Thursday, February 10, 2011

New faculty in English and business departments

By Emily Dee
Cardinal Staff

Saint Mary’s University received new faculty members this semester, and among them were Tim Lacine, lecturer of business, and Christopher Vondracek, visiting instructor of English.

Vondracek, hired in November 2010, received his graduate degree in Literature from the University of South Dakota.

Prior to SMU, Vondracek taught for one year in Rochester, Minn., at the Rochester Community and Technical College’s (RCTC) English department and spent last fall teaching at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minn.

This semester, Vondracek will teach Native American Literature, Introduction to Literature and Argumentative Research Writing. In his spare time, Vondracek said he plays in a band, and is working on a novel about it.

“I’m excited,” said Vondracek about his overall first impression of SMU. “I really felt welcome by everyone – by all the faculty.”

Accumulating wealth through creativity and strategy is what Lacine said got him interested in business. The depth of his undergraduate and graduate work is in entrepreneurial studies.

Originally from Chicago, Lacine moved to Rochester, Minn., in 1992. He did schooling in the Twin Cities for a number of years and then relocated back to Rochester. Lacine currently commutes between Rochester and Winona.

Having always wanted to teach, Lacine said he has been teaching business and accounting for five years and has been teaching at the university level since April 2006.

Lacine will teach four classes this semester. “I teach two sections of Corporate Finance, Advanced Accounting and Advanced Entrepreneurship seminar,” said Lacine.

No comments: