Online Faculty Spotlight
When you choose an online program at The Citadel, you choose to learn from premier faculty members with real world experience—award-winning scholars who are passionate about leading the way to a brighter future. With a 1:12 faculty-to-student ratio, you’ll have an unparalleled education with direct access to some of the leading experts in your field of study.
Jennifer Albert, Ph.D. | M.Ed. in Interdisciplinary STEM Education
Dr. Albert is the Director of The Citadel’s STEM Center for Excellence and Program Coordinator for the M.Ed. in Interdisciplinary STEM Education. She is also the State Director for Science Olympiad, working to expand the program across South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on helping teachers incorporate computational thinking and making into their classrooms. She is currently funded through three NSF grants. [Full Bio]
“Our M.Ed. in STEM Education is a ‘choose your own adventure’ degree program designed to meet the needs of busy professionals. From those who are looking to expand STEM offerings in their classrooms to those in informal settings, we engage our students on meaningful STEM education.”
Jennifer Albert
Chris Bellon, Ph.D. | Graduate Certificate in Tactical Performance and Resiliency, B.S. in Tactical Strength and Conditioning
Holding a Ph.D. in Sport Physiology & Performance, he speaks at state, regional, and national level conferences in the area of strength and conditioning. He has coached a variety of populations including youth, collegiate, Olympic, professional, and tactical athletes. He has been a part of The Citadel faculty since 2019 and will be teaching you coursework related to strength and conditioning, and coaching pedagogy. [Full Bio]
“Similar to tactical athletes, great strength coaches have “range,” possessing a versatile skillset that is adaptable to any situation. They have deep understanding of scientific theory, but at the same time can set a training environment on fire at a moment’s notice. Our programs exist to develop those professionals.”
Chris Bellon
James Bezjian, Ph.D. | Master of Business Administration, B.S. in Business Administration
Dr. Bezjian specializes in scenario strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation management. He works with individuals, firms and governments to map out scenarios and unknown variables across industries. These models and guides provide executive leadership with an understanding of how alternate industries and advancement in capabilities can disrupt the status quo of business. Most recently he worked with colleagues to gather resources across the state to 3D print masks for medical staff during the COVID-19 crisis. The team has also prototyped their own reusable, bendable, filtered mask. Dr. Bezjian is also an expert in the Hollywood film industry. He’s conducted research within the Hollywood film industry focusing on disruptive strategies and the recalibration of an industry recipe, critical infrastructure protection for cultural heritage items, and understanding how scenario planning can contribute to the protection of cultural heritage properties. He works with museums across the globe to help protect critical cultural infrastructure from destruction. [Full Bio]
“My innovation, strategy and entrepreneurship courses teach students how to take complex problems and solve them in unconventional ways. We dive into the innovative idiosyncrasies of different industries through case studies and highlight how their creative thinking can contribute to disruptive innovation.”
James Bezjian
Melissa Graves, Ph.D. | M.A. and Graduate Certificate in Intelligence and Security Studies
She received her law degree and Ph.D. from University of Mississippi and has been building some of the country’s most elite intelligence programs at universities and colleges since 2008. She has published in leading intelligence journals and is an expert on the FBI. She has been on The Citadel’s faculty since 2016. And she’ll be teaching you courses on intelligence analysis and ethics. [Full Bio]
“The Intelligence and Security Studies program gives you the practical and theoretical foundation for a career of leadership within the intelligence community. We’re not just teaching you about intelligence; we’re expecting that you’ll take the knowledge you gain in this program and make the world a better, safer place.”
Melissa Graves
David Greenburg, CPL, PMP, Ph.D. | M.S. and Graduate Certificate in Project Management
He is a program director and assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Leadership and Program Management in the School of Engineering. Prior to joining The Citadel faculty in 2017, he was Vice President and Operations Manager for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), where he provided engineering and technical program management for major defense and industrial programs. In this role he led an operation supporting the integration of C5ISR equipment into DoD tactical vehicles for the war effort. Prior to SAIC he was a career infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a Ph.D from Northcentral University (Business, Management of Engineering and Technology), an MS in Management (Logistics) from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a BA from The Citadel. [Full Bio]
“No matter what line of work you are in, the ability to effectively lead and manage projects is a critical competitive advantage for moving forward. Our Master of Science in Project Management is designed to provide the current knowledge and skills that are in such high demand by organizations. We are looking for students who want to advance in their organization and expand their competitive advantage in the field of project management.”
David Greenburg
Tara Hornor, Ph.D. | M.Ed. and Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Leadership
Dr. Hornor is an associate professor and serves as program coordinator of the Higher Education Leadership program at The Citadel. She received her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Arizona and has over 17 years of experience in higher education leadership, including service as an associate provost and dean of enrollment management. She has been part of The Citadel family since 2008 and will be teaching you strategic planning and assessment as well as student development services. [Full Bio]
“The Citadel’s Higher Education Leadership program provides the opportunity to learn about many different functional areas within higher education, broadening insight into the higher education field and its many exciting career opportunities.”
Tara Hornor
Guy Ilagan, Ph.D. | M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership
He teaches graduate students in The Citadel’s school counseling and higher education leadership programs. He earned a master’s degree from the The Citadel and a doctorate from Clemson University. Guy conducts research and trainings in suicide prevention and college student mental health. [Full Bio]
“Our students will influence countless lives. My work is to provide challenge and support as students develop skills through discussions, simulations, and projects. I endeavor to create engaging, meaningful, and relevant experiences and provide helpful feedback and direction.”
