Faculty & Staff Bios

Dr. Heather Galloway is a professor of Physics and teaches a wide range of classes including: University Seminar, Freshman Physics, Modern Physics, and Building a Greener Future: One Home at a Time. Her research and professional activities focus on science education and her favorite part about being the Honors Dean is reading honors theses and mentoring our incredible students.

Peter Tschirhart received his Ph.D. in the Critical & Comparative Studies of Music from the University of Virginia and his B.M. from Rice University. His research, which lies at the intersection of music and architecture, explores the emergence of the sound map: graphical schemes and musical notation that make affordances for the spatial—not just sonic—aspects of musical composition and performance. Outside of work, Dr. Tschirhart is a recreational runner and biker who may often be seen puttering around campus on his beloved Brompton. He is also an avid travel and coffee geek who is deeply (some might say suspiciously) dedicated to the mission and aesthetics of “third-wave” coffees.

Amy Gillis joined the Honors College in August ’21 as the Senior Administrative Assistant after being with the Office of International Affairs for over five years.  Amy enjoys traveling, gardening, propagating plant cuttings, mid-century art and design, and her two cats, Moose and Cookie. My favorite part of the Honors College is the fantastic students that I meet and helping to make the Honors College an exceptional place.

Pronouns: he/him

Jordan Morille is a lecturer, award-winning playwright, novelist, script doctor, and content creator. He earned his MFA in Dramatic Writing from Texas State University in 2015. His first novel, The Blacktop Lagoon, released in 2022, and his podcast - GMWKS - is available on all platforms. He is the Region 6 chair of the National Playwriting Program for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and currently teaches courses in Playwriting, Screenwriting, Dramatic Adaptation, Southern Gothic Storytelling, and Creative Arts. 

Ron Haas is an intellectual historian of Modern Europe and the United States who received his PhD from Rice University in 2007. His research and teaching interests include the “Global 1960s” and European and American traditions of radical and utopian thought.  Ron also has extensive experience teaching expository writing and working with student writers.  Since joining Texas State University in Fall 2013, he has taught popular courses such as “The 1960s: A History of Movements and Ideas,” “America vs. the World: The History of a Love-Hate Relationship,” and “Alienation and Authenticity: in Search of the Modern Self.”  Ron also enjoys advising seniors as instructor of the Capstone course (4390B).  His main goals as a liberal arts educator are to welcome students to the “life of the mind” and introduce them to critical perspectives they can use in their own lives.  

Dr. Louie Dean Valencia earned a Ph.D. in Early and Late Modern European History from Fordham University in New York City, has taught at Harvard University, and has directed the Aspects of Leadership Summer Institute at Princeton University. Louie’s research focuses on youth culture, digital history, urban studies, popular culture, and countercultures, and their books include Antiauthoritarian Youth Culture in Francoist Spain: Clashing with Fascism and Far-Right Revisionism and the End of History: Alt/Histories. Louie mentors first-year Honors students in Laurel Hall, and enjoys talking to students about their classes, internship and research strategies, scholarship opportunities such as the Fulbright, preparations for graduate school, and everything from superhero television series to contemporary social issues. Louie’s Honors courses include Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity, The Myths of Western Civilization, and the Spanish Civil War. He loves concerts, drawing, reading, traveling, visiting quirky coffee shops, and is a rare book and comic collector.

Michelle was born in Mexico City and raised in Houston, TX. She is a proud first-generation college graduate of Texas State University, with a BFA in Studio Art-Metals/Jewelry, and Fashion Merchandising minor. Additionally, she completed an undergraduate Honors thesis, What Would Jesus Wear?: the Fashioning of the Cross. Michelle earned a Master of Arts degree in International Studies, exploring US immigration, the culmination of which is her thesis, titled In Limbo: Bringing Stability to Undocumented Students Enrolled at Institutions of Higher Education in Central Texas. Her primary role as an academic advisor is to guide undergraduate Honors students on their unique educational journeys. Michelle also serves as the Coordinator for the  TXST Monarch Center for Immigrant Students, continuing a decade of work researching and training other higher education professionals on how to support undocu/DACAmented students. Michelle enjoys cats, delicious food, immigrant rights, travel, and letting her mind get lost in new designs or research topics. 

Melanie Liddle is the Student Development Specialist II for the Honors College as of spring 2017. She earned her BA with Honors in History at Austin College,  which included a thesis, "The Boston Massacre or "Massacre"?: A Study in Patriot Propaganda Debates". She has also completed graduate studies in History and Historical Archaeology at the College of William and Mary. Melanie's focus is supporting and showcasing undergraduate research at Texas State.  She is a strong and dedicated presence in the Honors College.

Gwen Heng joined the Honors College as the Program Coordinator in the fall of 2022. Born and raised in Singapore, she moved to San Marcos in the middle of the pandemic to start a new life here with her partner. She graduated from the University of Sydney and was trained as a pediatric speech therapist specializing in feeding, speech-sound and voice disorders. Gwen now combines her experience in communication and writing with her interest in design to create publicity materials for the Honors College.

Major: Accounting

What is your favorite thing about the Honors College & why? My favorite part of the Honors College is the community it has. Everyone is so welcoming and supportive. I am never afraid to ask for help and feel a real sense of belonging. 

Major: Healthcare Administration

Minor: Health Communication

Why did you apply to the Honors College? I applied to the honors college because I loved that I was going to be given the opportunity to take courses in a smaller class setting. Growing up in a small town, my learning environment was never the largest, so I believed that setting would help me thrive as a new incoming college student just starting out in a University.

Major: Theatre

Minor: Philosophy, Writing

What is your favorite thing about the Honors College & why? My favorite thing about the Honors College is the celebration of difference within our community. There are so many people who are part of the Honors College with all different stories, and I love nothing more than to be able to listen and learn from those around me! 

Major: Journalism

Minor: International Studies

Why did you apply to the Honors College? I joined the Honors College in hopes of finding a community within the community that TXST already is. I grew up my entire life in Beirut, Lebanon so coming to the U.S. was a hard enough transition, but TXST made me feel welcomed and like I had a place here. As a journalism major, my end goal is to report for countries in the Middle East where the problems are not highlighted in the news as they should be, and I applied to the Honors College to have the foundation I need to achieve that goal. I believe that being in the Honors College will provide me with the building blocks I need to work hard and persevere in my chosen field and also as a person in the real world post-college.

Major: Computer Science

Why did you apply to the Honors College? I chose to apply to the Honors College at Texas State University because of its commitment to providing a rigorous yet adaptable academic environment that prioritizes in-depth comprehension of the subject matter and provides a great prospect of conducting research alongside esteemed professors at Texas State. I am drawn to challenges and enjoy pushing myself beyond my limits, and I believe that joining the Honors College will help me further grow my mindset, skill set, and overall personality.

Major: Theatre Performance & Production

What is your favorite thing about the Honors College & why? My favorite thing about the Honors College is how cool and different the classes are! Having classes that cover topics you're more interested in makes learning super fun, and the discussions that are built into the courses make me feel like I have a real community within the Honors College. 

Major: Accounting

Why did you apply to the Honors College? I applied to the Honors College because I knew I could take on the rigorous coursework. Coming out of honors and advanced classes in high school, I wanted to continue to challenge myself throughout college. The Honors College also offers more opportunities when it comes to leadership and socialization, and I am always looking to improve my social skills!