Trustees award faculty tenure, promote one to full professor

The Board of Trustees of Mercyhurst University voted to approve four faculty promotions over the weekend.

Named to full professor was Christina Riley-Brown, Ph.D., who most recently served as dean of the Hafenmaier College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and interim dean of the Walker College of Business.  She’s been associate dean of Hafenmaier and chair of the Department of English. Her scholarly expertise is in American literature before 1900, U.S. women's writing, and the history of race in the United States.

Amy Burniston, Ph.D., was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. She began her Mercyhurst career in 2013 and currently chairs the Department of Education. In addition, she directs the Graduate Program in Secondary Education, the Graduate Program in Teaching Excellence, and the PLS 3rd, Inc. Initiative. She also heads the STEM & Vine and Troops to Teachers grant programs.

Marcie Fitzgerald, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, was granted tenure and promotion to associate professor. Currently, she is academic director of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She is also the former and founding clinical director of the department, beginning in 2013. In addition, Fitzgerald has provided orthopedic medical care for pediatric patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Erie since 2005.

Megan Dougan, MPAS, PA-C, was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor. Since August 2019, she has served as associate program director of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She continues to serve as clinical director since assuming the position in February 2017. In addition, she has worked as a physician assistant in endocrinology at Metabolic Disease Associates Inc. Luis F. Aparicio MD in Erie since 2007.

PHOTO: Top L-R: Riley-Brown, Burniston; Bottom L-R: Dougan, Fitzgerald