The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University welcomed 13 new full-time faculty members in nine different academic departments at the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year.
The new faculty members include:
Mehroonsh Asadi, Assistant Professor, Economics
Asadi completed her graduate studies in economics at Florida International University specializing in environmental economics, focusing on the impact of natural disasters on public health and housing markets in the U.S., and the valuation of environmental goods and services for sustainable natural resource management. Asadi will be teaching courses in introductory and intermediate microeconomics, as well as environmental economics.
Ann Backes, Instructor, Nursing
Backes is new to academia, having served in clinical, staff development and administrative roles as a registered nurse for the past 19 years. Backes graduated from Jamestown College and Walden University. She completed her MSN clinical hours at CSB with Professor Carrie Hoover over 10 years ago.
Colleen Carpenter, Visiting Associate Professor, Theology
Carpenter will be teaching theological explorations and courses that relate to theology and science, especially theology and ecology. Carpenter was a professor in the theology department at St. Catherine University for 18 years, and recently finished a two-year visiting appointment at Carleton College, where she served as the Benedict Distinguished Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies.
Jake Erickson, Assistant Professor, Exercise and Health Science
Erickson earned his master’s degree at NDSU in exercise and nutrition and his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia in Kinesiology. Erickson’s research agenda focuses on acute and chronic adaptations related to resistance exercise program design and will be teaching the exercise physiology lecture/labs, personal training/program design class and other courses within the department.
Sam Hintz, Visiting Assistant Professor, Psychology
Hintz graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2013 and has been working primarily as a practicing psychologist with Sanford Health for the past several years and the Department of Veteran Affairs prior to that.
Kimberly Holman, Instructor, Education
Holman obtained her undergraduate degree in education from Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a graduate degree in education from St. Mary’s University. Holman previously taught in Chaska and most recently in Sartell and is excited to bring her teaching experience to the education department at CSB and SJU.
Kirsten Hunt, Instructor, Education
Hunt comes from the University of Minnesota where she is completing her doctoral program in Literacy Education and Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Her most recent publication can be found in the Journal of Climate Literacy Education titled, “Finding a Way Through: Teaching with Naomi Klein’s How to Change Everything” in which she examines the role of children’s literature to support educators. Hunt will be teaching courses in elementary education and literacy.
Micah Kiel, Assistant Professor, Theology
Kiel is an alumnus of Saint John’s and a Minnesota native. Since 2000, he has lived in Princeton, New Jersy and then Davenport, Iowa where he was a professor for 17 years. Kiel is a theologian focusing on the Bible and New Testament.
Kayla Miller, Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology
Miller will teach introductory biology and microbiology. She is a graduate of South Dakota State University (B.S.) and Indiana University – Bloomington (Ph.D.). Miller’s research is in microbial ecology, specifically microbiome of the European honeybee.
Justine Olson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Olson will be teaching introduction to chemical structure and properties. She attended the University of Minnesota (B.S.) and the University of Iowa (Ph.D.). Olson’s research focuses on the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, whether that’s designing new anticancer drugs or finding more environmentally friendly and less expensive ways to perform reactions commonly used in synthesis.
Holly Palka, Instructor, Nursing
Palka received her BSN from the University of Scranton and her MSN from Indiana Wesleyan University. She served as an Army nurse.
Madelin Seidler, Assistant Professor, Exercise and Health Science
Seidler is coming from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where she recently completed her doctoral degree in exercise physiology. Her research interests consist of the relationships between energy availability, metabolism, the menstrual cycle and contraceptive use, Seidler will be teaching courses related to research methods, sports nutrition and introduction to exercise and health science.
Quaquilla Walker, Visiting Assistant Professor, Strategic Communication Studies
Walker graduated from Northwestern University with a Ph.D. in communication studies, and a focus on technology/social media in her research. She will be teaching introduction to human communication, group communication and intercultural communication.