William Jessup University announced today that it will add a biology major beginning in the spring of 2013, the latest in a series of curriculum enhancements at the growing university.

The new Biology major will be supported by an expanded course offering across the sciences, including Chemistry, Physiology, and the introduction of new programming in Pre-Med and Pre-Allied Health.

As part of its science curriculum expansion, the university is welcoming Dr. Ted Tollner as a full-time Associate Professor in Biology. He holds a bachelors, masters, and doctorate from UC-Davis and will become the Biology Department chair when the major launches in the spring semester.

“I’m very excited and honored to be coming to William Jessup and help get the Biology major started,” said Dr. Tollner, who will teach several biology courses next semester. “Anyone who loves academia and gets the chance to have curriculum input would love to receive this opportunity. The creative dimension of this position is huge and to bring faith into the mix is both unique and energizing.”

Dr. Tollner has been a prominent member of the William Jessup advisory board that has done considerable research for the Biology curriculum major.

Dr. Tollner studied both cellular and systemic physiology at UC Davis and has been a researcher in the field of reproductive biology for over 15 years. He has been a member of the adjunct faculty in the School of Medicine at UCD and has developed and led a research program that included studies in human infertility. He continues part-time to mentor graduate students in research in mammalian fertilization and reproductive immunology.

For several years, Dr. Tollner also taught a five-unit pre-nursing, pre-Allied Health Anatomy and Physiology course as an assistant adjunct professor in Biology in the Los Rios Community College District.

William Jessup recently added five new full-time professors to serve students in current and new programs, including Psychology, English, Business, Old Testament, and Biology.

The three largest majors declared by incoming students this fall are Business, Psychology, and Liberal Studies or Teacher Education. William Jessup University offers 17 majors and 26 concentrations including an accelerated degree program geared for working professionals.

“WJU is rapidly establishing itself as a premier Christian comprehensive university,” said William Jessup University President, Dr. John Jackson. “We have basically doubled the total number of students enrolled over the academic year since 2008, and we have added some highly qualified faculty members.”

William Jessup’s enrollment is up ten percent from last fall to just over 1,000 students, including the largest incoming numbers with 273 new students attending the Greater Sacramento region’s only private four-year, residential university. In addition, this is the largest incoming first-time freshmen class to date.

Earlier last month, the university hosted nearly 1,100 people when it unveiled its $17 million campus expansion to add new dining, athletic and classroom facilities to accommodate the growing number of students. The new, 54,000-square-feet facilities are state-of-the-art and fully operational today. Dining facilities are open to the public.

Dr. Tollner lives in Wilton with his wife, Charlene, and three children. He grew up in San Jose and briefly returned to the region after getting his undergraduate degree. He worked as a systems engineer in the semiconductor industry for several years before returning to academia at UC Davis.