Troy Campus Main Office
Smith Hall, Room 268 | Tel. 334-670-3286 | Fax: 334-670-3519
Kirk Curnutt
Ph.D. (Louisiana State University)
Professor and Chair of English
Kirk Curnutt joined the faculty of 快猫成版视频鈥檚 Montgomery campus in 1993 and
was for the first stretch of his career the youngest tenured professor in the system.
During his twenty-two years in the capital city, he helped develop first the television
distance learning initiative and then the English department鈥檚 online major and its
writing courses. In 2016 he relocated to the Troy campus to oversee English offerings
throughout the entire system. Thanks to his time in Montgomery, his research interests
have focused on F. Scott Fitzgerald. For many years he served on the board of the
Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery and since 2013 has served as the executive
director of the international F. Scott Fitzgerald Society. He is the author of several
works of fiction and criticism on not only Fitzgerald but Toni Morrison, William Faulkner,
the 1970s, and popular music. He teaches both online and on the Troy campus, focusing
on creative writing, American literature, senior seminar, and鈥攆inally, after many
years of begging the music department to let him鈥攖he history of rock 鈥榥鈥 roll.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 270 | Tel. 334-670-3308
E-mail: kcurnutt@troy.edu | Web site:
Patrick Bonds
Ph.D (LSU), M.Phil (Trinity College Dublin), M.A. (Univ. of New Orleans), B.A. (Baylor
University)
Lecturer of English
I joined the Department of English in 2010 and teach on the Troy campus. I cover a
range of teaching areas, with particular interests in American literature, modern
short fiction, the contemporary American novel, and the Literary Western. I currently
serve on the Professional Writing Committee and teach technical and professional editing
courses. I am a member of the American Literature Association, the Southwest Popular/American
Culture Association, and the Ernest Hemingway Society.
My primary research interests are in nineteenth and twentieth-century American literature
and culture. In 2019, I published an essay in Hemingway's Short Stories: Reflections on Teaching, Reading, and Understanding ( Kent State) and the forthcoming Good Country: Ernest Hemingway and the American West (Univ of Nevada).
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 174 | Tel. 334-808-6696 | E-mail: pbonds@troy.edu
Shannon Carolipio
B.S., (快猫成版视频), M.S. Post-Secondary Education, English (快猫成版视频)
Adjunct Instructor of English
I have been a TROY Online administrative staff member since 2008, where I now work
as the Assistant Director of Testing. I became an instructor for TROY University in
2011, teaching Grammar II & III courses for the AEG. In 2012, I became an adjunct
faculty member for the English Department, teaching Preparatory English courses and
Comp and Modern English courses online.
Troy Campus Office: Office of Testing and Proctoring | Tel. 334-808-6317 | E-mail: scarolipio@troy.edu
Matthew H. Carpenter
B. A. (Psychology - University of Mississippi), B.A. (English -University of Mississippi),
M.A. (Literature -Valdosta State University)
Lecturer of English
My teaching and research interests include American literature, Realism, and Southern
United States literature. Recent presentations: ""Load 鈥楨m Up 鈥樷hen See What They
Do鈥: Learned Helplessness in the Short Fiction of Larry Brown"," SAMLA, Atlanta, Georgia
(November 2020). Current research includes: "The Sea as Frontier Underworld in The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym鈥 and 鈥淪elling Out or Buying In: The Conflict Between Authenticity and Punk Rock in
a Capital Driven Economy.鈥 My nonacademic interests include: horror films, theology,
music of all kinds, and true crime.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 180 | Tel. 334-808- 3531| E-mail: mcarpenter32933@troy.edu
Mary Helen Crawford
Adjunct Instructor
(B.S. and M.S., 快猫成版视频)
I am very glad to be working at 快猫成版视频 where my daughter attended and where
I earned my B.S. and M.S. in English Education in addition to taking post-graduate
classes. I have taught high school in Georgia and Alabama for 42 years, but I am now
retired; however, I do not want to lose the opportunity to interact with young adults
as we share literature and writing. My hobby involves any aspect of remodeling buildings;
it is trilling to transform ugly into beautiful. My two children, ages 38 and 34,
are a joy. Though I have no grandchildren yet, I enjoy interacting with our horses,
a blue heeler, and cats. It is my goal in teaching to assist all students, regardless
of their intended purpose for taking my classes, to grow academically on their way
to reaching their goals.
