Faculty and staff sketches

September 16, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 2)

President Mantella standing in blue jacket with arms crossed

Laura Aikens speaks with a microphone in a greenhouse at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market

President Philomena V. Mantella was appointed to the Business-Higher Education Forum board of directors.

Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills

Faculty and staff members who have given presentations, were recognized for outstanding contributions or had their research published are detailed below. The campus community can submit a sketch online for future publication.

In the News
President Philomena V. Mantella was appointed to the board of directors of Business-Higher Education Forum, a nationwide network of senior business and university executives. The board guides the organization in its mission to strengthen America’s talent pipelines, accelerate innovation, ensure U.S. competitiveness and enhance economic mobility for people.

Chris Hinsch, associate professor of marketing, was interviewed by WalletHub for a story about tariffs impacting consumers purchasing new iPhones.

Laura Aikens, vice president for Institutional Advancement, was named the recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for an Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals West Michigan Chapter. The award will be presented on November 12 (National Philanthropy Day) and recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in coordinating donors and volunteers for major fundraising projects.

Al Shifflett, director, Southwest Michigan, was interviewed by Scene Magazine for a story about the Battle Creek Innovation Hub.

Mark Reinink, a simulation technology assistant manager, was interviewed by WOOD-TV for a Tech Week Grand Rapids story about how technology and equipment at the Interprofessional Simulation Center prepare students for health care careers.

Sketches
Adrienne Wallace, associate professor of advertising and public relations, was among the authors of an article, "Accomplices in the Public Relations Classroom: An Autoethnography of Social-justice and Anti-racism-informed Teaching," published in Public Relations Inquiry.

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty Danielle DeMuth and Ayana Weekley were authors of a chapter, "Unpack Here: Challenging Privilege, Increasing Empathy, and Building Solidarity through Collaborative Feminist Pedagogy," for a book, Pedagogies of Interconnectedness: Feminist-Queer Collaborative Transformation.

Jackie Abeyta, director of Adult Student Engagement and Support, received a $5,000 Michigan College Access Network BOLD-Adult Learner Attainment Grant to build a comprehensive resource toolkit and guided support program designed to assist adult learners.

Bogdan Adamczyk, professor of engineering and director of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Center, was a co-author of an article, "Inductor Impedance Evaluation from S-Parameter Measurements" and wrote an article, "Shielding to Prevent Radiation," published in In Compliance Magazine.

Ashtyn Gluck, who earned a bachelor's degree in environmental and sustainability studies in April, participated with the Summer 2025 NASA Develop Research Team and gave a presentation, "Using Earth Observations to Quantify Methane Concentrations Produced by Landfills in New Hampshire." The NASA Develop team is a 10-week interdisciplinary research program for students or recent graduates.

Melissa Villarreal, associate professor of social work, was a speaker during the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness Advocacy Day in Lansing.

Laker Food Co. earned two distinguished Loyal E. Horton awards from the National Association of College and University Food Services: gold for the Student Employee Onboarding Guide and silver for catering the Aramark Midwest Culinary Summit.