You may have noticed some new faces around campus this year.

Most of the new faces belong to incoming freshman. Amongst the school of ‘fishies’ are some new faculty faces, as well.

Forty-eight new faculty members have joined the Oakland University community this year.They come from different schools and different places and have a vast array of majors and experiences.

Despite the differences, each new member has something that perpetuates Oakland University’s vision, according to James Lentini, Oakland University Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost.

“Oakland’s vision has at its core a simple but profound principle: a community of faculty who are leaders in their fields, uniquely prepared to inspire and educate our students,” Lentini said.

“The faculty class of 2013-14 continues the tradition of excellence enriching OU’s academic environment through diversity and expertise,” Lentini said.

Melissa Reznar, PH.D., is new to the School of Health Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Health Sciences.

She has taught for two years, first as a part-time professor here at OU, and then as a visiting professor for one year.

“A colleague introduced me to OU, and I have been hooked ever since,” Reznar said. “The students are engaged and so fun to work with, campus is beautiful, and the colleagues I work with are tremendous!”

“I have only taught at OU and don’t want to be anywhere else,” Reznar said.

Jae Kang, PH.D., is an Assistant Professor of Department of Management and Marketing at OU’s School of Business Administration.

“Currently, I am teaching evening classes for undergraduate students. I found that most of them have their jobs during the day time and come to school for studying,” Kang said. “Although I thought that they might be somewhat tired after work, I was very impressed by their strong passion for learning.”

“From my class, I hope that they can reach beyond the ordinary,” Kang said.

Steven Stanton, PH.D., is also new to the School of Business Administration.

This semester he is teaching Marketing 404 – Consumer Behavior – and is glad to be back in his home state.

“I think that OU is an excellent academic institution that has been on an exciting growth trajectory,” Stanton said. “I am a native of Michigan, and it is great to be back in the ‘mitten’.”

Derek Roberts, PH.D., who grew up in Metro Detroit, was also excited about the opportunity to come back home.

He is new to the College of Arts and Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice.

“The students at OU are engaged and personable. I like helping students learn to think critically about the social world around them,” Roberts said.