Guy Ilagan
Robert Hartmann McNamara, Ph.D. | B.A. in Criminal Justice
Dr. McNamara is a professor of criminal justice and director of the online program in criminal justice at The Citadel. He is the author of thirty books, the most recent of which is The Criminalization of Immigration, Truth, Lies, Tragedy and Consequences. Dr. McNamara worked with the Regional Community Policing Institute at Eastern Kentucky University to study school safety in eight high schools across the state. He also worked with the Mexican government and the National Strategy Information Center to develop an anti-corruption curriculum in their public schools. A former community college graduate, Dr. McNamara holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Yale University. [Full Bio]
“I teach courses in policing, juvenile delinquency, race and crime, immigration, crime prevention, as well as sociology courses like social problems, deviant behavior, and cults. In all of these courses, I try to separate fact from fiction to help students understand a given topic based on the available research rather than what they might learn in the media or from other sources. This is important since students need to be able to evaluate problems, programs, and strategies from an empirical point of view so they can make informed decisions in their chosen profession.”
Robert Hartmann McNamara
David Preston, Ph.D. | M.A. in Military History
Dr. Preston is the General Mark W. Clark Distinguished Professor of History and director of the Online MA in Military History program at The Citadel. He is “one of the most gifted young historians writing today,” according to the eminent historian and Pulitzer-Prize winner David Hackett Fischer. Dr. Preston has written for the Wall Street Journal and Smithsonian, and has published several award-winning books, including Braddock’s Defeat, which won the prestigious Gilder-Lehrman Prize in Military History and several other literary awards. [Full bio]
“This program offers leaders in the armed forces and public sector one of the most vital skills in our national security: a critical understanding of how war has shaped the human experience across time and place.”
David Preston
Muhammad Fraser Rahim, Ph.D. | M.A. and Graduate Certificate in Intelligence and Security Studies
Dr. Fraser-Rahim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Intelligence and Security Studies at The Citadel, and the Executive Director, North America for Quilliam International, the world’s oldest counter-extremist organization where he oversees policy issues centering around rehabilitation, demobilization and deradicalization against violent extremism. Prior to his current roles, he worked for the U.S. Institute of Peace, and for the United States Government for the Department of Homeland Security, Director of National Intelligence and the National Counterterrorism Center providing strategic advice and executive branch analytical support on countering violent extremism issues to the White House and the National Security Council where he was the author or co-author of Presidential Daily Briefs and strategic assessments on extremist ideology and counter-radicalization. [Full Bio]
“The courses I teach at The Citadel prepare students for careers and jobs in government, the private sector and non-profit space. Fusing traditional higher education learning objectives, real-world experiences and experiential learning, students are getting the skills-based learning to be prepared not just for national leadership but global leadership.”
Muhammad Fraser Rahim
Tracey Sigler, Ph.D. | Master of Business Administration, B.S. in Business Administration
Dr. Sigler is an Associate Professor and serves as the Assistant Dean for Assessment. Her expertise lies in leadership development and coaching, teamwork, and organizational change. She serves as an Associate Editor for the Management Teaching Review journal which publishes articles about management education. She earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has been part of the Baker School of Business since 2018 and will be teaching you Management and Leadership courses. [Full Bio]
“Business needs leaders at every level in every department. Are you prepared to lead? You don’t have to come to our campus to benefit from The Citadel’s tradition of creating leaders. Join classmates from around the state, country, and world in earning your degree and preparing to lead your business into the 21st century.”
Tracey Sigler
Sarah Tenney, Ph.D. | M.A. in International Politics and Military Affairs
She received her Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi and served as a staff member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1987 to 2003. Her courses include International Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Political Economy. [Full Bio]
“Our master’s program in international politics and military affairs is geared toward providing students the theoretical knowledge and practical skills they need to pursue careers as foreign policy professionals. One of our program’s biggest strengths is our faculty members’ prior experience as practitioners ‘on the ground’ in the US military, US federal agencies, and international organizations.”
Sarah Tenney
Faith Rivers James, J.D. | M.S. and Graduate Certificate in Leadership
Dr. James is the Assistant Provost for Leadership and Head of the Leadership Studies Department. Prior to The Citadel, she served as Associate Dean for Leadership and Experiential Learning at Elon Law School, and as a member of the environmental law faculty at Vermont Law School. [Full Bio]
“The Citadel’s leadership studies program helps students develop key skills and competencies that enhance their leadership potential and increase the trajectory of their professional advancement. Our graduates are prepared and empowered to provide principled leadership to the organizations and communities where they work and live.”
Faith Rivers James
Jeremy Bennett, Ph.D. | Master of Business Administration, B.S. in Business Administration
Dr. Bennett has been teaching online since 2009. He has directed the development of online programs, certificates and courses at more than a dozen institutions both public and private. Dr. Bennett has a BA in Sociology from the University of Georgia and an MBA in Human Resources, MS in Organizational Change and Ph.D. in Sociology from Georgia State University. He is also certified as a Higher Education Professional, Excellence in Online Education from Career Education Colleges and Universities.
“I am proud to direct and teach in The Citadel’s MBA and business degree completion program. These programs are ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a Best of Online MBA program and a Best of Online Undergraduate Program. This is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and the determination of our students.”
Jeremy Bennett