A number of university faculty have been promoted within their professorship here at Capital.
Although it may feel as though all professors do is teach class and grade, there is a great deal more that goes on behind the scenes. In order to be successful and secure a tenure position, a professor must put forth a portfolio of their work that highlights their accomplishments in the areas of teaching, scholarship and service. If they are lucky, they will be offered tenure and move through the ranks of assistant professor, to associate professor, to finally full professor.
With many professors vying for the coveted positions and the security that these positions ensure, to get promoted along the tenure track is a great honor and professional triumph. Professors Hoyun Cho and Sherry Mong are among those who have recently been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor.
Cho specializes in mathematics education and has been teaching at Capital for six years. Cho’s love for teaching and mathematics is what has driven him in his career.
“Typically, faculty have one shot at getting promoted to associated [professor], often at the same time that they are being evaluated for tenure,” Cho said. “So, this promotion means a lot to me. But the reason why I came to Capital is ‘Not success but service.’ I am very thankful that I can keep serving students at Capital.”
After teaching at Capital for six years, Mong has also received the honor of associate professor. Mong is a professor of the sociology and criminology department.
“I like sociology because it gives me a lot of answers,” Mong said when asked why she chose to specialize in her fields. “Sociology helps you understand the structure of society … and you understand more about interactions with people. …It was that quest to know more about people and society that really got me into sociology.”
After being asked how she felt about her promotion, Mong said, “It’s something that I’ve been invested in for a long time, so it feels like … I’ve really accomplished what I’ve wanted to for that part of my life. … It’s kind of a celebration of the past, but it’s also the moment when you look forward to the future and think about your career.”
Other professors have received the title of full professor. Professors Saurav Roychoudhury, Robert Parton, Cheryl Do Broka and Sally Creasap have all earned the end-goal promotion.
Business professor Roychoudhury teaches mostly finance and economics courses here at Capital. He has been working at this university since 2006.
When asked how he viewed his promotion, Roychoudhury said that his new title comes with a new level of prestige and “…carries more weight, not only at Capital, but also when I’m at conferences, or when I’m reviewing article[s] or presenting at a conference.”
Roychoudhury is excited for the new opportunities that come with his promotion.
“If another faculty is going for full professor, I get to vote,” Roychoudhury said. “Also, if someone is going for tenure, I can take a leadership role in the department. I plan to be on the Faculty Evaluation Committee.”
Parton is a professor of music who specializes in trumpet and jazz studies. He has been at Capital for the past eight years. He initially became involved with his field due to his love of performing on the trumpet.
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Parton said that this promotion is meaningful to him “…as it is the last major promotion a faculty member can receive at Capital and most universities.”
Parton said that what he enjoys the most about Capital is the people of this university.
Do Broka is an English language arts educator who also has a great love for her fellow colleagues and students. She been teaching at Capital for 17 years.
Do Broka recognizes this accomplishment as recognition of “leadership roles I’ve taken on, gradually, over the past decade as the timing was right. It may increase my ability to take on additional mentoring roles, which I would welcome wholeheartedly.”
“When I was a 9-year-old … I wanted to be a professor at Capital University when I grew up,” Do Broka said when asked what being a full professor means to her. “My third grade teacher immediately advised me to have a ‘plan B.’ Being at Capital means the world to me. Being recognized for my contributions to both Capital and to my professional field of English education is immensely satisfying.”
Creasap, another tenured professor of the education department, focuses her work in early childhood education. Creasap has served over 15 years at Capital.
“It truly is an honor to be among the ranks of those who already hold the position of full professor at Capital,” Creasap said. “It’s a very elite group of people that I admire greatly. But I think the important piece is not the end product. It’s not becoming a full professor, it’s not that title, but it’s the process that I went through to get here.”
“Education is a life-long learning process; getting to full professor is not by any means the end, it’s just part of the journey,” Creasap said in regards to what she will do next. “The process enables you to look ahead and see where you will go from here and what other things will you do to make a mark at Capital.”