Dothan Campus office: Adams Hall, room 400H | tel: 334-983-6656, ext. 21-398 | email: mcrawford9173@troy.edu
Suzette Davidson
B.A. (Secondary English Education - Auburn University), M.A. (English Education -
快猫成版视频)
Adjunct Instructor of English
I grew up near Fort Payne, AL. I have taught English courses at the secondary and
post-secondary level for over thirty years. I have taught online English courses for
快猫成版视频 for twenty years now. I have experience in freelance writing and editing,
and I enjoy helping others improve and develop their reading and writing skills. I
have lived in Alabama my whole life, but I love to travel and experience other parts
of our beautiful country. I have two grown sons, and my favorite time is that spent
with my family and friends.
Email: sdavidson21479@troy.edu
Jason Dew
M.A., Ph.D. (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), M.S. (Instructional Design - Georgia
State University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
After graduate school, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia where I now reside with my wife
and three daughters. I do a lot of work in online education. In fact, I also completed
an M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology with a focus on that very topic. In
my spare time, I am with my family, walking the dog, or at the gym. I am also a published
novelist. Gadly Plain, a story about how a young girl is forced to stare down a terrible darkness, came
out in 2013, and I am busy trying to get exposure for the two other novels I have
completed plus my memoir on fatherhood.
Remote | Tel: 770-274-5489 | Email: jmdew@troy.edu
Ashley Eakes-Henderson
M.S. (快猫成版视频)
Lecturer of English
She serves as the Coordinator of Developmental English for 快猫成版视频, and as
part of her Coordinator duties is a member of a workgroup that strives to make the
learning experience for incoming Freshmen a success. She has been involved with numerous
other Department committees during her tenure with Troy including one that edited
the Composition 1101 handbook. Additionally, Mrs. Henderson was the recipient of
The Pick of Pike 2020 Reader's Choice Award for Best University Professor. Her teaching
interests include contemporary American literature as well as grammar and composition,
and she has also taught courses for Troy鈥檚 TESOL program and in the secondary school
system. She is married to John Henderson and together they share three daughters:
Anslee, Ensley, and Addison.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 186 | Tel. 334-670-3349 | E-mail: aeakes@troy.edu
Angela Farmer (she/her)
Ph.D. (Auburn University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
Dr. Farmer earned a Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Ministries from Saint Xavier
University's Pastoral Ministries Institute and is pursuing an MDiv. In addition to
teaching for Troy Online, she is currently the Coordinator of Religious Education
for a Unitarian Universalist fellowship. Angela loves gardening, woodworking, and
her cats -- who often video-bomb her Online lectures and meetings.
E-mail: afarmer@troy.edu
Breanna Gentry
Adjunct Instructor
Breanna (Bre) Gentry joined the English department as an Adjunct Instructor in August
2023. She serves as the Center for Student Success and Title III Project Director
on the Montgomery campus. She thoroughly enjoys theatre and is highly involved in
the local community theaters.
Montgomery Campus Office: Rosa Parks Museum, Room 329-N| Telephone:334-241-9777| Email:bgentry@troy.edu
Clayton Lee Graham
Adjunct Instructor of English
M.S. (快猫成版视频)
Clay graduated from Troy with a B.S. in Psychology in 2019, with much of his coursework focusing in language and linguistics. He completed his M.S. in Second Language Instruction (TESOL) in 2022, also from Troy. He has worked for Troy as an academic advisor since 2019, and has taught developmental English courses since 2023. A bucket-list goal of his is to spend a summer teaching English in Spain. He hopes to eventually continue his education, including completing an M.Div. Outside of work, you can find him teaching and volunteering at Grace Bible Church in Troy, or with his family in the stands of just about any Trojan athletic event. Office: 4th Fl Hawkins Hall | Tel: 334-670-5873 | email: cgraham149980@troy.edu
Angela Green
M.Ed. (Auburn University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
I have taught at the collegiate level as an adjunct instructor for over twenty-five
years, with more than twenty of those teaching English Composition and World Literature
for 快猫成版视频 both online and in class. I am also serve as the English tutor
for the Phenix City campus. I taught for forty years in public school systems in two
states teaching advanced English courses preparing students for their postsecondary
education and mentoring younger teachers in their professional careers.
