Degree(s) and Year(s) Degree(s) Conferred: Ph.D., 2006
Graduate Academic Program(s) at Penn State: Comparative Literature
Current Professional Title: Professor of English and Communications; Chair, Liberal Studies Department
Current Employer: Bay Path University
Briefly describe your professional career, including your employment history and notable accomplishments
I teach courses in literature, writing, and humanities at Bay Path University, a private women’s college in western Massachusetts. I have served in the past as director of the writing program at Bay Path and am now chair of the Liberal Studies Department. My research interests are in medieval studies, folklore, and comparative literature.
Please list honors, awards, and professional achievements
- Graduate Assistant Award for Outstanding Teaching, Graduate School & Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Penn State, 1994
- Faculty Outstanding Research, Scholarly Activity, and Creative Works Prize, Bay Path University, 2013
Please provide any advice to graduate students related to career exploration
For those who are interested in a career in academia, it’s important to realize that with over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S., not that many are large institutions like Penn State. It’s important to be adaptable to differing environments and institutional cultures. Also, take advantage of the many publications about higher ed.; the more you know about the field, the easier it is to transition from grad student to professional.