Welcoming full-time faculty members
Koren Dixon, lecturer of nursing
Koren Dixon is a nurse practitioner who has joined Penn State Schuylkill's nursing faculty. Dixon has over 15 years of nursing and educational experience, having most recently worked as a nurse practitioner for Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc., in Pottsville and Hazleton. Prior to that, Dixon served as an adjunct instructor for the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing in Pottsville, and as a registered nurse in the Reading Hospital Health System.
Dixon earned her bachelor of science in nursing from Kutztown University in 2010, and her master of science in nursing from Purdue University in 2020, where her work was focused in family practice nursing. Dixon's experience includes service as a medical and surgical nurse.
Yelena Meadows, assistant teaching professor of mathematics
Yelena Meadows, has joined Penn State Schuylkill's STEM faculty as assistant teaching professor of mathematics. Meadows has worked in academia for nearly 20 years, having been an educator at institutions including West Virginia University Potomac State College, the University of Tennessee at Martin, Upper Iowa University, and more.
Meadows earned a master of science in applied mathematics from Altay State University, a master of science in pure mathematics from Florida State University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from Florida State University. Her doctoral dissertation was titled, “Calculus III students' analytic and visual understanding of surface areas of spheres, cylinders, pyramids and prisms.”
Maureen Sanders, assistant teaching professor of nursing
Maureen Sanders, has joined Penn State Schuylkill's nursing faculty as an assistant teaching professor. Sanders has been working as an adjunct instructor at Penn State Schuylkill since 2009, and joins campus full-time this semester. In addition to her time at Penn State Schuylkill, Sanders has worked as a nursing instructor for the Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing in Pottsville, and served as a staff development educator and Magnet coordinator for the Schuylkill Medical Center.
Sanders earned her doctorate in nursing practice from Wilkes University in 2014 and has been a practicing nurse for nearly four decades.
Joseph Squillace, assistant teaching professor of cybersecurity
Joseph Squillace, has joined Penn State Schuylkill's STEM faculty as an assistant teaching professor of cybersecurity. Squillace comes to Penn State Schuylkill with a background in education as well as cybersecurity work in the private sector. Prior to his time at Penn State Schuylkill, Squillace served as an adjunct faculty member at Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida; Trine University in Angola, Indiana; and South College in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also served as a system engineer and implementation specialist for Polonious Systems in Boca Raton, Florida.
Squillace is a United States Air Force veteran who earned his doctorate in information systems with a concentration in information security and his master of science in computer information systems from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
Welcoming part-time faculty members
Cara Bates, instructor of nursing
Cara Bates is a nurse practitioner who has joined Penn State Schuylkill's nursing faculty. Bates comes to campus from Healthstat Inc., located in Schuylkill Haven, where she continues to serve as a nurse practitioner focusing on employee health and wellness.
Bates earned her bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh, and her master of science in nursing, focused in adult/geriatric acute care, from the University of Pennsylvania.
Katharina Stuerzl, instructor of business
Katharina Stuerzl has joined Penn State Schuylkill as an instructor of business. Stuerzl is a longtime campus partner, having been instrumental in securing MAE-Eitel, a local manufacturing company, as part of Penn State Schuylkill’s Consortium of Co-Op Employers. Stuerzl is a German native who was instrumental in facilitating a trip to Germany for Penn State Schuylkill students to learn about international business practices from MAE-Eitel’s German parent company, MAE.
Stuerzl is a human resources professional who earned her master of arts in North American studies from University of Cologne, and her bachelor of arts in German linguistics and English and American literary and cultural studies from University of Paderborn, both located in Germany.
“It is my pleasure to welcome these incredible new faculty members to Penn State Schuylkill,” said Darcy L. Medica, Penn State Schuylkill’s director of academic affairs. “They are certain to enhance the student experience and do amazing things both in the classroom and beyond.”