Tel: 334-614-2548 | E-mail: agreen@troy.edu
Jennie Hensarling
B.A., M.A. (University of Southern Mississippi)
Adjunct of English
A native of South Mississippi, Ms. Hensarling has been teaching with 快猫成版视频
since 2004. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership. She
is a wife and mother of three. E-mail: jhensarling@troy.edu
Savannah Hollis
B.A. (快猫成版视频), M.L.A. (Auburn University-Montgomery)
Instructor of English
During her time as a graduate student at Auburn University at Montgomery, Savannah
spent several months interning with a local publishing company, learning first-hand
the fast-paced and intricate nature of the publishing industry. As an English instructor
at 快猫成版视频, she looks forward to the opportunity to grow professionally in
her career at her alma mater. Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 274 | E-mail: shollis158842@troy.edu
Theresa M. Johnson
Ph.D. (North Central University); M.Ed. (Troy State University)
Assistant Professor of English
Dr. Johnson teaches Theory and Practice of Composition (undergraduate and graduate),
World Literature, Sociolinguistics, Methods and Approaches and the Practicum, as well
as serving as the University Supervisor for ELA interns and graduate ALT-A interns.
Adviser, English Language Arts majors and TESOL minors. Presenter at numerous regional
and state writing workshops and panel discussions. Essays published by Pearson and
Alabama English. Past President, Public Relations Officer and Grants and Scholarships
for the 快猫成版视频 Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Sponsor, Pi Lambda Chapter of Sigma
Tau Delta. Charter Member, Mortar Board and Alpha Lambda Delta at 快猫成版视频.
Member, Omicron Delta Kappa and Golden Key International Honour Society. Past Executive
Board Member, Alabama Association for Developmental Education, affiliate of the National
Association for Developmental Education. Member, Association of College English Teachers
of Alabama, Alabama Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of
English, and Troy Council of Teachers of English. Member and Scholarship winner, Delta
Kappa Gamma, Recipient of The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, 2013, Advancement of
Alabama Literacy Award, 2018, and Recipient of The Faculty-Senate Excellence Award,
2019.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 272 | Tel. 334-670-3306 | E-mail: tmjohnson@troy.edu
Ekaterina V. Kobeleva
Ph.D. (Nizhniy Novgorod State Pedagogical University)
Lecturer of English
Dr. Kobeleva holds a Ph.D degree in Literature of the Western Europe from Nizhniy
Novgorod State Pedagogical University, Russia. Her research and teaching interests
include World Literature, Literary Translation, Advanced Grammar, Teaching English
as a Second Language. As a native speaker of Russian, she also teaches Russian and
Introduction to Russian Culture. She is the co-editor of鈥The Sea in the Literary Imagination: Global Perspectives鈥(Cambridge Scholars, 2019), Travel Letters from England, France, and Germany by Nikolai
Gretsch in 3 vols., (Anthem Press, 2021). She has presented her research at many national
and international conferences. She is the member of Nineteenth-Century Studies Association
and South Atlantic Modern Language Association. Her current research involves translation
of the novel The Black Woman鈥痓y Nikolai Gretsch (1834).
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 253 | Tel. 334-670-3311 | E-mail: ekobeleva@troy.edu
Jonathan P. Lewis (he/him)
Ph.D. (University of California-Riverside)
Associate Professor of English
Dr. Lewis examines twentieth- and twenty-first-century American, Irish, and British
literatures, with a particular interest in the intersections of race, power, and technologies
in post-World War II narratives. He teaches Science Fiction, Fantasy, American and
World Literatures, and composition. He has published in Response: The Journal of Popular and American Culture, Extrapolation, Foundation SF, Pacific Coast Philology, The Eudora Welty Review, Quarterly Horse, SFRA Review, Rougaroo, Notes on Contemporary Literature, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Chicago Review of Books. His first book, an edited collection of essays entitled Tomorrow Through the Past: Neal Stephenson and the Project of Global Modernization, was published in 2006, and his current book project, Contemporary Science Fiction and The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics:
Narrative Coherence, examines recent works by William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, Dexter Palmer, and Nicole
Galland.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 260 | Tel. 334-357-6820
E-mail: jlewis94822@troy.edu
Savannah Mathews
B.A. (快猫成版视频), M.L.A (Auburn University at Montgomery)
Adjunct Instructor of English
During her time as a graduate student, she published three works: 鈥淩eview: Holocaust
Survivor Writes a Compelling Memoir鈥 (Montgomery Advertiser, 2014), 鈥淚n This Moment鈥, and 鈥淟ittle Boy鈥 (AUM Filibuster, 2015). Her favorite book is The Great Gatsby, followed by The Giver of Stars, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Wuthering Heights. She teaches Developmental English, English Composition, American Literature, and
Creative Writing.
