Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Degrees earned: M.A. in English, Western Illinois University; B.A. in English, Blackburn College
Arrived at NIU: 2004
Classes taught: Rhetoric and Composition
What’s your mission in academia?
To open doors and minds through an exploration of literature that hasn’t always been valued.
What’s in your job description?
To help students learn how to become effective academic writers. This involves reading, discussion, research and an intense amount of writing, revision and hard work.
How did you become interested in your subject area?
I’ve always loved to read and I had a terrific high school teacher who encouraged me to continue my study of English in college. Once I got there I studied under an amazing professor who helped me understand the social, intellectual and political dimensions/implications of the study of literature and its potential for societal change.
What do students learn from you?
That the world is a vast, rich place filled with conflicting viewpoints, fascinating cultural traditions, and amazing people whose perspective is often completely different from what they’ve experienced.
What makes your class interesting?
Resistant students—freshmen who think they hate reading and writing—who discover that they possess interesting ideas and viewpoints and suddenly don’t hate English so much.
What is your favorite aspect of your subject? Why?
The worlds that new books expose us to—a few hundred pages can completely alter our perception of the world we live in.
What most pleases you about society today? What most concerns you?
The world is a more open place than it was ten years ago—we’re more exposed to a variety of viewpoints, beliefs and cultures—which can only improve our acceptance and understanding of one another. I’m deeply troubled by the growing trend of disconnection from human interaction facilitated by our ever-increasing access to technology.
What’s your current research?
The construction of “gay space” in the literature of the World Wars.
What’s a good book you recently read?
"The Green Knight" by Iris Murdoch.
Where do you go in DeKalb for a good meal?
I’m a vegetarian, so there isn’t much selection in DeKalb—I love Bistro Margot in Naperville—otherwise I eat at home.
What are some of your interests/hobbies outside of teaching?
I love to cook; I’m obsessed with music; I collect American Empire furniture; I love to travel.
Why did you choose your first college/university?
Blackburn College is the only student-run, student-managed work college in the United States. I liked that it afforded me the opportunity to experience different work environments; I was able to work jobs as diverse as a caterer, a writing tutor and library manager.
Who was your favorite professor? Why?
Professor Ren Draya. She was fabulous because she demanded students participate in class and forced us to think about the world in ways that were completely foreign to most of us. Also, she had a great sense of humor and expected excellence from all her students.
Why should students come to NIU?
For the outstanding faculty, diversity of the student body and the wealth of academic opportunity.
What’s your best advice to students who want to succeed?
Try to open yourself up to as many new academic/life experiences as you can during your undergraduate years. Don’t be afraid to change course.
If you weren’t teaching, what would you be doing?
I harbor secret ambitions of owning my own restaurant.
Photos by Don Butler, NIU Media Services