Walsh University is proud to announce three new program director appointments within the School of Arts and Sciences. Professor of Biology Jennifer Clevinger, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Psychology Nina Rytwinski, Ph.D., have been named Co-Directors of the Walsh Honors Program. In addition, Assistant Professor of English Seth Hepner Ed.D., has been named Director of General Education Program.   

Working together as Co-Directors of the Walsh Honors program, Dr. Clevinger will oversee the Freshmen and Sophomore Honors experience by helping students navigate their courses and integrate into the Honors community. Dr. Rytwinski will be responsible for guiding the Juniors and Seniors throughout their Honors Thesis.  

Dr. Jennifer Clevinger came to Walsh University in 2005 as Assistant Professor of Biology. She received tenure and Associate Professor in 2008 and was promoted to full Professor in 2012. Her leadership roles on campus have included serving as the Associate Chair of the Division of Math and Sciences (2010-2014), Co-Chair of the Walsh Tree Care Advisory Committee (2017-present) which oversees the university's yearly application for Tree Campus USA status, and Chair of the Walsh Instructional and Academic Programing Committee (2008-2011, 2013-2017).  She received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in botany. She has published research on the prairie plant Silphium in the American Journal of Botany, Novon, and the Flora of North America.  

Dr. Nina Rytwinski is a licensed Psychologist who started working at Walsh University in August of 2015 as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. Prior to arriving at Walsh University, she earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Kent State University and completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at Case Western Reserve University. Her research focuses on depression, anxiety and student adjustment. Her research, a meta-analysis on PTSD outcomes following psychotherapy, was recently published in Behavior Therapy. This summer, she was awarded a book contract for a workbook entitled, “Classroom Etiquette: A Workbook for New College Students.”  Dr. Rytwinski has served on the Honors Committee since arriving at Walsh University.    

As Director of General Education Program, Dr. Seth Hepner’s main priority will be to implement a revised core curriculum that is slated to launch Fall 2022.  

Dr. Hepner joined Walsh in 2011 as a part-time English adjunct in 2011 and has served in various leadership roles over the past 10 years including Coordinator of Tutor Training, Director of Professional Advising, Composition Coordinator and Assistant Professor of English.  

Dr. Hepner teaches writing courses, including Honors 103 for all incoming first-year honors students. In the past year, he taught Communication 400-9 “Sports Writing for Digital Media” and spearheaded the design of the Honors 205 “Pop Culture Writing,” which received approval from the Honors Committee. He earned his Ed.D. from Walden University in Higher Education Leadership, his Master of Fine Arts from George Mason University in Fiction Writing, and his Bachelor of Arts from Wright State University in English.