Academic Credentials:

M.M., Yale University School of Music
B.A., Yale University

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Performing Arts (Music, Theatre, and Dance) and First-Year Experience.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

Life skills and self-care. In reality, my favorite courses are whichever courses I am currently teaching.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

Yes, I emphasize that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Everyone carries grief, homework, unpaid bills, relationship issues, regrets, and fears, but if my students know that they are loved, supported, and heard, then I have been successful.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

One strong family.

Recent Performances:

• Continuo keyboardist for Messiah; Rochester, NH – Dec. 2021, Dec. 2022, Dec. 2023, Dec 2024.
• Pandemic Response Critique Relative to Student Resilience and Recruitment; Mitchell College PD presentation – Spring 2022.
• “The Art of Cantorial Presentation”; Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River – Oct. 2022, Dec. 2022, Feb. 2023.
• Master Classes in Liturgical Organ Performance; Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River – Nov. 2022, Jan. 2023, Mar. 2023.

Current Scholarly Projects:

As a performer, my ongoing scholarship includes preparation for upcoming performances. Currently, I am preparing for the Mitchell Fall Play, the Mitchell Winter Choral Concert, the Mitchell Voice Studio recital, three Services of Advent Lessons and Carols, and solo appearances at several churches.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

My mentor, Fenno Follensby Heath.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

I would go back to railroading, which I did for 25 years.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I arrived at Mitchell by accident. My sister was a member of a closed Facebook page where the then-Director of the Theatre program posted that Mitchell was desperately looking for someone to teach one music theory course. My sister thought I might be interested. I interviewed on Friday, was hired on Monday, and began teaching on Wednesday. What I found here was the single most rewarding, gratifying, and uplifting teaching experience in what was then my 40 years of teaching. I know these students. I support these students. I am available for these students. And I will spend the rest of my teaching career here with them.

Academic Credentials:

Ph.D., Fordham University
M.A., Trinity College
B.A., Trinity College

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Disability Studies, Modernist Literature, Writing Pedagogy, and Creative Writing.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

I enjoy teaching about representations of neurodivergence in literature and film.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

I encourage students to continue developing their ability to analyze and understand difficult ideas. I also advise them to avoid falling for simplistic solutions to complex problems.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Diverse, Engaging, Unique.

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• Bombaci, Nancy. “Freaks in Late Modernist American Culture: Nathanael West, Djuna Barnes, Tod Browning, and Carson McCullers.” (Second Edition with Afterword). New York: Peter Lang, 2024.
• Bombaci, Nancy. “Nathanael West.” Short Story Criticism (Bibliographic Entry), Edited by Rebecca Parks, Vol. 319, Farmington Hills, Gale, 2022, pp. 175-190.
• Bombaci, Nancy. “Performative Criticism and the Problem of Modernist Chic: Gertrude Stein, Janet Flanner, and Dorothy Parker.” In Dow and Maguire, Routledge Companion to American Literary Journalism, 130–48, 2019.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

I would be a novelist and a playwright.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I enjoy running, yoga, and dance.

Academic Credentials:

Ed.D., Educational Leadership, St. John’s University
M.S., Health Education, Southern Connecticut State University
B.S., Health Education (Concentration in Health Psychology), Southern Connecticut State University
State of Connecticut, Teaching Licensure, Connecticut College

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

As a college professor, I have trained more than 5,000 teachers in the areas of Curriculum Development, Instructional Methods and Materials, Instructional Assessment, Promoting Social Emotional Competencies, and Research Methodology in Education.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

Contemporary Issues in Education and their impact on teaching and learning.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?
The positive impact teachers can have on the health and development of young children.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Supportive, caring community.

Recent Academic Presentations:

For the past eight years, I have been on the Board of Directors for the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication (ISAAC). ISAAC recently achieved a dramatic increase in student academic success, moving in the region from 12th place in 2019 to 3rd place in 2023 and 2024 on the State of Connecticut’s Education Accountability Index. As the chair of the board’s Curriculum Committee, I presented the findings to the ISAAC Board of Directors.

Recent Ademic Papers/Publications:

I was the director and head researcher for the Jones Zimmerman Foundation Mentoring Program from 2005-2017. As director, I managed site coordinators at Yale University, Sacred Heart University, and Trinity College. My responsibilities included developing, implementing, and evaluating a school-based academic mentoring model for at-risk middle school students with the purpose of improving academic success and graduation rates.

