Fall 2023

In spring semester of 2016, Clanton instructors Ashley Kitchens and David McRae sought a way to make material in their classes more personal for students while giving those students an opportunity to be creative in the process of research and presentation of literary and historical ideas.  Hence the idea of creating a semester theme-focused museum project was born.  Each semester, a general theme is chosen and the literature and history classes create projects based on the literary and historical time periods taught during the semester.  Students learn to curate scholarly information about their chosen topics and design visual museum projects that are displayed during a week in the semester for the campus to enjoy.

Through the years, the JSCC Speech Team, the JSCC Spotlight Drama Club, and other classes of varying subjects have joined the effort.  A mandatory push to an online format in spring of 2020 due to COVID-19 precautions generated an idea for a digital platform.  The digital format will be unveiled in Fall of 2020.  We are so proud of the work that these students are doing, and we are proud to offer a platform to share student achievement in learning.  We look forward to watching this project continue to grow and evolve!

In the following, find out a little more about the instructors whose classes participate in the JSCC Digital Museum.  Without instructor and student participation, this project would not be possible.

Associate Dean and English Instructor, Clanton Campus

Ashley is an eclectic bookworm, art-lover, aerialist, dramatist, and instructor/administrator.  Her home campus is in Clanton, but she enjoys working with other colleagues and students from all campuses on both service and academic projects in all communities that JSCC serves.  She is a co-liaison at Clanton for the English honor society (Sigma Kappa Delta) at the college, one of a team of faculty that facilitates JSCC's Pioneer Con (the annual part academic, part comic-con conference celebrating "all things geeky"), and a passionate instructor who loves to see students finding their own ideas about subject matter relevant to the world in which they live.  She was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Alabama Community College System’s Outstanding Faculty (2015), she is the current Executive Secretary for the Association of College English Teachers of Alabama, and she participated in the 2020-2021 ACCS Instructional Leadership Academy.  She is a founding partner in the JSCC Museum Project with David McRae.  Ashley received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications from the University of Montevallo and her Master of Science degree in English Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

History Instructor and PTK Co-Advisor, Clanton/Pell City Campuses

David is a political junkie and tv connoisseur who sings and dances his way through life. He is world traveler who loves new experiences and will try anything at least once (ok, probably twice). David is the primary instructor of record at Pell City and Clanton but has taught at all four of Jefferson State’s campuses where he maintains collaborative relationships with his colleagues. He is also the advisor for Jefferson State’s Queer-Straight Alliance and the co-advisor for the Pi Pi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He is the 2019 recipient of the college’s Outstanding Faculty Member Award and the 2018 recipient of the PTK Faculty-Scholar Award. He is a current Faculty Facilitator and 2014 graduate of the Master Teacher Experience and a graduate of the Jefferson State Leadership Academy. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History and Spanish at Millsaps College and his Master of Arts in History at the University of Alabama. David is obsessed with digital humanities which helped fuel the museum project, which he co-founded with Ashley Kitchens.

Associate Dean and English Instructor, Jefferson Campus

Kristin is a baseball mom, sports fan, animal lover, podcast devotee, and literature instructor. She is fortunate to be able to work with instructors across multiple disciplines and campuses. Kristin loves teaching literature though its relationship to history and helping students make connections between what they read and study in class and the contemporary society and pop culture around them.  She was recognized as Jefferson State’s Outstanding Faculty Member and received the Chancellor’s Award for Faculty in 2014. She has also participated in the Alabama Master Teacher Experience (2017), Jefferson State’s inaugural Leadership Academy class (2017), and the 2020-2021 Instructional Leadership Academy. In her down time, she enjoys watching crime dramas, period dramas, and Nordic noir television series. She is also passionate about raising awareness for Tourette Syndrome, a neurological condition that affects her oldest son. She is obsessed with tigers and wolves, and once got to play with a tiger cub. Kristin received her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English from the University of Alabama and her Master of Arts in Secondary English plus thirty additional graduate hours in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Speech Instructor and Debate Team Coach, Shelby Campus

