Converse Celebrates Retiring 2023 Faculty and Staff
The Converse community offers a bittersweet farewell to our 2023 retiring faculty and staff members. We are grateful for their dedication, impact and service at Converse University.
Retiring Faculty
Dr. Wayne Cheser
Dr. Cheser taught courses in early childhood education, elementary education, and in the educational leadership program. He was the principal evaluator of multiple grants acquired by Converse including one from the National Science Foundation (Math Education), the U.S. Department of Education (Project HITE), and the South Carolina Department of Education (Critical Needs Program).
Dr. Cheser worked with local schools as a consultant to gifted programs, as a supervisor of clinical students and student teachers, and as a contributor to science education in the upstate. Dr. Cheser has developed, filmed, produced, and published commercial educational DVDs on energy education and climate change.
We are grateful for Dr. Cheser’s 43 years of service.
Dr. Patti Foy
Patricia S. Foy, professor of music education, has been a member of the Petrie School faculty since 1990. During her tenure at Converse, she taught a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including methodology for teaching general music and choral music, piano class, voice class, music technology, and Modern Band. She has also served in a variety of leadership roles, including Department Chair, Assistant Dean, and Director of the Petrie School of Music.
Dr. Foy earned Master of Music Education and Ph.D. degrees in Music Education from the University of South Carolina, where she was the graduate editor for Update: Applications of Research in Music Education. She was among the first university music education faculty in the United States to be named a Modern Band Fellow by the Little Kids Rock organization, integrating that approach into Converse’s music education degrees. Dr. Foy holds a certificate in the Kodály method, having completed all three levels of training.
We are grateful for Dr. Foy’s 32 years of service.
Dr. Edna Steele
Dr. Steele joined Converse in 1997 and served as Chair of the Department of Biology from 1998- 2000 and Coordinator of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics from 2011-2014. She taught General Biology, General Zoology, Parasitology, Comparative Vertebrate Embryology, Human and Comparative Anatomy, Histology, Biology of Sexuality, and Medical Terminology. Dr. Steele was a recipient of the 2013 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Excellence in Teaching Award.
We are grateful for Dr. Steele’s 25 years of service.
Retiring Staff
Donna Rawls – Database Programmer
Rawls celebrates ten years of service.
Jill Feist – Admissions Operations Specialist
Feist celebrates 20 years of service.
Nancy Gage – Database Programmer; previously served as Alumnae Information Coordinator, and the Director of Advancement Services.
Gage celebrates 15 years of service.
Kathy Flaherty – Accounting and Administration Senior Administrative Assistant; previously served in the Registrar’s Office.
Flaherty celebrates 16 years of service.
Pam Bradley – Administrative Assistant, School of Education & Graduate Studies.
Bradley celebrates 16 years of service.