Gettysburg College is celebrating the professional accomplishments of several faculty members this year. Among those honored are one professor who achieved tenure and promotion, five who were named full professors, and three who were promoted to senior lecturer.
Gettysburg College faculty are some of the most dedicated professionals you can find teaching at a liberal arts college. This year, we celebrate several promotions within our community.
Read more about these talented teachers and scholars below. Click the links to their biography pages (see Related Links at the end of this article) to learn more about their teaching and scholarly work.
Rank of associate professor
Anthropology Prof. Kirby Farah
As an anthropological archaeologist, Anthropology Prof. Kirby Farah co-directs an on-campus archaeological project with Anthropology Prof. Ben Luley. This project is an immersive experiential learning opportunity for students focused on the Hopkins Custodial House, which once existed just north of Pennsylvania Hall.
About Prof. Farah
Academic Focus: The relationships that helped bind communities together in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica; local implications of archaeological research, including how narratives of the past connect with contemporary discussions of history, heritage, and identity.
Education: B.A., University of Texas, Austin; M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology from University of California, Riverside
Current Projects: Exploring the site of Chan Chich, Belize, which focuses on the Late Classic Maya period (AD 600–900). Farah’s research examines how monumental architecture embodied complex social and economic relationships during this tumultuous period, while considering how these relationships started deteriorating before the site was abandoned.
In the Words of Prof. Farah: “One of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been bringing Gettysburg College students into the field, where they contribute directly to this ongoing research. I am grateful to receive tenure at Gettysburg College and to be part of a community that invests in both outstanding teaching and impactful research. The College’s commitment to supporting faculty scholarship while empowering students to participate in research has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.”
Rank of full professor
- Interdisciplinary Studies Chair Vernon Cisney
- Art and Art History Prof. Tina Gebhart
- Africana Studies and History Prof. Scott Hancock
- Chair of Civil War Era Studies and Co-Chair of Public History Studies Ian Isherwood ’00
- Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. and Director of Choral Activities Robert Natter
Interdisciplinary Studies Chair Vernon Cisney
Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) Chair Vernon Cisney oversees a department that has had more than 70 students graduate from Gettysburg College with an individualized major over the last six years. Cisney began teaching at Gettysburg in 2012 in the Philosophy Department and moved to the IDS Department, which he has chaired for four years, in 2018.
About Prof. Cisney
Academic Focus: 19th and 20th century continental philosophy and philosophy of film and literature, with an emphasis on French philosopher Gilles Deleuze and American author Cormac McCarthy.
Education: B.A., Eastern Illinois University; M.A., The University of Memphis; Ph.D., philosophy, Purdue University
Current Projects: Co-editing three separate volumes on the 40th anniversary of Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian,” the philosophical impact of Claire Colebrook, and the religious and theological themes in the “Mad Max”universe; also working on a book on the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze.
In the Words of Prof. Cisney: “I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful to my colleagues for this recognition. I am particularly thankful to the mentors who have helped me reach this goal, and I am tremendously enthusiastic about the future of IDS and Gettysburg College.”
Art and Art History Prof. Tina Gebhart
With a background in entrepreneurial studio art and ceramic engineering, Art & Art History Prof. Tina Gebhart encourages her students to apply studio art in interdisciplinary ways. Before joining the faculty at Gettysburg, she directed the academic Ceramics Apprentice Program at Berea College.
About Prof. Gebhart
Academic Focus: Ceramics, functional object design, ceramic materials science, experiential and work learning.
Education: B.A., The Pennsylvania State University; M.F.A., New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
Current Projects: Continued tandem throwing technique invention, developing an experiential work-learning Ceramics Apprentice program, and collaborative art-making with students.
In the Words of Prof. Gebhart: “This promotion recognizes the value of powerful art-making skills and accomplishments. It is a joy to develop these in myself and in my students, cultivating the best and most creative versions of ourselves.”
Africana Studies and History Prof. Scott Hancock
Africana Studies and History Prof. Scott Hancock has been teaching at Gettysburg College since 2001. Through his courses and research, Hancock considers African Americans’ engagement with the law, while incorporating multidisciplinary perspectives, such as law and society and geography, into his scholarly inquiry.
About Prof. Hancock
Academic Focus: History and Africana studies
Education: B.A., Bible & Christian education, Bryan College; Ph.D., early American history, University of New Hampshire
Current Projects: Writing a book on the Underground Railroad from the American Revolutionary era through the Civil War and a book chapter examining Black history and cultural sustainability on Gettysburg’s landscape.
In the Words of Prof. Hancock: “I’m thankful to Jennifer Bloomquist—the first, and until now, the only African American to achieve promotion to full professor in the long history of Gettysburg College—and Abou Bamba—I believe the third African American professor to achieve full professor—for convincing me to finally apply for promotion. They argued that students, particularly Black students, needed to see more of us in this position.”
Chair of Civil War Era Studies and Co-Chair of Public History Ian Isherwood ’00
Chair of Civil War Era Studies (CWES) Ian Isherwood ’00 began his career at Gettysburg College as the assistant director of the Civil War Institute (CWI) in 2012, where he taught in the CWES program and mentored students in the CWI Fellows program. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the director of the College’s First-Year Seminar program. He has served as the Harold K. Johnson Chair of Military History at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and taught history in the Department of National Security and Strategy. Isherwood most recently served as director of Gettysburg’s CWI.
About Prof. Isherwood
Academic Focus: War and memory studies, cultural history, and British history
Education: B.A., Gettysburg College; M.A., Dartmouth College; Ph.D., University of Glasgow
Current Projects: Working on a book on American war memory from the Civil War through the Global War on Terror.