Troy Campus | Tel. 334-670-5878 | E-mail: samathews@troy.edu
Julie Ann Mathis
M.A. (Delta State University)
Adjunct professor of English
I received my B.A. in English from Birmingham Southern College in 2013. I received
an M.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on English in 2015. I have taught English
Composition and Literature at 快猫成版视频 as an adjunct professor since 2016.
I enjoy researching and teaching ancient literature as a lens to interpret modern
literature and current events. I focus on finding and expounding on philosophical
insights and theories across movements in my literary research. I also enjoy researching
and implementing diverse pedagogical styles to teach literature from various perspectives.
In the 2023 MLA Conference in Birmingham, Al., my research topic proposal was on Writing
to Build Community: New Critical Literacy in Composition Theory. E-mail: jmathis156166@troy.edu
Kurt McInnis
M.A. (The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
Instructor of English
Kurt McInnis is a son of the Florida Panhandle, hailing from the sleepy, Victorian
hamlet of DeFuniak Springs, home to the legendary, perfectly round Lake Defuniak.
He has taught full-time in Chipola College鈥檚 English department since 2012. Before
that, among an array of other jobs including gas-pumper, assistant janitor, barista,
and worm-farmhand, he taught high-school English for a combined eight years in both
Walton and Washington Counties. He holds an A.A. from Okaloosa-Walton Community College
in Niceville, Florida, a B.A. in secondary education/language arts from Huntingdon
College in Montgomery, Alabama, and a M.A. in theological studies from The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also completed post-master鈥檚
graduate courses in English from 快猫成版视频鈥檚 Dothan campus. Kurt lives in Pinckard,
Alabama, with his wife, Lori, and their three children, Jack, Carolyn, and David.
Dothan Campus Office: Adams Hall, room 410A, | Tel. 334-983-6656, ext. 21-306| Email: kmcinnis@troy.edu
Elizabeth McKibben
Adjunct Instructor
M.A. (English Education, Augusta University), M.A., (Educational Technology, the University
of South Carolina)
I have worked as an adjunct English instructor for Troy for many years, first in person
at Troy鈥檚 location in Augusta, GA, and then at the Troy eCampus. By day I am a Director
of Technology at an independent school in Augusta. I have four children, two of whom
are in college. We are an animal-friendly house with our highest number of pets at
any one time totaling 11: 4 cats, two dogs, 4 ferrets and a Chinese water dragon!
I love to read, cook, travel, garden, and watch any sort of crime drama on TV. I love
teaching and providing students with a glimpse into some of the truly great (and fun
to read!) literature that exists. I have a really hard time choosing one classical
fiction author as my favorite, but if I have to, I always go with Hemingway.
Email: emckibben@troy.edu
Priya Menon
Ph.D. (Georgia State University)
Professor of English
Interests: I study the literary history of migrants in the Arabian Gulf, primarily
from South Asia in the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries. My current
project, a monograph entitled Absent Workers of Arabia, aims to bring visibility to the cultural productions of narratives of one of the
largest living diasporas in the Arabian Gulf States鈥 emigrants from the south Indian
state of Kerala, India that are currently estimated to be around 2.5 million. Some
of my research has appeared in the Journal of South Asian Studies, Journal of Literary and Critical Writing, Journal of Postcolonial Cultures and Societies, Language, Literature and Cultural Studies, India Migration 2020 (Routledge,2020), Border and Bordering: Politics, Poetics, Precariousness (Ibidem, Columbia, 2020), Urban and Academic Collaboration in India (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). I鈥檝e presented at the MLA, South and Central Asia Fulbright,
Grand Challenges University College London, Centre for Development Studies, South
Asian Language Association, SAMLA and British Commonwealth & Postcolonial Studies.
