"I can teach my employees how to do a job, but I cannot teach them how to write," exclaimed a well respected banker in LA who was frustrated with not being able to find people to hire who knew how to write well. With this in mind, Charlene Pate teaches college composition; created the course Writing Theory and Pedagogy; and opened and directs the Writers' Studio, a writing center where college composition students work alongside theoretically trained student writing consultants. The focus in the classroom as well as in the Writers' Stud

Dean Nelson writes occasionally for The New York Times, the Boston Globe, San Diego Magazine, Christianity Today, Sojourners, and several other national publications. He has won several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his reporting, and has written or co-written 14 books. Nelson is a frequent speaker at writing workshops and retreats.

Jacqueline Mitchell has taught at PLNU for over 20 years. She loves teaching and PLNU students. She has traveled extensively throughout Latin America and Spain, and has studied and conducted research in Argentina and Spain. Her areas of specialization are contemporary peninsular and Latin American narrative. She is currently involved in the Community Classroom program, teaching courses in City Heights. She has a passion for service-learning and collaborating with the community in the learning process.

A graduate of the department of Literature, Journalism, Writing, and Languages, Dr. Karl Martin returned to PLNU as a faculty member in 1998. He teaches all eras of American literature and has long taught African American literature as well as the literatures of other under-represented traditions in American literature. He has research interests in various aspects of American culture such as American religion, music, film, and popular culture as well as American literature.

Dr. Katie Manning is a PLNU alumna who joined the faculty full time in 2015. She teaches a variety of writing and literature courses, specializing in poetry and women writers, with intersecting interests in literary publishing and linguistics.

Dr. Alain Lescart joined PLNU in 2005 as a professor of French and world literature. He also teaches two special classes on science fiction and fantasy literature. His main specialties are in 19th century French literature and in French fantasy literature. Lescart has published many articles on these topics and gives a lecture/paper each year on these two topics: one during the annual 19th French Studies Colloquium in fall and the other during the 20th-21st French Studies Colloquium in spring. He is also the editor of the French New York-based review: FRANCOGRAPHIES.

Dr. Paula Cronovich has taught Spanish at the collegiate level at UCLA and PLNU (since 2012); she thoroughly enjoys sharing her passion for Hispanic culture, language, history, and literature with her students. She has lived in Madrid, Spain and Santiago, Chile and traveled extensively in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Costa Rica. A graduate of UCLA and the University of Southern California, her area of interest is contemporary Latin American fiction, and she has taught all levels of Spanish language, advanced writing and grammar, and literature and cultural classes.

Dr. Scott Bennett teaches Latin American literature, culture, and Spanish language courses. He has visited numerous Latin American countries, and has lived in Guatemala City; Mexico City; and Campinas, Brazil. He enjoys exposing his students to Latin American reality through literature, music, film, art, and especially photography. Bennett’s scholarly interests include Latin American literature (with an emphasis in contemporary Mexican narrative), Mexican border literature, literary translation, Brazilian literature, film studies, and visual literacy and pedagogy.

Dr. Ward started teaching at PLNU in 2008. She also served as the Intramural Director from 2012-2022, which provides activities, sports and leagues for over 500 students each semester. In the Kinesiology Department she introduces all of our incoming students to future healthcare professions in Orientation to Kinesiology (KIN1001).

Brian Thornton is in his second year with the PLNU athletic department after joining the Sea Lions' staff in March 2014.

Thornton oversees all aspects of marketing and branding for the athletic department, specifically connecting with the internal and external PLNU community, including corporate sponsors.