Faculty and Staff
Accolades
Faculty of the Year nominees are selected each year by the faculty senates at the state universities and are awarded by the Regents. Each faculty senate may submit a tenured faculty member, a tenure-track faculty member, and a non-tenure track faculty member.
This year’s Pitt State recipients were Professor Karen Johnson (Nursing), Assistant Professor Megan Westhoff (Communication), and Instructor Kristopher Mijares (Chemistry).
Johnson has been a nationally certified nurse educator since 2008. She teaches a range of courses in the nursing curriculum. Her innovative revisions have led to measurable improvements in student outcomes and licensure exam performance.
She carries a substantial advising load, supporting 30 to 60 students each year, and has mentored more than 20 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly projects. Johnson has served seven years as Graduate Program Coordinator and currently as BSN Program Coordinator.
Her clinical experience as a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner in rural Kansas directly enriches her teaching and serves as a powerful model of professional engagement for her students.
Her scholarly work focuses on clinical education and instructional innovation, including ongoing research on simulation in nursing education. She has presented at regional and national conferences and published in journals such as The Kansas Nurse and Midwest Quarterly. She also served as principal investigator on a federally funded AIDS education initiative.
Westhoff teaches in the Communication Department and directs in the Pitt State Theatre program. She recently led the program through the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts’ 10th season, culminating in a successful production of “Love/Sick,” an event that reengaged PSU alumni, strengthened community ties, and highlighted the long-term impact of her work in the performing arts.
Westhoff’s interdisciplinary presentation, “Artificial Intelligence as a Design Component in the Stage Production of Mrs. Dalloway,” delivered at the university’s recent AI Symposium, reflected her commitment to merging contemporary innovation with traditional artistic practice.
She is a recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award, recognizing her dynamic and student-centered instructional approach.
She contributes to student recruitment through “Rumble in the Jungle” events and serves as a Career Champion with the Career Development Office, mentoring students in professional readiness.
Westhoff’s contributions have significantly elevated the visibility and quality of the theater program while advancing the university's mission in the arts, education, and student success.
Mijares plays a vital role in delivering foundational science education to a range of students, particularly those in pre-nursing and allied health fields.
He teaches high-enrollment general education and upper-division chemistry courses, including lecture and laboratory sections of Introductory Chemistry. His teaching is recognized for being inclusive, clear, and highly supportive — traits consistently praised in student evaluations.
Mijares provides extensive academic support outside of scheduled class time, often tutoring multiple students at once. He also serves as faculty advisor to the Chemistry Club, organizing science outreach, charity drives, and student professional development activities.
Mijares also maintains key instrumentation such as NMR spectrometers, coordinates safety training, and participates in recruitment initiatives that reached more than 2,300 prospective students over the past year.
Rink is known for her unwavering dedication to student success and belonging. Despite a demanding role, she consistently goes above and beyond to support students and families — personally resolving financial aid issues, offering after-hours help, and ensuring no student is penalized.
Her compassionate outreach, including assisting non-English-speaking families, reflects her deep commitment. She played a key role in launching the Great Gorilla scholarship program, expanding access to financial aid for hundreds of students.
She's also instrumental in supporting student-athletes and consistently works beyond regular hours to meet student needs.
