As Muskies, we have experienced quite an uncertain last year and a half; however, one thing is certain this semester—Lakeland University has recently welcomed three new faculty members to our main campus. The newest faculty members include Robert Callahan Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Business Administration), Aimee Burns, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Communication Studies), and Joseph Pollock, M.F.A (Assistant Professor of Studio Art).

Just as Lakeland students enjoy the feeling of being welcomed and appreciated, so does our new faculty. The Mirror got a chance to speak with our new faculty about their time at Lakeland so far. For professors Pollock and Callahan, Lakeland’s legacy preceded their employment. “Lakeland has possessed a strong reputation in Northeast Wisconsin for a long time. I first heard about Lakeland several years ago, and I have followed the University’s progress for some time,” said Professor Callahan. Having grown up in Northcentral Wisconsin, Pollock has been familiar with Lakeland for years, as well. For professor Burns, Lakeland University first came to her attention while completing her Ph.D. in communication studies. After learning more about our legacy she “was immediately attracted to Lakeland’s commitment to innovative and experiential student learning.”

So, what led them to make the final decision to join Lakeland University? When professor Burns first came to visit in the spring, she immediately fell in love with the campus and its community. She said, “Lakeland truly felt like a home away from home from the minute I stepped on campus, and I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to join this community” Professor Callahan explained, “Lakeland’s focus on cooperative education and the school’s focus on putting the students first, with having high quality teaching, is why I decided on Lakeland.” Professor Pollock felt Lakeland’s art and design program was a natural fit for his work and that his skillset would fit the program’s curriculum well.

Knowing that we are in week 7 of the semester, how do they feel so far? Each professor had a similar response. Professor Pollock explained “My time here has been great. I have enjoyed working with the students and other faculty members, all the while learning about the school’s history.” Professor Callahan responded, “My first several weeks at Lakeland have been fantastic!”, and Dr. Burns said “My time at Lakeland has been incredible so far. The tight-knit community here at Lakeland has made me feel so welcome.” So, even the teachers that first walk onto the campus of Lakeland feel as welcome as the students who start new every semester.

Knowing that these three professors are new, do they have anything that they want to share about their time at Lakeland? Professor Callahan started off by saying “I have been enjoying supporting the students at their sporting events. I have been impressed with all the student-athletes, how they support one another, and their commitment to being good students and to representing Lakeland as top-notch ambassadors for the University! I also have to say, I had never seen an E-sports arena before, and I was amazed at Lakeland’s facility! If you haven’t seen it yet you should check it out, it’s very cool!” Professor Pollock added that “Lakeland recently hosted the opening reception for an art exhibit at the Bradley Gallery, featuring artist Erica Huntzinger. It was great to see the student turnout; the artist appreciated the support and loved the questions and the curiosity that Lakeland students brought to the show.” Lastly, Dr. Burns finished it off by saying “So far, the time I have spent in the classroom with my students has been fantastic. I am impressed with how engaging and committed my students have been, and I cannot wait to continue to see their growth as we continue through the fall semester.”

Even though the pandemic has impacted each of our lives here at Lakeland, the support of faculty, students, staff has made clearly the Lakeland community welcoming no matter what is going on. Which, of course, is something that we all should be proud of.