Ms. Kimberly Spragg, M.A.
 ASC Director

Master of Arts, History, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Bachelor of Arts, History, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana
Certificate in Biblical Studies, Capernwray Bible School, Carnforth, Lancashire, England

Kimberly grew up in Ecuador and studied abroad in Costa Rica and England during her university years.  As the ASC director she teaches and is responsible for curriculum and program oversight.  After graduate school, Kimberly worked for the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in the program for Strategic Computing and Telecommunications in the Public Sector.  Kimberly developed a passion to see student lives transformed through study abroad experiences when she served at Taylor University as the off-campus study coordinator and special assistant to the VP for academic affairs. She moved to the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) in 2001, working her way up to student programs director and traveling to all 11 CCCU student programs. In 2005, she became director of the ASC program, and has since been pushing students to process their world, their art form, and their individual roles as global citizens in the light of their Christianity.

Melanie Vacik, B.A.
ASC Coordinator 

Bachelor of Arts, Communications/English/Psychology, Malone College, Canton, Ohio

Melanie participated in the first semester of the ASC program in Spring '04 and, after graduating from Malone College in the Spring of '06, returned to Australia to work as the ASC intern in January '07. After one semester, she was hired as the ASC Coordinator.  Melanie is an adventurer who has a strong passion for learning and a desire to challenge college students to think about the world in new and critical ways, to understand the ways their stories are intricately connected to that of the world, and to live out their lives faithfully and intentionally. 

Bethany Grossman, B.A.
ASC Assistant

Bachelor of Arts, Christian Ministries, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana 

Bethany first came to Australia as an ASC student in the fall semester of 2005. Six weeks after graduating from Indiana Wesleyan University, with a degree in Christian Ministries, she moved back to Oz in July 2007 to take up the ASC Intern role. Bethany is an avid reader who loves drinking coffee and processing.

Department Heads

Dr. David Johnston
Principal

Doctor of Humanities (Hon), University of Missouri, USA
Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Southern California, Violin Performance, Music Education, Thesis Project: Adaptation of the Suzuki Method for Private Schools
Master of Music, University of the Pacific, Violin Performance, Education
Bachelor of Arts in Music, California State University, Los Angeles, USA
Diploma in Violin Performance, Diploma in Chamber Music, Diploma in Conducting, Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria

Dr. Johnston has performed worldwide as a concert violinist and has conducted numerous orchestras.  For  18 years he was the musical director of the annual International Christian Celebration, the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.  He first came to Australia in 1983 to start a Christian performing arts college.  The end result of his hard work and dedication was Wesley Institute.  Dr. Johnston has been the president of Wesley Institute for 24 years.

Dr. James Harrison
Head of Theology
PhD Macquarie University: 1997
MA Macquarie University: 1989
BADipEd Macquarie University: 1976

Jim teaches Biblical Studies in the area of New Testament. He has published articles in international journals and in well-known collections of essays (Brill, New Docs), with several others forthcoming (Eerdmans, Leuven). His first book, Paul’s Language of Grace in Its Graeco-Roman Context (Mohr Siebeck, 2003), won the international Biblical Archaeological Society award for the best book in New Testament published in 2003-2004. His second book, a collection of the works of E.A. Judge, was published in 2008. His research interest is in the social distinctiveness of the early Christians and how the gospel was understood in its first-century context. He preaches and teaches regularly and presents papers at conferences across Australia and overseas.

Herman Pretorius
Head of Drama

Doctor Philosophiae University of Pretoria, South Africa
            Doctoral Dissertation: Apartheid and Resistance: the development of a political protest theatre       in South Africa. (315pp.)
Master of Arts in Drama, cum laude, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa Thesis: The implementation of Drama and Theatre in Education in South African schools.
Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama, cum laude, University of Stellenbosch.
Secondary Teacher’s Diploma, University of Stellenbosch.
Honours Bachelor of Arts (Creative writing and Literature), cum laude, University of Stellenbosch.
Bachelor of Arts(Drama), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Herman teaches in both the theoretical and practical areas of Drama and Theatre. His experience includes professional acting for radio, TV, film and stage, directing, theatre management, and dramaturgy.  He was head of the department of Drama at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) for 16 years, and founding member of the South African Association of Drama and Youth Theatre and of the Association of Drama Departments of South Africa. His academic achievements include setting up a Research Centre for Theatre and South African theatre data base to support research. He also initiated and contributed to an internationally accredited publication, the South African Theatre Journal (SATJ). Prior to joining Wesley Institute, Herman was the CEO and Artistic Director of a professional theatre in Canberra, Australia.

