Converse University Welcomes Five New Faculty Members for Fall 2025
Converse University President Dr. Boone J. Hopkins has announced the hiring of new faculty members for the School of the Arts, the School of Business & Data Science and the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
“We look forward to celebrating the impact these excellent educators will make on our Converse community and in their respective fields,” Hopkins said. “We are excited for these new faculty members to share their experience, knowledge, and passion for teaching at Converse as we continue to provide transformational experiences and open doors of opportunity for our students.”
“We look forward to celebrating the impact these excellent educators will make on our Converse community and in their respective fields.”
President Boone J. Hopkins
Converse welcomes the following faculty members to campus in August 2025:
- Dr. Emily Herry, Assistant Professor of Psychology
- Dr. Josh Mangle, Instructor of English
- Dr. Cazembe Monds, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
- Krishna Panchal, Instructor of Physics
- Carrie Preus, Instructor of Dance
Dr. Emily Herry is an incoming Assistant Professor of Psychology with a passion for teaching and research. They previously completed their postdoctoral fellowship in Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Health within the College of Nursing at The Ohio State University where they worked in the IRIS Lab, led by Dr. Christina Dyar. At the same time, they worked in the Brenick Lab, led by Dr. Alaina Brenick at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Herry completed their PhD in Lifespan Developmental Psychology within the Department of Psychology at North Carolina State University. During their PhD, Dr. Herry worked in the Social Development Lab with Dr. Kelly Lynn Mulvey. They received their BS in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from UNC-Greensboro and their AA from Alamance Community College. During their undergraduate career, Dr. Herry worked in the DUCK Lab with Drs. Janet Boseovski and Stuart Marcovitch. Dr. Herry’s current research interests include bystanders’ response to identity-based victimization across contexts; and contextual factors and stigma-related stressors that contribute to mental health outcomes and identity development across the lifespan among sexual and gender minority populations. Relatedly, Dr. Herry will be starting their own lab, the Identity, Development, Equity, And Stigma (IDEAS) Lab in the fall.
Dr. Josh Mangle joins Converse as an Instructor of English. He holds a BA in English from the College of Charleston and an M.A. in English from Winthrop University. He recently graduated with his PhD in English literature from the University of Tennessee, where he studied under Dr. Laura Howes and Dr. Roy Liuzza. His dissertation focused on decoding the language of romantic companionship between male knights in Arthurian Romance, using the Prose Lancelot as his primary example. His research focuses on the intersection between trauma, gender, and sexuality in Old Norse and Chivalric Romance. He is also interested in how online communities use the medieval to further queer representation in video games.
Dr. Cazembe Monds joins Converse as an Assistant Professor of Business Administration with a specialization in International Business. Alongside teaching management related classes, he looks forward to taking the lead in developing more international business-focused courses for students within the School of Business and Data Sciences. Dr. Monds earned his PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business from Georgia State University, and his BA in Business Marketing from Morehouse College. Cazembe recently earned an official Certificate of International Business Studies through his involvement as an inaugural member of the AIB-CIBER Doctoral Academy, which is a premiere certificate program that seeks to provide doctoral students with robust training in international business theory, methods, and teaching. Outside of his involvement within the classroom, his research interests lie at the intersection of exploring both interorganizational trust dynamics inside and outside multinational enterprises (MNE), and MNE relations in emerging markets.
Krishna Panchal joins the faculty as an instructor of Physics and will be teaching algebra-based physics courses for Converse’s Chemistry and Biology programs. She is a dedicated and passionate Physics and Astronomy Instructor with a strong academic foundation and diverse teaching experience of six years across high school, community college, and university settings. She holds an MS in Physics with a specialization in Condensed Matter Physics from Sardar Patel University in India, where she also earned her undergraduate degree. She has previously served in multiple academic roles, including adjunct and full-time positions at respected institutions such as Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Catawba Valley Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, and Appalachian State University. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes clarity, student engagement, and practical understanding through lab-based learning and modern instructional technologies that inspires the students to appreciate the beauty and relevance of physics in everyday life.
Carrie Preus joins the Converse faculty as a part-time instructor of Dance, following a year and a half as an adjunct instructor. With more than 15 years of experience in professional dance and dance education, Carrie brings a rich background in performance, choreography, and arts leadership to her teaching. She recently retired from Ballet Spartanburg after eight seasons with the Professional Company, where she danced numerous leading roles. In addition to her performance career, Carrie is a passionate educator and choreographer. Her recent choreographic work includes projects for Ballet Spartanburg, Spartanburg Little Theatre, and various dance programs across the Upstate. Beyond the studio, Carrie is an active arts advocate and community leader. She serves as the Artistic Programming and Development Director for ArtsUp SC, where she is also a founding member. Carrie holds a BA in Dance with a concentration in Ballet from Kennesaw State University and an MA in Leadership and Cultural Management from Colorado State University. She is deeply committed to creating equitable, accessible, and empowering dance environments for all learners.