organ recitals in Washington, D. C., Chicago, the south of France, Florence and Rome. Currently, Dr. Flynn is organist-choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lansing.

A frequent presenter for the San Francisco Opera Company, Dr. Flynn tours the greater Bay Area lecturing on operas from the company’s performance seasons. As a musicologist, he has presented his scholarship on the music of Charles Gounod throughout the U.S. and the EUC, most notably at the International Biennial Conference of Nineteenth Century Music at University College, Dublin, Ireland, and his work on the writings of Camille Saint-Saëns at this organization’s conference at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Flynn is also a published composer of choral and organ music through Augsburg, Morning Star and CanticaNOVA publishers, and his scholarly monographs, Camille Saint-Saëns: A Guide to Research (2003) and Charles François Gounod: A Research and Information Guide (2009) are both published by Routledge of New York. His most recent book, Cesar Franck: Organist, Teacher, Composer is forthcoming from Pendragon Press of New York.

Professor Ramona Kime has taught at Olivet College since 1984. She teaches all private piano lessons and piano classes, and serves as accompanist for all choral ensembles, student and faculty recitals. She also teaches courses in music theory, aural skills and string instrument methods.  

In addition to her college teaching, Prof. Kime has a large studio of adult piano students and is the Director of Music at the Charlotte Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.
 
Prof. Kime specializes in teaching adult piano students and has presented workshops on teaching adults to music teachers at both the local and national levels. She also serves on the Committee for Adult Learning through the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. She has written articles on teaching adults for various national music teacher journals and piano pedagogy forums. In addition, Prof. Kime is a frequent clinician and judge at piano competitions and festivals throughout Michigan.
 
Prof. Kime earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Olivet College, a master’s in piano performance from Michigan State University, and a doctorate in piano pedagogy and music education from the University of Oklahoma.

Jeremy Duby is the Director of Bands at Olivet College (MI), where he conducts the College Wind Ensemble and Marching Comets. He is also the Music Director for the Warren Concert Band (MI), where he serves as only the third Music Director in the band’s 45 year history.  Duby earned his Master of Music degree in wind conducting at Oakland University and his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Wayne State University, where he also worked as a librarian and historian for the music department, while concurrently working as the library assistant for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to directing the bands at Olivet College, he works closely with the college admissions department, meeting with prospective families to guide them through the college selection process. Since his tenure as the director of bands, the program has undergone significant growth and is receiving national and international recognition.  Jeremy began his career teaching music in the Michigan public schools at Sterling Heights and then L’Anse Creuse - North High School.  Through the course of his 10 years in the public schools, Mr. Duby’s bands received consistent high ratings at both district and state festivals for marching and concert seasons.  Duby’s bands have performed, by invitation, in the coveted New Year’s Day Parades in London, England and Paris, France.  While abroad, his wind ensembles have performed in the American Cathedral (Paris) and Cadogen Hall (London).

Duby is an active adjudicator, guest conductor and clinician in the area, and has worked with many local groups including the: Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra, Oakland University Concert Band and Wind Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Wind Symphony, Warren Consolidated School of Performing Arts, as well as many area secondary school instrumental music programs. 

Mr. Duby is the recipient of the Donald A. Morris Award from Olivet College, for being an influential professor to a top five graduate. He has also been honored with a proclamation from Macomb County for his “outstanding contributions and years of service” to students and the community. Duby has served the professional community as a Vice President for the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District XVI, and currently serves MSBOA as an adjudicator for its festivals.  Duby is an active member of the College Band Director’s National Association (CBDNA), MSBOA, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), as well as the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME).

Download 2017-18 Music Program Auditions Flier

Schedule Audition

Professor Gary Wertheimer was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1952.  He graduated from Brooklyn College with a bachelor’s in art in 1974. In the summer of 1973, he attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine where he met visiting sculpture instructor Philip Grausman.