Current Scholarly Projects:

As the curriculum chair of the Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication (ISAAC) Board of Directors, I am currently conducting research to identify the independent variables responsible for such a dramatic increase in student academic success.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

My love and passion for teaching.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

A college basketball coach.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I am a builder, whether it be with academic pursuits (curriculum, students’ academic success, community) or home projects (home remodeling, auto restoration, landscaping). I like to engage in improving my family’s life and the lives of others within my community.

Academic Credentials:

Ed.D., Educational Leadership & Supervision, American International College
M.S., Communication, Central Connecticut State University
B.S., Criminal Justice, Western New England University

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Criminal Justice, Community Corrections, and Communication.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

While I enjoy teaching about the criminal justice field as a whole, my favorite topics within the major are leadership, corrections, restorative justice, and ethics.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

1) The importance of having integrity in everything that you do and how the decisions you make matter and have an impact on those around you.
2) Creating boundaries is a necessary and healthy part of your life, both professionally and personally.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Community, diverse, student-centered.

Recent Academic Presentations:

• First-Generation College Students: Gaining Access, Matriculating through, and Graduating College. – Low Residency Colloquium at American International College, 2019.
• Inclusion in 21st Century Higher Education: Perceptions of LGBTQ College Students – Doctoral Presentation at American International College, 2021.
• Effective Practices in the Classroom, Part I & Part 2 – Professional Development Training for Workforce Development Instructors at CT State Community College, 2024. 

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• Corrections1 Online Publication – Column “Integrity & the Badge”: “Communication: How to effectively deploy your first line of defense” – March 2019.
• “What cadets should expect in the academy: Expect to be challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally” – March 2019.
• “Women in corrections: An integral asset for all units” – June 2020.
• “Mental health matters: How leaders can ensure correctional officers have healthy, sustainable careers” – June 2019.
• “Ethics in corrections: How to avoid unduly familiar behavior” – October 2020.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

Working in the field of criminal justice, specifically in the correctional/treatment setting.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

A full-time poetry author.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

When not in the classroom, I enjoy being outdoors with my wife and daughter. We love hiking, water sports, spending time at the beach, and exploring new places.

Academic Credentials:

M.B.A., Johnson and Wales University
B.S., University of Massachusetts

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Hospitality Management and Business Management.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

My favorite lesson to teach is “World Culture: Eat, Pray, Love,” where students learn about culture through the lens of food, including authentic food tastings.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

1) “First seek to understand, before being understood.” — Steven Covey
2) Learning is a lifelong task.
3) “Plan your day, or you plan to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin (adapted)

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Adaptive, impactful, learning.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?
My inspiration came from two individuals:
1) My mother, Loraine Forcier, who was a general manager and role model in country club management.
2) Celeste Brantolino, a former boss and mentor, who introduced me to teaching.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

I would be a General Manager of a country club.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I am a proud father of a beautiful daughter and two tiny dogs. I have also been a travel softball manager and coach for over 10 years.

Academic Credentials:

Ph.D., Psychological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas
M.S., Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas
B.S., Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus is Psychology.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

I teach a variety of topics in psychology and find them all interesting.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

Psychology is about how we think, feel, and what we do. I hope that in discussing these topics, students make connections and better understand their own well-being.

Recent Academic Presentations:

• Gentsch, J.K., Karoff, R., Shipley, H., Wyatt, T. “Building Bridges: UT System Collaborations in Engaged Learning.” Presentation at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Global Citizenship for Campus, Community, and Careers: Crossing Borders and Boundaries, San Antonio, Texas (2019).
• Gentsch, J.K. “The ‘Why’ of the Story: Collaborative Learning and Intergenerational Life Review.” Presentation at the SACS COC Annual Meeting, Students Are the HEART of Education, Dallas, Texas (2017).

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• Cocke, G., Gentsch, J., Hefley, W.E., & Riechert, C. (2021). “Students in Action: Faculty Encouraging Outreach and Involvement.” In (Ed.), Personal Sustainability Practices: Faculty Approaches to Walking the Sustainability Talk and Living the UN SDGs. Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Gentsch, J.K. (2018). “Human Sexuality: Through a Psychological Lens.” Green River Publishing.
• Ehrenreich, S. E., Underwood, M. K., Gentsch, J. K. & Rosen, L. H. (2015). “Text Messaging as a Forum for Negative and Antisocial Communication.” In Z. Yan (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mobile Phone Behavior. 

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

My father was a professor and an urban economist, and my mother was a clinical social worker. Both inspired me to pursue my interests.

