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College of Education Welcomes New Faculty for the 2020-21 Academic Year

The College of Education is proud to welcome new faculty for the 2020-21 academic year. These individuals bring with them a diverse set of research interests and experiences that demonstrate their commitment to high-impact research, student success and innovation in the field of education.

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Oscar Aliaga, PhD — Associate Professor, Career and Technical/Workforce Education

Oscar Aliaga, PhD, joins the College of Education as an associate professor in the Career and Technical/Workforce Education Program in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Lifelong Learning.

Before joining USF, Dr. Aliaga was a Research Associate and Program Director with the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, at the University of Minnesota and the University of Louisville, respectively. More recently he was the career pathways coordinator for the Agency of Education in Vermont. His research interests include student participation in career and technical education, and career and technical education student outcomes.

Michelle Bombaugh, PhD — Instructor, Higher Education and Student Affairs

Michelle Bombaugh joins the College of Education as an Instructor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Lifelong Learning. She has worked at аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÄÚÄ»ÐÅÏ¢since 2005, holding positions in Undergraduate Admissions, Academic Advising and the Office of Academic Advocacy.

Dr. Bombaugh has a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Music Education and Music Performance, and both an M.Ed in College Student Affairs and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from USF. Her work as a practitioner has primarily focused on student success and she has presented on case management, first-year persistence and predictive analytics at various regional, national and international conferences. Her role in the College of Education will include serving as program coordinator for the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in College Student Affairs.

Willis Jones, PhD — Associate Professor, Higher Education and Student Affairs

Willis Jones, PhD, joins the College of Education as an associate professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Lifelong Learning. Before joining USF, Dr. Jones was an associate professor at the University of Kentucky. His research interests include the finance and economics of college athletics, History Black Colleges and Universities, community colleges and student retention.  

Lindsay Persohn, PhD — Assistant Professor, Literacy Studies

Lindsay Persohn, PhD, joins the College of Education as an assistant professor in the Literacy Studies Program in the Department of Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education and Physical Education on the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÄÚÄ»ÐÅÏ¢Sarasota-Manatee campus.

Prior to entering this role, Dr. Persohn was a visiting faculty member in the Department of Teaching and Learning on USF’s Tampa campus. She received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy Studies from аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÄÚÄ»ÐÅÏ¢in 2018. Dr. Persohn’s research interests include children's literature, art history and qualitative research methods.

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The College of Education is pleased to also welcome one new visiting faculty member for the 2020-21 academic year:

• Rachael Attai-Aming, PhD — Visiting Instructor, Elementary Education Mathematics