Four Women Scholars Appointed to Endowed Professorships

Noel Schulz has been selected as the Bob Ferguson Endowed Professor at Washington State University Tri-Cities. Dr. Schulz currently serves as the university’s first director of the Institute for Northwest Energy Futures. Her new professorship will support the institute’s research and development.

Dr. Schulz earned her a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin has been named the Agnes Scollins Carey Memorial Early Career Professor in the Arts for the Pennsylvania State University College of Arts and Architecture. Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin has been with Pennsylvania State University since 2020, serving as assistant professor of music and director of wind band studies.

Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Indiana University, a master’s degree in music education from the University of Georgia, and a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Kansas.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has appointed Kelly Cartwright as the inaugural Spangler Distinguished Professor of Early Child Literacy in the Cato College of Education. Dr. Cartwright comes to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from Christopher Newport University in Virginia where she serves as professor of psychology, neuroscience, and teacher preparation, as well as director of the Reading, Executive Function, and Development Lab. She is the author of Executive Skills and Reading Comprehension: A Guide for Educators (Guilford Press, 2023).

Dr. Cartwright graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She received her master’s degree and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Arkansas.

Wendy Henderson has been named the Gail and Ralph Reynolds President’s Distinguished Professor in the University of Pennsylvania Nursing’s department of biobehavioral health sciences. Dr. Henderson previously served as a professor for the University of Connecticut School of Nursing and School of Medicine, as well as director of the nursing Ph.D. program.

Dr. Henderson earned her bachelor of nursing degree, master of nursing degree, and Ph.D. in nursing all from the University of Pittsburgh.