Indiana University East is pleased to welcome its newest faculty in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences to further enhance the campus’ mission as a comprehensive bachelor’s and master’s degree institution. Six new faculty joined the school at the start of the fall 2012 semester.

Chera LaForge, assistant professor of political science, received her Doctor of Political Science and her Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Northern Michigan University.

Previously, as a graduate student at the University of Illinois, LaForge worked as a teaching assistant, research assistant, and academic advisor.

LaForge’s research interests include congress and legislative behavior. She has presented papers for the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting.

She is a member of the American Political Science Association, Midwest Political Science Association and the Midwest Women’s Caucus for Political Science.

LaForge received the LAS Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant from the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in April 2012. She has received additional honors including the Congressional Research Award from the Dirksen Congressional Center, the George T. Yu Award from the Political Science Department Travel Grant, Department Fellowship for the Department of Political Science, and the Charles Merriam Fellowship Department of Political Science. She was also named the Outstanding Graduating Senior for the Department of Economics from Northern Michigan University.

Carrie Longley, assistant professor of fine arts, received her Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Indiana University and her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and a Minor in Education from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.

Previously, she was an adjunct professor at Wittenberg University. Before joining the faculty at Wittenberg, she was an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton. She was also formerly an associate instructor at Indiana University Bloomington, a ceramics instructor at the Springfield Museum of Art, and a visual arts teacher for Tecumseh Local Schools in New Carlisle, Ohio.

Longley has exhibited her work, most recently at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition; The Clay Studio Invitational in Philadelphia, Penn.; the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus; the John Bryan Community Pottery Invitational in Yellow Springs, Ohio; University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the University of Dayton.

Tanya Perkins, lecturer of English, received her Master of Arts in English Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies, both degrees are with an emphasis in creative writing, from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash.

Previously, Perkins was an instructor at Western Washington University. She also volunteered and worked part-time as an instructor at Bellingham Technical College and for the Whatcom Literacy Council. In 2011, she received the Excellence in Teaching by a Second Year Graduate Instructor from the Western Washington University English Department.

As a freelance writer, she has written columns on travel, dinning, food, and lifestyle. Perkins has also published several works of poetry and non-fiction. Her work has recently been published by Sliver of Stone and Emrys Journal.

She has presented papers at the Scholar’s Week Graduate Symposium at Western Washington University, The Two-Year College English Association of the Pacific Northwest at Whatcom Community College, The Association for Literature for the Environment and Culture in Canada at the Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Perkins is a member of the Association for Literature, Environment and Culture in Canada, Association for Studies in Literature and the Environment, Conference on College Composition and Communication, College English Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Steven Petersheim, assistant professor English, received his Doctor of Philosophy in English, with a concentration in American Literature from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Science in English and Elementary and Middle School Education from Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Md. He was the fall 2008 Honors Graduate Fellow in the Honors College while at Baylor University.

Previously, he was an instructor of English at Baylor University. He was a teaching assistant while at Frostburg State. He was formerly the Compiler/Editor for Beall Poetry Festival Proceedings.

Petersheim has been published by Papers on Language & Literature, Panel of Poetry Reading, Seedfruit: The Literary Journal of Garrett College, and The Phoenix Magazine of Literature & the Arts. He has also had several books and articles published for Routledge Annotated Bibliography of English Studies Online in the Nineteenth Century Literature Section.

He has presented papers for national conferences including the South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture, American Literature Association Conference, Southwest Conference on Christianity and Literature, and the Nathaniel Hawthorne Society Summer Meeting.

Petersheim has received honors and awards including as the Visiting Scholar for the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass.; the Conyers Graduate Scholar in the Baylor Graduate School, the Dr. Robert G. Collmer Prize for The Poetry in the Arts, Inc., Beall Poetry Festival, and the English Departmental Scholar at Frostburg State University.

He is a member of the American Literature Association / Nathaniel Hawthorne Society, Conference on Christianity and Literature, Modern Language Association, Society for the Study of the American Short Story and the South Atlantic Modern Language Association.

Mark Stanek, visiting assistant professor of music, received his Doctor of Arts in Music Performance/Orchestral Conducting from Ball State University, his Master of Music in Music Performance from the University of Idaho and his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Idaho.

Previously, he taught in the Music Department at Anderson University. He is an active orchestral conductor and classical guitar performer. He has conducted numerous orchestras in Indiana, including the Kokomo Symphony, the Columbus Symphony, and the East Central Indiana Chamber Orchestra.

As a guitarist he has appeared at the French Lick Jazz Festival, the International Double-Reed Society Conference at Ball State University, and on the internationally televised Candles and Carols concert at Anderson University. He has also appeared at chamber music festivals in Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, and Italy.

His current research interests are in the area of film music.

Beth Trammell, assistant professor of psychology, received her Doctorate in School Psychology, Master of Counseling Psychology, and her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Ball State University. She completed her doctoral internship with Hillcroft ABA Clinic in Muncie.

In addition to teaching at IU East, Trammell is a licensed mental health counselor for Still Waters Professional Counseling, LLC, in Muncie. Previously, she was a psychological assessment clinician for Tammi Miller and Associates and she worked as a psychological assessment clinician for the Center for Psychological Development, both located in Muncie. She has been an instructor for lifespan development and child and adolescent development for the Department of Educational Psychology at Ball State. She has also been a consultant for the Head Start program in Marion County and a community-based therapist with Indianapolis Public Schools.

Trammell has had several articles published by Psychology in the Schools, Applied Neuropsychology, From Science to Practice and The Encyclopedia of Neuropsychological Disorders. She has presented at conferences including for the National Conference of the American Neuropsychological Association, Vancouver, B. C., American Psychological Association Annual Convention, and the National Conference of National Academy of Neuropsychology.

She is a member of the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association of Graduate Students, National Academy of Neuropsychology, National Association of School Psychologists, Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training and the Student Affiliates in School Psychology.