Get to know the 2025 Destination Western faculty!

Dr. Cheryl Beaver
She/Her/Hers | Mathematics Instructor | Cohorts 1 & 2

I’ve been teaching in the Destination Western program since it started and have been at WOU for 20 years. My favorite pastime is spending time with my 2 year old granddaughter. I love teaching math classes for future teachers because we get to really focus on conceptual understanding and using manipulatives to help make math come alive. My advice for incoming students is to get to know your professor and ask for help early and often! Even if you are doing well in the class stop by office hours, speak up in class, and let the professor know how things are going. One of the benefits of small class sizes is being able to develop a sense community among classmates and professors!

Haas
He/Him/His | Writing Instructor | Cohorts 1 & 2

I teach first-year writing. I like to ride my bike. I’m currently reading Alex de Jonge’s The Weimar Chronicle, an insightful-yet-playful account of the dawn before the darkness, and I just finished Patricia Lockwood’s spectral novel No One Is Talking About This.

Andrew Nerz
He/Him/His | Mathematics Instructor | Cohorts 3 & 4

Hello! My name is Andrew Nerz, and I’m an instructor with the math department here at WOU. I teach a variety of classes, but primarily general education (MTH 105Z and 110) and algebra-focused courses (MTH 101, 111Z, 112Z). My favorite classes to teach are MTH 110 and MTH 211; MTH 110 is all about applied mathematics, so students tend to leave the class with a good deal of useful mathematics under their belt, and MTH 211 is where elementary ed majors begin to think about mathematics through the lens of a teacher.
A fun fact about me is I was once literally in a thunderstorm on top of a mountain! I’m excited to meet you all and work with you this September!

Wesley Mathis, MA
He/Him/His | Writing Instructor | Cohorts 3 & 4

Hi, I’m Wesley Mathis. I’ve taught first year writing here for 6 years. My favorite class to teach is WR 121Z, Comp I, especially in fall term, because that is when students most get to discuss AND experience the differences between high school and university writing. A fun fact about me is that I can play the banjo! What I like most about DW is that it gives me a preview of the students I will have for the next academic year! Whenever I teach DW, I can almost always count on a familiar face in my classes throughout the year.

Kendall Rosales
She/Her/Hers/Ella | Mathematics Instructor | Cohorts 5 & 6

I have been teaching at WOU for 11 years! The class that I teach most often and have a ton of fun with is STAT 243Z: Elementary Statistics. I enjoy seeing students experience a math class that “doesn’t feel like” a math class and learn how versatile and useful math can be. As you start taking classes, I would highly recommend reaching out to your professors/instructors early on (even if you don’t need any help). You would be surprised at the clarity stopping by just one office hour can provide. Also, visit the Math Center. It is a great place to do homework, and there is math help available if needed!

So…I’m supposed to provide an interesting fact about myself. Here it is. I am part of a dance troupe and perform throughout the mid-Willamette Valley during the academic school year. 🙂 With that done, I am so excited to help you all get settled in and learn some of the ins and outs of being a student at WOU!

Maren Bradley Anderson
She/Her/Hers | Writing Instructor | Cohorts 5 & 6

I am a writer of plays, novels, and non-fiction books as well as a teacher and alpaca rancher. Shakespeare is my jam, I wish dragons were real, and the Oxford comma is the hill I will die on. Free advice: go to office hours just to say hi to your profs. They will remember you.

Chris Mock
He/Him/His | Mathematics Instructor | Cohorts 7 & 8

Hello there! My name is Chris Mock, but I like to go by just ‘Mock.’ I’ve been at WOU for 14 years and this will be my 4th time partnering with the Destination Western Program and I am looking forward to the 2025 iteration!

My favorite class to teach is math 112 – particularly, trigonometric proofs! Almost puzzle-like in nature, proofs give students an opportunity to take a deep-dive in critical thinking in the figuring out of connecting the two sides of an equation. This class, for me at least, really emphasizes how mathematics is more than just formulas and solving equations – it’s about learning how to think logically and understanding problems at a deeper level. Those kinds of things are essential in all facets of life!

My advice to new & incoming students is to get the most out of your college experience, because it’s not cheap! Visit your professors to get your questions answered, get involved in extracurricular stuff, join a club – make the most out of the experience you’re paying for!

Lastly, a fun fact about me is that one of my earliest memories is playing the original Legend of Zelda for the NES at my daycare when I was 3. Also I really like playing chess but I’m not very good…at least, not yet!

Tandy Tillinghast | MSJS, MFA
She/Her/Hers | Writing Instructor | Cohort 7 & 8

After acquiring a Master of Science in Justice Studies in 2024, my favorite course to teach would be one centered on justice, especially racial justice and social equity. Previously, I taught a First-Year Seminar 107—Wondrous Weird: The Strange in Art & Writing about surrealism, magical realism, and elements of the bizarre. I am fascinated by how the surreal causes us to “re-see” crucial concepts or concerns. Fun fact: last June, my son and I both graduated at the same time—he from high school and I from grad school. Now, he’s a sophomore at Cornell University. We both love thrifting or vintage shopping and data. My advice for new students: schedule events daily in your calendar for coursework and projects—managing time for studying with the demands of college takes practice. Plan regular use of Student Success & Advising, the Writing Center, Student Health & Counselling Center, Health & Wellness Center and other campus resources. After all, you are paying for this support!