College

‘Teacher-servant-leader-scholar’ most recently served as vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion at Sarah Lawrence College 

Following a national search, Ifeoma Kiddoe Nwankwo has been appointed dean of the College of Liberal & Creative Arts at San Francisco State University effective Aug. 15. She is vice president for diversity equity and inclusion at Sarah Lawrence College. Prior, she served as an associate professor of English at Vanderbilt University, where she was also an affiliate in the Latinx Studies Program, Center for Latin American Studies and Center for Medicine, Health and Society.

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SF State undergraduate advising is set to change in Fall 2023

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Graham Carpenter, Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts

Graham Carpenter is Assistant Professor in the Department of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA). With a focus on the intersection of media technologies and communication, Carpenter investigates how and why people use imagination and media to relate to one another as well as themselves through a media psychology perspective. His recently published work looks at imagined interactions and mobile/online dating apps.

In addition to his scholarly activities, Carpenter over fifteen years of experience in live broadcasting in sports and entertainment for networks such as ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS, TNT, FOX, etc. and his camerawork is currently featured on the 14th season of the reality television program, American Ninja Warrior. He was recently part of a group awarded with the “Most Outstanding Technical Team Event” Emmy for camera work performed on the College Football National Championship that aired on ABC in January of 2022.

Carpenter earned his doctorate in communication and information sciences with a focus on media studies and relational communication at the University of Alabama.

Rafael Flores, Cinema

Rafael Flores is Assistant Professor in the School of Cinema who specializes in directing, Latino/a/x cinema, and narrative film production. A Phi Beta Kappa Scholar, Flores is the co-founder of Green Eyed Media and the Hidden GEM Creative Studios, organizations both based in Oakland, CA. His work has been praised by various institutions including the White House, the Grammy Foundation, the San Francisco Foundation, the California Endowment, TED-X lecture series, the Cannes International Film Festival, the Writer’s Guild Theater of America, the London Guardian, and the Chicano International Film Festival. He is the current recipient of the California Humanities Legacy Artist Fellowship.

Flores earned his MFA in cinema production and directing at San Francisco State University.

Sana Khan Hussaini, Design

Sana Khan Hussaini is Assistant Professor of Visual Communication Design in the School of Design. Her design experience has developed in tandem with pursuits in the advertising industry. As an Associate Creative Director at Ogilvy, Hussaini received a strong foundation in utilizing design thinking techniques to generate creative and culturally relevant design solutions. Hussaini's experience in the advertising industry drive her design research and motivate her to pursue projects that give under-represented users and communities a voice. Before joining SF State, Hussaini was a Visiting Teaching Assistant Professor and a BFA Coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. She taught Fundamentals of Visual Communication Design, Digital Media Design, Motion Design, Interaction Design, BFA Thesis Seminar, and Adobe Software Labs.

Hussaini is also a recipient of Notre Dame's Liu Institute for Asian Studies Research Grant and Snite Museum's Director's Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts. She continues to pursue design for social good through her classroom and ongoing design projects.

Hussaini received her MFA in visual design with a concentration in Gender Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Vivian Huang, Communication Studies

Vivian L. Huang is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, specializing in race and performance studies. Huang's first book, Surface Relations: Queer Forms of Asian American Inscrutability, theorizes minoritarian aesthetics of inscrutability in contemporary Asian American literary, visual, and performance cultures. Surface Relations comes out December 2022 with Duke University Press, where it has been awarded the Scholars of Color First Book Award. Huang's peer-reviewed articles can be found in The Journal of Popular Culture, Journal of Asian American Studies, Women & Performance, and Diacritics. Their latest work connects Asian American lesbian feminist writings of the 1980s and 90s to contemporary queer and trans of color critique.

Prior to arriving at SF State, Huang was Assistant Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Williams College, where they taught feminist and queer studies, performance studies, and Asian American culture. Their work has been recognized by the Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders Award, the Hellman Foundation, the Association of Asian American Studies, and the Crompton-Noll Essay Prize from the Modern Language Association and the American Studies Association.

Huang earned their doctorate in performance studies New York University.

Michael Schweikardt, Theatre and Dance

Michael Schweikardt is Assistant Professor in the School of Theatre and Dance. He has enjoyed a successful career as a set designer working for opera and theatre companies across the United States and abroad. Regional theaters include: Portland Center Stage; Ford’s Theatre; The Old Globe; Cleveland Playhouse; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Asolo Repertory Theatre; The MUNY; Papermill Playhouse; Pittsburgh Public Theater; and multiple productions for Goodspeed Musicals. Off-Broadway (selected): The Bus and the American Premier of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold (59 E 59); Bloodsong of Love (Ars Nova); The Black Suits (The Public Theater); Things to Ruin (Second Stage, The Zipper Factory); The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Theaterworks USA at The Lortel). Selected Tours: James Taylor’s One-Man Band; Ella. Michael recently designed Marie Antoinette the Musical for TOHO in Tokyo, Japan. His production of Phantom for EMK International has been running in Seoul, South Korea for over eight years.

Schweikardt earned his MFA in scenic design at The Pennsylvania State University.

Rae Shaw, Cinema

Rae Shaw is Assistant Professor in the School of Cinema. Shaw is an interdisciplinary media artist and educator creating innovative and provocative narratives across multiple disciplines of visual media, fiction/non-fiction, performance and poetry. Her projects have explored and investigated issues of diversity, sexuality, disparity and connection.

Shaw’s work seeks to uplift the experiences of women of color and to combat stereotypes of the black female in visual media. In her scholarly work she is also concerned with issues of equity, access, and representation. Her award-winning films have screened at prestigious film festivals including the Slamdance Film Festival, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival, and London's BFM International Film Festival, as well as international and independent showcases such as Toronto’s Pleasure Dome. Her scripts have also received honors from noted screenwriting competitions such as the Motion Picture Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship.