My work has been funded by the US Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs (Fulbright-Nehru
Senior Fellow for Excellence in Research and Teaching 2018), Alabama Humanities Foundation
(Great Books Reading Initiative 2016), and the National Endowment for the Arts (Big
Read 2015). A member of MLA, SAMLA, SALA, Phi Kappa Phi, I am also a recipient of
快猫成版视频鈥檚 Ingalls Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching (2009) and serve
as a Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador (2022-24) for the U S Department of State.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 251 | Tel. 334-670-3518 | E-mail: pmenon@troy.edu
James H. Meredith
Ph.D. (University of Georgia)
Adjunct Instructor of English
Dr. Meredith has been teaching American literature at 快猫成版视频 since 2006 and
started teaching college English in 1985. He publishes with the London Times Higher Education and is a contributing editor for the Clever Chicas Project, a project celebrating
ordinary women doing extraordinary things: . His work with the Project includes 鈥淧ockets,鈥 an animated story of an older bird
working to learn new tricks to meet life transitions. Jim is a retired Lieutenant
Colonel, USAF, and lives on Clearwater Beach, Florida, with his spouse, Stone. His
literary interests include Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Florida culture,
and war literature.
Tel: 706-506-5099 | E-mail: jmeredith46024@troy.edu
Ellena Stone Meredith
Ph.D. (University of South Florida)
Adjunct Instructor of English
Stone Meredith has been teaching American Literature classes at Troy since 2007, focusing
on key themes still present in American culture today. She started teaching college
English in 1999. For Stone, her favorite part of teaching at Troy is watching students
form their own opinions on American Literature. Her work in the classroom informs
her publications with international periodicals, including The London Times Higher Education, The Ballet Herald, and The Ernest Hemingway Review Blog. Dr Meredith is the Founder of the Clever Chicas Project, a project celebrating
ordinary women doing extraordinary things: . Stone is a retired Writing Program Administrator. She lives on the beach in Florida
with her spouse, Jim. Her literary interests include Ernest Hemingway, Zora Neale
Hurston, and Florida Studies. She enjoys tennis, golf, sailing, and all things related
to the water. Links: , ,
Jan Weeks Murray
Adjunct Instructor
B.S., (快猫成版视频), M.S. Strategic Communication, (快猫成版视频).
With Troy as an Academic Advisor since July 2019, I have been an adjunct faculty member
for the JWS Center for Student Success since 2022 and the 快猫成版视频 English
Department since January 2023. Prior to TU, I taught multiple subjects, including
English and writing, online as part of charter schools and ESL programs. That time
period followed many years as an award-winning journalist, and work in other related
fields. I am also a professional podcaster with listeners in 22 countries, and I executive
produce for a podcasting/video production company in Auburn. I'm a self-published
author and also edit and format books for others, in addition to freelancing as a
journalist when the opportunity arises. Other than my passion for my students, teaching,
and advising, scuba diving is my non-professional passion--any day under the surface
is a great day! I have two grown children and two beautiful little grandbabies that
I adore!
Office: Eldridge Hall, #104 | E-mail: jmurray176958@troy.edu
Susan S. Nash
Adjunct Professor of English
B.S. (Geology, University of Oklahoma), M.A., Ph.D. (English, University of Oklahoma)
I've been teaching English Composition at 快猫成版视频 as an adjunct professor
for more than 10 years. I've been involved in online program development and administration
since the late 1990s, and love exploring different ways to engage students and inspire
them feel enthusiastic about writing and sharing their stories, insights, and research
findings. My research interests include the apocalyptic narrative, climate change
and new energy alternatives (geothermal, CCUS, energy storage), Latin American poetry,
Paraguayan women authors, and the Mexican Golden Age of Cinema. | E-mail:snash48203@troy.edu
Festus Fru Ndeh
Ph.D. (University of Duisburg Essen, Germany)
Associate Professor of English
F. Festus Ndeh is an Associate Professor of theoretical, postcolonial and world Literature.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in English, Philosophy, and TESOL from
various institutions in Cameroon, the UK and Germany. He teaches as a literature generalist,
but currently conducts research in (post)colonial Africa and the African diaspora
with special focus on the intersectionality between literature and other disciplines.
