°®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ

Education

MA in English from °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ

Biography

I grew up in the Chicago area and transferred to °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ as an undergraduate. After changing my major a couple of times, I found my home in the English Department and have never left.

When I’m not teaching, I love spending time with my family. One benefit of a large family is that I always have something to do. Family soccer games, dinners, vacations, and visits are typical events in my daily life.

I also like taking a little time for myself. Those activities include walking, jogging, going to the gym, and reading (of course!). And there is nothing like a couple of hours at One World or Okinawa to relax and enjoy great food and company.

Professional Experience

I earned my BA and my MA at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ. As an MA student, I was a graduate assistant, and part of my responsibility was to teach sections of ENG 101. This experience transitioned to teaching part-time at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ and ICC. From there, I transitioned to a temporary full-time position at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ, and, finally, a tenured Lecturer position. I am currently the chair of the English Department.

Teaching

As a lecturer, I teach BCC classes. I began teaching ENG 101: English Composition. Since then, I have taught ENG 115: Introduction to Literature, ENG 305: Technical Writing, and ENG 302: Travel Writing.

I love teaching ENG 115 because I have the opportunity to re-introduce students to their love of reading. Too often, reading has become a chore instead of an interesting opportunity to learn and grow. ENG 305 is, of course, a much different class but equally engaging. In this class, students learn writing skills that will prepare them and be with them for their professional lives. ENG 302 is different each time I teach it. I love introducing students to a new city, exploring it with them, and developing and sharing travel essays that capture their excitement and joy of discovering new experiences. Who doesn’t love to write about Dublin or London or Rome or Dubrovnik or …?!

Service

I serve on the English Department Composition Committee. I am a member of the LAS Executive Committee. I serve on the Core Curriculum Committee and the University C&R Committee. 

Student Involvement Opportunities

Primarily, I advise ENG majors with a Professional Writing concentration and Professional Writing minors.