Baltimore Team

Academic Director & Associate Professor

Micah Hughes, PhD, MSc, provides academic leadership, curriculum oversight, and student mentorship. He provides oversight of experiential learning programming and also serves as an Associate Professor for Public Health courses.

Program Director & Campus Pastor

Rev. Danté Upshaw provides leadership and oversight of all Baltimore community partnerships, internships, and is the pastor and spiritual director of all programs, faculty, students and staff for Baltimore Urban Studies.

Internship Coordinator & Assistant Professor

Leslie Whitfield, MSW, MPH(c) serves as the Social Work Practicum Instructor and Internship Coordinator. She is the liaison for BUS students and internship sites, as well as an Assistant Professor of multiple BUS courses.

Campus Coordinator

Bev Upshaw oversees the maintenance of the BUS facility and creates hospitable spaces for students, staff, and guests.

Resident Coordinator

Rachel is from Sacramento, California, and attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. She received a degree in Biology with a minor in Criminal Justice, and she plans on earning a Master's in Forensic Science. After graduating, she moved to Baltimore and got to enjoy the city, the culture, and the community. She is looking forward to bonding with students as they all explore Baltimore together.

BUS Enrollment Manager

Vincent oversees the student enrollment, recruiting, and onboarding for our Baltimore Urban Studies program

Assistant Professor

Danielle is a second-generation Syrian/Jordanian American that earned her Master of Health Science in Epidemiology with a concentration in infectious diseases and a certificate in global health at Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelors of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Westmont College. Danielle is passionate about public health education in Baltimore while she works with URC to implement interventional programming to improve maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in Asia, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.

Visiting Associate Professor

Dan serves as the Department Chair of Christian Formation and Ministry at Wheaton College and is currently working on a PhD in Biblical Spirituality. His life motto is love to learn; learn to love as he invites students to follow Jesus. Dan is a visiting Associate Professor of Theology and an academic advisory committee member for the Baltimore Urban Studies program.

Associate Professor

Victor Papoola, MD, PhD, MPH, MS earned a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Ilorin, and three graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University: PhD in Public Health, Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and a Master of Science in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Victor serves as one of the BUS Associate Professors for Epidemiology and Microbiology.

Visiting Associate Professor

Angela Howell, Ph.D., is a cultural anthropologist, professor, and interim chair of Sociology and Anthropology at Morgan State University. Angela is passionate about mentoring students towards spiritual growth and transformative social stewardship. Angela earned a B.A. of Sociology from Morgan State University, an M.A. of Anthropology and her Ph.D. of Anthropology from Brown University. She is well-published in topics related to community participation, African-American empowerment, and anthropology of liberation. Angela assists in teaching BUS Sociology classes.

Visiting Associate Professor

Wayland Cheng, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to clinical practice, he conducts innovative research in biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, neuroscience, and molecular cell biology. Wayland directs a laboratory at Washington University utilizing native ion mass spectrometry, photo-affinity labeling, electrophysiology, cryoEM, and molecular modeling to assist in developing novel therapeutic medications and anesthesia. Wayland is a visiting professor of microbiology and assists in the instruction of the BUS Microbiology theory and laboratory.

Visiting Associate Professor

Amanda Kaminski, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Theology, Philosophy, & Classical Language at Texas Lutheran. Amanda is a vivacious educator and accomplished researcher of the praxis and intersections of theology, social entrepreneurship, and social justice. She teaches courses including, but not limited to, Biblical Spiritualities of Suffering, Social Justice, Activism & Advocacy, and Wisdom Seminar: Spirituality in Interreligious Perspective. Amanda is a visiting professor of Theology at the BUS and serves as one of the BUS academic advisory committee members.