Faculty - All Schools

Dr. Schwarcz received the Honors Bachelor of Science Degree with specialization in Athletic Training from York University, Toronto, Canada and the Master of Arts Degree in Physical Education with specialization in Athletic Training from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana. He completed the Certificate in Physical Therapy and the Ph.D. in Physical Education with emphasis in Adapted Physical Education, Sports Medicine, Anatomy and Exercise Physiology at the University of Iowa. Art went on to complete the Certificate in Orthopedic Manual Therapy, Part I from the Norwegian Board of Examiners and has completed the course work for Part II. He is currently on the faculty of the Ola Grimsby Institute of Manual Therapy and taught for seven years in the Physical Therapy Program at Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is currently entering his fourteenth academic year as an associate professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Husson University. Art’s areas of teaching include musculoskeletal evaluation and therapeutic rehabilitation and advanced manual therapy courses.

Arthur Schwartz

Art's research is focused on the investigation of treatment techniques employed by orthopaedic physical therapists. Recent projects have examined the effects of eccentric exercise on joint range of motion and an exploration of knowledge and application in physical therapists of the specificity of exercise for tissue regeneration.

Recent Presentations

* Schwarcz, A. (2004). SI joint stability: Evaluation and treatment of muscular components. Ola Grimsby Institute's 13th Annual Competency Forum, San Francisco, CA, August, 2004.
* Schwarcz, A. (2004). To stretch or not to stretch? Myth vs. science. Ola Grimsby Institute's 12th Annual Competency Forum, Anchorage, AK, July, 2003.

Dr. Christine Selby received a Bachelor's of Arts in psychology from Carthage College (1992). From there, she pursued her combined interest in psychology and athletics (she was a competitive distance runner and still is an avid sports fan) by receiving a Master's of Science in Counseling and Psychological Services with an emphasis on Athletic Counseling from Springfield College (1994). Finally, Dr. Selby was awarded a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Texas (2000) where she minored in Marriage and Family Therapy and continued to conduct research in the area of Sport Psychology. She has taught at two different area colleges, including Husson, as an adjunct instructor since 2000 until the 2007-2008 academic year when she was hired as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Husson. Additionally, Dr. Selby works as a clinician at an area community mental health center where she works primarily with adults and has a specialty area in Eating Disorders.

Husson is a wonderful educational facility that offers a wide range of areas of study, but is small enough to allow for personal attention from professors if students avail themselves of that opportunity. My undergraduate education was at a college very similar to Husson and I still appreciate the opportunity I had to get to know my professors. One of my undergraduate professors became my professional and personal mentor and that relationship significantly influenced who I am, how I think, and my desire to teach. One of the most important things he attempted to instill in all of his students was the importance of self-examination ("The unexamined life is not worth living" ~Socrates). My own experience with self-examination (i.e., understanding who I am and why I do what I do) has led me to try to instill this skill in my students as it was instilled in me. I encourage my students, whether they are undergraduate or graduate students, to use what they are learning as an opportunity to learn about themselves. I frequently pose questions or statements to my classes about what they personally think about a topic area, how it might apply to them, or what their opinion is (including considering how they might vote in an election relevant to a topic area like assisted suicide). When we discuss "controversial" areas (e.g., Freud's theory of personality development, assisted suicide, etc.) I encourage students to put aside what they think they might know and allow for the possibility that our discussions just might change their minds - or at least get them thinking!

I also carry the value of self-examination to my work as a psychotherapist. Although there are varying degrees with which individuals are willing to or capable of engaging in this process, I encourage clients to at least think about what they are doing before they do it. For some this leads to further questions and areas of exploration and others become more intentional about their actions (rather than reflexive). For those who have an interest in becoming a mental health clinician, my theoretical orientation is eclectic. Eclecticism in this day and age is often considered "suspect" in terms of how a person practices eclecticism. I do not simply pick and choose from a "menu" of techniques. Rather, the theory behind my approach involves specific uses for the Person-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Psychodynamic approaches. In my opinion, this combination of approaches, used in an intentional and thoughtful way, allows for the greatest possibility of beneficial change.

I look forward to seeing you in class!

Ben is originally from England, where he completed his B.Sc. in Kinesiology. He received his M.A. in Motor Behavior and Biomechanics from the University of North Carolina and his Ph.D. in Motor Control/Learning from Penn State University. Prior to joining Husson, he was a Professor in the Kinesiology Department at Louisiana State University for eight years. He has an extensive research and consulting background in Motor Control/Learning and Biomechanics with over 90 published, peer-reviewed papers and abstracts. His current research focuses on the use of motor control and learning principles in treating clinical populations. Ben's areas of teaching expertise include Motor Control/Learning, Biomechanics, Anatomy, and Neuroscience.

