CONWAY, Ark. (July 9, 2020) – Hendrix College welcomes three
new professors to the teaching faculty for the 2020-2021 academic year:
- Jericka
S. Battle, Instructor of Psychology
- Latorya
D. Hicks, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
- Rosilyn
Sanders, Instructor of Psychology
“We are eager to welcome these three professors to our
community for the new academic year,” said Hendrix College Provost Terri
Bonebright. “They will play a vital role in their departments as they challenge
and inspire Hendrix students and prepare them for success after graduation.”
Battle, a 2016 graduate of Hendrix College, expects to
complete her Ph.D. through the Social-Personality Psychology Program at Texas
A&M University in 2021. Her position at Hendrix is a three-year appointment;
she will teach courses in Statistics, Research Methods, Stereotyping and
Prejudice, and Social Cognition.
Battle’s primary research interest centers on identifying and
testing systems of power that may have negative effects on underrepresented
minority groups in organizations and in the broader scope of society. In
addition to her work on power, her research interests include the study of the
behavioral and affective impact of ostracism within minority communities and
employing interdisciplinary theories and methods (such as cultural psychology
and critical race theory) to better study minority populations.
A previous recipient of the Texas A&M University Office
of Graduate and Professional Studies Diversity Fellowship, Battle has served as
a consultant for research projects funded by the TAMU President’s Excellence
Fund. In her spare time, she loves completing jigsaw puzzles and spending time
with her family.
Hicks is a 1995 graduate of Lane College and completed her
Ph.D. at Wesleyan University in 2004. Her position at Hendrix is a one-year
appointment, during which she will teach Organic Chemistry I and II, as well as
Organic Chemistry Labs.
While attending Wesleyan, Hicks was the recipient of the New
England Board of Higher Education Fellowship. She completed postdoctoral studies
in pediatric oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her research
involved the identification, synthesis, and molecular modeling of novel
carboxylesterase inhibitors for the anticancer drug Irinotecan (CPT-11). CPT-11
is an antitumor prodrug that is hydrolyzed by carboxylesterases to yield SN-38,
a potent topoisomerase I poison, which causes patients to experience severe
diarrhea. This drug toxicity is believed to arise from the activation of the
prodrug by a human intestinal carboxylesterase. In her work at St. Jude, she
synthesized novel small aromatic analogues that are specific for human
intestinal carboxylesterase and can selectively modulate drug hydrolysis in
vivo. Her research interests continue to center on synthesizing small organic
compounds that ameliorate toxicity of current chemotherapy drugs.
Hicks worked as a research chemist, consultant, and adjunct
professor before seeking a full-time professoriate position. She is a member of
the American Chemical Society.
Sanders is a 2007 graduate of Philander Smith College. She earned
her master’s degree from University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2011 and will
complete her Psy.D. in Organizational Leadership Psychology in December 2020 at
William James College, Newton, Massachusetts. Her position is a one-year
appointment.
Sanders has over 10 years of combined organizational
development and clinical/mental health experiences, involving research,
training and development, organizational behavior, professional development,
talent management, leadership development, performance management, onboarding,
program development, diversity and inclusion, and project management for
non-profit and private organizations. She is certified as a DriV Facilitator
and in providing Organizational Culture Surveys and Consultation. Her research
centers on the inclusivity of people with disabilities in corporate America.
At Hendrix, Sanders will teach Introduction to Psychology,
Abnormal Psychology, Introduction to Counseling and Theories, and Personality.
In addition to her work at Hendrix, she is the owner and CEO of Sanders
Consulting & Associates, LLC, providing consultation in various areas of
professional development.
Sanders is an active member of the Arkansas Association of
Black Psychology Professionals, American Psychological Association-Division 13
“Society of Consulting Psychology” where she serves as a Training and
Development Tactician; Div 13 APA Graduate Student Representative (APAGS),
2019-2020 Leadership Development Initiative Committee member, Society of
Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP), Society for Human Resource
Management (SHRM), National Association for University Women (NAUW), and Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal arts
college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as
one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives:
40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and
rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.