Adele Hyland
Head of Dance

Master of Education (Educational Administration), Charles Sturt University

Graduate Diploma of Education (Computing Studies), Charles Sturt University

Bachelor of Education (Music), University of Western Sydney

 
Adele has had an extensive and varied career in Dance, having performed, adjudicated and choreographed to international acclaim. As a performer, she represented Australia in 3 World Championships and is one of only two Australian dancers to win National Titles in 4 styles of dance. She choreographed for Strictly Ballroom, multiple television shows, commercials and celebrities, including ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘Strictly Dancing’ on ABC TV. Adele was also awarded the United States Heritage Award for International Services to Dance in 2001 for the coordination and choreography of the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony.  Adele has maintained a private Dance studio over a period of 35 years, while also teaching from Primary to Tertiary levels within the NSW Education system. Currently, Adele is the President of the International Dance Organization (Australia) and a Director of the Australian National Dance Association. She has taught and enjoyed many styles of Dance, with a particular passion for the Latin American style. She has had a great deal of success as a teacher and mentor to both aspiring and international prize winning Dancers and is grateful for the opportunity to pursue high standards in holistic Dance practice at Wesley Institute.

Trevor Hotten
Head of Graphic Design

Master of Design, University of Technology Sydney, 1996

Diploma of Graphic Design, Randwick Institute of Technology, 1986

Appointed expert assessor for NSW Higher Education Advisory Committee, 2005.

Trevor has over 10 years of experience as a designer, including three years as the director of his own company. He taught graphic design for over eight years at leading design colleges before joining Wesley Institute in June 2002. Trevor was appointed an expert assessor for NSW Higher Education Advisory Committee in 2005.  Trevor is also an award-winning artist who exhibits his work in Sydney, and has recently been selected to hang in the gallery for Australia’s most prestigious drawing award, the Dobell Prize for drawing.

Dr. Heva Chan
Head of Music

Doctor of Philosophy in Composition, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, Australia

Master of Fine Arts in Musicology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Studies of Master of Philosophy in English and American Literature, Musicology, University of Vienna, Austria

Master of Arts in Composition, Hochschule fuer Musik und darstellende Kunst, Wien, Austria

Certificate in Musical Graphic Arts, Hochschule fuer Music und darstellende Kunst, Wien, Austria

Diploma of Composition, Hochschule fuer Musik und darstellende Kunst, Wien, Austria

Diploma of Electronic Music, Hochschule fuer Musik und darstellende Kunst, Wien (University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna), Austria

L.T.C.L. Licentiate Teacher’s Diploma of Piano, Trinity College of Music, London

L.T.C.L. Licentiate Performer’s Diploma of Piano, Trinity College of Music, London

A.T.C.L. Associate Performer’s Diploma of Piano, Trinity College of Music, London

Heva Chan’s career as a musician spans the globe. After receiving the Licentiate Performer’s and Teacher’s Diplomas of Piano at London’s Trinity College of Music, she travelled to over 33 countries to hone her skills at institutions like Austria’s University of Music and Performing Arts, the National Taiwan Normal University and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Heva has won numerous prizes and scholarships, and her music has been performed in concerts, seminars, conferences and music festivals around the world.

Dr. Graham A. Barker
Head of Graduate Counseling

Psy.D,  MA, MA (Hons), BA, STC, MAPS, MAPA, SCAPE

Dr. Barker is a Clinical Psychologist, with additional qualifications in Counselling, Theology and Education.  He completed his clinical internship and residency at the Minirth Meier - New Life Clinic in Dallas USA. He is currently both the Dean of Students and the Head of the Graduate School of Counselling at Wesley Institute in Sydney NSW. Dr Barker is an also an experienced Psychotherapist who specialises in long-term therapy, is an ordained Baptist Minister and an author. He has a particular interest in the Wakisa Project that assists traumatised pregnant girls in Uganda. When he’s not hard at work, he enjoys movies, catching fish, travel and reading history books.