Each year, the University of Evansville holds a Purple Tam Ceremony, which is a significant moment during Academic Convocation. Purple tams are awarded to members of the faculty who have achieved the rank of full professor, which indicates their service to UE. The awarding of a purple tam is symbolic of UE's gratitude to these professors and their contributions to this institution. The purple velvet tams, which are seen at every official academic event, provide a visible sign of achievement.
Purple Tams were presented at Academic Convocation on Tuesday, August 24.
Dan Byrne | Department of History and Society
Daniel Byrne, PhD, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Notre Dame and his doctorate from Georgetown University. His dissertation and subsequent research focused on the United States foreign policy surrounding the Algerian War of Independence and the decolonization of French Africa. Before joining the faculty at the University of Evansville in 2005, he taught at Georgetown, the United States Naval Academy, Francis Marion University,
the University of Notre Dame, and Bradley University. Since arriving at UE, Byrne has taught courses on the history of United States foreign policy, the American Civil War and Reconstruction, America between the Wars, Cold War America, the Decolonization of Africa, the rise of Modern China and Japan, and first year seminars on American Social Welfare policy. In addition to his teaching, Byrne has been actively engaged in university governance as a member of the Faculty Senate including participation on the Executive Council, service on the Athletics Committee, Academic Services Committee, and the Fiscal Affairs Committee.
Mark Cirino | Department of English and Creative Writing (not pictured)
Mark Cirino earned his PhD at the Graduate Center-CUNY and a bachelor’s degree from New York University. He serves as the General Editor for Kent State University Press’s Reading Hemingway series, for which he wrote the volume on “Across the River and into the Trees” and co-edited – with UE alumna Susan Vandagriff ’15 – the volume on “Winner Take Nothing”. In all, he has written or edited seven books on American literature, with an eighth to be published by Godine Press in 2022. He is also the author of two novels, Name the Baby and Arizona Blues. His fiction has been published in Drunken Boat, and his scholarly work has been published in The Hemingway Review, The Mailer Review, Papers on Language and Literature, Voices in Italian Americana, and PMLA. He hosts the popular podcast, One True Podcast. He teaches American literature at UE.
Suresh Immanuel | School of Engineering and Computer Science
Suresh Immanuel, PhD, earned his bachelor’s and masters degrees from Anna University in India, his PhD in civil engineering from Auburn University in 2007, and he is a 2020 UE graduate with a master’s degree.
Immanuel is the associate dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science and professor of civil engineering. He served as chair of the Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering before assuming his current role. He is a registered professional engineer and the recipient of the 2018 Dean’s Teaching Award. He received the Outstanding Reviewer award in 2012, 2014, and 2017 from the American Society of Civil Engineers Journal of Transportation Engineering. One of his papers received the 2020 Thomas C. Evans Engineering Education Paper Award, which is given to the most outstanding paper pertaining to engineering education. Immanuel has served as the committee member in the national level ASCE Committee on Student Members, Members Communities Committee, and is currently chairing the global members task committee. He was involved in many university level committees such as Academic Services Committee, General Education Subcommittee, Curriculum Committee, and served as the University ombudsperson. He is a civil engineering program evaluator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.
Lesley Pleasant | Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures (not pictured)
Lesley Pleasant, PhD, earned her bachelor’s degree in German studies from Dartmouth College and a master’s and doctorate in German literature from the University of Virginia. She teaches all levels of German language, literature, and culture, as well as international film, First Year Seminar, and the senior capstone course for language majors. Her research interests include 19th through 21st century German theatre/drama, the divided Germany, film, the image of the US in German literature and film, as well as animal studies and environmental humanities.
Peter Schmidt | School of Engineering and Computer Science (not pictured)
Peter Schmidt earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Louisville in 1986. He earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1991. From Vanderbilt University, he earned both his doctorate and a Future Faculty Preparatory Program Teaching Certificate in 2006. He is a practicing engineer with over 30 years of experience in total and is professionally registered. He started full-time in academia over 10 years ago after working in government, manufacturing, and consulting. He continues to work on projects in conjunction with industry and other external stakeholders via consulting and through supervision of student work. Schmidt has supervised nearly 30 capstone design projects and has been funded on more than 10 external research projects. His teaching experience has been concentrated in engineering mechanics and in project-based design courses, where he brings expertise as a practitioner to the student experience.
Kenneth Steinsultz | Music Conservatory
Kenneth Steinsultz, DMA, holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Quincy University. He earned a master’s and doctorate of musical arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. An active performer, Steinsultz was a guest artist for the Tuba and Euphonium Association’s Midwest Conference in 2013 and 2015. He also performed at the 2014 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference. He has served as principal euphonium in the Evansville Symphonic Band. He has been a featured soloist with the Evansville Symphonic Band, the Bend in the River Brass Band (Evansville), the Concert Band of Central Illinois, and the Quincy (Illinois) Park Band. In 2005, Steinsultz was guest clinician for the Association of Concert Bands national conference and performed as a guest artist on the finale concert. He is currently the trombonist with the Shepard Brass.
Steinsultz has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Evansville Symphonic Band, serving as secretary. He has presented clinics at state conferences in Illinois and Indiana. He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association, National Band Association, Indiana Bandmasters Association, International Tuba and Euphonium Association, International Trombone Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (honorary membership). He has been a member of the Quincy Park Band, Quincy Symphony Orchestra, and Mississippi River Brass Band. He has performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Danville (Illinois) Symphony, Illinois Symphony of Springfield/Bloomington, and the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra.
As a conductor, Dr. Steinsultz is a frequent guest conductor of district and regional honor bands. His university ensembles have performed at regional festivals and state organizational conferences, most recently the College Band Directors National Association 2016 North Central Division Conference at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa). At UE, he conducts the Wind Ensemble, University/Community Band, Aces Brass Pep Band, and teaches courses in applied low brass and conducting. Steinsultz also serves as music director and conductor for The Spirit of Evansville Sweet Adelines Chorus.
Tamara Wandel | Department of Communication
Tamara Wandel, PhD, earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English from Indiana University (1992), her master’s in communication (1997) and doctorate (2002) degrees from the University of Albany. Prior to joining UE, Wandel was a director of public relations in the State University of New York system and a journalist in New York. She has conducted media research and data analytic projects with the Boston Red Sox, Denver Broncos, Utah Jazz, and other professional sports teams. In her time at UE, she has been the recipient of the MarCom Creative Award, Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award, and is a two-time Society for New Communications Research Fellow. She has received grants from the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Free Speech Center. Wandel has published over 20 journal articles, including works in the Handbook of Research on Children’s Consumption of Digital Media, Driving Customer Appeal Through the Use of Emotional Branding, Journal of New Communications Research, Planning for Higher Education, and the Journal of the Society for College & University Planning. Most recently through a collaboration with WNIN and UE’s ChangeLab program, Wandel taught an investigative journalism class that helped create a podcast series having received a regional Edward R. Murrow award and a first place statewide award from Indiana’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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