Campus News

September 15th, 2026

Garrett College welcomes new faculty

Half of new faculty are transitioning from other college positions

McHenry, MD – Garrett College welcomed four new faculty members for the new academic year, but only half of them are new to the College.

David Wingate – previously the Lakers’ head wrestling coach – is the new assistant professor of sport management. Dr. Susie Mosser, who spent last academic year as a visiting professor for psychology, is now a permanent assistant professor of psychology.

Dr. Grady Iliff joins the College as assistant professor of engineering, and Gage Jacobs will be a visiting professor of biology for the 2026-27 academic year.

Professor Christa Bowser, the College’s chief academic officer, said the four new faculty members strengthen an already impressive faculty.

“They bring exceptional talent and fresh perspective to our College,” said Bowser. “They share our passion for teaching and mentoring, and I know our students will benefit enormously from their knowledge, energy, and dedication.”

Iliff earned both a master’s degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from Penn State University as well as a bachelor of science degree in engineering, sciences, and mechanics from Virginia Tech. He spent five years as a graduate research assistant while completing his studies at Penn State.

“I was intrigued by the opportunity to contribute to Garrett’s small but growing engineering program,” Iliff said of his decision to come to GC. “Small class sizes and a dedicated engineering lab means more hands-on time putting all the engineering skills we learn in the classroom into practice.”

Iliff noted the close ties between engineering and science.

“I would consider myself both a scientist and an engineer, and I believe they are intimately linked,” said Iliff. “The difference is captured in a quote from Theodore von Karman, ‘A scientist discovers what is; an engineer creates what never was.’ ”

Jacobs earned a master of environmental management in sustainability in 2025 from Frostburg State University and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). He was a faculty research assistant at UMCES as well as a graduate assistant and then adjunct lecturer for FSU.

“I am most excited to teach and learn with my students throughout this academic year,” said Jacobs, who also previously served as envirothon coach and guest lecturer at Mountain Ridge High School.

Jacobs, who also earned a bachelor of science in marine science from Coastal Carolina (SC) University, characterized biology as “the most important discipline in science.”

“It’s a broad category with a lot of fields within it,” explained Jacobs. “There are so many aspects of biology that we can see and research here in the mountains of Western Maryland, including ornithology, botany, mycology, mammalogy, ichthyology, and paleontology. As a result, I think that students coming to Garrett College for biology classes are uniquely positioned for success.”

Mosser is pleased to be continuing on the Garrett College faculty as assistant professor.

“I was once a student at Garrett College and returned as an adjunct and then visiting professor,” Mosser noted. “During my time here, it sparked a passion for sharing years of expertise in the field and for seeing students blossom.”

Mosser – who earned a doctor of arts at Viridis (AZ) Graduate Institute for Ecological Psychology and Environmental Humanities – views psychology “as a vast and versatile field that evokes a great deal of curiosity and wonder as well as critical and creative thinking.”

“It allows for a deeper self-awareness and thus a greater understanding of humanity and the world,” said Mosser, who also holds a master of science in counseling psychology from Chatham (PA) University and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Point Park (PA) University.

“Students have the opportunity to explore fields in counseling, research, education, psychiatry, sports psychology, animal behavior, pregnancy and perinatal mental health, marriage and family, forensics, neuropsych, and so much more,” added Mosser.

Wingate spent three years as GC’s residence life coordinator and head wrestling coach, leading the Lakers to the Gulf Atlantic District championship this past winter as Garrett finishing in the Top 25 teams nationally. The Lakers had 25 national tournament qualifiers in his three seasons as head coach.

Wingate earned a master of science degree from West Virginia University in sport coaching and a bachelor of science in physical education with a special education endorsement from Castleton (VT) University.

“The reason I transitioned from athletics to faculty was it provided me with the ability to help students on a larger scale,” said Wingate.