Faculty Spotlight Series
The College of Liberal and Fine Arts is committed to advancing scholarship, creative work, and professional growth. Leading this effort is Dr. Tara Shelley, Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Excellence, who provides guidance and resources to help faculty succeed.
As part of her Faculty Excellence role, Dr. Shelley has launched a new Faculty Spotlight Series to highlight the scholarship and creative activities of COLFA faculty. One faculty spotlight will be featured each month throughout the academic year.
In her Research role, Dr. Shelley assists faculty in identifying funding opportunities, preparing proposals and fellowship applications, and serves as a liaison with Tarleton’s Research Innovation and Economic Development (RIED) office. Through the combined efforts of faculty and Dr. Shelley, COLFA has seen growth in research activity—marked by an increase in submissions, wider faculty engagement, and greater funding secured for scholarly and creative work.
January Spotlight, Dr. Jacob Brewer
Jacob Brewer is an assistant professor in the Department of English & Languages. He holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MFA from Oklahoma State University, and a PhD from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. While primarily a speculative fiction writer, his scholarly research focuses on how speculative fiction interacts with historical literary genres and the relationship between the genres of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. He is an active pro member in both the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer’s Association (SFWA) and the Horror Writer’s Association (HWA). You can find his fiction at jmjbrewer.com.
Past Faculty Spotlight Features
October 2025: Drs. Heather Hawk and Carolyn Keyes, Department of Performing Arts
November 2025: Dr. Yan Su, Department of Communication Studies
December 2025: Dr. Kevin Wang, Department of Criminal Justice
January 2026: Dr. Jacob Brewer, Department of English and Languages
2026 Faculty Awards
The College of Liberal and Fine Arts is lead by a group of exemplary, award-winning, published and experienced faculty members. Our team is here to support you in every step of your journey at Tarleton State University. Join us in recognizing the recipients of the Tarleton State 2026 COLFA Faculty Awards, for their dedicated service and accomplishments.
O.A. Grant Excellence in Teaching
Mr. Kirk Wise
Kirk Wise is a senior instructor in the Department of Communication Studies at Tarleton. He holds a BS and MS degree from Texas Christian University. Wise oversees communication studies majors with a sports communication concentration, advising students and developing curriculum. Mr. Wise teaches courses in public speaking, digital video production, sports communication, broadcast production, and sports media.
Wise joined Tarleton in 2019 after a 30-year career in the television broadcasting industry. He worked as a videographer, editor and producer, creating projects for organizations including Fox Sports Southwest and Fox Sports South. His professional background informs a hands-on teaching approach that emphasizes real-world skills and industry standards. Wise has been nominated for multiple Lone Star Emmys and has received awards from the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association.
Barry B. Thompson Faculty Excellence in Service
Dr. Karley Goen
Dr. Karley Goen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and a driving force in the department’s new concentration of Travel Events Activities Management (TEAMs). She enjoys teaching Event Coordination, Travel and Tourism, Trade Show Management and Business, and Professional Speaking. These classes allow students to orchestrate large, scaled events within the Cross Timbers Region of Texas and the Metroplex. These event exposures aid in networking opportunities that land dream careers for her hospitality-minded students. These event ventures are priceless in showcasing an event’s planning, execution and the debriefing phase. Dr. Karley Goen has been teaching at Tarleton State University since 2009. Karley has received the Tarleton Presidential Service Coin, the COLFA Engaged Faculty Award and a two-time recipient of the COLFA Barry B. Thompson Service Award. With her community service work, she has received the Creating Heartfelt Experiences Award and the I am Bright hearted Award with the Hilton Worldwide Corporation, and this spring, will be awarded the Texas Travel Alliance’s Certified Tourism Executive distinction bestowed to Karley based on her statewide community engagement.
Outstanding Early Career Faculty
Dr. Preston Waltrip
Preston Waltrip is an Assistant Professor of English at Tarleton State University. He earned a PhD in English from the University of California, Riverside. His areas of expertise are American literature, the novel, genre studies, literary theory, and the intersections of philosophy and literature. He has published articles about the Mexican novelist, Carmen Boullosa, and his current research project focuses on existential philosophy in the American novel from the 19th century to the present. His essays have appeared in American Literary History and American Quarterly.
Faculty Excellence in Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activities
Dr. J. Rhett Forman
J. Rhett Forman is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tarleton. He received doctorates from the University of Dallas Institute of Philosophic Studies and the University of Salamanca, and he earned his undergraduate degree from the Great Books program at St. John’s College, Santa Fe. He is a co-investigator for research funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and the recipient of several grants from the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. His translations and creative works have appeared in such outlets as Euphony (Chicago), Louisiana Literature (Southeast Louisiana), Spoon River Poetry Review (Illinois State), and West Branch (Bucknell), as well as in anthologies from Clemson University. His recent scholarly work has been published in the Canarian Journal of English Studies, Literature of the Americas, Contemporary Studies in Modernism, Ezra Pound and Spain (Clemson), and Reading T. S. Eliot: The Rose Garden and After (Routledge).
Faculty Excellence in Student Success
Dr. Yolanda Tsang
Dr. Yolanda Tsang launched her GIS (Geographic Information Systems) career with Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department Air Quality Group before transitioning into academia in 2005. She is now an assistant professor and program coordinator for Tarleton’s Geography and GIS program, engaging in collaborations with the City of Arlington, Tarrant County College, and the City of Stephenville. Bringing cutting‑edge geospatial technologies into her courses, she inspires students to explore, appreciate, and protect the Earth through innovative GIS applications. During her time at Tarleton, Dr. Tsang has shared her research at conferences across the U.S. and is a dedicated mentor, guiding students to first place in the 2021 Southwest Division American Association of Geographers Undergraduate Paper Competition and second place in 2022 and 2023. Beyond campus, she promotes student‑community engagement through volunteer GIS projects with local government, industry internships, and Scouting America geocaching merit badge seminar.
Engaged Faculty
Dr. Galia Cohen
