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	Jon Bohland, Associate Professor, Director, International Studies Jon Bohland grew up in nearby Blacksburg, Virginia, and is, of course, a diehard and long suffering Hokie fan. Somewhat inevitably, Bohland joined the "family business" of education and scholarship (mother taught high school and father is a retired professor at Virginia Tech) and became a teacher after a failed dalliance with journalism and punk rock radio. For some odd reason, Interstate 81 seems to hold a certain power over Bohland's life, as all three of his degrees come from institutions located right off that road (James Madison, Syracuse University, and Virginia Tech). As if preordained, he now teaches at a school where you can see I-81 from some locations on campus. Jon is a political and cultural geographer and is the director of the international studies program and faculty member within the political science department. He is interested in the intersections between popular culture and geopolitics, allowing him to publish work exploring cool things like how Battlestar Galactica operates as an intertextual representation of contemporary international relations (who says being an academic can't be fun!). Bohland particularly focused on Confederate nationalism in the United States. He is married to Cindy Bohland (also a teacher, shockingly) and has a beautiful daughter named Isabella who is obsessed with shoes, ballet, and Scooby Doo. When not watching television for "research" purposes, he enjoys talking about international soccer, cooking, travelling, listening to independent music, and spending time with friends and family.
	Peter Coogan, Associate Professor, History Peter Coogan escaped from the snows of New York to get his B.A. at Duke University and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has taught at Hollins University since 1988, where his specialties include explaining why nations periodically try to slaughter each other and why modern America does the things it does. He is currently completing a book on Franklin Roosevelt's worldview. Professor Coogan became a historian because he was too small and untalented to become the starting free safety for the New York Giants. In his "free time" he watches football and dreams of what might have been, he listens to Howlin' Wolf, Social Distortion, and Gaslight Anthem, and he reads just about everything that falls in front of him.
	Caren Diefenderfer, Professor, Mathematics Caren Diefenderfer received her A.B. from Dartmouth College and her Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She encourages students to travel to "mathland" to be creative, solve problems, and experience the joys of n-dimensions. She sees patterns everywhere and is an avid fan of knitting, crocheting, and cross-stitching. Diefenderfer is a member of the Bahama Mamas, a female steel drum band and performs a rockin' "Brown Eyed Girl." She enjoys travel, and, after a summer workshop in Nebraska, will have visited 48 states. Can you help her find mathematical or musical "gigs" in Mississippi and North Dakota in 2013?
	John Forsman, Technical Director, Theatre John Forsman would like to be known as the mad scientist of the theatre, though he is more the eccentric technical director of it. Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, Forsman received his B.F.A. in technical theatre at Nebraska Wesleyan University and immediately after found himself at the University of Virginia where he received his M.F.A. in technical direction. Working in theatres across the country, he has continued to educate himself in computers, theatre automation, projections, new construction techniques, and anything else shiny that catches his attention. One of his other favorite hobbies is cooking, but he has yet to cook an omelet correctly. He can often times be found swimming laps in the early morning hours and walking his dog, Megs, in the evening, all the time contemplating his next crazy idea or invention.
	Lori Joseph, Associate Professor, Communication Studies Lori Joseph has lived on both coasts and a few places in-between. When she realized she wasn't going to be a rich and famous actor, she took a variety of jobs from bartender to counselor to public relations director. She finally found her calling as a college professor! She received her B.A. in communication studies from Montana State University Billings and her M.A. and Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas. She loves teaching about how communication has the power to shape our lives—especially in the workplace. When she isn't traipsing through the plains of Montana dodging cattle (and finishing up an hour-long documentary on ranch women), she enjoys hanging with her family, trying new foods with her dinner club and, of course, watching television and movies!
	Bill Krause, Assistant Professor, Music Bill Krause has lived in western Virginia for nearly 20 years, developing a deep respect for the region's music that so aptly conveys every aspect of life in the Appalachian Mountains. His extensive training as a musicologist and guitarist position him well to be both a researcher and performer of this unique American musical tradition. It is his hope that students who venture down The Crooked Road will share his enthusiasm as the journey reveals a rich cultural treasure that is to be protected and nurtured. Krause received his Ph.D. in musicology from Washington University in St. Louis and masters in classical guitar performance from the University of Southern California. At Hollins he serves as assistant professor of music, teaching music history and arts administration.
