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Hannah Drea, MS, BSN, PHN is Nursing Faculty, a Clinical Instructor, and the Clinical Coordinator within the Gustavus Nursing Program. She has taught a variety of courses across the nursing curriculum, including Medical–Surgical Clinical, Pre-Health Professions, Public Health, and Public Health Clinical. Through these diverse teaching experiences, she supports students at different stages of their academic and professional development. She is committed to the College’s liberal arts mission, striving to help students reach their full potential, foster a passion for lifelong learning, and prepare them for lives of leadership and service. Her teaching pedagogy emphasizes student-centered and collaborative learning, encouraging students to actively construct knowledge through experiential learning while adapting to diverse learning styles.

In her role as Clinical Coordinator, Hannah facilitates high-quality clinical learning experiences by securing, scheduling, and managing student placements across healthcare settings while ensuring compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards. She serves as a liaison between the nursing program and clinical partners, overseeing site contracts, coordinating student and faculty orientations, and tracking required clinical hours. Her responsibilities include clinical placement management, partnership development with healthcare organizations, and comprehensive compliance and documentation oversight—such as immunizations, CPR certification, background checks, HIPAA training, and adherence to site-specific policies. She also monitors and evaluates the quality and effectiveness of clinical experiences to support continuous improvement and student success.

Hannah brings clinical expertise to her teaching, with a strong background in medical–surgical and endoscopy nursing. Her experience in the Endoscopy Unit includes colonoscopies, esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCPs), BRAVO placements, dilations, pre-operative EGDs for bariatric surgery, and bronchoscopies. She has also been involved in the implementation of robotic bronchoscopies, reflecting her engagement with advancing clinical technologies.

In her medical–surgical nursing practice, Hannah specialized in the care of patients with gastrointestinal and urinary conditions, hospice and end-of-life needs, cancer-related complications, post-surgical recovery, withdrawal management, and a wide range of other medical and surgical conditions. This breadth of experience informs her ability to connect theory to practice and prepare students for the complexities of clinical care.

In addition to her clinical coordination and teaching responsibilities, Hannah is actively engaged in professional service and collaboration through the Gustavus Nursing Program Local Advisory Board, the Minnesota Nursing Student Internship Consortium, and the MN Academic Networking Group. These collaborative groups provide guidance and direction to support best student outcomes by strengthening the connection between didactic course knowledge and clinical practice.

She actively participates in ongoing continuing education to remain current in nursing practice and education. Her professional memberships include the National League for Nursing and the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, through which she stays connected to best practices in nursing education and clinical coordination, further enriching her work with students and colleagues.

Matt Panciera is an associate professor of Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies. He truly enjoys teaching the languages - all levels of Greek and Latin - in addition to a wide range of classical studies courses; everything from Greek tragedy to Roman history. His research focuses on the incredible treasure trove of information found in the Pompeian graffiti scratched into the walls of the ancient city by its beautifully ordinary inhabitants before it was buried under the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He is extremely grateful to have been awarded on three occasions a NEH Summer Seminar for K-12 teachers where they, together with a team of distinguished scholars, explored the topic of of Roman daily life as seen in the Roman novelist Petronius and the archaeological and epigraphical remains of Pompeii. He has also worked on Roman funerary inscriptions including the epitaph of the unforgettable freedwoman, Allia Potestas.

Matt feels fortunate to have been hired on four different occasions by the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome and he is a passionate advocate for teaching and learning on site. He always finds himself experiencing ideas, making connections, and asking questions that would never occur to him without the inspiration of standing in the place where the ancient Greeks and Romans once lived their lives. He is happy to teach a class where the students "nerd out" and dive deep into the Greeks and Romans for their own sake. But ultimately he believes, both for himself and his students, the greatest benefit of spending time with the Greeks and Romans is how much we learn about ourselves and what we want to make of our own world.  

If pressed, on most days he would say his favorite classical authors to read in the original language are Homer and Ovid. He recognizes the beauty of Greek and the genius of so much that came to fruition in Athens in the 5th century BCE—the histories of Herodotus and Thucydides, the birth of western philosophy, tragedy (Sophocles is his favorite)—but he is more at home in Latin and loves the way that reading Petronius and Pompeian graffiti feels like looking through a window directly at the ancient Romans. His favorite classical building is the Pantheon in Rome and his favorite site is Segesta in Sicily.