Academic Credentials:

Ph.D., University of Rhode Island
M.S., University of New Haven
B.S., Hobart College

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

I teach a variety of classes for the Division of Science, but most of my classes focus on Applied Exercise Science and Health Science.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

Do not be afraid to make a mistake—sometimes that’s the best way to learn!

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• Kresge DL, Melanson KJ. Chewing gum increases energy expenditure before and after controlled breakfasts. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism (2015);40(4):401-6. Doi: 10.1139/apnm-2014-0232.
• Melanson KJ, Kresge DL. Chewing gum decreases energy intake at lunch following a controlled breakfast. Appetite (2017)118:1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.07.015 

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

Doug Yarnall, former athletic director at Mitchell College.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

If I had not chosen to be a professor, I would have been a medical doctor.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I enjoy spending time with my family, being active, and engaging in outdoor activities.

Adademic Credentials:

M.S., Education, University of New Haven
B.S., Human Development/Psychology, Mitchell College
A.A., Liberal Arts/Psychology, Mitchell College

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Psychology, Human Development & Family Studies, and Education.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

For as long as I can remember, a career related to education and psychology was something I considered. I have always been curious about and fascinated by human behavior, learning, and development. It was in my first year here as a Mitchell College student that my interest in developmental science piqued. I discovered a joy and power in learning and an appreciation for a field that is relevant to everything.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I cannot imagine living anywhere but on the shoreline. So much of what I enjoy is directly tied to this area—relaxing on the beach, walking along the scenic coast, and indulging in seafood. While I find it increasingly more difficult to do during the academic year, I do enjoy reading novels (especially realistic fiction). I also enjoy playing board games with family and friends. Some of my favorites include Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Sequence, Blokus, Hues and Cues, and Bananagrams.

Academic Credentials:

Ph.D., Anthropology – University of Connecticut
M.A., Anthropology – University of Connecticut
B.A., Individualized Studies – University of Connecticut 

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My areas of academic focus are Social Sciences, Anthropology/Sociology, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

I enjoy teaching about the social construction of race. 

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students (in addition to your subject matter)?

I emphasize that life is not a straight path—explore, stay curious, and recognize that learning is a developmental process. I encourage students to believe in themselves and their unique abilities. A favorite quote I share is from Lao Tzu: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Inclusive, supportive, adaptive.

Recent Academic Presentations:

• Conference Presenter, “Connection, Continuity, and Change as Reflective Practice in the Classroom,” Lilly Conference, Austin, Texas (May 2023).
• Invited Guest Lecturer, “Considering Circumstance: Children, Homes, and Social Inequality,” lecture and civic reflection on James Mollison’s exhibition, Where Children Sleep, Lyman Allyn Art Museum, New London, CT (March 2023).
• Presenter, “Curriculum Mapping and Ability-Based Education: Takeaways from Alverno College’s Assessment Workshop,” Fall Faculty Conference, Mitchell College (August 2021).
• Session Presenter, “At the Core of Learning in Common: Effects of Theater Arts on Reading Fluency Among Elementary School Students,” University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Engaging Anthropology Conference (October 2019).
• Workshop Facilitator, “Building Empathy Through Our Own Stories,” Community Coalition on Children Annual Conference, Grow U., Mitchell College (October 2019).

Media Coverage of Teaching

• Mitchell College, “Student Puts the Hospitality in Homeless Center” (December 2023).
• Mitchell College, “Alum Offers Insights Into Grad School” (October 2023).
• Taylor Hertz, “At Mitchell College, Courses Tackle Inequality and Controversial Monuments,” The Day (September 12, 2020).
• Colin Young, “Influential Women Get a Seat at the Table Thanks to Magnet School Students,” The Day (November 19, 2013). 

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• “Leveraging Standardized Testing to Transform Curriculum Through Arts Integration: Effects of Shadow Puppet Theater on Reading Fluency Among Elementary School Students,” Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Journal, Vol. 6, Issue 1 (Fall 2021). 

Current Scholarly Projects:

I am involved in research on the scholarship of teaching and learning, including dialogic and civil discourse, arts integration and education, neurodiversity, and critical pedagogy. 

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

During my last year of my bachelor’s program in Individualized Studies, I took a class on Native North Americans with an indigenous scholar who inspired me to pursue graduate work in this area of study. 

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

I would travel the world as a public anthropologist. 

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell (hobbies, interests, pursuits, remarkable moments, etc.).