	Joe Leedom, Professor, History, Chair of the Faculty Joe Leedom grew up amid the wilds of southern California and the rich urban environment of Wyoming before attending the University of Wyoming as an undergraduate and receiving his Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara. His research interests lie in the areas of medieval law and society. He has been at Hollins now for over 25 years, where he teaches a variety of courses on really old stuff.
	Ed Lynch, Professor, Political Science Professor Ed Lynch is no stranger to Presidential campaigning, having been chosen to represent Hubert Humphrey in a mock election in 1968 and having been active in every Presidential campaign since. Lynch also worked in the White House Office of Public Liaison in the 1980s. He has taught political science for more than 20 years and has interviewed legislators, journalists, and other political observers in 49 of the 50 states. His recent publications include a book on President Reagan's foreign policy and a book on former Virginia governor, George Allen.
	Kathleen Nolan, Professor, Art Kathleen Nolan fell in love with art history in her first year at Vanderbilt University, where she also imprinted on the liberal arts. She went on to get a M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University. She enjoys going to art museums and traveling to Paris to study medieval queens (she published a book in 2009 on medieval French queens and their seals and tombs). At Hollins, she teaches courses in medieval and Renaissance art history, as well as gender studies. When not teaching or doing research, she likes to spend time traveling to Europe, cooking French food, reading medieval murder mysteries, and watching "Downton Abbey" with her teenage daughter. She is excited about teaching a FYS seminar again.
	Rachel Nuñez, Assistant Professor, History Rachel Nuñez remembers first falling in love with history over biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Anne Boleyn and still can't believe she gets paid to talk about history on a daily basis. After picking up a B.A. at Rice University and a Ph.D. at Stanford, she arrived at Hollins in 2008. She teaches a variety of courses on women's history and European history and loves introducing students to the joys of historical research. When she's not teaching (or participating in random Hollins traditions), she enjoys travel, cooking, and movies. Her favorite movie is The Big Lebowski, and she attends LebowskiFests whenever she gets the chance. She is a native Texan and will always have a soft spot for the Lone Star State. Still, Virginia is gradually luring her in with its beautiful scenery and actual seasons.
	Jon Guy Owens, Director, Hollins Outdoor Program (HOP), Athletics and Physical Education Jon Guy Owens comes to Hollins from the mountains of western North Carolina where he began his work in the field of adventure recreation as a river guide on the Nantahala River. He attended Western Carolina University where he received his degree in recreational therapy despite many, many days kayaking and backpacking; then onto graduate school at Radford University to obtain an M.S. in environmental and experiential studies despite many, many days rock climbing. Jon Guy holds certifications from Wilderness Education Association, Leave No Trace, Wilderness Medical Institute, and the American Mountain Guiding Association. Jon Guy's favorite day is the day his wife, Anna Copplestone '06, gave birth to their son, Henry. Jon Guy’s most dreaded day is the day that some realize his job IS too awesome to be real.
	Christopher Richter, Associate Professor, Chair, Communications Studies Christopher Richter was born in the Motor City but spent much of his youth in Pennsylvania and Ohio enjoying a Classic American pastime, watching TV! His interest in narratives, both visual and textual, led him to study literature at the Ohio State University, from which he graduated with a B.A. in English and, later on, a Ph.D. in communication studies. His research and teaching reflect his many and varied interests: early communication technologies, women travelers in Greece, and cultural and intellectual property rights. At Hollins, he helped students set up and now advises the online radio station, WHER, teaches TV production in the library studio, and gets theoretical in courses like Communication and Democracy or Media Law and Policy. When he is not felling trees, splitting wood, or fencing his vegetable garden out in Botetourt County, he can be found reading science fiction literature, traveling in the Mediterranean with his wife and fellow faculty member, Christina Salowey, cooking meals made only from local food, or yelling at the TV!
