Albertus Magnus College Announces New Faculty Members for Spring Semester
Major Focus on Science as College Prepares for Second Century of Excellence
New Haven, Conn., January 29, 2025 – Albertus Magnus College is pleased to congratulate and welcome two new full-time faculty members this new semester.
“We are so fortunate to have such talented and diverse colleagues join the Albertus family,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Rosa E. Rivera-Hainaj, Ph.D. “They bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion that will enrich our academic community and contribute to our shared mission of excellence in education.”
Please welcome Dr. Mikyle Byrd-Vaughn, Assistant Professor of Biology, and Ms. Sandra Fomenko, Assistant Professor of Nursing.
Dr. Mikyle Byrd-Vaughn joins Albertus after 20 plus years of experience in community outreach and wellness. During this time, she has committed herself to the education of the community with an emphasis on the importance of nutrition and health. She obtained her BA in Behavioral Biology from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, before completing a Master of Science in Nutrition and a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from the University of Bridgeport. Additionally, she has an MBA from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois. She has taught both undergraduate and graduate students in biology, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, health and business at Rutgers University, Essex County College, University of Bridgeport, Charter Oak State College and Beal University. She has developed web-based academic programs, and has experience with implementing science-based curricula for science and non-science majors.
Ms. Sandra Fomenko joins Albertus with 16 years of nursing experience including clinical practice and academic instruction. Most recently, she was a member of the nursing faculty at Lincoln Technical Institute where she instructed licensed practical nursing students in medical-surgical nursing, maternal child health, and anatomy and physiology. She has worked in several healthcare settings as both a registered nurse and an advanced practice registered nurse. Her practical experience includes adult and pediatric medical-surgical nursing, cardiology and telemetry, endocrinology, and school- based nursing. She obtained a Master of Science in Nursing - Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specialty from Yale University, a Master of Science in Nursing - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner specialty from Quinnipiac University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern Connecticut State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master of Science in Molecular & Cell Biology from Quinnipiac University. She is dual-board certified with the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
About Albertus Magnus College
About Albertus Magnus College: Founded in 1925, Albertus is a coeducational Catholic College in the Dominican tradition. Albertus' values- and liberal arts-based education is recognized by external rankings such as US News & World Report, Money, and The New York Times, and has been named a Top 10 Military Friendly School. For nine consecutive years, at least 95% of Albertus graduates have attained employment or gone on to graduate studies within six months of completing their degrees. The College has an enrollment of approximately 1,300 students across its traditional undergraduate, accelerated adult undergraduate, and graduate program levels. Proud to enroll a student body where nearly half of its undergraduate students receive Federal Pell Grants and are first-generation college goers, Albertus is known for its innovative curricular offerings, recently launching new Bachelor's degree programs in Nursing, including BSN and Connecticut's first LPN-to-BSN; General Health Sciences; Interdisciplinary Studies; and Public Health. Among its graduate offerings is the State of Connecticut's only Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program, and it is just one of three schools to offer a Master of Science in Human Services. In 2025-26, Albertus is celebrating its historic 100th Anniversary and completing implementation of the Albertus 2025: Lighting the Way to a Second Century strategic plan, with a bold vision to "be a destination liberal arts-based college, distinguished in its interdisciplinary and experiential approach to education, rooted in Dominican values, that prepares students for lifelong civic engagement and success." To learn more, please visit albertus.edu.