Janice is a J.R.R. Tolkien-loving geek, who, when not re-reading The Lord of the Rings for the 100th time, is either working in the garden, paddle-boarding, camping, or working at Jeff State as an Instructor of Speech and the Director of Forensics.  While many people assume that she tinkers with dead bodies and provides expert testimony in the courtroom, she must confess that she actually coaches the debate team.  Having a fondness for driving large vans full of students and eating at the Waffle House, Janice enjoys helping team members learn to argue and then putting their skills to the test at tournaments across the country.  Janice enjoys teaching communication courses and coaching the debate team because she believes that communication skills are the keys to success.  Janice received the Chancellor’s Award for Faculty in 2004 and was a member of the 2020-2021 Instructional Leadership Academy.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from The University of Alabama and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from UA, with an emphasis in classroom communication.  

Nursing Instructor, Chilton Campus

Tina is a nursing instructor at the Clanton campus and has been in nursing for over 20 years. She is a member of the JSCC social committee and is hands on for all the fun activities planned for faculty and students. Tina did not start out as a nurse but as an interior designer with a Bachelor of Science from Auburn University. After 10 years she decided to change directions with her career and obtained her Associate Degree of Nursing from Gadsden State Community College followed by her BSN/MSN from the University of Alabama and completed her education with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Samford University. She is an avid reader of fiction and fantasy and loves all the Star Wars movies!

Jefferson Campus Chair, Biology 

Erin is a tap-dancing, world traveling, mom of two, biologist that loves the arts.  She is currently the Chair of Biology at the Jefferson campus but loves that she has had the opportunity to teach at all four of our campuses.  She has designed and implemented innovative course based undergraduate research experiences in her biology labs that allow students to become scientists for a semester.  During the period of at home learning she has created lab kits that her students can take home and use for experiments.  She is also one of the two founders of the Jeffstate Overseas travel abroad program which allows her to travel and see the world through the eyes of her students.  Collaborating with other instructors and other departments is a favorite pastime and sees participating in the museum project is one of the most fun academic endeavors of the semester.   Erin received a B.S. degree in Molecular Biology and Microbiology from the University of Central Florida and a Ph.D. in Pathology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 

Instructor of Theater, Faculty Sponsor: Spotlight Drama Club

Lesley Warren is in love with all cats, her husband, and cooking. As an Instructor of Theater and The Drama Club advisor, she, of course, spends a ton of time writing, directing, and rehearsing and relishes every moment of it. Lesley has been in over 100 live plays and dabbled in film and commercial work during her years in North Carolina and Atlanta. Lesley earned her BA in Drama and English at JSU and her MFA in Theatre with a Concentration in Acting at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. While she thoroughly enjoyed her time as an actor (and bartender), she considers herself fortunate to be settled at Jeff State and surrounded by amazing colleagues who continually challenge and inspire her.

Purchasing and Catering Manager/Instructor, Shelby Campus

 Kenneth is a soccer coach, ballet dad, car geek, and Auburn fan. While he doesn’t claim to have many hobbies you can find him, tinkering with electronics, reading, and working on his 1968 Camaro. He has been in the Hospitality industry for over 14 yrs, and has travelled the country for the sake of food, competing in culinary competition and catering. He has worked for celebrities and tv networks. He received his Associate degree in Culinary Arts/Foodservice Management from Jefferson State in 2006 before continuing his education. He’s been an employee of Jefferson State since 2013 and was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Administration. He states “I’m still figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, but I know I want to continue to help people realize their potential and fulfill their culinary dreams.” 

 English Instructor, Clanton Campus

 Jamie is an avid popular culture connoisseur who enjoys various films and games, as well as a keen reader  who enjoys modern and postmodern literature. She is an English instructor at the Clanton Campus, although she has taught for each of the campuses in either an online or in-person capacity. She enjoys teaching composition and literature classes, as well as the Classic Films Series course. In each of the classes she teaches, she helps students find their own voices while writing and exploring topics they enjoy. She also revels in collaborating with numerous colleagues at JSCC who inspire and challenge her. Furthermore, Jamie is a co-liaison for Sigma Kappa Delta, a co-organizer of Pioneer Con, and Web Facilitator for the Association of College English Teachers of Alabama (ACETA). In addition to her roles in these organizations, she is also a graduate of the 2020-2021 Instructional Leadership Academy and the 2018 Alabama Master Teacher Experience. Jamie received both her Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in English at the University of Montevallo.

