Meet the Team

National Advisory Board

In addition to the staff members listed below, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel receives input and guidance from a National Advisory Board composed of local and national leaders in humanities education and community engagement. Click here to see the current roster of board members.

Ra'Shawn Brown, Coordinator

Ra'Shawn Brown is proud to serve as the coordinator for Honors and Scholars programs. He enjoys collaborating with his fellow colleagues to ensure the achievement and success of all students college wide. Before his role with the college, Ra'Shawn served in various operational management roles at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He joined the college in 2017 as the program coordinator for the TRIO Talent Search program where he helped to support over 1,300 potential first-generation college students.

Ra'Shawn earned an Associate of Applied Business degree from the University of Cincinnati. As a Tri-C alum, he has been inducted as a Phi Theta Kappa member and graduated with honors with an Associate of Arts degree and a post-degree certificate as a licensed massage therapist.

Ra'Shawn is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and volunteers his time as a board member and treasurer for the Erica J. Holloman Foundation, Inc. More than likely, you'll find him at home reading and researching topics from Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter and playing video games. He also enjoys spending time with his lovely fiancee, his energetic baby girl and his furry friend named Fluffy.

Phone: 216-987-2361
E-mail: rashawn.brown@tri-c.edu 
Office: EMHC 240

David S. Busch

At the Mandel Humanities Center, Dr. David S. Busch wears two hats. During the summer months, he directs the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Youth Humanities Academy, a humanities program for high school students in the Cleveland area. During the academic year, he teaches in and supports programming for the Mandel Scholars Academy, the flagship honors program at the center. Dr. Busch holds degrees in History and Psychology from Kent State University as well as a PhD in history from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Busch is a published scholar with academic articles in the areas of modern American politics, higher education, and social protest. You can learn more about Dr. Busch’s scholarly and teaching background on his personal website: www.davidsbusch.com.

Phone: 216-987-2602
E-mail: david.busch@tri-c.edu 
Office: EMHC 240D

Matthew C. Jordan

Dr. Matthew Carey Jordan serves as the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Dean and Chair for the Humanities. His role is to provide leadership and guidance to further develop the Center into a national model for engagement in the humanities. Prior to coming to Tri-C, he was a member of the philosophy faculty at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he also served as director of the University Honors program and as deputy dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Dr. Jordan has published numerous essays in the areas of ethics, philosophy of religion and honors education. His participation in professional organizations includes work with the National Collegiate Honors Council, the Alabama Philosophical Society, the Southern Regional Honors Council, and the Mid-East Honors Association. 

Dr. Jordan holds degrees from The Ohio University and Biola University, as well as a Ph.D. in philosophy from The Ohio State University. He is committed to continuing the crucial work of The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center in developing the next generation of leaders for Cleveland.

Marianna Nesterenko, Coordinator

Marianna Nesterenko received her Bachelors of Science degree in Electronic Equipment Engineering from Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (Technical State University) and Masters of Arts in TESOL from Kent State University. Marianna worked eight years as the academic program coordinator and adviser for English as a Second Language Center at Kent State University with international students from around the world. She currently works as a coordinator for the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center, managing day-to-day operations and projects for the Center. Marianna enjoys different cultures and traditions.

She also enjoys exploring national parks and nature, reading about optic and laser technology, construction of bridges and high-rise buildings, and traveling with her family.

Phone: 216-987-2607
E-mail: marianna.nesterenko@tri-c.edu
Office: EMHC 240E

Summer Paris, Community Liaison

Summer Paris serves as the community liaison for the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center. In this role, Summer cultivates partnerships throughout the community and across the College, overseeing co-curricular programming and supporting recruitment efforts for the Mandel Scholars Academy and other Honors and Scholars programs.
Summer received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from Kent State University and her Master of Arts degree in English from The Ohio State University.
 
Summer is a lifelong Clevelander who loves the “Land!" Prior to her work at Tri-C, she worked in the field of corporate social responsibility. A graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Leadership Cleveland (2019) and Cleveland Bridge Builders (2004) programs, Summer currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Hawken School and volunteers with College Now, Neighborhood Connections and other community groups. Summer loves reading, playing board games and spending time with her family.

Phone: 216-987-2603
E-mail: summer.paris@tri-c.edu 
Office: EMHC 240C

Emily Quayle, M.Ed., Student Liaison, Mandel Continuing Scholars Program

Emily Quayle serves as the student liaison for the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Continuing Scholars program. In this role, Emily connects Tri-C students to academic and student services with the intended goal of preparing students of the Mandel Scholars Academy for successful transfer to the Mandel Honors College at Cleveland State University in order to earn their bachelor degrees.

Emily Quayle received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from Kent State University in 2014. She earned her Masters of Education degree in Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel along with certificates in Career & Academic Advising and Internationalization of Higher Education from Kent State University in 2017.

In her free time, Emily enjoys collecting Funko Pop figurines for her office’s desk, reading, and discovering new-to-her places in Cleveland, Ohio and beyond.

Phone: 216-987-2626
E-mail: emily.quayle@tri-c.edu
Office: EMHC 240B

Rebecca Stolzman, College Wide Director, Honors & Scholars Programs

Since 2020, Ms. Stolzman has served as the interim director, Honors and Scholars programs. In this capacity, she provides oversight and support for the Honors Program, the Honors Program Fellows, Choose Ohio First and other honors and scholars programs at Cuyahoga Community College. Ms. Stolzman has been with the College since 2009 overseeing private and public grant initiatives in the Access, Learning and Success division of the College. Prior to her positions at Cuyahoga Community College, Ms. Stolzman worked as the manager of Contract and Grant Management at Recovery Resources, was the executive director of the Hebrew Free Loan Association, and was a Women in Community Development volunteer for the United States Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa. Ms. Stolzman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree of English Literature from Tulane University and an Masters of Public Administration degree from Cleveland State University.

Phone: 216-987-4660
E-mail: rebecca.stolzman@tri-c.edu
Office: EMHC 240F