He has previously researched and published on orature and literature, postcolonial
travel writing, the politics of alienation, and human memory. As a globetrotter with
a global ethos, he is passionate about the politics of migration, issues of diversity
and inclusion, human rights and civil/social justice. He is a Deutsche Akademische
Austauschdiesnt (DAAD) alumnus (2001-2005) and a Humboldt alumnus (2013). Selected
publications include Anglophone Cameroonian Literature and the Poetics of Orature (Die Blaue Eule, 2006), Outward Evil, Inward Battle: Human Memory and Literature (Langaa Publishers, 2013) and a myriad of articles.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 249 | Tel. 334-670-3307 | E-mail: fndeh@troy.edu
Richard Scott Nokes
B.A. (Butler University), Ph.D. (Wayne State University)
Associate Professor of English
Dr. Richard Scott Nokes specializes in medieval literature and founder of Witan Publishing.
He specializes in medieval manuscripts, modern medievalism, and digital publishing.
After completing his B.A. in English and Political Science in 1992, Nokes taught
English as a Second Language in South Korea. In 1993, he established the American
Studies Program at Klaip臈da University in Lithuania, and taught Canadian literature
at Lithuania Christian College. Nokes came to 快猫成版视频 in 2003 after earning
his Ph.D. In 2003 he was a Fulbright-Hayes scholar researching the Maya epic in Guatemala.
In 2007, he was a regional finalist for the President鈥檚 Commission on White House
Fellowships. In 2011 he founded Witan Publishing, producing peer-reviewed academic
works of medieval scholarship. Nokes has written, edited, and published dozens of
peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books. His most recent book is Beowulf in Comic Books and Graphic Novels (2022).
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 246 | Tel. 334-670-3303 | E-mail: rsnokes@troy.edu
Anna Orlofsky-Bailey
M.T.W. (Auburn University at Montgomery)
Lecturer of English
Anna Orlofsky-Bailey is a Lecturer of English at 快猫成版视频 after serving in
a similar role at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). She earned her Master of
Teaching Writing degree from AUM and her Bachelor of Arts degree in both English and
Spanish from 快猫成版视频. While in graduate school, her research and study centered
on composition pedagogy and rhetoric with particular focus on basic writing/introductory
composition pedagogy. Her responsibilities as an instructor often involve first-year
composition courses, developmental English courses, and undergraduate literature survey
courses. Recent publications include work in Critical Insights: Malcolm X (Salem Press, 2020) and Critical Insights: Satire (Salem Press, 2020). Anna has presented at the Southeastern Writing Center Association
conference. She currently serves as co-sponsor of the Pi Lambda Chapter of Sigma Tau
Delta.
Troy Campus Office: Office: Smith Hall 176 | Tel.: 334-670-3533 | E-mail: aorlofsky@troy.edu
Michael Orlofsky
M.F.A. (University of Iowa Writers鈥 Workshop)
Director of Creative Writing Program and Professor of English
Creative Writing, World Literature, Composition. 2019 Sun Belt Conference Faculty
Member of the Year鈥擳roy. 2018 Ingalls Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching.
Vice-President, Troy-Pike Habitat for Humanity. Distinguished Artist, Honor Society
of Phi Kappa Phi (1998). Publications in Troy Messenger, Troy Life, Troy Today, Postmodern Approaches to the Short Story (Praeger, 2003), The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing (Writer's Digest Books, 2002), Alabama Bound: Contemporary Stories of a State (Livingston, 1995), Writer鈥檚 Guide to Creativity, WD Guide to Novel Writing, Writer鈥檚 Digest, The Basics of Writing and Selling Fiction, Iowa Journal of Literary Studies, Prairie Schooner, Alabama Literary Review, and Pulpsmith. Past President, Association of College English Teachers of Alabama. Current project:
Michelangelo in Rome (novel)
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 242 | Tel. 334-670-3315 | E-mail: morlof@troy.edu
James N. Ortego, II
Ph.D. (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)
Associate Professor and Associate Chair of English
Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Composition, Textual Studies of Shakespeare and
Chaucer, Cultural and Folklore Studies of Medieval Icelandic Literature.