I have many interests, particularly in music and the arts. I love the outdoors, travel, performing, and spending time with my family.

Academic Credentials:

Ph.D., Education/Sustainability Education, Prescott College
M.A., Teaching, Sacred Heart University
M.S., Management, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
B.Sc (Hons), Mathematics & Information Technology, Canterbury Christ Church University
PMP: Project Management Professional, Project Management Institute
OTF/OTI/OTO: Organizational Transformation Micro-credentials, Project Management Institute

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Management, Innovation, Project Management, Design Thinking, and Entrepreneurship.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

I love teaching Design Thinking as part of the management of innovation. I enjoy helping students grow their innate creativity and combine it with a rigorous practice of implementing workable solutions to real-world problems.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

1) The importance of professionalism and work ethic in personal success.

2) How you need to be both creative and analytical to be truly successful in the professional workplace.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Neurodiverse, student-centered, mindful.

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

• Patsalides, J. P. (2018). Project Management: Building and Executing Strategy [teaching case]. Unpublished manuscript.
• Patsalides, J. P. (2017). BE202: Statistics for Business & Economics Course Workbook, 2017 Edition. Ann Arbor, MI: XanEdu.
• Patsalides, J. P. (2015). Building a climate for creativity: A theory of action to improve U.S. elementary schools (Doctoral Dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI 3705902)
• Patsalides, J. P. (2013). Exploring elementary & middle school student perspectives on classroom learning and creativity. In Taniguchi, S. & Mitten, D. (Eds.). (2013). Proceedings from SEER 2013: The Symposium on Experiential Education Research. Denver, CO: Association for Experiential Education.

Current Scholarly Projects:

I am currently researching experiential learning and applications to teaching undergraduate business courses.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

Dr. Jim Stodder, my economics professor at RPI, inspired me to focus on creativity and innovation. He encouraged me to transition from corporate strategy into higher education. Later, Dr. Denise Mitten (Prescott) and Dr. Jacqui Kelleher (Sacred Heart University) further motivated me to apply my understanding of experiential education to mainstream higher education.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

I would be a project manager or entrepreneur, likely in sustainability or leading an innovative human/tech startup.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I’m an avid backpacker, outdoorsman, and archer. I love camping and just being outdoors with my young family.

Academic Credentials:

M.F.A., Photography, Rhode Island School of Design
B.A., Classics (Ancient Greek and Latin Languages and Greek and Roman History), Brown University

What is your area(s) of academic focus?

My academic focus includes Video Production, Motion Graphics, Script Writing, Performance for Media, Radio/Audio Production, and Cinema Studies.

What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach?

I love any lesson in which my students discover new ways to express themselves, whether through video production, screenwriting, performing on camera, or podcasting.

Are there any life lessons you try to impart on your students?

All professional creative work requires many cycles of feedback and revision. To succeed in their careers, students need to be comfortable receiving feedback and be persistent in working through many revisions to get to a high-quality final product. A growth mindset and persistent work toward continuous improvement is useful in all areas of life.

Describe Mitchell in three words.

Inclusive, supportive, personal.

Recent Academic Papers/Publications:

In 2021, my book of historical photographs with explanatory text, “The Narcotic Farm,” co-authored with JP Olsen, was printed in a second edition by University of Kentucky Press. It’s an archive of photographs that we uncovered while researching and producing a documentary about our nation’s first prison/hospital/research center for drug addicts, an institution that was the center of the national effort to cope with drug abuse from 1935 to 1975.

Current Scholarly Projects:

My version of ongoing work in my field is that I occasionally do small video production work, which is what I did professionally for nine years in New York. My most recent project was a 5-minute documentary profile of an artist who uses 19th-century photographic processes. The video helped the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina to raise over $10,000 for scholarships in an auction of the artist’s donated work.

What or who inspired you to pursue your academic interest?

After several years of being passionate about photography, I was inspired to take up video and filmmaking while in graduate school because I was intrigued by the possibilities of an art form that includes time, sound, juxtaposed images in sequence, human behavior, and storytelling.

If you were not a college professor, what would you be?

If I were not teaching full-time, I would still be in filmmaking, most likely working on documentaries.

Share something about your life outside of Mitchell.

I was a stay-at-home dad for seven years with two young children. Those days playing with blocks, jumping in leaf piles, making meals, and reading with my kids were some of the best times in my life. I surf when I can. Some of my most calmly joyful moments have been watching the sunset through water droplets on the nose of my surfboard while waiting for a last wave back to shore.