Teacher Education Faculty & Staff
The Department of Teacher Education is open every week day, excluding state holidays, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Feel free to call the department during normal business hours toll free at 1-800-628-FHSU or directly at 785-628-4204. If you have a general inquiry, please click on Contact Us to submit your question. If you want to reach a specific faculty or staff member, see his or her direct contact information below.
Dr. Chris Jochum
Department Chair
Professor
Rarick Hall 286
785-628-4204
cjjochum@fhsu.edu
Christopher J. Jochum, Ph.D. currently serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) where he leads a large teacher preparation program, serving on-campus and virtual students across the country.
An award-winning educator, Jochum’s work has been recognized in both higher education and the public schools. As a high school teacher, he was a finalist for the Master Teacher of the Year Award for the Salina Unified School District. While at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), Jochum received the campus-wide Creative Teaching Award, Outstanding Professor Award, Preferred Professor Award, and was named a finalist across all University of Nebraska campuses for the Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award. In 2015, he was inducted into the Academy for Teacher Education Excellence at UNK, a prestigious award for those who have made significant contributions to teacher education and preparation. Since beginning his administrative appointment at FHSU in 2016, he has received the College of Education’s Outstanding Research Award, Outstanding Service Award, and Outstanding Administrative Professional Award and has also been recognized for his mentoring of faculty within the Department of Teacher Education and College of Education.
Jochum’s previous professional appointments include the University of Nebraska at Kearney as an Associate Professor of Foreign Language Education and Spanish, the University of Central Missouri as an Assistant Professor of Secondary Education, Salina High School South (Kansas) as a secondary Spanish teacher and Chair of the World Languages Department and Kearney Public Schools (Nebraska) as a K-12 English as a Second Language teacher.
A sought-after leadership speaker and coach, Jochum has trained and developed leaders in higher education, and public schools in the U.S. and abroad focused on areas such as faculty engagement, creating a positive organizational culture, conflict management, casting organizational vision, crisis leadership, effective hiring, and leveraging high impact practices for student success. A versatile scholar, his research has focused on the benefits of study abroad, teacher efficacy, and more recently on effective organizational leadership. His recent book is titled The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership.
Jochum received a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Kansas State University; a Master of Education degree in Spanish and ESL from the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK); and a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education from UNK. He currently serves on the Accreditation Commission for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and is a member of the advisory board for the Academic Chairpersons Conference.
Dr. Sarah Broman Miller
Associate Professor
Rarick Hall 285
785-628-4683
sebmiller@fhsu.edu
Dr. Sarah Broman Miller grew up in Russell, Kansas. Upon leaving Russell, she owned and operated a federally licensed childcare business in California, taught conversational English in Japan, and was contracted by the federal government as a Religious Education Director aboard Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan. After returning to the United States, she began course work at Indiana University in pursuit of a degree in Elementary Education. Sarah later transferred to Fort Hays State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 2010. She taught in the public school system for four years while continuing her education at FHSU, receiving a Master of Science degree in 2014. Dr. Broman received a Doctorate of Philosophy from Kansas State University in Curriculum and Instruction with a Reading emphasis. Her areas of expertise include language and literacy acquisition, theoretical models of reading, pre-service teacher belief systems, literacy assessment and intervention practices, and project-based learning strategies. In her spare time, Dr. Broman enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Matthew Clay
Ms. Megan Maska
Academic Advisor (M-Z)
Rarick Hall 299
785-628-5445
mlmaska@fhsu.edu
Book an appointment with Megan at: https://calendly.com/mlmaska
A native of Hays, KS, Megan Maska holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor in Sociology from FHSU. For the last six years she has worked in the Registrar’s Office at FHSU, processing all freshman admission applications. During this time, she also completed her Master of Science in Education, High Education Student Affairs at FHSU. Outside of work, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She also has two dogs, Rocky and Daisy.
Ms. Heather Musil
Lecturer
Rarick Hall 273
785-628-4143
hjmusil@fhsu.edu
Heather Musil has been a tiger for over 20 years! Heather graduated from FHSU with a degree in elementary education (certified K-9) and a master's degree in special education. In her previous life, she taught as a special education teacher at the middle school level working with students with mild to moderate disabilities. Heather enjoyed her time at the middle school, but was ready for something new and exciting! Outside of FHSU, Heather and her husband have three children who keep them very busy. Heather and her husband also own a local business that they enjoy spending time at. The couples favorite past time is traveling to experience new and exciting places!
Ms. Stephanie Muth
Online Lecturer
sdmuth@fhsu.edu
Stephanie D. Muth began her career in the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University in the fall of 2012 after teaching as a public educator for the previous thirteen years. She is currently seeking an Education Specialist degree in Education Administration from FHSU. In addition to serving as an academic advisor, she has been the instructor of the science methods and foundations of modern education courses. She has also served as the Region 5 Representative for the Kansas Association of Teachers of Science. Stephanie currently teaches online courses for the Early Childhood Unified program. She is married and enjoys spending time with her three beautiful daughters.
Dr. Janet Stramel
Professor
Edna Shutts Williams Endowed Chair
Rarick Hall 279
785-628-4474
jkstramel@fhsu.edu
Ms. Sara Stroup
Lecturer
Tiger Tots Director
Rarick Hall 109
785-628-5852
sjstroup@fhsu.edu
Sara Stroup graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Early Childhood Special Education. Her teaching experiences include teaching in the school district before becoming an instructor in the Department of Teacher Education in 2009. Her areas of interest and experiences include human growth and development, early childhood education, special education, and mental health across the life span. Sara is the director of FHSU Tiger Tots Preschool Center, an on-campus preschool for children of students, faculty, and staff. She enjoys being a grandma, spending time with family while camping, traveling, and riding motorcycles.
Dr. Valerie Zelenka
