Why Choose Marywood’s Humanities Programs?
The School of Humanities at Marywood University prepares students for a life of purpose and a career of impact. Through programs in English, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and the Social Sciences, students gain the skills most valued by today’s employers—critical thinking, clear communication, cultural understanding, and ethical leadership.
Our students benefit from:
A strong liberal arts foundation that connects learning to real-world applications
Small class sizes with personalized attention from dedicated faculty
Hands-on opportunities, including internships, research, study abroad, and advocacy initiatives
A mission-centered education rooted in service, reflection, and global responsibility
Graduates of the School of Humanities are well-prepared for careers in education, law, government, communications, public service, and more, as well as for advanced graduate study.
Our Mission: Liberal Arts Education for Life and Career
The School of Humanities educates students who think critically, act ethically, and engage the world with purpose. We foster intellectual curiosity, cultural awareness, and a commitment to making a difference in an interconnected world.
Our Values: The Humanities at the Core
At Marywood, the humanities are the heart of a transformative education. By studying humanity, culture, and society, students learn to analyze complex issues, communicate effectively, and lead with integrity. These timeless skills prepare our graduates not only for meaningful careers, but also for fulfilling lives of leadership and service.
Facilities & Technology
Liberal Arts Center
The Liberal Arts Center (LAC) contains classrooms utilized by several programs, as well as the Office of Admissions, a variety of other administrative offices, and the NativityMiguel School of Scranton. Bulit in 1923, it is one of Marywood's oldest buildings and was the first facility totally dedicated to the use of college classes. While it retains many of its classic features and architecture, the building has undergone recent physical renovations and enhancements of its learning spaces, including technological upgrades, climate control abilities, and new furniture in each classroom.
The LAC provides classroom space to students in the Social Sciences, English, and Philosophy programs. The iconic Rotunda is at the heart of the Liberal Arts Center. The Admissions Office is located on the first floor. A variety of administrative offices are located on the terrace level and second floor, including the Cashier's Office, Financial Aid, Human Resources, Registrar's Office, Provost's Office, Housing and Residence Life, the Center for Global Engagement, and more.
Meet the Faculty & Staff
Our dedicated faculty bring their scholarship, research, and real-world expertise into every classroom. From published authors and philosophers to social scientists and language scholars, our professors are committed to mentoring students through every step of their academic journey.
Meet our faculty and staff to explore their backgrounds, teaching philosophy, and areas of specialization.
Dr. Jeremy M Rich
Department Director | Professor
Dr. Helen M Bittel
Coordinator for the Eng/Lang Program | Associate Professor
Dr. Melinda Krokus
Associate Professor
Joseph S Agolino
Lecturer
Mavie C Alario
Lecturer | Lecturer
Stephanie G Anuszewski
Lecturer
John D Baldino
Lecturer
Gabrielle N Bartolini
Lecturer
Carolyn M Bonacci
Lecturer
Shannon Renee Brown
Lecturer
Erika Cassel
Lecturer
William Clements
Lecturer
Julia L Cosacchi
Non-Credit Professional | Lecturer