Outside of work he loves to cook for his family, visit the Boundary Waters, root for all the Boston teams (but also the Vikings), play golf, and exercise.
  

We empower women to excel through sisterhood and personal growth. We develop leadership skills, build lasting friendships, and discover our best selves. Our core values are intellect, excellence, graciousness, respect, and connections.

Here's how to apply and maximize your music scholarship awards to best showcase your hard work and talent.

The Gustavus Student Senate works hard each week to hear and address concerns from our fellow students. Our goal is to provide a gateway for communication between students and the administration and to promote an active and vibrant campus. Our representatives bring different perspectives on the best ways to collaborate with faculty and solve current student issues.

Senate is responsible for funding many student organizations on campus along with supporting and developing initiatives that improve the Gustavus experience.

At Gustavus, learning happens through both deep study and wide exposure. That's why we give our students more choices—from a large selection of majors to dedicated time for non-classroom study, be it athletics, art, research, and beyond. By merging classroom learning with hands-on education and real-world wisdom in one curriculum we turn passionate students into confident leaders.

Brittany Otto began her career at Gustavus Adolphus College in 2023. She holds an M.S. in Nursing Education (2023) from American Sentinel University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership. Her clinical background spans pediatric and obstetrical/gynecological nursing in a variety of settings as well as experience in nursing leadership, and she is passionate about integrating technology into her teaching. Brittany focuses on supporting diverse learners and fostering inclusive classroom environments. Her academic interests include information technology in nursing education, supporting multilingual learners, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and best practices in NCLEX preparation.

View a list of clinical site placements for the master of athletic training program at Gustavus.

Gustavus Technology Services (GTS) provides campus-wide tech support including the helpline, account setup, network access, software, printing tools, and cybersecurity. Their site provides information on common questions such as access to the virtual lab, gusmail, connecting to wifi, loaner laptops, and printing on campus.

The Gustavus Art & Art History is presenting the Junior Exhibition at the Schaefer Gallery.

Dr. Richard Leitch earned his BA in East Asian Studies from Colby College in 1985, and went on to earn an MA in Asian Studies from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign after a two-year career on Wall Street. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Illinois in 1995, where he was the recipient of the Harriet and Charles Luckman Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching, and the College of Liberal Arts Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Graduate Assistant. He has been a member of the Political Science Department since 1996, where he teaches courses in International Relations, Comparative Politics, Asian Politics, Environmental Politics, and the Politics of Poverty. In 2000 he received the Swenson-Bunn Award for Teaching Excellence at Gustavus, and in 2008 the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching. In 2012 he was included in The Princeton Review's The Best 300 Professors. He was recognized as an Honorary Gustie by the Gustavus Alumni Association in 2024. His research interests include Japanese domestic politics and foreign policy, and he is the co-author of Japan's Role in the Post-Cold War World. A frequent speaker to off-campus groups, Leitch has given numerous presentations focused on US foreign policy, US-China relations, and geopolitical issues. 

Melanie VanRoekel serves as adjunct faculty in the Business and Economics Department. She brings extensive experience as an executive and accounting professional to her teaching, helping students connect technical accounting concepts to real-world decision making.

With a background in financial leadership, VanRoekel is passionate about preparing students for careers in accounting and finance. Her professional experience informs her approach in the classroom, where she emphasizes not only how accounting standards are applied, but why they matter in practice. She believes students learn best when they understand the underlying concepts and develop the ability to think critically about financial information.

Melanie's teaching philosophy centers on clarity, structure, and professional readiness. She challenges students to move beyond memorization and instead build the analytical skills and judgment necessary for success in public accounting, corporate finance, and other business roles. She is especially committed to helping students gain confidence with complex topics and preparing them for the rigor of the CPA exam and professional practice.

VanRoekel values an engaged and supportive classroom environment. She incorporates factual scenarios to mirror the types of issues graduates will encounter in their careers. Outside the classroom, she remains active in business leadership and professional development. She considers it a privilege to teach at Gustavus and is dedicated to helping students leave the program well prepared for their next steps.