In the Words of Prof. Isherwood: “I am deeply grateful for this recognition of my scholarship, teaching, and service to the College. Gettysburg College is the best liberal arts college in the country to teach the history of war, and I am so lucky to get to work with such talented students and colleagues on a daily basis. When I was an undergraduate here, I dreamed to someday be the type of professor and mentor who makes this place special. I hope that I’ve been able to do that in my time here and to continue to contribute to the life of this institution in the decades to come.”
Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. and Director of Choral Activities Robert Natter
Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. Robert Natter conducts the Gettysburg College Choir, Concert Choir, Audeamus (upper-voice choir), and Camerata (vocal chamber ensemble). Over the years, Natter has taken the Gettysburg College Choir and Camerata on national and international tours to locations such as Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. The choir’s most recent U.S. tour occurred earlier this year in celebration of its 90th anniversary.
About Prof. Natter
Academic Focus: Choral music and technology
Education: B.A. and M.A., University of California Santa Cruz; D.M.A., Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
Current Projects: Published a program called ChoralWorks to help singers learn music and to help directors facilitate singers’ learning
In the Words of Prof. Natter: “It’s rewarding at this point in my time at Gettysburg to look back at the thousands of singers I’ve had the privilege of making music with over the years, and the hundreds of performances big and small that we’ve made together. It’s been an honor to contribute to a thriving musical and artistic community.”
Rank of senior lecturer
Psychology Prof. Kathy Delaney
Psychology Prof. Kathy Delaney has spent more than a decade of her clinical experience working with children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders and related mental health issues. She is currently interested in supporting neurodiversity in the college classroom.
About Prof. Delaney
Academic Focus: Effects of childhood adversity on the well-being of college students and adults
Education: B.A., Hofstra University; M.A., Fordham University; Ph.D. in developmental psychology, with specialization in applied developmental psychology, Fordham University
Current Projects: Co-leading the Resilience Lab: “We’re mentoring three to four research assistants each semester,” Delaney said. “We’re studying the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and college students’ emotion regulation and resilience.” Delaney also serves as the coordinator of the Psychology Department’s internship program and is working with three Psychology Department colleagues on the development of the Psychology Department’s new PLA program. She also worked at CampPsych for the past two summers, teaching workshops on the role of social media in adolescent identity development.
In the Words of Prof. Delaney: “Honestly, there are too many reasons to list for why I enjoy teaching at Gettysburg. Perhaps at the top of the list are the relationships I build with my students and the chance to watch them grow and mature as students over their four years here. I’m in awe of their curiosity, willingness to take chances, and their creative ideas.”
Chemistry and Biochemistry Lab Manager and Lab Instructor Jeremy Kuhar
Jeremy Kuhar is the full-time lab manager and lab instructor for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His usual teaching load is four sections of CHEM 107, general chemistry lab per semester. In this position, besides teaching the labs, Kuhar is responsible for setting up all instructional labs in CHEM 107/108 and 203/204 (organic chemistry). As the chemical hygiene officer for the College, Kuhar oversees lab safety trainings, hazardous chemical waste handling, and chemical inventory control and reporting.
About Senior Lecturer Kuhar
Education: B.S., biology and environmental studies, Gettysburg College; M.Ed., curriculum and instruction, Bloomsburg University; M.S., biology, Shippensburg University.
Current Projects: Continuing to learn how to best interact with AI to code Excel VBA, work that allowed the College to manage its extensive chemical inventory in a time-efficient manner; applying knowledge gained from a summer 2026 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) using AI to develop an activity that simulates data in the area of spectrophotometry; working with the College’s Rogers Center for Innovation and Creativity to develop simple devices to improve certain labs. “I really enjoy ‘tweaking labs,” Kuhar said. “I’m in a unique position to observe students from multiple sections, find problem points, and test changes. I also direct student workers in this respect—students who help me test my ideas for improvements.”
In the Words of Senior Lecturer Kuhar: “I feel some of my greatest strengths — and the areas that interest and excite me most — are in using my experience and creativity to improve the lab experience for students. This is my 21st year in this position, and it’s rewarding to have that experience and longevity recognized by my department, the Faculty Personnel Committee, the Provost, and the College. My heartfelt thanks go out to all involved.”
Economics Prof. Drew Murphy ’84, P’20
Economics Prof. Drew Murphy ’84, P’20 has served as a practicing financial professional for more than 40 years. His interest in studying financial markets and financial products, capital utilization, and allocation in efficient economies has made him a sought-after resources in the Economics Department.
About Prof. Murphy
Academic Focus: Portfolio construction and performance optimization over the long-term horizon
Education: B.A., Gettysburg College
Current Projects: Helping design, launch, and run the Gettysburg Student Investment Society, a student-run organization dedicated to the professional development of future CFAs
In the Words of Prof. Murphy: “The affirmation of the quality of my work guiding students is the best part of the promotion process.”
Related Links:
- Interdisciplinary Studies Chair Vernon Cisney
- Psychology Prof. Kathy Delaney
- Anthropology Prof. Kirby Farah
- Art and Art History Prof. Tina Gebhart
- Africana Studies and History Prof. Scott Hancock
- History Prof. and Prof. of War and Memory Studies Ian Isherwood ’00
- Senior Lecturer Jeremy Kuhar
- Economics Prof. Drew Murphy ’84, P’20
- Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. and Director of Choral Activities Robert Natter
By Michael Vyskocil
Photos by Abbey Frisco, Miranda Harple, Shannon Palmer, and Shawna Sherrell
Posted: 09/21/26