Pictured, from left, are Dr. Tyler Scott, Mr. Tobias Forshtay, Ms. Erica Elliott and Dr. Lindsey Richter.

WINONA LAKE — This fall, Grace College welcomes four new faculty members to campus: Dr. Lindsey Richter, assistant professor of modern languages (French), Dr. Tyler Scott, assistant professor of physics, Mr. Tobias Forshtay, instructor of agribusiness and Ms. Erica Elliott, instructor of digital marketing.

Richter holds a Ph.D. in French from Princeton University. She earned her M.A. in French from Miami University, where she also completed her bachelor’s degrees in French and Russian. Richter previously taught French language, literature, art and culture at Miami University and Princeton University for eight years. In May 2018, she successfully defended her dissertation on poetry and art collaborations in 20th-century France. She is a lifetime lover of languages and has studied French, Spanish, Russian, German, Chinese and Arabic.

“We are delighted to have Lindsey as a colleague and we’re very excited about the expertise and leadership she brings with her,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, chair of the Languages, Literature and Communication Department at Grace College. “We’re especially pleased that we can now offer upper-level French courses which will allow students to earn a French minor without leaving campus for study abroad.”

This year, Richter will team-teach Freshman Foundations and an upper-level, bilingual French literature course for French and English majors. She will also serve as interim director of modern languages.

“I’m excited about the close relationships between Grace faculty and students, and want to invite my students into a partnership where we ask the big questions together in the classroom as well as in settings like Communitas and the Go Encounter trips,” said Richter.

Scott, assistant professor of physics, earned his master’s degree in physics and his Ph.D. in engineering and science education from Clemson University. Prior to coming to Grace this fall, he taught physics at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and coached the rugby team there.

Scott was drawn to Grace College in large part due to its Christian foundation. “I’m excited to teach at a Christian college that emphasizes the importance and authority of scripture,” he said.

Grace College Department of Science and Mathematics Chair Dr. Chad Snyder commented on the value of Dr. Scott’s teaching and research experience. “Whether he is performing upper-level physics labs or discussing current research in physics education, it’s clear that Dr. Scott has a passion for physics and our students,” Snyder said. “We are very glad to have Dr. Scott on our team and look forward to his development of a physics minor at Grace in the years to come.”

The School of Business at Grace College welcomes two new instructors this fall. Forshtay is the program director and instructor of agribusiness. Last fall, Grace launched associate and bachelor’s degree programs in agribusiness “to help meet the needs of our agriculture-driven community and demands to train the next generation to feed the world,” according to School of Business Dean Dr. Jeff Fawcett.

With a decade of experience in the agriculture industry, Forshtay brings knowledge of agricultural policy, financial risk management and talent development to Grace’s School of Business. Forshtay comes to Grace from Silveus Insurance Group, the nation’s leading agricultural risk management agency, where he worked for ten years in a variety of roles. He also brings valuable experience from his participation in the Agricultural Advisory Councils to U.S. Congressmen Jim Banks and Luke Messer. Forshtay earned his bachelor of science in management degree and his MBA from Grace College.

“Tobe is a wonderful addition to our faculty team. He has strong relationships in the agriculture and government sectors, as well as the greater Warsaw community,” said Fawcett. “He is actively developing partnerships with area farms and businesses while identifying sites for student internships – a key component of our agribusiness program,” he continued. “We are excited about the impact Tobe will make at Grace, and by extension, the difference our agribusiness students will make in our community and world.”

The second new addition to the School of Business at Grace College is Elliott, program director and instructor of digital marketing. The newest academic program in the School of Business, Grace now offers 15 different business majors and enrolls a full quarter of all Grace College undergraduate students.

Elliott’s 20 years of marketing and advertising experience spans multiple industries and has included work for AT&T, Hewlett Packard, Ashley Furniture and Florida Power & Light. Most recently, Elliott was vice president of marketing for Spieth America, an international manufacturer of gymnastics and volleyball equipment. She earned her bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Central Oklahoma and her MBA from Oklahoma City University. She plans to begin a doctoral program next spring.

“We are thrilled to have such a widely experienced practitioner on the team to teach our students about the realities of marketing,” said Fawcett. “Her experience is both domestic and international, which brings another dimension to her contribution. She will prepare our students well for the fast-paced portion of the marketing universe,” he said.

In addition to teaching, Elliott is leading the Grace College Women in Business student organization. In this role, she is connecting Grace students with exemplary area business women for mentorship, fellowship and learning.

For more information about any of the academic programs mentioned in this story, please visit www.grace.edu/academics or call (800) 544-7223.