Melissa Pellegrino serves Sterling College as assistant professor of art and design. Pellegrino holds a bachelor’s degree in German with a minor in art and dance from Southern Utah State University and a master’s degree in German from Portland State University, and she has taught at the College of Southern Nevada since 2002. She and her husband, Larry, have three children and two grandsons. She enjoys reading, hiking, biking, swimming and cooking.

Robert Brown serves Sterling College as assistant professor of language and literature. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in writing from Biola University and a master’s degree in English from California State University, Fullerton, and he is currently a Ph.D. candidate in English at Baylor University. His academic focus is American literature, and he enjoys watching films, reading and investing in relationships in the local church.

Dr. Olaseni “Seni” Fadipe serves Sterling as assistant professor of mathematics. Fadipe earned his undergraduate degrees in Nigeria and his Ph.D. from Central Michigan University and previously taught at the Community College of Aurora in Colorado. A native of Lagos, Nigeria, he is an avid soccer fan, enjoys a wide variety of music and has self-published two books.

Dr. Geoffrey Uhal serves Sterling College as assistant professor of history. Uhal earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of North Georgia, a master’s degree in public administration from Webster University and a Ph.D. in history from Liberty University. A historian and reconstructive archaeologist, he studies the military, intellectual and cultural history of ancient through medieval Europe and has taught for nearly three decades.

Kelsey Wise serves as assistant professor of music. Wise earned a Bachelor of Music in piano accompaniment and a Master of Music in piano pedagogy from Wichita State University, where she also served as an adjunct instructor. An experienced accompanist, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, running, baking and thrifting.

Tami Schepmann is the director of teacher education at Sterling College. She brings 20 years of experience in K–12 public education, including classroom teaching, administration, and instructional coaching. Schepmann holds master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction, educational administration, and youth development from Emporia State University and Kansas State University. She and her husband, Trent, have two children, Teagan and Tacy. The family enjoys traveling together and exploring God’s creation.

Vianay Ortega is an assistant clinical faculty of athletic training at Sterling College. Ortega grew up on a cattle ranch near Jerome, Idaho, and completed her undergraduate studies at Tabor College, where she also played softball. She recently earned her master’s in athletic training from Sterling College in May 2025. She enjoys paddle boarding, working on the ranch, and watching baseball and softball games.

Ashley Laudermilk is an assistant professor of business at Sterling College. Laudermilk holds a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences and industry from Kansas State University and an M.B.A. with a concentration in marketing from Emporia State University. She is committed to creating a values-based, faith-forward classroom where students connect learning with real-world application. She and her husband, Kevin, live in Sterling with their three children—Liam, Zoe, and Wren.

Stephen English is an associate professor of theatre and technical director at Sterling College, having previously served in the same role from 2019 to 2023. He holds a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Prairie College in Ontario and both an M.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Oklahoma. English brings extensive experience in technical theatre and enjoys music, cooking, reading, and travel.

Dr. Waters came to Sterling College in the spring of 2025 from the University of Buckingham, England where she was a Lecturer in English Literature. She grew up in the East of England in Ely, Cambridgeshire before moving to the University of Buckingham where she majored in English literature with a minor in French and then went on to a Master of Arts in English Literature with a dissertation centered on Narnia and Shakespeare. She completed her Ph.D.