	Alison Ridley, Associate Professor, Spanish Alison Ridley grew up in England, Norway, France, and Venezuela, but she completed her university studies in the United States. She received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Spanish from Michigan State University, where she specialized in the literature of the Golden Age. Her current research interests include Spanish drama and contemporary Latin American literature. Since arriving at Hollins in 1991, she has taught language, culture, and literature courses, as well as Business Spanish and a Short Term service-learning course on Appalachia. She has led two Short Term trips to Mexico and Costa Rica and is passionate about introducing students to different cultures, languages, and ways of life. When not at work, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, working out, eating chocolate, and spending time with her husband, Mark, and her dog, Dieter.
	Christina Salowey, Associate Professor, Classical Studies Christina Salowey's roots in both the ancient world and environmental studies run deep. She began learning Latin as a middle school student in suburban New Jersey. Some years later she was involved in alternative transportation issues as a bicycle activist in Boston and Philadelphia. In the meantime, she received M.A.s in organic chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and in classical languages from Tufts University and went on to earn an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Greek, Latin, and classical archaeology from Bryn Mawr College. She travels widely, most frequently to Greece, sometimes with students, but more often with her husband, Christopher Richter, also a Hollins First-year Seminar instructor. She lives in a little log house on the edge of the woods and cultivates organic vegetables and cats.
	Darla Schumm, Associate Professor, Religious Studies Darla Schumm knew from a very early age that she wanted to get a Ph.D. and be a professor, but she could not decide what she most wanted to study. So, she naturally chose religious studies, which is by nature interdisciplinary. Schumm received a B.A. from Goshen College located in beautiful flat Goshen, Indiana, in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in history, psychology, and women's studies. She fled the Midwest upon graduation and earned an M.A. in social ethics at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California (yes, a far cry from Indiana in every way). After a stint in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she received a Ph.D. in religion, ethics, and society from Vanderbilt University. Most of her research time is spent exploring the intersections between religion and disability studies. In her "spare" time, Schumm is an avid knitter, a voracious reader of fiction, and loves spending time with her two favorite people — her husband and son. The best part of taking a class with Schumm is that she is always accompanied by her adorable guide dog, Chloe, who frequently participates in class discussions by moaning and groaning!
	Shelbie Wahl, Director, Choral Activities, Music Shelbie Wahl hails from the Midwest, growing up in Illinois and pursuing higher education in Indiana. She received her B.Mus. from DePauw University, M.Mus. from Butler University, and D.A. in choral conducting from Ball State University. When not in school, she was busy musical directing and conducting for ten seasons with the Indianapolis Civic Theatre. If her work involves singing, dancing, playing instruments, or any sort of performance, she’s happy. At Hollins, Wahl leads the Concert Choir and Talmadge Singers, and teaches various music classes: including Sight-Singing, Conducting, and Choral-Orchestral Masterworks. (Psst….Come join the choir!) On the home front, she loves playing tennis, cooking, hiking with her boyfriend, and spending time with their two cats and new St. Bernard puppy.
	Morgan Wilson, Associate Professor, Chair, Biology Morgan Wilson is the son of a biologist and naturalist, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. He enjoys studying and teaching about how things work biologically - physiological mechanisms to be exact, especially in organisms in their natural environment. He earned a B.S. in biology from Hampden-Sydney College, an M.S. in biology from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Mississippi. Wilson teaches human physiology, comparative vertebrate anatomy, physiological ecology, ornithology, and invertebrate zoology at Hollins. His research, primarily on birds, has taken him to the edge of the Arctic in northern Manitoba, the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland, the Mississippi delta in southeastern Arkansas, and the prairie potholes of North Dakota. Most recently, Wilson has taken on projects studying the endocrine physiology of migrating ducks and breeding rails (affectionately known by some as "swamp chickens"). In his spare time, he enjoys fly fishing, canoeing, trail running, waterfowling, bow hunting, cross fitness, and spending time with his wife, two children, and faithful Labrador retriever. Put him in nature, be it a marsh, meadow, or mountain, and he is a happy man.

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