Freshmen aren’t the only ones experiencing Simpson for the first time this fall. Fifteen new professors and instructors are joining the faculty for the 2008-2009 school year.

Departments with new professors or instructors include mathematics, computer science, religion, Spanish, music, education, biology, German and art. Communication studies, English and psychology each have two new faculty members.

Many of the new faculty members learned of available positions from the Simpson Web site or job search Web sites and decided they too would like to become part of the Simpson faculty.

Angela Glover, visiting instructor of English, felt the smaller campus was a better fit than if she taught at a larger institution.

“I was looking for a small liberal arts college for my first position out of graduate school,” Glover said. “I had always heard good things about Simpson and was excited when the position became available.”

Glover is teaching “English Composition”, as well as “Literature and Human Condition” this academic year.

“I am looking forward to the wonderful opportunities to get involved in,” Glover said.

The size and location of Simpson were also factors that drew new faculty members to the school.

According to Marzia Corni-Benson, visiting instructor of Spanish, she was looking for a smaller campus to become a become a part of.

“What I like about Simpson is that it’s a small college and has a good education from what I observe,” Corni-Benson said.

This year, Corni-Benson is teaching Spanish 101, 102, and 201. For May Term, she plans to ofter an education course to teach students how to integrate English to second language learners.

Like a lot of faculty and students at Simpson College, Corni-Benson is looking forward to being a member of the campus community.

“I’m just hoping to be a good teacher and live up to the students’ expectations,” Cornie-Benson said. Many new faculty members are also here because they enjoy teaching students.

“I love teaching,” Mark Brodie, assistant professor of computer science said. “Basically, that’s what it comes down to.”

Brodie’s course offerings include “Preview of Computer Science,” “Fundamentals II of Computer Science,” “Introduction to Computer Networks” and “Software Engineering.”

Emily Skow, assistant professor of psychology, feels the small size of Simpson’s campus benefits students.

“I think at a place like Simpson, the educational experience can be catered to the individual more than at a big place, and that’s pretty special,” Skow said.

Tracy Lucht, assistant professor of communication studies, is teaching a new convergent journalism course, “Journalism 2.0,” as well as “Introduction to Communication Studies,” “Editing and Design,” “Mass Communication and Society,” and other media-related courses. Her May Term class will feature women in journalism.

Lucht hopes her students gain a better understanding of how the media works in today’s society and its relation to their futures.

“My goals for students are, first of all, to prepare students for a converged media industry,” Lucht said. “It’s important to me that students learn not to just do a job, but how that job fits in with the rest of society and the various impacts it has on other people.”