Faculty Spotlight
What makes the School of Professional Studies so special? The faculty.
Our professors take a personal interest in each and every student and work side by side with them on research and other hands-on projects. Our faculty bring a vast amount of knowledge and experience from the professional world and are able to offer unique insights that can help students develop a deeper understanding of topics.
A Commitment to Mentorship
Our professors are more than teachers – they are mentors. As a student in the School of Professional Studies, you can expect to develop strong working relationships with the faculty. And you can expect your professors to guide you, collaborate with you, and challenge you as you hone your critical-thinking skills and engage in active problem-solving.
A Case Study in Collaboration
“It’s rewarding to work with other faculty and to teach students who are eager to share their knowledge and experiences with others.”
– Melissa B. Wells, MBA, Academic Program Chair, Business Administration and Digital Marketing & Sales, SPS
The Beer Wall on Penn – a self-serve taproom – is a thriving business that probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day if it had not been for the close collaboration of faculty and students in the School of Professional Studies. The concept was the brainchild of business administration student Josue Matos, who used the idea for his capstone project.
Working closely with Albright business instructor Bonnie Rohde, Matos developed a comprehensive business plan that allowed him to hit the ground running upon graduation.
Working under the mentorship of Rohde, Matos created a full market analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan and sales strategy. He was also able to identify interested investors.
Today the Beer Wall on Penn has expanded to a second location with more planned for the future.
“My favorite memories of working with adult students involve taking my psychology students to present posters of their applied research projects at professional research conferences.”
– Laura Gelety, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, SPS
Meet Our Faculty
Wendy Bartkus, M.S.
Wendy Bartkus is an instructor of applied psychology and also services as an academic program chair in our School of Professional Studies. Before joining our staff in 2011, she served as an adjunct faculty mentor at Franklin University and adjunct psychology instructor at Penn State.
Lisa Hain, Psy.D.
Dr. Lisa Hain is a full-time faculty member in the SPS Organizational Behavior and Applied Psychology program. Her areas of expertise include research and statistics, learning, neuropsychology, neurodevelopmental disorders in children, school psychology, and traumatic brain injury in children.
Laura Gelety, Ph.D.
A member of the Albright staff for more than a decade, Dr. Gelety is an assistant professor of psychology in our SPS program. She also serves as chair of the General Studies Program. Dr. Gelety is a graduate of Penn State University and earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. from Lehigh University.
Melissa B. Wells, MBA
Professor Wells is the academic program chair for our business administration and digital marketing and sales program. Prior to teaching at Albright, she was employed in the banking and financial services industry. She has extensive experience in the areas of strategic planning, marketing, sales management, financing, and entrepreneurial planning and start-ups.