After working for industry veterans, Shaw turned to sharing her storytelling skills by teaching filmmaking and screenwriting across various genres, mediums and platforms. She founded her production company Wicked Lovely Films and Media to tell diverse stories focusing on social change and to mentor new media makers. She is a fervent patron of the library and often works with nonprofits in local communities.

Shaw is the recipient of numerous fellowships including the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, Francis E Williams Artist Fellowship, Marvin Miller and Guy Hanks Screenwriting Fellowship, and Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship.

Shaw earned her MFA in Motion Picture Production and Writing at University of Miami.

Top row, from left: Hamid Khani, Tara Lockhart, Ayana Aïrakan-Mance. Bottom row, from left:  John Holland, Richard Ortiz and Jennifer Waller.

The College of Liberal & Creative Arts presented its fifth annual Excellence Awards to faculty and staff on August 17. The six winners were announced at the College’s opening meeting for the 2022 – 2023 year, held in McKenna Theatre.

Award Recipients for 2022-23

Tenured and Tenure Track Faculty Awards

Hamid Khani, Department of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA)

For decades, Professor Khani has taught, researched and served in the areas of inclusivity and community engagement, social justice and creativity. Professor Khani’s exemplary teaching and community engagement work demonstrates his care and commitment to the SF State community and is continually innovative and responsive to student need. In addition, Hamid was the SF State faculty person directly involved with the construction and completion of Marcus Hall and continues to work tirelessly with this arduous project today. He is one of the most sought-after mentors in BECA and his contributions have been, and continue to be, invaluable.

Tara Lockhart, Department of English Language and Literature

Professor Lockhart serves as the Writing Program Director in the English department and, in that role, she serves the entire campus community in her direction of our lower division GE writing requirements. She is a strong advocate for the importance of writing instruction in higher ed and has directed a program that includes excellent faculty development initiatives, strong and collaborative curriculum planning, student-centered scheduling and placement processes, and active and strong collaboration with our campus-wide undergraduate advisors. She has additionally taken on significant leadership in the English department's Racial Justice Working Group to address equity gaps and racial injustice, as well as, serving as editor of a nationally recognized journal within her field. Her collaborations with DUEAP, CEETL, METRO and other efforts across campus continue to inspire our students and a very large writing instructor pool to engage in high quality learning in a vital discipline.

Lecturer Faculty Awards

Ayana Aïrakan-Mance, School of Design

Ayana Airakan-Mance is a phenomenal lecturer faculty in the School of Design. Her expert instruction in cornerstone design software touches both our majors and students throughout the University. She developed, and is the lead instructor for our, "Introduction to 2-D Design" course, DES 222. But Ayana goes above and beyond her duties as lecturer faculty. She has contributed extensively to the curricular updates of for both DES 222 and DES 322 courses. This involved organizing regular faculty meetings, sharing files and demo videos, and creating a sense of community with faculty teaching these courses. These two courses are core prerequisites and form the foundation for the Visual Communication Design program. She actively engages with regular faculty meetings sharing her knowledge about her classes, her students and the program. She has mentored three students through Independent Studies and is a fierce advocate for BIPOC students in the School of Design. Ayana designed the layout for a recent issue of the magazine "Design for All." This issue also contained her article titled "Please, Just Shut Up and Listen" about social justice and the black experience in America and in design.

John Holland, Department of English Language and Literature

Lecturer faculty John Holland is a leader and innovator, spearheading new initiatives regarding peer learning and program assessment. He has made a significant contribution to the campus, leading other teachers in our department, leading in campus-wide teaching initiatives, and presenting at forums across campus and in the profession. John has led our program and the campus in adopting peer learning technologies and pedagogies in both online and face-to-face courses. He has been a QoLT ambassador and CEETL leader, assisting dozens of faculty members in the adoption of cutting-edge online and peer learning technology. Well before the pandemic, John was showing us how we can use technology not merely to cut costs or save classroom space; in John's hands, technology increases student engagement and enhances student learning. He is truly a model for other teachers in our department and across campus. John designed and currently organizes the Writing Program’s assessment processes. As the lead faculty for assessment, John has designed a shared assignment, set up an archiving system for over 900 pieces of student writing, helped to create a rubric and data analysis system, and led faculty in analyzing student work. He has imbued this work with anti-racism, drawing on social justice scholarship on diverse language learners to create a process that honors students’ home language while also capturing their learning in our courses. John’s vision and innovation has led to two publications and provided invaluable information for improvement in our program.

Staff Excellence Awards

Richard Ortiz, School of Design — Instructional Support Technician 

Richard Ortiz excels at innovative, adaptable educational support and is noteworthy for his consistent contributions not only to facilities but also to the student experience. He is a furniture designer, a strategist, a facilities innovator, and a leader in integrating the physical environment with pedagogy. His creativity has transformed the School of Design's facilities into spaces that students and faculty are proud to work in. Over the last few years, he has been able to quickly adapt and pivot to new challenges and instructional needs. Richard has generously collaborated with other departments in LCA to support their hires and work with them on building their technical expertise. LCA and the School of Design benefit from his professionalism, work ethic, creative problem-solving, abundant generosity, and support.

Jennifer Waller, School of Department of Philosophy — Academic Office Coordinator

Jennifer Waller is the heart and soul of the Department of Philosophy and by all accounts the department could not ask for a better AOC. She is conscientious in her commitment to taking care of the department's chair, faculty and students. Her work ethic and resilience are outstanding, as evidenced by her tireless engagement with the affairs of the department. She excels at community engagement and plans wonderful social events online and in-person so that the faculty and students can interact and bond, efforts that have helped maintain community and connection.