Gary A Cotroneo
Lecturer
Tanya P Davis
Lecturer
Sahar Raman Deep
Lecturer
Bryan Dewey
Lecturer
Timothy Doherty
Lecturer
Richard B Duque
Lecturer
Dr. Erica J Dymond
Lecturer
Kevin M Egocheaga
Lecturer
Dr. Lauren R Esposito
Lecturer
Mari Flynn
Lecturer
Ellen A Foster
Lecturer
Brian J Gallagher
Lecturer
Lena N Gemmer
Lecturer
Amanda M Gipson
Lecturer
Bruce E Gowe
Lecturer
Erika M Grimminger
Lecturer
Phyllis A Guarnaccia
Lecturer | Lecturer
Francis J Hacken
Lecturer
Dr. Dana M Harris
Lecturer | Lecturer
Ashlee Harry
Lecturer
Sr. Nancy M Hawkins
Associate Professor of Practice
Natalie Hernandez
Lecturer
Mark R Hiller
Lecturer | Lecturer
Timothy J Holland
Lecturer
Kelly Ann Hopkins
Lecturer
Sean M Hutton
Lecturer
Dina B Hyduke
Lecturer
Larry S Jaffee
Lecturer
Dr. Philip W Jenkins
Associate Professor
Thomas D Jenkins
Lecturer | Lecturer
Julie R Johnson
Lecturer
Ben Josielevski
Lecturer
James Francis Kanavy
Lecturer
Patrick B Kelley
Lecturer
Chesla Ann Lenkaitis
Lecturer
Llewelyn B Lewis
Lecturer
Michael P Loughney
Lecturer
Christina R Lumbis
Lecturer
Kelly A Lynott
Lecturer | Lecturer
Jeffrey Marx
Lecturer
Carmella M Mataloni
Lecturer
Emily C McElroy
Administrative Assistant
Michael E McGrath
Lecturer
Sr. Christine A Mihelich
Lecturer
Dr. Sara J Monahan
Assistant Professor of Practice
Alexander M Monelli
Lecturer | Lecturer
Lucia M Montas
Lecturer
Stephanie Namlick
Lecturer
Nicole Negron
Lecturer
Dr. Carlie I Nicastro
Lecturer | Lecturer
Cathrine Owens
Lecturer
Cecilia D Paroby
Lecturer
Samantha Patterson
Lecturer
Alexander S Placke
Lecturer
Brian J Reese
Lecturer
William R Rusk
Lecturer
Tasha Saint-Louis
Lecturer
Francesca M Saldan
Lecturer
Ashley Elizabeth Schwartz
Lecturer
Dr. Patrick M Seffrin
Associate Professor
George W Shea
Lecturer
Dr. Adam Shprintzen
Honors Program Director | Associate Professor
Dr. Aaron Simmons
Associate Professor
Stephen M Skierski II
Lecturer
Jeffrey A Spitzer
Lecturer
Valeria Stragapede
Lecturer
Nicole E Tanana
Lecturer
Allison G Tevald
Lecturer
Corinne E Thiel
Lecturer
Jordan E Traut-Jellad
Lecturer
Elizabeth Maria Tyrrell
Lecturer | Lecturer
Dustin Vanpelt
Lecturer
Douglas Vanston
Lecturer
Dr. Alexandru I Vari
Professor
Robert J Wasylyk
Lecturer
David Alan White
Lecturer
Michelle L Whitlock
Lecturer
Krista Wildman
Non-Credit Professional | Lecturer
Dr. Jonathan Wilfred Wilson
Lecturer
Kathryn Yanik
Lecturer
David Russell Zauhar
Lecturer
Dr. Frances M Zauhar
Professor Emeritus | Lecturer | Lecturer
Dawn D'Aries Zera
Lecturer
John N Zugarek
Lecturer
Clubs
Humanities is more than a profession — it's a community. At Marywood, students can join collective and discipline-specific student organizations that foster leadership, creativity, and professional development. Clubs and honor societies support students across all humanities programs, including:
Abide: Women's Ministry
Agape Latte
Criminal Justice
Graduate Student Council
Kappa Gamma Pi
Lambda Pi Eta, Rho Tau Chapter
Languages and Literature Club
Marywood Army ROTS
Phi Alpha Theta, Iota Sigma Chapter
Phi Sigma Iota, Gamma Alpha Chapter
Pugwash
Salute Honor Society
Sexuality & Gender Alliance (SAGA)
Sigma Tau Delta, Omega Delta Chapter
Student Government Association
Student Organized to Uphold Life (SOUL)
Public Rights Alliance
Joining a club is a great way to network, gain real-world insights, and build your resume as you pursue your humanities degree.
Student Resources
Internships are a vital component of all of our social science programs. You'll find plenty of opportunities to put theory into practice in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.
