Faculty Profile

I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, where I developed an interest in science through participating in Math-A-Thon competitions to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology from Trevecca Nazarene University, where I played soccer and ran cross country. During my time as an undergraduate, I formed close relationships with my professors who emphasized the vast array of career opportunities with a degree in biology. Because I was interested in research, I went on to complete my Master of Science in Biomolecular Science from Lipscomb University, where I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Dr. Kent Gallaher. It was then that I found my calling in teaching biology to undergraduate students interested in pursuing scientific careers. After working in Dr. Eric Skaar's laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for two years studying heme sensing systems in Staphylococcus aureus (the bacterium that causes staph infections), I attended The Ohio State University for my Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences with an emphasis in Microbial Pathogenesis. My dissertation research, under the mentorship of Dr. Rajendar Deora, involved determining mechanisms by which Bordetella pertussis (the bacterium that causes whooping cough) can survive within the human respiratory tract by forming biofilms. Upon graduating, I taught biology courses in Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University for two years before joining the faculty at Spring Arbor University.

 

When I am not teaching at SAU, I referee professional and collegiate soccer. I hold a National Assistant Referee badge from U.S. Soccer, as well as NISOA and NCAA certifications. My husband, Nick Balcer, whom I met through refereeing, works in the Advancement Office at SAU. We have been married since March 2023, and we attend Radiant Church in Jackson.

Spring Arbor University is an opportune place for me to mentor undergraduate students who are eager in maximizing their collegiate success in a Christian liberal arts setting. The personal connections I make with students through my Christian faith allow me to foster a firm foundation for students to be properly equipped for careers in science and medicine. Faculty within the sciences at SAU are genuine, Christ-like, and diverse, all of which promote curiosity when studying God's creation. At SAU, I am able to use my faith to show students God's wonders through science.