There are a number of changes this year to Northwestern’s faculty. One of the biggest changes is the transition between previous Provost Alford Ottley and Interim Barb Lindman. Lindman’s duties, previously similar to the provost’s, now include vice president of academic affairs. Dean Paulson, Paul Bradley and Monica Groves now handle the student life department. Ottley has now transitioned into vice president of global initiatives, a position previously filled by Tim Tomlinson, who left for a position at The Bethlehem Institute.

Friday’s chapel was the official installation ceremony for a handful of new professors and faculty. Among the new professors are Luke Aleckson, assistant professor of art & graphic design; Kjellgren Alkire, assistant professor of graphic design; Iyare Oransaye, assistant professor of digital media arts & animation; Matthew Feig, visiting instructor of science; and Ying Wang, assistant professor of education. Among the faculty, Don Johnson is vice president for graduate & continuing education, and Yvonne RB-Banks is dean of academic support services.
Don Johnson holds a black belt in karate and teaches the women’s self-defense class on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. In addition to martial arts, Johnson enjoys poi spinning and motorcycles.

Although Don Johnson has acquired a new title, his time here at Northwestern has exceeded many. Johnson originally began at Northwestern as an assistant professor of Psychology. Originally from a private practice in Arizona, Johnson made the transition to Northwestern almost 20 years ago. Starting as an assistant professor of Psychology, Johnson has worked as the director for the FOCUS program, chair of the Psychology department, and most recently, dean of the Graduate & Continuing Education Division just last year. He has concentrated on teaching, research, and developing the health psychology as well as teaching the statistics class at Northwestern.

“I continue to look forward to working with college students and seeing my women’s self-defense classes grow,” Johnson said.

A new addition to the Arts & Graphic Design department is a new digital media arts professor. Iyare Oransaye comes to the winter wonderland of Minnesota straight from California. He has previously taught at schools including Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.; Los Medanos Community College in Pittsburgh, Calif. and the Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco, Calif.

Oransaye is excited to continue his passion for teaching the world of digital media and animation to Northwestern students. “I look forward to being able to create a new wave of animators,” Oransaye said.
Whether students win an Oscar or create short animation films, Oransaye looks forward to his direct impact on the students the most. Being able to create new curriculum, Oransaye is confident graduates of his program will be well-equipped for their future.

“I don’t hope – I know that graduates will be ready to work on films as entry-level positions, internships or games,” Oransaye said.

Oransaye is originally from Washington, D.C. He met his fiancé Andrea Reed, at graduate school in California; they will be married Oct. 10. In his spare time, Oransaye loves to play basketball and do yoga. He also loves to cook, noting his favorite dish as Nigerian Jollof rice.

Assistant professor of education, Ying Wang comes to Northwestern with excitement about being in a Christian college environment. “The job descriptions fit my career goals very well,” Wang said. Wang is looking forward to training her students in new methods of teaching and equipping them  with tools for utilizing new technology.