South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
A Voice for Independent Higher Education in South Carolina
Dr. Jennifer Heusel, associate professor of Communication, is Coker University’s recipient of the 2021 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award. She holds a Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Public Culture and American Studies and an M.A. in Art History and African American and African Diaspora Studies, both from Indiana University-Bloomington. Heusel earned a B.A. in Art History from …
Dr. Brennan Davis, assistant professor of education, is Columbia College’s 2021 recipient of the SCICU Excellence in Teaching award. She holds a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy and an M.A.T. in English, both from the University of South Carolina. She earned a B.A. in English at the College of Charleston. Before joining the Columbia College …
Dr. John Crutchfield, a 20-year member of the Columbia International University faculty, is the 2021 SCICU Excellence in Teaching honoree for CIU. He serves as professor of Bible in the College of Arts and Sciences. Crutchfield holds a Ph.D. from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Ohio). His dissertation at Hebrew Union College, entitled “Circles …
Dr. Angela Esco Elder, assistant professor of history, is the 2021 Excellence In Teaching recipient for Converse College. Her history degrees include a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A., all from the University of Georgia. Elder’s 2017 dissertation, “Married to the Confederacy: The Emotional Politics of Confederate Widowhood,” was awarded dissertation prizes from the Southern Historical Association …
Tracy McCurry, department chair for Economics and Business, is the 2021 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award recipient for Erskine College. She earned an M.B.A. from Clemson University and a B.S. in Mathematics from Lander University. McCurry teaches courses in business administration with a general focus in marketing. Since joining the Erskine faculty in 2010, her …
Dr. Janet D. Kwami, associate professor of Communication Studies, is Furman University’s 2021 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award recipient. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Society from the University of Oregon. Kwami earned an M. Phil. in Communication from the University of Ghana and a B.A in Publishing Studies from the University of Science …
Dr. Yan Gong, professor of mathematics, is the 2021 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Limestone University. She holds a Ph.D. in applied mathematics and statistics from North Carolina State University, an M.S. in Econometrics, and a B.S. in engineering thermal science and management, both from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China). Gong is in her …
Herbert Johnson, assistant professor of music, is Morris College’s recipient for the 2021 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Music , both conferred by Winthrop University. Johnson is currently working on a doctorate in Music Education at Liberty University. Johnson joined the Morris College faculty in 2018, bringing with …
Dr. Laura Roost, Assistant Professor of Political Science, is Newberry College’s 2021 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award winner. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Roost also holds a Graduate Specialization in Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Roost spent 10 months in Rwanda studying the impact …
