Congratulations to the current and former members of the faculty who have been recognized by the Ithaca College Board of Trustees. At its February meetings, the board awarded promotions and tenure to nine, designated one as a Dana professor, and granted emerita/emeritus status to nine retired faculty members.
The biographies of the faculty members were provided by their respective schools.
The following were awarded tenure and promoted from assistant to associate professor. Criteria for promotion to associate professor include: a sustained record of teaching excellence, evidence of significant scholarly or appropriate professional attainment, and evidence of service to the college and profession.
Candace Receno. (Photo submitted)
School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training
Candace Receno (Ph.D., Syracuse University) specializes in working with individuals limited by physical activity and exercise, most recently including those with fatiguing illnesses like myalgic encephalomyelitis and long COVID. She brings her student-centered teaching to physiology and applied clinical testing courses within the exercise science and athletic training programs. She also teaches the pre-health professions exploratory pathway introductory course. She is passionate about the use of educational technology alongside the promotion of diversity and equity in STEM.
Nandadevi Cortes Rodriguez. (Photo submitted)
School of Humanities and Sciences
Department of Biology
Nandadevi Cortes Rodriguez (Ph.D., University of Maryland) teaches Evolutionary Biology, Principles of Biology, Field Ornithology, an ICSM called Inquiring Minds, and a course in Puerto Rico called Biology of Oceanic Islands. She earns praise for her devotion to students and her agility in enriching their appreciation of the natural world. Her main research topic is population genetics and the evolution of neotropical birds. Since arriving at IC, she has published nine articles and mentored 15 students in her lab. In her service work, she exhibits a commitment to furthering diversity and inclusion, and colleagues report that she approaches everything she does “with a smile.”
Colleen Countryman (Photo submitted)
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Colleen Countryman (Ph.D., North Carolina State University) is widely recognized as a “joyous rockstar” in the classroom, who teaches physics at all levels with scrupulous attention to student need. She also teaches interdisciplinary ICC courses, such as Physics of Music. Her philosophy is that “students learn best when they are having fun,” and her instructional strategies are creative and interactive. Her research focuses on the development of educational technologies for physics classes, and she has involved numerous students in her work, co-authoring with several and launching many careers. She has engaged in extensive and meaningful service, including playing a leading role in admissions work.
Camilo Malagon. (Photo submitted)
Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Camilo Malagon (Ph.D., Tulane University) has taught ICSMs, foundational Spanish language courses, and courses in linguistics, translation, and cultural and literary studies. He is known for his warm approachability and his success in creating welcoming instructional spaces that liberate students to learn productively. His scholarship focuses on Latin American literature, film, and culture, and he has produced numerous publications, earning recognition as an emerging leader in his field. His service has been generous and includes coordinating IC’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program and serving the Asociación de Colombianistas as its current president.
Christopher Coletti (Photo submitted)
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Department of Music Performance
Christopher Coletti (M.M., The Juilliard School), an acclaimed trumpeter, is equally renowned as a trumpet soloist, for his work as principal trumpet of numerous top orchestras, as an arranger, and, most famously, his 10 years with the legendary Canadian Brass. His students have won positions in professional military bands and orchestras, have been accepted at elite master’s programs such as Juilliard and Yale, and have attained terminal degrees at top doctoral programs such as Florida State University and the University of Connecticut.
Ben Rochford. (Photo submitted)
Benjamin Rochford (Ph.D., University of Florida) joined the IC faculty in 2016 and currently serves as the Associate Director of Bands. He conducts the Wind Symphony and Concert Band and teaches courses in instrumental conducting and brass pedagogy. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, National Education Association, New York State School Music Education Association, and International Trumpet Guild. He was elected into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in 2012.
Gavin Mayer. (Photo submitted)
Department of Theatre and Dance Performance
Gavin Mayer (M.F.A., Florida State University) has taught for 27+ years at levels ranging from secondary to higher education. At IC, he primarily teaches musical theatre and directs musicals for the Center for Theatre and Dance production season. He possesses extensive experience in directing at local, regional, and national levels. Notable projects at IC include “Catch Me If You Can,” “Urinetown: The Musical,” “Into the Woods,” Fun Home,” and “Head Over Heels,” along with directing works in Auburn, NY, and in Arvada and Greeley, CO.
Aimee Rials. (Photo submitted)
Aimee Rials (M.F.A., Tisch School of Arts, New York University) has taught dance at local studios in New York City, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and IC. As a choreographer, her work has been performed at Ithaca College, the Gibney Center, 92Y’s Harkness Dance Center, Symphony Space, Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, Merce Cunningham Studio, DUMBO Dance Festival, Cool New York Dance Festival, Washington University’s Edison Theater, Huntingdon College, and the Depot Theater.
Jonathan Ablard. (Photo submitted)
Jonathan Ablard, professor of history in the School of Humanities and Sciences, was honored with a Dana professorship, which is awarded for a five-year term to selected professors who have demonstrated a continued record of excellence as well as a promise of outstanding future contributions in teaching and service.
Ablard is a historian of Latin America and the Caribbean who, in addition to teaching general surveys, offers courses on public health, revolution and counterrevolution, literature and dictatorship, conspiracy theories, and commodities. One of the core ideas of all his classes is that understanding the United States requires understanding Latin America and the Caribbean, a region often overlooked in high school history classes. With over a decade of expertise in the history of conspiracy theories, he has published extensively and designed a course on the subject. His current work focuses on the historical arc of conspiracy theories in Latin America, exploring themes like racial and class stratification, foreign influence, and authoritarian regimes. The Dana professorship will enable him to advance Ithaca College’s reputation, enhance his leadership roles, and engage with diverse communities through interdisciplinary programming and outreach. Specifically, he will complete his book project, “Lies and Untruths: Conspiracy Theories in Latin America from Colony to COVID,” and develop public-facing programming and on-campus teaching addressing the current ‘infodemic.’
The following were named professor emerita or emeritus. This is an honorary title awarded after retirement to those who have made sustained contributions to Ithaca College and/or to their profession in teaching, scholarship, and service.
School of Business
Gwen Seaquist, professor of accounting and business law, who retired in 2018.
School of Humanities and Sciences
Jim Conklin, professor of mathematics, who retired in 2024.
Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy, professor of writing, who retired in 2008.
Lauren O’Connell, professor of art, art history, and architecture, who retired in 2024.
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Lee Goodhew, professor of music performance, who retired in 2016.
Timothy Johnson, professor of music theory, history, and composition, who retired in 2023.
David Parks, professor of music performance, who retired in 2013.
Colin Stewart, professor of theatre arts, who retired in 2013.
Susan Waterbury, professor of music performance, who retired in 2023.