At Husson, all P.T. students get the opportunity to engage in a rigorous scientific research project. If you're one of those people who like to ask "why" or "how" all the time, then Husson's the place for you.

Ben Sidaway

Ben has an extensive background in both applied and basic research in motor control, motor learning, and biomechanics. His current research focuses on the use of motor control and learning principles in treating clinical populations. In some of his most recent research, he has examined ways in which to improve gait and skill learning in people with Parkinson's disease.

Recent Publications

* Sidaway, B., Bates, J., Schlagenhaufer, J., Occhiogrosso, B., Wilkes, D. (2012). Interaction of feedback frequency and task difficulty in children's motor skill learning. Physical Therapy. 92(7), 948-57.
* Sidaway, B., Euloth, T., French, H., Piskura, M., Clancy, J., & Aide, A. (2012). Comparing the reliability of a trigonometrical technique to goniometry and inclinometry in measuring ankle dorsiflexion. Gait & Posture.
* Sidaway, B. Ahn, S., Boldeau, P., Griffin, S., Noyes, B., Pelletier, K. (2008). A Comparison of manual guidance and knowledge of results in the learning of a weight-bearing skill. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, 32, 32-38.
* Sidaway, B., Anderson, J., Danielson, G., Martin, L., & Smith, G. (2006). Effects of long-term gait training using visual cues in an individual with Parkinson disease. Physical Therapy, 86:186-194. http://www.ptjournal.org/feb 2006
* Sidaway, B., August, R., York, R., & Mitchell, A. (2005). Effects of varying the frequency of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback on motor skill learning. Journal of Human Movement Studies.
* Sidaway, B., & Trzaska, A. (2005). Can mental practice increase the ankle dorsiflexor torque? Physical Therapy, 85, 1053-1060. http://www.ptjournal.org/oct2005
* Sidaway, B., Champagne, A., Daigle, K., Marcous, N., Nadeau, A., & Pelletier, E. (2004). The effect of cane length on the haptic perception of height. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24, 157-161.
* Cornwell, A., Nelson, A., & Sidaway, B. (2002). Acute effects of stretching on the neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae muscle complex. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 86, 428-434.
* Clark, R., & Sidaway, B. (2001). The influence of head orientation with respect to direction of travel during goal-directed walks without vision. Journal of Human Movement Studies, 42, 151-164.
* Cornwell, A., Nelson A., Heise G., & Sidaway B. (2001). Acute effects of passive muscle stretching on vertical jump performance. Journal of Human Movement Studies, 40: 307-324.
* Sidaway, B., Yook, D., & Fairweather, M. (2001). Visual and verbal guidance in the learning of a novel motor skill. Journal of Human Movement Studies, 40, 43-63.