Criminal Justice majors can gain experience in probation and parole at the District Attorney's office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Students in education begin their field experience in their first year, culminating in a senior year student teaching placement. Students in pre-law and public history undertake internships in a variety of settings to help them prepare for their careers.
Our department is committed to helping you develop a global perspective. All majors are encouraged to travel and study abroad, often under the mentorship of faculty members. At Marywood, you can also gain valuable experience by participating in university-sponsored service trips.
Check out the Social sciences PAGE for more related student resources!
Theology Library
Provides a comprehensive treatment of various aspects of theology.
www.shc.edu/theolibrary
America Magazine
A weekly publication, with selected articles available online.
www.americamagazine.org
National Catholic Reporter
A weekly publication, with selected articles available online.
www.natcath.org
US Catholic
A weekly publication, with selected articles available online.
www.uscatholic.org
Documents of Popes, Bishops, and Councils About Justice and Peace
Contains a wealth of documents related to Catholic social justice teachings.
www.justpeace.org
Network: A Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Provides a voice within the Catholic community calling for peace and economic justice.
www.networklobby.org
Bread for the World
Bread for the World seeks justice and the end to hunger.
www.bread.org
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The USCCB is an assembly of Catholic Church bishops who work together to unify, coordinate, promote and carry on the work of the Catholic Church in the U.S.
www.usccb.org
Vatican: The Holy See
Official Web Site of the Vatican.
www.vatican.va
The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
http://pluralism.org
Biblical Archeology Review
Provides biblical and archeological news and select articles online.
www.bib-arch.org
Catholic News Service
Major source of Catholic news.
https://catholicnews.com/
We offer the following as places to begin a search for material about a philosopher, a philosophical work, ideas, theories, or principles. By no means do the following websites begin to cover the vast number of web sites available in Philosophy.
Check out the Philosophy and religious studies PAGE for more related student resources!
External Libraries
Lackawanna County Library System Library of Congress
Other Resources
F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts - presents the best of the performing arts and entertainment in northeast Pennsylvania.
H-Net is an international interdisciplinary organization of scholars and teachers dedicated to developing the enormous educational potential of the Internet.
Literary Resources on the Net - This site is a collection of links to sites on the Internet dealing especially with English and American literature, excluding most single electronic texts.
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.
Ninth Art Ninth Art takes a literary view of comic books and includes essays on comics and comic book reviews.
Online Books Page - A list of over 35,000 free books on the web.
Penn Call for Papers website is provided by the Department of English at the University of Pennsylvania as a courtesy to the academic community.
The Pennsylvania Humanities Council inspires a life of learning with speakers, book discussion groups, and grants that enlarge our vision of the world.
Poets & Writers has grown to be the largest nonprofit organization in the country for writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.
Voice of the Shuttle is the premier online destination for the humanities and social sciences, for casual surfers and die-hard researchers alike. It offers deep research links in more than 25 categories.
Modern Languages
Tips on Studying a Foreign Language
Learning another language is not easy, but most people can learn a second language IF they are willing to put in the necessary time. Here are some practical suggestions for studying effectively, overcoming anxiety, and learning the grammar and skills necessary for success in foreign language classes.
Afraid of That Foreign Language Class? Find out what to expect
Many students erroneously believe that if they are placed in a level beyond 101, it is a death sentence. Some insist that they cannot do the work because they " have forgotten everything" or simply had "a bad teacher in high school". Here at Marywood, you will be placed with other students with similar backgrounds and learning experience. You will be expected to learn what you are taught. If you can speak and understand everything the first day, you will be advanced to the next level. Learning a foreign language is a practical, but exciting journey that will yield many opportunities over your lifetime. The professors are here to guide you each step of the way and to challenge you to excel.
Check out the English and modern languages PAGE for more related student resources!
Contact the School of Humanities
Location: Liberal Arts Center
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 570-961-4536
