New faculty/staff join the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan

The University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan will welcome a number of new faces to campus this fall with the addition of several new faculty and staff members for the start of the 2010-11 academic year.

The following new faculty and instructional academic staff have been added:

Enrik Braho is also the new UW-Sheboygan co-Head Soccer Coach. Braho is a previous UW-Sheboygan student who was named to the 1st Team All-Conference WCC Soccer Team and Academic All-State. He has a broad experience playing soccer for both UW-Sheboygan and Sheboygan community recreation leagues and in his home country of Albania.

Martin Eigenberger is the new lecturer or Education and Psychology. Eigenberger received his Master’s and Ph.D. in Foundations of Education, Counseling and Educational Psychology from the University of Wyoming. He has presented publications at international conferences in Spain, Poland and South Africa and across the United States. He previous taught at both Northern Arizona University and UW-Parkside.

Elizabeth Florian joins UW-Sheboygan as a new Lecturer of English. Florian holds a B.A. in English from UW-Milwaukee, a B.A. in Secondary Education from Lakeland College, and an M.A. in English from UW-Milwaukee. She expects to complete her Ph.D. in English from UW-Milwaukee in 2012.

Jonathan Gaumer is the new UW-Sheboygan co-Head Soccer Coach. Gaumer also serves as the UW-Sheboygan Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach and is also currently a Graduate Intern in the Student Services Office. Gaumer is working toward his Master’s degree in Counseling from Lakeland College. He also holds a B.A. in Sociology (emphasis Criminal Justice) from UW-Whitewater. He has many years of experience playing both soccer and basketball.

Dr. Terry Grall, local entrepreneur and former business owner, joins the campus as the new Interim Director of the Center for Engagement Learning and Professional Training (CEL&PT). Grall, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, a master’s degree in Environmental Design and a Ph.D. in Ergonomics, comes to the position with more than 30 years of business experience. Most recently, Grall served as the founder and CEO of Consumer Care Products, Inc. of Sheboygan and Plymouth. After selling the business in 2007, Grall has worked as a consultant in the ergonomics and safety field, developing a number of devices that have led to five U.S. patents and numerous professional honors. Grall is a graduate of Sheboygan North High School and lives in Plymouth with his wife, Lisa, and daughters Alivia, Arianna and Greta.

Jena Jaeckels is the new campus Student Life Advisor. Throughout the 2009-10 academic year, Jaeckels served as the campus’s first-ever VISTA volunteer and helped to connect UW-Sheboygan students to area businesses and non-profit agencies and organizations for service learning experiences. As Student Life Advisor, Jaeckels will work directly with UW-Sheboygan student organizations and student leaders to assist them in leadership training, activity planning and student government issues. Jaeckels holds a B.A. in Spanish from UW-La Crosse and is currently enrolled in the Student Personnel Administration master’s degree program at Concordia University Wisconsin.

Michael Lampe has joined UW-Sheboygan as its newest VISTA volunteer and will continue efforts to get UW-Sheboygan students involved in their local community, as well as incorporating a new focus on college access. For the 2010-11 academic year, the campus kicks off a renewed federal grant, and Lampe will shift the main focus of the VISTA program to reach out to GED completers in the Sheboygan County area who would like to advance their education and earn a college degree. Lampe also will work with at-risk middle and high school students to show them that college is an option for them. Lampe comes to UW-Sheboygan as a 2010 graduate of St. Norbert College in De Pere and is a Sheboygan native.

Candice Lemire joined the UW-Sheboygan campus this summer as the new Upward Bound program director. Lemire will manage the program on both the UW-Sheboygan and UW-Manitowoc campuses. Upward Bound is a pre-college academic achievement program designed to help students develop the motivation and skills that are required to graduate high school and successfully complete a college degree. The dual campus program serves students from Sheboygan North and South High Schools, Manitowoc Lincoln High School and Two Rivers High School. Lemire comes to UW-Sheboygan from the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services where she served as a trainer and the St. Cloud State University Access and Opportunity program where she served as a coordinator. Lemire holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Science in Education (in Counseling) from UW-Superior.

Kay Schmitz is the new UW-Sheboygan Food Services Manager. Schmitz has worked with UW-Sheboygan since 2008 as a food service worker in the Commons Café. She has worked in the food service industry since 2005. As part of her promotion, Schmitz will manage the Commons Café, Cyber Café and all UW-Sheboygan special event catering needs. Schmitz lives in Sheboygan with her husband and four children.

Mark Schmitz is the new Lecturer of Biology. He comes to UW-Sheboygan with an M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a B.S. in Biology and Water Resources-Fisheries Emphasis from UW-Stevens Point. He is currently enrolled at UW-Milwaukee working toward a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. Schmitz will take over many of the classes previously taught by longtime UW-Sheboygan Professor of Biology Tom Grittinger, who retired this spring.

Bonnie Stiemke is the new Lecturer of Communication. Stiemke holds a B.A. in Communication from UW-Milwaukee and a Master of Arts in Community from UW-Milwaukee. She also holds a certificate in Mediation and Negotiation. Previously, she taught Interpersonal Communication at UW-Sheboygan in 2007 and Professional Communication, Interpersonal Communication and Public Speaking at UW-Washington County.

Paul Sucherman joins UW-Sheboygan as a new Lecturer of Music. Sucherman comes to UW-Sheboygan with nearly 20 years of music writing and directing experience. He has worked with the Victorian Village Resort in Elkhart Lake and several local school districts for high school musicals and concerts. He is a member of the Don Cagen Orchesta, based out of Chicago, has sold original musical reviews to the Sahara Resort in Las Vegas and performed there on stage. He has opened and performed or arranged music for such major performers as Reba McIntire, Tim Allen, Count Basie, Eddie Rabbit, and hundreds of other national and Midwestern acts. He has arranged music for the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and chorus, as well as the Sheboygan Theatre Company.

Farrah Tabassum is a new Lecturer of Economics. She comes to UW-Sheboygan with a Masters in Business Administration from Mankato State University, and a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Karachi. Her previous teaching positions include UW- Fox Valley, UW-Platteville, Ripon College, Marian College and Lakeland College.

Michele VanderPloeg joins the Student Services Offices as the new Admissions coordinator. VanderPloeg has worked with the campus since August 2007 as its Food Services Manager. Prior to 2007, VanderPloeg owned her own food service business specializing in custom wedding cakes, desserts, and catering for special events. She also worked for Kohler Company as a senior advertising coordinator. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Silver Lake College.

For more information about UW-Sheboygan, contact the Student Services Office at (920) 459-6633 or e-mail uwshb@uwc.edu, or visit the campus Web site at www.sheboygan.uwc.edu.