Seven Faculty Members Awarded Promotion and Tenure by Board of Trustees

Seven Hood College faculty members have been awarded promotion and/or tenure by the College’s Board of Trustees during the board meeting in March. Faculty receiving promotion and/or tenure have demonstrated their ability to be excellent teachers and commitment to the College’s mission.

“As provost, I'm incredibly honored to work alongside these colleagues. I am especially proud of their achievements as teachers and scholars who embody Hood's mission every day,” said Debbie Ricker, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Our students are so very fortunate to have such accomplished mentors, shaping their academic and professional journey at Hood."   

Approved for promotion:

• George Dimitoglou, D.Sc., to professor of computer science
• Elizabeth Knapp, Ph.D., to professor of English

Approved for tenure and promotion in rank:

• Carol Jim, Ph.D., tenure and promotion to associate professor of computer science
• Janak Joshi, Ph.D., tenure and promotion to associate professor of economics
• Daehwan Kim, Ph.D., tenure and promotion to associate professor of biology
• Jessica McManus, Ph.D., tenure and promotion to associate professor of psychology
• Molly Moreland, Ph.D., tenure and promotion to associate professor of psychology

George Dimitoglou, D.Sc.

Dimitoglou joined the Hood College faculty in August 2004 as an assistant professor before earning tenure and promotion to associate professor during the 2009-10 academic year. Dimitoglou’s exceptional teaching record is mirrored by the praise received from his students, with one student stating, “Professor Dimitoglou pushed me to be the best version of myself. My success in this course is thanks to him.” At the graduate level, Dimitoglou led the establishment of the M.S. in cybersecurity at Hood, which is now designated as a Center for Academic Excellence by the NSA. 

Elizabeth Knapp, Ph.D.

Knapp began at Hood in 2009 and earned tenure and promotion to associate professor in 2015. Through all of her courses, which typically focus on literature and poetry, Knapp is especially committed to emphasizing authors from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, including women and writers of color. Her classes include creative assignments, such as original works inspired by, in imitation of or in conversation with particular authors. Paired with the opportunity to meet and attend readings with the contemporary authors covered in class, students feel engaged with her teaching throughout the semester. 

Last year, Knapp and her colleagues led the establishment of a new low-residency graduate program in creative writing (MFA) that will launch in June 2024.

Carol Jim ’07, M.S.’10, Ph.D.

Jim is a twice-degreed Hood College alum. Jim began teaching at Hood in 2012 and was appointed as visiting assistant professor in 2017 after earning her terminal degree. Jim teaches across five programs, employing diverse modalities and tailored teaching strategies to the varied backgrounds and needs of students. She consistently earns praise from students, one student stating, “Professor Jim is simply amazing!” Jim also serves as coach of the Cyber Blazers team, which consistently achieves top 5-20% nationwide rankings.

Janak Joshi, Ph.D.

Within the Delaplaine School of Business, Joshi is recognized as a versatile and rigorous yet fair teacher. His versatility as an educator is evident in his instruction of courses such as macro- and microeconomics, and environmental economics, among others, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He demonstrates a “whatever-it-takes” attitude in the service of students and the College, engaging in recruitment activities, advising, mentoring and assisting students on research and committee service. 

He is a founding board member for The Michael S. & Marlene B. Grossnickle Young Data Driven Frederick Center. Joshi has guided students through various academic and professional pathways, including Ph.D. applications, internships and scholarship opportunities. 

Daehwan Kim, Ph.D.

Kim joined Hood in 2017, bringing a wealth of connections between academia and industry. In his classes, he actively utilizes multiple teaching devices and approaches, and he carefully reviews feedback to improve student engagement in his courses to great success. Kim teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and was instrumental in designing the College’s new program in sustainability studies. Outside of the classroom, Kim is a member of the Faculty Executive Committee, Institutional Review Board, Enrollment Management Advisory Committee, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. He also serves as an assistant marshal for both Convocation and Commencement.

Jessica McManus, Ph.D.

McManus joined Hood in fall 2021 and has since exceeded expectations in all three evaluative categories (teaching, scholarship and service). McManus has received high praise from her students, with one commenting, “I enjoyed the course because I didn’t just learn psychology, I learned things about myself.” Although McManus holds her students to high standards, she provides the resources and structure for students to succeed if they are willing to work. McManus also prioritizes student mentoring and enjoys collaborating with her student research partners, leading the SPIRE symposium, which showcases student research and creativity. McManus’s students value her as a teacher and mentor, voting her Psychology Professor of the Year in May 2023.

Molly Moreland, Ph.D.

During her time at Hood, Moreland has shown tremendous growth and intentionality in her role as a teacher. Within the department, she teaches complex courses on topics such as cognitive psychology, human memory, psychology and law, and neuropsychology, but she displays a strong ability to make such complex subjects more manageable for undergraduate students. Moreland maintains an active research lab, mentoring between two to five students per semester. Like many scholars in her field, Moreland’s research progress was negatively impacted by restrictions imposed during the pandemic. This necessitated a change in how she was collecting data, a change that Moreland made successfully.

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