Barbara G. Ressler

Assistant Professor of Engineering

After a year as an adjunct professor teaching physics and engineering, Barbara accepted a position as assistant professor of engineering. She has a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University and both master of science and Ph.D. degrees from the Massachusettes Institute of Technology. Her work experience include the Genzyme Corporation, one of the world's foremost biotechnology companies, and her own consulting company. She lives in Mechanicsburg with her husband, Kevin, and two children.

Shelia Rodriguez

Assistant Professor of Spanish

Having taught at Messiah College as an adjunct instructor, the Department of Spanish now welcomes Shelia in a term tenure-track position. She has earned a Ph.D. in contemporary Latin American literature and a master of arts degree from Temple University; her bachelor of arts degree is from Earlham College. Shelia enjoys her collection of Spanish music, and also experiments with Latin American cuisine; she can make a mean tamale, enchilada, gordita, and pupusa. Her one-and-a-half year old daughter Andrea, who speaks mostly Spanish, has made Shelia an expert on Dora the Explorer, a popular children’s cartoon character. A horse fanatic, Shelia grew up showing horses and competing in endurance races and competative trail rides. She currently lives in Elizabethtown with her husband Daniel and their daughter.

David Schenk

Assistant Professor of Philosophy

David comes from teaching philosophy at the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. He has earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Iowa and a bachelor of arts from Antioch College. David specializes in metaphysics, epistemology, and phenomenology, plus also has strong research interest in philosophy of religion and the metaphysical foundations of mathematics and logic. Born and raised an atheist, David came to Christianity in the winter of 1999 via a series of religious experiences. He is a known coffee freak and a self-described environmentalist wacko. David lives in Bowman’s Village.