Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is proud to announce the following faculty members who were tenured and promoted.
Crystal Carlson, associate professor of psychology, with tenure
Ph.D., M.S. – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
B.S. – University of Chicago
Dr. Crystal Carlson has been an assistant professor of psychology at Saint Mary’s University since 2014. She teaches a variety of courses in psychology and also teaches in Integratus, the general education program. She consistently manages a heavy advising load for departmental majors and first-year students. She also serves as faculty adviser to both the Psychology and Zumba Clubs, has presented to First Generation Initiative, has taught in the Countdown to College program, and is very active in overseeing quality student research projects. Dr. Carlson is committed to the individual needs of students and spends considerable time determining those needs and adapting pedagogically to ensure a high level of student engagement.
Dr. Carlson has worked tirelessly in various service capacities on behalf of the university, her discipline, and the wider community. She has multiple publications of articles and book contributions, conference presentations, and sustained efforts in the scholarship of psychology pedagogy. Her publications include:
Grison, S., & Carlson, C. (under contract). Psychology: Your guide to success. W.W. Norton.
Carlson, C. (in press). Developing community and a sense of belonging in your classroom. In M. Wong, L. Weiner, L. T. S. Yee, & J. Cerniak (Eds.), Incorporating Diversity in Classroom Settings: Real and Engaging Examples for Various Psychology Courses. Society for the Teaching of Psychology.
Carlson, C. (2019). Creating an inclusive learning environment. In S. Grison & C. Carlson (Eds.), High-impact practices: A teaching guide for psychology. W.W. Norton.
Carlson, C. (2019). Professional development opportunities for psychology instructors. In S. Grison & C. Carlson (Eds.), High-impact practices: A teaching guide for psychology. W.W. Norton.
Carlson, C. Jacobs, S. A., Perry, M., & Church, R. B. (2014). The effect of gestured instruction on the learning of physical causality problems. Gesture,14(1), 26-45.
Ryan, K. E., Gandha, T., Culbertson, M.J., & Carlson, C. (2014). Focus group evidence: Implications for design and analysis. American Journal of Evaluation, 35(3), 328-345.
Dr. Carlson has also worked collaboratively with Saint Mary’s colleagues on grant proposals. Her contributions to the development of the Integratus general education program have been substantial. Service to the university includes work on the following committees: Educational Standards Committee, Curriculum Committee (secretary), Integrated General Education Assessment Committee (chair), Library Committee, Learning Management System Task Force.
Molly O’Connor, associate professor of psychology, with tenure
Ph.D., M.S. – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
B.A.Sc., B.A. – University of Minnesota-Duluth
Dr. Molly O’Connor has been an assistant professor of psychology at Saint Mary’s since 2014. She teaches a variety of courses in psychology and also teaches in Integratus, the general education program. She consistently manages a heavy advising load for departmental majors and first-year students. According to her advisees and her colleagues, she invests considerable time in assisting students and has a genuine interest in the development of the whole person.
Dr. O’Connor has been active and effective in scholarly activity. She has published and delivered presentations at conferences. Dr. O’Connor guides students in diverse research projects, both individually and collaboratively with peers. She was instrumental in the Saint Mary’s review of the Institutional Human Participants Research Board (HPRB), which led to the creation of the university-wide Institutional Research Board (IRB) that ensures conformity with both federal requirements and disciplinary best practices. Her publications include:
O’Connor, M. (2017). Annotation of “The Ocean Tides Residential, Educational, and Family Services Program: An Organizational History 1975-1985.” AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education 8, 2, Institute for Lasallian Studies at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Toussaint, L., Lange, L., Chen, W., Hodge, M., O’Connor, M. & Fleming, R. (2017). Control-oriented coping buffers stress responses in evacuees from a technological accident. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research. 22, 3, doi:10.1111/jabr. 12062.
Dr. O’Connor has collaborated with colleagues in various disciplines on projects and provided valuable insight into the design of interdisciplinary majors in Integratus. Her service to the university includes work on the following committees: Institutional Review Board (vice chair), Tegrity Replacement Task Force, Mental Health Task Force, Faculty Council (secretary), Celebration of Scholarship Committee, General Education Working Groups, Facilities Committee.
Brooke Lenz, professor of English literature
Ph.D., M.A. – University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill
B.A. – University of Rochester
Dr. Brooke Lenz has been a member of the English and World Languages Department at Saint Mary’s since 2005.
Dr. Lenz has demonstrated a sustained record of excellence in teaching, as evidenced by her consistently fine student evaluations and the assessment of her department colleagues. She has a contagious enthusiasm that permeates her teaching, and her portfolio narratives clearly indicate that she is continuously seeking ways to improve her teaching, fully engage with students, and remain current in her discipline, which enriches and informs her presence in the classroom. In multiple respects, Dr. Lenz is representative of the ideal Lasallian educator. She inspires her students to do their best work, and she draws them into her love for English literature and the countless facets of the human experience that it illuminates.
Dr. Lenz has also contributed substantial efforts in the research and design of curriculum, and new courses have harnessed her considerable abilities with valuable results for the university, including the new health humanities major and minor.
Congratulations to these three outstanding faculty colleagues.