Humanities emphasizes library research skills, from careful and deep reading to using digital resources of all kinds. Humanities students generally work extensively in the library or on the library website to develop fine-tuned search skills. They are also likely to earn advanced degrees, from the Ph.D., J.D. or MFA, to library degrees including the Master of Science in Information Sciences and Master of Library Science. Our graduate placement record with nationally-ranked programs is excellent, and our graduates have worked in the Library of Congress, Hollins University and public libraries.
Language Placement Exam Information: New College offers an online placement exam in Spanish, French and German in order to place students in the appropriate class. Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Russian do not use the online placement exam; faculty in those areas can provide you with more information. Once you are admitted to New College, you will be able to access detailed information on language placement exams through our community portal, myNCF. Faculty will confirm your placement after you arrive in August through some combination of questionnaires, writing samples and individual conversations.
Humanities Division AOCs
Humanities Faculty
Kim Anderson
Professor of Art
Tony Arza
Adjunct Instructor of Philosophy
Tom Bailey, Ph.D.
Professor of Creative Writing, Fiction
David Berry
Dan Bethune
Assistant in Humanities (Studio Technician)
Katherine Brion, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Art History and Museum Studies
Ryan Buyssens
Associate Professor of Digital Media and Art
Chair, Division of Humanities
Maribeth Clark, Ph.D.
Professor of Music
Tania Coambs, Ph.D.
Instructor of Theatre and Music
Marsha Cowles
Office Manager
Mark Dancigers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Music
Christa DiMarco
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History
Aron Edidin, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy
David Edwards, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion
Douglas Estes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Religion
April Flakne, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy
Jeffrey Hanson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Melanie Hubbard, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
Johanna Jauernig
Assistant Professor of Philosophy – Applied Ethics
Michael Jones
Adjunct Instructor of Theatre
Robert Knox, Jr., Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of English
Sonia Labrador-Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Spanish Language and Literature
Fang-yu Li, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chinese Language and Culture
Manuel Lopez, Ph.D.
Associate Provost
Associate Professor of Religion and Buddhist Studies
Susan Mailaender
Adjunct Instructor of German
George Maxman
Music Instructor
Alicia Mercado-Harvey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Spanish, Portuguese and History
Area of Concentration Spanish, History and Literature
Gordon Michalson, Jr., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Humanities
David Mikics, Ph.D.
Professor of English
Stephen Miles, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Music
Arthur Miller, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of British and American Literature
Nova Myhill, Ph.D.
Professor of English and Theater, Dance & Performance Studies
Nassima Neggaz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History and Religion
John Newman, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Religion
Tim O'Donnell
Instructor of Theatre
Thomas Olshewsky, Ph.D.
Research Scholar, Humanities
John Park, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of English
Jose Portugal, Ph.D.
Professor of Spanish Language and Literature
Virginia Puckett Bray
Adjunct Instructor of Piano
David Rohrbacher, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
David Schatz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Russian Language
Hesam Sharifian, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Carl Shaw, Ph.D.
Professor of Classics
Wendy Sutherland, Ph.D.
Professor of German & Black European and Diaspora Studies
Michael Sweet, Ph.D.
Research Scholar, Humanities
Ashkan Tabatabaie, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Music and Digital Media Art
Alyshia Valintine
Office Assistant
Avni Vyas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Poetry
Leymis Wilmott
Dance Instructor and Artist in Residence
Abigail Worgul, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics
Alina Wyman, Ph.D.
Professor of Russian Language and Literature
Florence Zamsky, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor of French Language and Literature
Robert Zamsky, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs
Professor of English
Jing Zhang, Ph.D.
Professor of Chinese Language and Culture.