WILBURTON — Eastern Oklahoma State College welcomed eight new full-time faculty members for the fall semester.

“We are very excited to welcome these new instructors and look forward to their contributions to Eastern’s academic experience,” said Dr. Karen Harrison, vice president of Academic Affairs. “Their knowledge and expertise in their respective disciplines, as well as their dedication to student success will be a great asset for Eastern.”

Eastern welcomed two new faculty members in the Agriculture Division. Carrie Lockhart will teach meat processing and food safety and Tansy Grimmett will teach agronomy.

Lockhart has a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University and eight years of experience as a meat inspector with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. For the past four years, she worked for the State Department of Education in the Child Nutrition Programs. She and her family enjoy hunting, fishing, rodeo competitions and other outdoor activities.

A native of southeastern Oklahoma, Grimmett grew up in Pushmataha County and graduated from Rattan High School. She graduated as the 2010 Outstanding Agriculture and Agronomy Graduate at Eastern. She earned a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil sciences and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in international agriculture from Oklahoma State University. She and her family enjoy the southeastern Oklahoma outdoors.

Dr. Kaben Smallwood has joined the Business Division to teach economics and computer applications. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree in business administration and Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University. He was also admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association in April. Smallwood is also working on a project with Kiowa Schools involving Aquaponics, the cultivation of fish and plants together in a constructed, re–circulating ecosystem utilizing natural bacterial cycles to convert fish wastes to plant nutrients.

Three new faculty members joined Eastern’s Language, Humanities and Education Division, including Dr. Richmond Adams, Sarah Klocke and Amber Taylor.

Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Memphis, a master’s degree in divinity from Vanderbilt University and a doctoral degree in American literature from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His dissertation explored the transformations of late 19th-century American culture through Harold Frederic's 1896 novel “The Damnation of Theron Ware.” He enjoys sports, reading novels and histories, going to movies and his return to Oklahoma.

Eastern’s Language, Humanities and Education Division added Sarah Klocke as the theatre instructor and director. She earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Arkansas Tech University and a master’s degree in film, theatre and communication arts with an emphasis in performance/direction from the University of New Orleans. Klocke has worked professionally with the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and the Blowing Rock Stage Company.

Taylor is not new to Eastern, but she is new to teaching. Last year was her first year as the head women’s basketball coach for the Lady Mountaineers. She will continue those duties this year and will also teach health, physical education and recreation courses. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and athletic training from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree in education from Harding University.

Although she has been an adjunct instructor for Eastern in McAlester for the past 10 years, Peggy McBeath will join the college full-time to teach developmental math and college algebra in the Science and Mathematics Division. McBeath previously taught at McAlester Public Schools for 18 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in math education from Oklahoma State University.

Finally, Jill Conklin will be teaching freshman nursing courses at Eastern this year. She earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Oklahoma City Community College and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Most recently, she worked in the intensive care unit at the OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City before her family relocated near her hometown in Stigler. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at OU Health Sciences Center.