 Math Instructor, Clanton Campus
Nanette is a mathematics instructor at the Clanton campus and has been in education for over 30 years. She began her career at Jeff State as an adjunct professor in 2008 and came on board full-time in 2012. She currently serves on the executive board of AlaMATYC (Alabama Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges) and enjoys working with colleagues across the state to improve mathematics education. She was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Alabama Community College System’s Outstanding Faculty in 2018. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, knitting by hand, and all things Auburn. Nanette received her Bachelor or Science degree in Education from Auburn University and her Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has also completed twelve additional graduate hours in mathematics from Alabama State University.

Culinary Lab Technician, Shelby Campus

Missie is a Jeff State graduate with an associate degree in Baking & Pastry Arts. She received her bachelor's degree from The University of Alabama in Foodservice Management. She has over 10 years of experience in the restaurant/customer service and food catering industries. She is an Alabama Crimson Tide fan, and she spends every home football game at Bryant-Denney Stadium working with an onsite catering company feeding all the private clubs and boxes. She is an avid reader of Christian fiction novels, a lover of cats and children, and has recently discovered the joys of K-pop music. Her hobbies include photography, crafting, and watching movies. She loves to travel and has felt the mystical wonder of Stonehenge, been dazzled by the lights of Paris, and walked in London’s fog.

Art Instructor, Shelby Campus

I received my BFA in printmaking with minors in drawing, sculpture, and art history, from University of Montevallo in 1998. I received my MFA in printmaking from Arizona State University in 2004 with a focus on screen print, book arts, letterpress, intaglio, and relief printing processes. I have taught at UAB, Montevallo, and ASU before becoming full time at Jefferson State in 2011. I screen print rock posters, album covers, stickers, shirts, and limited-edition art in my home studio in Montevallo. At Jefferson state I teach ART 100, ART 113/114, ART 121, and ART 127.

Culinary Arts and Management Instructor, Shelby Campus
Glenn Rinsky, Ph.D. teaches baking pastry arts culinary arts and management courses with The Culinary and Hospitality Institute of Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama. He also taught with Culinard of Virginia College. Glenn is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and holds a doctorate in Leadership in Higher Education from Capella University. Glenn has worked in many facets of the food service industry beginning with his apprenticeship at the Maisonette Restaurant Cincinnati Ohio.  He has been employed with Cummins Diesel Corp, Kroger Corp, Marriott Corporation as well as numerous retail cooking schools such as Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table and Jungle Jims.  Glenn owned and operated The Chef's Kitchen Cakery in Cincinnati, Ohio for over 12 years where he produced thousands of wedding cakes and was voted best wedding cake by Cincinnati Magazine.
Glenn has been hailed as an innovative chef and culinary arts teacher.  He is also nationally known for his wedding cakes where he incorporates classic as well as contemporary styles in his work.  Glenn is the co-author of Pastry Chef’s Companion, a best-selling resource tomb for the pastry chef.  Glenn also runs and operates Sweet Glide Vintage Ride, a vintage auto limousine service in Birmingham, Alabama.

English Instructor, Pell City Campus
Jacob Melvin is a writer, English instructor, and father of four. He has MA degrees in both English and Secondary English Education, in addition to a BA in Creative Nonfiction. Jacob’s written work has appeared in publications such as The Bitter Southerner, Post Road, and the Saturday Evening Post. He has told stories for Story Corps, ARC Stories, and NPR. His academic writing won ACETA’s James Woodall Award in 2020 for best pedagogical paper. Jacob was a finalist for a Pushcart Prize in fiction and won the Gloria Golstein Howton English Prize. At Jefferson State, Jacob has taught English for twelve years. He serves as the faculty senate chair and Sigma Kappa Delta sponsor. He has previously graduated from both ACCS and Jefferson State’s Leadership Academies (2021; 2022), won Outstanding Faculty Member (2019), and won Phi Theta Kappa’s Faculty Scholar Award (2022). 

