Houghton University welcomes five new faculty members for the 2019-2020 academic year. These new professors represent four departments: electrical engineering, psychology, English and writing, and business.

Electrical Engineering

Mark Budnik joins Houghton’s faculty as the director of Houghton’s new electrical engineering program. He holds the Irwin Chair of Engineering, an endowed tenure-track position with allowances for research, publications, and travel. Budnik also serves as the Paul H. Brandt Professor of Engineering at Valparaiso University.

Budnik earned his PhD from Purdue University, where he wrote and defended his dissertation entitled Power Delivery and Decoupling Networks for Nanoscale Technologies.

Psychology

Alison Young Reusser and Hannah Kim join Houghton’s faculty as assistant professors of psychology.

Young Reusser has a PhD in psychology from Ohio State University. She comes to Houghton from Olivet Nazarene University, where she taught from 2014 to 2019.

Kim has a PhD in psychology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY). From 2016 to 2019, she was an adjunct assistant professor at Brooklyn College, CUNY; and LaGuardia Community College, CUNY.

English and Writing

The Department of English and Writing welcomes Jesse Sharpe as assistant professor of English.

Sharpe has a PhD in English literature from the University of St. Andrews. At LeTourneau University, he served as assistant professor of English and director of the university’s writing center from 2016 to 2019.

MBA Program

With the launch of Houghton’s new online MBA program, David Klooster joins the faculty as associate MBA director. He will also serve as assistant professor of economics and finance.

Klooster has over 25 years of experience in finance and commercial lending, with an emphasis in small business administration financing. He has an MBA from Cornerstone University, and is currently working to complete his Doctor of Business Administration through Anderson University.

Houghton is also pleased to recognize Joseph Miller, assistant professor of business management and law, who joined Houghton’s faculty during the spring 2019 semester. Miller earned bachelor’s and juris doctoral degrees from Liberty University. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and owns and operates his own law firm in Cuba, N.Y.

Houghton University is a liberal arts institution that challenges students to academic excellence – in the context of a relevant Christian community – and empowers them to enrich the world. The college of 1,000 students is located in Western New York, just 65 miles from Rochester and Buffalo.