Recent Presentations

* Sidaway, B., Bates, J., Schlagenhaufer, J., Occhiogrosso, B., Wilkes, D. Task complexity and KR frequency interact in children’s motor skill learning. Presented at the Annual NASPSPA conference, Honolulu, HI, June 2012. Published abstract: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol. 32 (Suppl), 2012.
* Sidaway, B., Baughman, K., Jacques, S., Roundy, D., Stephens, R. Practice schedule effects in elderly individuals and in people with Parkinson’s disease. Presented at the Annual NASPSPA conference, Burlington, VT, June 2011. Published abstract: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol. 31 (Suppl), 2011.
* Sidaway, B., McNitt-Gray, J. A biomechanical comparison of skilled and elite rugby kickers. Presented to Sportscotland, Murrayfield National Stadium, July 2009. Invited presentation.
* Kreider, C., Russell, D., Hale, B., & Sidaway, B.  The Influence of Surface Pattern on the Timing of Muscle Pre-activation in Landings. Presented at the Annual NASPSPA conference, Niagara, Canada.  June 2008. Published abstract: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol. 28 (Suppl), 2008
* Sidaway, B. Are our athletes practicing the way they play? Transferring control and mechanics in motor skills.Understanding how skills are controlled: Implications for practice and transfer. Presented at the Scottish Institute of Sport’s inaugural High Performance Seminar. Edinburgh, Scotland. November, 2007. Invited key note address.
* Sidaway, B., Anderson, D. I., Matthew B, Chasse, J., Dunn, J., Govoni, A., McPherson, B., & Roy, K. The role of postural support in the control of kicking. Presented at the Annual NASPSPA conference, San Diego, CA, June 2007.
Published abstract: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol. 27 (Suppl), 2007
* Chew-Bullock , T., Mayo, A., Schleihauf,  R. C., & Anderson, D. I., & Sidaway, B. One-legged postural stability predicts kicking velocity and accuracy. Presented at the Annual NASPSPA conference, San Diego, CA, June 2007.
Published abstract: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, Vol. 27 (Suppl), 2007
* Sidaway, B., Gordon, R., Hopkins, M., Kershaw, M., Maraen, C., & Wilkins, N. Random and blocked practice schedule effects on motor skill learning in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Presented at the APTA's Combined Sections Meeting, Boston, MA, February, 2007.
* Anderson, D., Chew-Bullock , T., Kim, A., Mayo, A., & Sidaway, B. Do tests of one-legged balance predict kicking velocity? Presented at the annual NASPSPA conference, Denver, CO, June, 2006.
* Sidaway, B. Qualitative dynamics of behaviour: Insights into motor control from movement topology. Presented at the annual High Performance Seminar hosted by UK Sport in Birmingham, England, April, 2006. Invited presentation.
* Sidaway, B. Dynamic systems theory: A framework for the analysis of coordination in high performance athletes. Workshop conducted for physiotherapist and performance analysts working within the UK High Performance System. Sponsored by the Scottish Institute of Sport in Glasgow, Scotland, April, 2006. Invited presentation.
* Sidaway, B., Ahn, S., Boldeau, P., Griffin, S., Noyes, B., & Pelletier, K. A comparison of manual guidance and verbal feedback in the learning of a weight bearing skill. Presented at the annual NASPSPA conference, St Petersberg, FL, June, 2005.
* Sidaway, B., Russell, D., & Yook, D. Learning to reduce peak impact force during landings: The role of feedback frequency on kinetics and kinematics. Presented at the APTA's Combined Sections Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February, 2005.
* Sidaway, B., Anderson, J., Danielson, G., Martin, L., & Smith, G. Changes in Parkinsonian gait as the result of long-term training with visual cues. Presented at the annual NASPSPA conference, Vancouver, Canada, June, 2004.
* Sidaway, B., Champagne, A., Daigle, K., Marcous, N., Nadeau, A., & Pelletier, E. The effect of cane length on the accuracy of height discrimination using haptic perception. Presented at the annual NASPSPA conference, Vancouver, Canada, June, 2004.
* Sidaway, B., & Robinson, A. Can mental practice increase dorsiflexion force? Presented at the APTA's Combined Sections Meeting, Nashville, TN, February, 2004.
* Sidaway, B., August, R., York, R., & Mitchell, A. A comparison of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback frequencies in learning a motor skill. Presented at the annual NASPSPA conference, Savannah, GA, June, 2003.

With a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Polish Academy of Sciences, Marek has done postdoctoral studies in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute Technology (as a Fulbright scholar), and Chemistry at Clarkson University. Marek was previously a visiting professor at the University of Kentucky and taught at Kentucky Wesleyan College and Brescia University. He was selected twice for Who's Who Among Americas Teachers. Marek is a member of the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers, American Association for Aerosol Research, American Chemical Society. He published over thirty papers on molecular processes involving very fine particles and interfaces.

When I moved to Maine, I became fascinated with marine environment, where atmosphere, land, and ocean converge. My professional interest has been attracted by such coastal aerosol phenomena as: fog, sea smoke, smog, haze and their health effects. My current research is devoted to microscopic phenomena playing an important role in natural cleansing of air by marine aerosols. I am a proponent of an active project-based science education; therefore my students have an opportunity to participate in research projects.

Rachelle Smith received both her B.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Maine, Orono. Rachelle teaches a variety of psychology courses and specializes in child development. Her dissertation centered on the development of recursive awareness of intentionality: The development of theory of mind across middle childhood. Her major areas of interest are cognitive, social, and emotional development and developmental biology. Rachelle has been the recipient of the Owen Aldis Award for her dissertation research and is a member of the International Society for Human Ethology and the Society for Research in Child Development.

As a new faculty member here at Husson University I am excited by the prospect of meeting and working with a diverse student population. I believe that to develop professional abilities, students must participate in the process and be active learners. This means that students must not only learn to listen, read, and write effectively, but also to think about new material and discover how it applies in their own lives. Psychology provides a wealth of opportunities for such self-exploration and I hope to assist students with this endeavor throughout my career here.

Lee received his law degree from Stetson University and worked as an attorney in Florida in various capacities for over ten years. He was an area director for a major restaurant company in metropolitan New York before moving to Bangor with his family where he became an award winning managing/partner at one of the area's premier restaurants.

Since moving to Maine in 2003, Lee has concentrated on giving back to the community as much as possible through his charitable work. For the year 2013, Lee will serve as the board chair of the Greater Bangor Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The American Folk Festival and the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. Lee is the president of the Parish Council at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church and he is also a member of the Friends of the Maine Center the group that led the effort for a new arena/convention center to be built in Bangor. His past fundraising activities have included the following: MPBN, the Bangor Humane Society, and the Tour de Cure Diabetes Fundraiser in Bar Harbor.

As an advisor, Lee enjoys working with his students closely in order to help them to achieve their goals. He acts in the capacity of advisor to student government, the Hospitality Association and Young Republican clubs at Husson. Lee also is the assistant coach of Husson's 4-time conference championship softball team. Lee has always been highly interested in helping students gain knowledge in the business world and hospitality industries. He began his teaching career at Husson as an adjunct professor before joining the faculty full time in 2008. His personal interests include family life with his wife and two children, hiking, kayaking and the Red Sox.

My teaching philosophy is simple: To bring energy and engagement to my students during every class and to help them exceed their expectations in their learning experience both on and off the campus. My goal as an administrator is to assist the Dean in establishing Husson throughout the community as a strength and resource to be developed even further.

Teresa Steele, an Advanced Practice RN (APRN), is board certified as an adult psychiatric mental health CS by ANCC. She is a professor and Director of Husson College's Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing Program. She has been instrumental in developing a home care psychiatric nursing program in the rural community. She is actively involved in policy making in the state consults with mental health agencies and is regionally recognized as an advocate for the mentally ill. Dr. Steele completed a phenomenological research study entitled "The Experience of Being a Psychiatric Nurse in the Rural Community." In 1997 she submitted and was granted federal funding from the Bureau of Health Professions to begin the Advanced Nurse Education program entitled "Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing Program" at Husson. In 2000 the program received a second federal grant from the BHPr to expand the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing Program. Dr. Steele received a nursing diploma from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Maine and she has a BUS from the University of Maine. Teresa has a Master's in Education from the University of Maine and a Master's in Nursing from the University of Texas. She also has a Ph.D. in Nursing Science and Organizational Behavior from The Union Institute in Cincinnati Ohio.

Alanna received her BSN and MSN from the University of Maine, is board certified in Staff Development and within her masters she has a Certificate of Healthcare Administration. Her 35 years in nursing include over 15 years nursing experience in med-surg, oncology and cardiac. She is certified in staff development with over 20 years in continuing education. She was a founding member of the Consortium for Evidence Based Practice in Nursing.

Alanna serves as the founding Director of the Husson Institute for Continuing Health Education Programming (HI-CHEP) as well as being faculty for nursing. Her passions include innovation, communication and patient safety, and continuous quality improvement.

I believe professional development should be team-based and interactive. Competence in clear, assertive communication and critical thinking are essential to success. We must strive to improve healthcare by providing a workforce that is prepared to continuously work within their microsystem of care to perform to the best of their ability, and constantly challenge processes and systems to increase productivity and efficiency from the patient's view.

My personal interests include family, spiritual growth, skiing, reading and music. Married over 35 years, I have four wonderful adult children, three delightful grandchildren, and a very pampered service dog. Life has many blessings!

"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." -Charles Dickens

Dr. Strobel joined Husson University School of Pharmacy in July, 2011. Allison graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in May, 2005 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. Following graduation, Dr. Strobel attended Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions and received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in May, 2010. During her academic studies at Creighton University, the strong philosophy of strong moral values and service to others instilled and inspired her to seek a career in both clinical pharmacy and the education of future pharmacists.

Upon graduation, Dr. Strobel completed a one year Community Pharmacy Practice Residency through the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. Her practice setting was an independent community pharmacy in Davenport, Iowa, and during her residency year, was responsible for maintenance of daily operations in the clinic, including scheduling, patient visits, and as a preceptor for fourth year student pharmacists. Allison’s residency project was the development and implementation of a Pharmacist Directed Travel Health Clinic in an Independent Community Pharmacy which gave her experience in creating Physician Directed Collaborative Practice Agreements, marketing, patient education, and vaccine screening. Allison also received a teaching certificate at the completion of her residency year.

Outside of work, Allison enjoys most all outdoor activities including snowboarding, hiking, and photography. She also has a strong passion for her Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Kappa Psi, and has been actively involved at the local and national levels.

I feel the most important aspect of pharmacy is the compassionate and caring service to others. Husson University School of Pharmacy has afforded me the opportunity to become a compassionate, approachable, and influential faculty member, developing students as individuals both in their practice and personal lives and providing a high standard of care to the patients in the Bangor community in a knowledgeable, caring, and thoughtful manner. I look forward to the future, being able to work with innovative and inventive professionals who have a strong passion to educate the best pharmacists possible.