Culinary and Hospitality Institute Program Director, Shelby Campus
Joseph Mitchell serves as Program Director at the Culinary and Hospitality Institute at Jefferson State Community College. Joseph holds several certifications from the American Culinary Federation to include: Certified Executive Chef, Certified Executed Pastry Chef, and Certificated Culinary Educator. Joseph is also a Certified Hospitality Educator through the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. Joseph was selected ACF Birmingham “Chef of the Year” in 2004 and selected as “Chef of the Year “in 2009 awarded by the Alabama Restaurant Association. Additionally, has medaled in over 18 ACF culinary competitions. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Industrial Education from Middle Tennessee State University and a Ph.D. Nutrition & Food Science with emphasis in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Auburn University.  He most recently earned certification as Certified Culinary Scientist through the Research Chefs Association. Joseph credits his appreciation for hospitality service from his industry experiences from working at various hospitality properties to include Mario’s of Nashville, Opryland Hotel, and the Belle Meade Country Club.

Associate Dean and English Instructor, Shelby Campus

Liesl Ward Harris is the Associate Dean of Transfer and General Studies at the Shelby Campus. She also teaches literature classes and advises the award-winning Beta Lambda Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. Liesl enjoys coaching these students through their Honors in Action Projects. She loves seeing both the student growth and positive community changes resulting from these projects. Liesl was named JSCC's 2009 Outstanding Faculty Member. In 2018, she spent the summer in Jerusalem engaging in Holocaust with educators from around the world at the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Liesl earned a B.A. degree from Samford University, an M.A. from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Liesl lives with her husband, John, who oversees the Jeff Coach program at JSCC. Over the years, they have enjoyed hosting exchange students from China, Vietnam, and Mexico. They also enjoy their three fur babies--Cash, a Labrador retriever, and Sterling and Silver, twin-brother cats.

Biology Instructor, Shelby Campus

Julie is a reader, run/walker, and mom of boys and cats. She has enjoyed teaching Biology and Anatomy and Physiology since 2007 at Jeff State.  After attending the Greater Good Science Center Summer Institute for Educators in 2016, Julie has since utilized social-emotional activities to foster a more engaging learning environment. For instance, students create posters and art models to learn structures in lab. Supporting student projects in the Digital Museum is yet another fun and rewarding way to help students create their place at Jeff State. Julie earned a B.S. in Biology from Ouachita Baptist University and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Jefferson State Singer Director and Music Instructor, Jefferson Campus

Jessica Hall Kaufhold directs the Jefferson State Singers, teaches Music classes (primarily at the Jefferson Campus), and is mom to four incredibly beautiful (and incredibly active) young children. Around all of the carpool and laundry, Jessica is thrilled to be back in the classroom after nearly 10 years off. She is passionate about teaching, music, and helping others experience the beauty of expressing themselves through music. Jessica has been previously named the JSCC Outstanding Faculty Member (2010) and PTK Faculty Scholar (2006). She holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Birmingham-Southern College, and a Master of Music from Louisiana State University.

English Instructor, Shelby Campus

Elizabeth Ginas Gallow is an English instructor at Jefferson State Community College. She began her career as an English instructor in 2018 working in an adjunct position at the Jefferson campus. In 2021, upon receiving her full-time position, she began working at the Hoover-Shelby campus. Besides teaching English courses, Elizabeth serves as one of the faculty sponsors for Sigma Chi Eta honor society. She also serves on a few committees including the Global Engagement Committee and the UWRITE committee.

 Dianna Hyde, English Instructor, Shelby Campus

Dianna is a wife, mother, sister, friend, bookworm, word-gamer, scribbler of decent short stories and bad poetry, baker of just one kind of cake (my mother’s sacred recipe), napper, plant enthusiast/killer, and basketball fan. She has been part of the JSCC family since 2002, supporting Black History events, English Honor Society activities, and graduation celebrations for nearly as long. She has an undergraduate degree in Marketing from Jackson State University (#TheeILove!) and a graduate degree in Rhetoric and Composition from Illinois State University.