Initial Publication Date: November 16, 2016

Project Team

Part of the InTeGrate Claflin University Program Model

Camelia-M Kantor, PhD, MBA (PI/Lead - Assistant Professor Geography, Department of Social Sciences)

The only geographer on Claflin's campus (hopefully not for long), Dr. Camelia Kantor is a dynamic, collaborative, and innovative professional who has enhanced and steered the university in all aspects of academic achievement including student teaching & mentorship, research, curriculum development, environmental preservation, and external funding. As a hybrid human geographer with research interests in the areas of human-environmental systems vulnerabilities assessment, Dr. Camelia Kantor is a native of Romania (Eastern Europe) and has spent her first eight years at Claflin University designing the Geography curricula and recruiting students from a variety of disciplines. Her goal (and passion) is to expose more minority students to Geography, Geosciences, and Geospatial Intelligence and to help them build and sustain geospatial knowledge skills needed to develop sustainable solutions to issues faced by their communities.

Anisah Bagasra, PhD (Assistant Professor Psychology- Department of Social Sciences)

Anisah Bagasra, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Claflin University. She teaches a wide-range of psychology courses and mentors students on undergraduate research projects. Dr. Bagasra works in the area of mental health disparities, focusing on perception of mental illness and barriers to help-seeking. Her research interests include mental health issues affecting religious and ethnic minorities in the United States, acculturation issues, and cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue. Much of her research has been conducted in the Muslim American and African American faith communities in the South. She helped to establish Claflin's Psychology Major in 2013 and developed and taught the first fully-online courses at the University. As Interim Director of Online Education, she has worked to launch two fully online undergraduate and two fully online master degree programs to serve the needs of South Carolina residents.

Gloria McCutcheon, PhD (Interim Chair and Professor of Biology- Department of Biology)

Dr. McCutcheon's research interests are at the intersection of public health and agriculture, with a focus on chronic and infectious diseases and entomology. In collaboration with the Agricultural Research Service, she conducts research to identify compounds responsible for insect resistance in horticultural crops to ultimately decrease the amount of chemical pesticides in the environment. She is also interested in increasing awareness of health disparities, focusing on human papillomavirus and obesity as they relate to infectious and chronic diseases.

Rodney Hudson, MBA (Director of Auxiliary Services and Adjunct Professor Business)

Mr. Rodney Hudson is the Director of Auxiliary Services and Chair of the Sustainability Committee. He also teaches in the School of Business. He has conducted and lead numerous on campus and community related sustainability initiatives including energy audits and new energy policy, installed biodigester equipment in the dining hall to compost food waste and organized several recycling events.

Randall Harris, PhD (Assistant Professor of Biology- Department of Biology)

Dr. Randall H. Harris received his PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he was trained in molecular bacteriology studying two component regulatory genes in mycobacteria. He did a post doctoral fellowship at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH in infectious disease animal modeling where identified antimicrobial peptides important in the chinchilla innate immune system. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Claflin University. He has taught several courses in the Biology undergraduate curriculum including General, Molecular, and Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Biotechnical Methods. He has also taught Genetic Engineering to the graduate students in the Master of Biotechnology program. Dr. Harris has an active, student centered research laboratory having mentored undergraduate, master's level graduate, high school and technical college students. His research focuses on host antimicrobial peptide and pathogen interactions and heavy metal bioremediation.

Anthony Rizzuti, PhD (Associate Professor of Chemistry/Environmental Science- Department of Chemistry)

As Associate Professor of Environmental Science in the Department of Chemistry at Claflin University, Dr. Anthony Rizzuti is passionate about his role as teacher, advisor, and research mentor. His extensive professional experience and training gives Claflin's School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics a distinct edge in the field of environmental science. Dr. Rizzuti has a deep commitment to the field of environmental science (in both teaching and conducting cutting-edge research). This commitment has led to securing almost $3,000,000 in external funding, writing numerous publications, and ensuring the successful matriculation of several undergraduate and graduate students.

Mihail R. Kantor, PhD (Visiting Assistant Professor Biology)

As a plant scientist Dr. Mihail Kantor conducts research in the fields of plant biotechnology, plant breeding, and genetics. He uses his research experience to give students a broad exposure to the natural life. His goal is to show students the crucial role that plants play in our life and encourage them to pursue a career that will help insure food security for the next generations.

Cynthia Duncan-Joseph (Director of Freshman College)

Ms. Cynthia Duncan-Joseph is the Director of Freshman College and Instructor of Political Science with 15 years of experience in academic and student affairs. She is committed to improving the academic and socio-cultural development of students, particularly first generation, underrepresented populations and students in transition. She has demonstrated success in development and provision of programs and services designed to foster success, satisfaction and engagement in higher education. Since at CU, she has been striving to connect students,colleagues, families and other stakeholders in meaningful dialogue and engagement towards greater collaboration and cooperation for the benefit of student success and access.

Deborah Laufersweiler-Dwyer ( Assistant Professor of Sociology/Criminal Justice)

Dr. Deborah Laufersweiler- Dwyer received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the Old Dominion University, Master of Science in Applied Sociology from Norfolk State University, Doctor of Philosophy from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Laufersweiler-Dwyer served as a police officer in Norfolk, Virginia, with assignments in field, operational, and staff positions. Her experience includes criminal investigations, evidence collection and crime scene processing, special operations, and critical incident peer counseling. Dr. Dwyer has held academic appointments in criminal justice programs at Montgomery College in Maryland, Northern Virginia Community College, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is currently faculty at Claflin University. Dr. Laufersweiler-Dwyer has received federal, state and private research grant funding, presented nationally and internationally, and published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her consulting, research, presentation, and teaching focus areas are; victimology; law enforcement stress prevention, impact, and management; pedophiles and rape in HBCUs.

Faculty members no longer with the institution:

Bora Lee, PhD (Assistant Professor Criminal Justice)

Bora Lee received her PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University and served as an assistant professor of Criminal Justice at CU. Her research focuses on adolescent victimization. She recently left CU and is currently serving as an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the College at Brockport, State University of New York.

Ewen McLean, PhD (Chair Biology and Associate Professor Biology)

Dr. Ewen McLean's was the chair of the Biology Department during the project and infused his Introduction to Biology course. His research interests are broad but mainly center attention on applied studies with a particular focus on aquaculture and environmental issues. He has authored and co-authored over 200 academic and technical documents and has mentored and served on the committees of over 40 graduate students