Valpo LEAD’s – Leadership Education Across Departments

Professor of French in the Department of World Languages and Cultures

Randa Duvick is Professor of French in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Valpo. She came to Valpo in 1986 after completing a B.A. at Luther College and A.M. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Chicago. She has taught courses from beginning French to seminars on all areas of French literature as well as advanced language and culture classes, and courses on West African literature and culture. She has presented and published on topics in 19th-century French literature, world-language pedagogy, and the history of the French in the US Midwest. Randa served as Department Chair for 15 years and was Chair of Faculty Senate for eight years. At Valpo, she has served on CCPC, EPC, Arts & Sciences Curriculum Committee, General Education Review, Strategic Planning, Budget Review, and many other committees and task forces. She was a Thrivent Fellow in 2009-10. She served as President of the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association in 2015, and was a member of the national Executive Council of the American Association of Teachers of French for six years. She created a “future leaders” program for the AATF; she led their strategic planning efforts, and runs the French advocacy website for AATF as well as chairing a national Task Force on French Standards revision. In 2018 she was named “Officier” in the Order of Academic Palms, an order of chivalry created by the French government. In 2019 she received the national Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching award from the AATF.

Associate Professor of Meteorology

Dr. Kevin Goebbert is an Associate Professor of Meteorology in the Department of Geography and Meteorology at Valparaiso University and has been there since Fall 2009. He has taught a wide range of courses for undergraduates primarily focusing on large-scale weather phenomenon and technology driven courses including synoptic meteorology and forecasting, numerical weather prediction, and meteorological computer applications. His research interests vary across the meteorological scales of motion from turbulence (very small scales) to synoptic frontal systems (large scale) to global climate change, as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Dr. Goebbert currently serves as Chair of the Valparaiso University Faculty Senate, Member of the Valparaiso University President’s Council, Member of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Valparaiso University Board of Directors, Chair of the Unidata Users’ Committee, Member of the Unidata Strategic Advisory Committee, Chair of the AMS Board on Higher Education, as a Member Representative for University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), and on the President’s Advisory Council for University Relations of UCAR. Other than things meteorological, he enjoys reading, traveling, and has been singing in a choir since the age of three.

Dean of the College of Engineering

Eric W. Johnson received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Valparaiso University in 1987, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science and engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 and 1997. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the faculty at Valparaiso University where he has held the Paul and Cleo Brandt Professorship, served as Chair of the Electrical and Computer Department, and helped create the Valparaiso International Engineering Programs. His research interests include modeling electronic components using nanodevices and engineering education pedagogy. In January of 2013, he was named Dean of the College of Engineering where he continues to promote holistic engineering education and entrepreneurial-minded Learning.

Dr. Johnson is Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and has served in a number of leadership roles in the IEEE Calumet Section. He has also been an active member of the American Society of Engineering Education and served in leadership roles within the Illinois/Indiana Section.

Professor of GS 150 Exploratory Studies

Nancy Scannell served as Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences from 2009-2019. She directed the Exploratory Program and continues teaching GS 150 Exploratory Studies. She has taught in the freshman Core and in the English Department. She earned her Bachelor of Arts with a major in English Literature from the University of Illinois, Urbana, and her Masters of Arts in Education from St. Xavier University in Chicago. She completed her M.S. in Digital Media from Valparaiso University in December 2018. In 2019, she obtained the Accredited Coaching Certification through the International Coaching Federation.

Nancy loves guiding students toward people, readings, and resources that will help them discover their interests, talents, and vocations. She takes joy in connecting people and creating community.  She is an avid reader and runner and has worked at Valparaiso University since 2003.