In recognition of their commitment to teaching and their scholarly and creative contributions, the Ohio Dominican University Board of Trustees has approved the promotions of four faculty members for the 2025–26 academic year. The following promotions of the below individuals took effect July 1, 2025. 

  • Cameron Powell

Assistant Professor of PA Studies – Promoted to Associate Professor of PA Studies

  • Nicole Powell

Assistant Professor of PA Studies – Promoted to Associate Professor of PA

  • Erin Fenzel

Assistant Professor of PA Studies – Promoted to Associate Professor of PA Studies

  • Maria Gluys

Assistant Professor of PA Studies – Promoted to Associate Professor of PA Studies

  • Daniel Little

Assistant Professor of Chemistry – Promoted to Associate Professor of Chemistry (Promoted with Tenure)

  • Matthew Ponesse

Associate Professor of History – Promoted to Professor of History (Already Tenured)

“I am continually inspired by the dedication and passion of our faculty at Ohio Dominican,” said ODU Acting President and Provost Dr. Shonna Riedlinger. “Congratulations to Dr. Ponesse, Dr. Little, Dr. Powell, Cameron Powell, Maria Gluys, and Erin Fenzel on their well-earned promotions. I’m proud to celebrate these exceptional educators who embody ODU’s mission to prepare our students for successful careers and meaningful lives."

About the Faculty

Cameron Powell is now an associate professor and program director of Ohio Dominican University’s Physician Assistant Studies program

He completed his undergraduate and graduate physician assistant studies at Kettering College of Medical Arts in Kettering, Ohio, and at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha, respectively.

He has been serving Westerville, Ohio, and the surrounding communities at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital Emergency Department since 2002 as a practicing PA and clinical preceptor for PA students. He has been involved in leadership and risk management committees within his organization and currently serves on the Allied Health Professional Credentials Committee for Mount Carmel Health System.

Powell comes to Ohio Dominican University with an additional background of more than five years of pre-hospital care experience and four years in organ and tissue donation and procurement.

He has educated health care professionals in physical exam skills at Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti, and continues to share his passion for physical diagnosis with students at Ohio Dominican. He is devoted to the concept of the health care practitioner as a servant to those in need.

Powell is married with five children and lives in central Ohio. He enjoys spending time with his family, the outdoors, and watching his children compete in baseball, basketball and volleyball.

Nicole Damico Powell, Ph.D., is the associate program director and now associate professor for the Physician Assistant Studies program at Ohio Dominican University.

Prior to joining the ODU faculty, Powell advised and taught undergraduate, graduate and professional students at The Ohio State University colleges of Dentistry and Medicine in the laboratory and in the classroom. She believes in and has benefited greatly from an interdisciplinary approach to clinical education, training and research. She has had a longstanding interest in understanding factors that contribute to autoimmune and infectious disease onset, exacerbation, and resolution. Her research has been published in top-tier scientific journals, she has authored several reviews and book chapters, and her work has been presented nationally and internationally.

Powell is a founding faculty member of the physician assistant studies program at ODU and has been teaching and coordinating graduate courses in biomedical science as well as undergraduate immunology since 2012.

In addition to her professional life, Powell is a wife, mother of three children, dog mom of a Shih Tzu and Wheaten Terrier, and a volleyball coach. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, cooking, the performing arts and spending time with her family.

Erin Fenzel is now an associate professor and the clinical coordinator of ODU’s Physician Assistant Studies Program.

Fenzel earned her Bachelor of Arts in biology from the University of Mississippi in 2001. At Ole Miss, she was a manager for the men’s and women’s track and field teams for four years, earning a varsity letter and membership in the M-Club.

She completed her physician assistant studies, earning a Master of Science in biomedical science from the former Medical College of Ohio at Toledo in 2003.

Fenzel has worked as a PA in cardiology and emergency medicine prior to joining the faculty at ODU. She currently maintains a clinic day working in pulmonary and sleep medicine in Westerville.

Fenzel is originally from Elyria, Ohio. She moved to the Columbus area to begin her career as a PA. She is a wife and mother to three children.

She enjoys spending time with her family. She loves exploring Columbus and taking advantage of all the wonderful parks and events the city has to offer.

Maria Gluys is now an associate professor of ODU’s Physician Assistant Studies Program. She completed an undergraduate degree in both physician assistant studies and Spanish at Butler University in Indianapolis and later completed a Master of Physician Assistant Studies graduate degree at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha.

Gluys worked in the emergency department of Mount Carmel Health System for seven years, serving underserved communities in central Ohio, and continues to work there a few shifts a month. She has also worked clinically in occupational medicine, internal medicine and urgent care.

Prior to working at Mount Carmel Health System, Gluys and her husband spent nine months on a medical service trip in Peru, South America. During that time, she worked at a school for underserved children to provide access to basic care and provide education for health and hygiene.

Gluys has participated in several other medical service trips, including projects in Costa Rica and Honduras. She has a special interest in medically underserved populations. She is interested in sharing this passion and educating future physician assistants in ways to serve marginalized populations locally.

Maria is married with four children and enjoys traveling, reading and outdoor adventures.

Daniel Little, Ph.D., is now an associate professor of chemistry. He completed his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2017, studying electrode materials for liquid ammonia electrolysis.

He then moved to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, serving as a chemistry lecturer and studying graphene-metal oxide composite materials synthesis and characterization.

He joined the faculty at ODU in the fall of 2019, teaching analytical, physical and inorganic chemistry courses, as well as researching solutions for removing pollutants from water utilizing solar energy, as well as new applications for graphene-metal oxide composite materials.

Matthew Ponesse, Ph.D., is now a professor of history at Ohio Dominican.

He received his bachelor’s degree with majors in history and philosophy at the University of Toronto. He then pursued graduate work at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Medieval Studies, where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in the field of medieval studies.

Ponesse regularly offers courses in European history, the history of the Middle Ages and Latin. He also teaches in the core curriculum and the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program. In 2006, he was the recipient of the Conley Award in recognition of outstanding teaching and dedication to students.

Ponesse’s research focuses on the education and practice of monks in the eighth and ninth centuries. He also publishes articles on the transmission and reception of patristic learning in Carolingian Europe.