From 1974 – 1984, Prof. Wertheimer worked as an assistant to Grausman in Washington, Conn.; it was there he learned the traditional techniques of bronze casting, metal finishing, repoussé and stone carving. In 1984, he received a two year teaching assistantship from the University of Michigan where he earned his Masters of Fine Arts degree in sculpture.  He has been teaching sculpture, two dimensional design, art appreciation and liberal arts cores courses at Olivet College ever since.  

The universal struggles of birth, life and death are the primary motivations for Prof. Wertheimer’s realistic sculptures. He draws inspiration from commonplace activities in the animal and plant kingdoms and re-presents them as visual metaphors for our own lives; in doing so, he joins the catalog of image-makers from virtually every epoch and culture that sought to affirm the bond between human beings and the natural world around them. The process of conceptualization, particularly the challenge of marrying media to subject, is one that Prof. Wertheimer finds both alluring and demanding.  

Prof. Wertheimer creates skillfully crafted works in bronze, marble and limestone, often combining materials that cleverly suggest the subjects they are meant to portray.  

After earning a BFA from the University of Michigan School of Art with a concentration in figurative sculpture, Professor Cynthia Eller went on to complete an MFA from the University of Michigan School of Medical and Biological Illustration. After several years as a freelance medical illustrator, Eller joined the teaching faculty at Olivet College where she developed the biological illustration major. After years of independent work in clay modeling and ceramics, Eller took over teaching the ceramics classes at Olivet College. Currently she teaches drawing skills lab, biological illustration and ceramics. After 25 years of teaching art at Olivet College, Eller continues to enjoy the close, personal relationships with students that is possible in such a small, close-knit community. She tries to keep in touch with former students through social media and loves it when they contact her “out of the blue.”

Professor Arthur Williams has taught at Olivet College since 1998. His classes include Public Speaking, Theatre and Culture, Self & Community, Acting, Dramatic Literature, and Photoshop. Recent papers have dealt with the intersection of theatre and graphic novels and the development of electronic portfolios in college instruction. He has served Olivet College as director of theatre, the Intensive Learning Term, and the ePortfolio program.

He has directed over fifty plays for college, university, and community theatre, including The Tempest, The Imaginary Invalid, Antigone, A Streetcar Named Desire, Godspell and Raisin in the Sun. Other positions include set, sound, and lighting designer. Acting roles include parts in Uncle Vanya, Lysistrata, and Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. He has given workshops for children of various ages in acting and theatre production, as well as judging theatrical competition.

He holds a doctorate in theatre from Ohio State University, with undergraduate degrees from the University of Maryland. He taught in the University of Wisconsin and University of Maine systems before arriving at Olivet College.

Prof. Williams is advisor to Alpha Lambda Epsilon and the Fan Club. He has been named Advisor of the Year numerous times, and has been recognized by the Michigan Campus Compact for contributions to service learning. Off-campus, he is involved with the Knights of Columbus and is currently Grand Knight of the Charlotte council. Prof. Williams is an avid Whovian, Trekker, and overall fan of science fiction and graphic novels.

Professor Dodson will be teaching writing and rhetoric I and II, foundations of writing, creative non-fiction writing and will serve as the director of the writing program. “I’m thrilled to be here at Olivet and to join a strong writing program,” said Dodson. “I love the start of a new school year, how there’s a rush of planning, new people to meet and all sorts of possibilities. I’m especially excited to welcome new students into the program and to help guide them as they develop as thinkers and writers.” Dodson is in the process of completing her doctorate in educational leadership at Western Michigan University (WMU).

Her advanced educational background consists of a master of fine arts in creative writing from Georgia College and State University and a master’s degree in English with an emphasis in teaching from WMU.  She also holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in education from Kalamazoo College, as well. Dodson formerly served as the dean of the Binda School of Education at Miller College in Battle Creek and has experience as a writing center director at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, in addition to many years teaching and tutoring students.