Norman Muir, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Norman Muir (nmuir@medaille.edu) joined Medaille College in June 2004 as the undergraduate academic dean. Since receiving his Ph.D. in literature from SUNY Stony Brook in 1984, he has served as a full-time faculty member or academic administrator at three other small, private, independent colleges. His scholarly interests remain in the areas of sixteenth and seventeenth century British literature, with an emphasis on Elizabethan and Jacobean comedy. He continues to research and write about the influence of the theological doctrine of Christian Patience on Renaissance and seventeenth century literature through John Milton.

Dr. Muir has taught a variety of college writing and literature courses, ranging from developmental English to technical writing and from introduction to literature classes to a senior seminar in the novels of William Faulkner. While at Centenary College in New Jersey, he received the Lindback Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence after being nominated by his students. He has also had the good fortune of traveling to China twice in recent years to teach for short periods of time at five Chinese universities.

As an academic administrator, his primary interests are in academic program development, experiential learning, strategic planning, improving teaching and learning, and the assessment of student learning and institutional effectiveness.

His family includes his wife of thirty years, Donna, and his adopted daughter, Alexa Grace Fuyan Ting Muir, born in Changting County of Fujian Province in southeastern China. Alexa is in the fourth grade and already smarter than her father! Also living in the family residence are his mother, Joyce, and a gracefully aging parakeet of 13 years, Oliver.

He is a lifelong New York Yankee fan with a passion for baseball. When not watching a Yankee game on television or playing with Alexa, he can be found indulging his interest in Italian Renaissance art and literature.

Illana Lane, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Education
Dr. Illana R. Lane (ilane@medaille.edu) has taught at Medaille since 2001, instructing undergraduate and graduate students in the graduate programs. She has instructed students in math, science, and technology methods of education, foundations of education, diversity and research in education. She has also advised student teachers and directed master's thesis projects. She earned a Ph.D. in the sociology of education from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2003. In addition to serving on many College committees, Dr. Lane has served as chair of program director for the Elementary Education programs. She serves on the Amherst Central School District Board of Education and is a board member for the New York Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE). Her participation in other organizations includes, Jack and Jill of America Inc., and Delta Kappa Gamma. In addition to presenting at local, national and international conferences on educational issues, she has also received recognition from Madison Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Brad Hollingshead, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Foundational Learning and Assessment
Dr. Brad Hollingshead (bhollingshead@medaille.edu) joined the Medaille faculty in 2000, and has taught college English since 1989. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Duquesne University, with specializations in nineteenth-century British literature and critical theory. His B.A. in English is from Ohio Dominican University. Dr. Hollingshead teaches undergraduate courses in British literature, theory, and composition. He also teaches graduate courses in narrative inquiry theory and the essay tradition. His research interests include British Romanticism; Victorian Prose; Marxist, feminist, postcolonial, and poststructuralist theory; film; Hip Hop culture; and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. His work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, and he has been invited to speak at national and international conferences on a wide range of topics, including literature, film, rap, and building learning communities.

Dr. Hollingshead began serving as Associate Dean for Foundational Learning and Assessment in 2008.  In this role, Dr. Hollingshead focuses on two areas that promote student engagement, retention, and achievement.  He provides leadership for the ongoing development, implementation, and improvement of foundational learning for undergraduate students in the liberal arts and sciences, with particular attention to the delivery and enhancement of first-year learning communities.  He also coordinates college-wide efforts to assess and improve student learning.  Dr. Hollingshead was the chief author of the college’s Student Learning Assessment Plan, which was commended by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Dr. Hollingshead has been recognized for educational excellence throughout his career.  At Medaille, he received the Dr. Brian R. Shero Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award in 2005.