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Faculty & Staff

Message from the Chair

photo of Dr. William Hatcher

Dr. William Hatcher

  • Chair, Professor

wihatcher@augusta.edu

Welcome to the Department of Social Sciences!
 
We’re delighted you’ve found our department’s website. The Department of Social Sciences is home to more than 500 students and over 30 full-time faculty members. We offer six Bachelor of Arts programs, three graduate degrees, and a variety of certificates and minors.
 
Our undergraduate programs include:
 
  • Criminal Justice
  • Health, Society, and Policy
  • Nonprofit Leadership and Administration
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Social Work (BSW, accredited)
 
At the graduate level, we offer:
 
  • Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies
  • Master of Public Administration (NASPAA-accredited)
  • PhD in Intelligence, Defense, and Cybersecurity Policy (launching Fall 2025)
 
Despite the variety of our programs, they share a common mission: to equip students with the skills needed to strengthen public service. We build these skills by emphasizing active learning in the classroom, experiential learning in the field, and study abroad opportunities. Our faculty are accomplished researchers who publish in leading academic journals and bring their expertise into the classroom to enrich the student learning experience.
 
Students in our department frequently participate in study away and study abroad programs. One of our most notable initiatives is the Model United Nations program, which includes a visit to the UN headquarters in New York City. We also support internships that provide valuable work experience, and we host numerous career-focused events in collaboration with AU’s Career Services to help students launch successful careers in the social sciences.
 
Our main administrative office is located in Allgood Hall, Room N-312, and our majors have access to a dedicated computer lab on the second floor of Allgood Hall.
 
We invite you to reach out to learn more about our programs and community. We hope you will consider joining one of our majors and contributing to the future of public service.

Faculty and Staff

Criminal Justice

Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor

Dr. Kim Davies, Pamplin Dean, Professor

Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Professor

Ric Goolsby, JD, Adjunct Instructor

Richard Goolsby, JD, Adjunct Instructor

Dr. Candace Griffith, Associate Professor

Paula Owens, Adjunct Instructor

Dr. Todd Powell-Williams, Professor

Kenneth Shugars, Adjunct Instructor

Dr. Raquel Velez Oliveira, Assistant Professor

Health, Society, and Policy

Dr. Elizabeth Culatta, Assistant Professor

Dr. Andrew Goss, Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy, Professor

Dr. Pamela Hayward, Department of Communication, Professor

Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor

Dr. Wendy Turner, Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy, Professor

Dr. Steven Weiss, Emeritus Faculty

Nonprofit Leadership and Administration

Valerie Cato, Department of English and World Languages, Senior Lecturer

Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Professor

Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor

Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor

Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor

Dr. Wesley Meares, MPA Director, Associate Professor

Dr. Rhucha Samudra, Associate Professor

Political Science

Dr. Craig Albert, MAISS Director, Professor

Dr. Christos Bourdouvalis, Professor Emeritus and Adjunct Instructor

Chris Cannon, Lecturer

Dr. Martha Ginn, Professor

Dr. Giancarlo Gonzalez, Lecturer

Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor

Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor

Dr. John "Jay" Heslen, Associate Professor

Dr. Lance Hunter, Professor

Nadia Jilani-Hyler, Senior Lecturer

Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, Professor

Dr. Wesley Meares, MPA Director, Associate Professor

Chris Mezzetti, Adjunct Instructor

Dr. Gregg Murray, Professor

Dr. Sudha Ratan, Professor

Dr. Rhucha Samudra, Associate Professor

Dr. Paolo Spadoni, Associate Professor

Dr. Raymond Whiting, AVP of Curriculum and Instructional Innovation and Professor

Sociology

Dr. Dustin Avent-Holt, CSSR Director, Professor

Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor

Robbie Bruce, Senior Lecturer

Dr. Elizabeth Culatta, Associate Professor

Dr. Kim Davies, Pamplin Dean, Professor

Dr. Allison Foley, Professor

Dr. David Hunt, Associate Professor

Dr. Miles Marsala, Lecturer

Dr. Melissa Powell-Williams, Professor

Dr. Todd Powell-Williams, Professor

Lisa Smoot, Senior Lecturer

Social Work

Penny Alderman, Senior Lecturer

Thomas Dorn, Adjunct Instructor

Shannon Dunavan, Adjunct Instructor

Morgan Fields, BSW Director, Senior Lecturer

Dr. Eunhye Kim, Associate Professor

Dr. Shelleta Ladonice

Dr. Dale White, Emeritus Faculty

Master of Public Administration

Dr. Melissa Bemiller, Associate Professor

Dr. Allison Foley, WGST Director, Associate Professor

Dr. Martha Ginn, Professor

Dr. Emily Boykin, Assistant Professor

Dr. Augustine Hammond, Associate Professor

Dr. Will Hatcher, Chair, Professor

Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, Professor

Dr. Wesley Meares, MPA Director, Professor

Dr. Saundra Ribando, Retired; Professor Emerita

Dr. Rhucha Samudra, Associate Professor

Dr. Tory Weaver, Lecturer

Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies (MAISS)

Dr. Craig Albert, Graduate Director: National Defense Studies, Professor

Dr. Aaron Gold, Assistant Professor

Dr. John "Jay" Heslen, Associate Professor

Dr. Lance Hunter, Professor

Dr. Gregg Murray, Professor

Dr. Sudha Ratan, Professor

Dr. Paolo Spadoni, Associate Professor

Dr. Yufan Yang, Assistant Professor

PhD in Intelligence, Defense, & Cybersecurity Policy

Dr. Craig Albert, Graduate Director: National Defense Studies, Professor

Dr. Valery Dzutasti, Assistant Professor

Dr. John "Jay" Heslen, Associate Professor

Dr. Lance Hunter, Professor

Dr. Weeda Mehran, Assistant Professor

Dr. Reyhan Topal, Assistant Professor

Patrick Walworth, Program Manager

Lady Justice

 

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