Dothan Campus Office: Adams Hall, Room 401G | Tel. 334-983-6556, ext. 391 | E-mail: jortego@troy.edu
April M. Parsons
Ph.D. (Rutgers University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
My love of reading caused me to continue in school for many years until I achieved
a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University. I also have an Ed.M. in
Language Education from Rutgers, and an undergrad degree from Mount Holyoke College.
I am excited to share my love of reading with students at Troy by teaching ENG 1102.
When I am not reading (and sometimes when I am), being outside is my happy place.
I live in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, and I teach for Troy online. I have an
adorable rescue dog named Bonny who has ears like Yoda, but runs like the Flash. We
go on a lot of long walks together in our beautiful neighborhood; it鈥檚 wonderfully
rural and peaceful here. E-mail: amparsons@troy.edu
Lori Pennington
B.A., M.A. (Boise State University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
I have taught at the university level for 14 years. My experience encompasses English
composition, preparatory writing, literature, and technical communication courses
in face-to-face, online, and hybrid settings. For me, teaching is not a job 鈥 it is
a passion. A passion I take serious and enjoy very much. I blend reading, lecture,
collaboration, and hands-on experience into my classes and believe in being fully
accessible to students, regardless of the classroom setting or my personal obligations.
To promote success, I engage students in discussions and apply proven learning theory
concepts to the course work and instruction, as well as provide alternative options
if students struggle with a certain delivery method based on his/her learning style.
At the personal level, I am a mother, grandmother, writer, and artist. I enjoy spending
time with my family and friends, painting, writing, fishing, and volunteering in the
community.
E-mail: lpennington@troy.edu
Nicholas Pincumbe
M.F.A. (University of Alabama)
Lecturer of English
Lightly published fiction writer, professional encourager, and board game aficionado,
Nicholas Pincumbe is a working father who endeavors to never let perfect be the enemy
of the good and to help any student realize they can write effectively, if they鈥檙e
willing to go one step at a time. A graduate of Western Michigan University and the
University of Alabama, 鈥淢r. P.鈥 has been teaching in the English Department at Troy
since 2015.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 182 | Tel. 334-670-3310 | E-mail: npincumbe@troy.edu
Katharyn Privett-Duren
Ph.D. (Auburn University)
Adjunct Instructor of English
Dr. Privett-Duren has taught in both brick-and-mortar and online formats since 2000.
In addition, she is a freelance author for Farmer-ish and Magnolia and Moonshine magazines and finds creative nonfiction to be her favorite form of writing. As Dr.
PD (the title her students have granted her) began her academic career as a non-traditional
student, she is dedicated to the education and progress of all students. Her specialties
include Composition Studies, American Literature, and Rhetoric. She has taught online
courses for 快猫成版视频 since the beginning of 2007 and is invested in their mission
of 鈥渄iscovery and the exploration of knowledge鈥 as a foundation for successful careers
and futures.
E-mail: kprivett@troy.edu
Abbey Richards
Lecturer
(M.A., Auburn-Montgomery)
I am the Director of the Writing Center and English lecturer on the Dothan Campus.
I received my undergraduate degree in English from 快猫成版视频 in 2019 and my
graduate degree in Liberal Arts from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2021. I have
been an employee of 快猫成版视频 since 2019. I began my employment as the recruiter
for the Dothan campus. My goal when finishing my undergraduate degree was to take
over the Writing Center and teach English composition and literature classes. I enjoy
coming to work every day.
I have been married to my husband since 2011. We have two beautiful daughters who
are current students at 快猫成版视频鈥檚 Dothan campus. We spend our free time together
at home or traveling around the US. We plan to see all fifty states by the time we
have been together for fifty years. Since 2016 we have seen twenty states and Washington
DC.
Dothan campus office: Malone Hall, room 115 | tel: 334-983-6556, ext. 21-465 | email: arichards154275@troy.edu
Ben P. Robertson
Ph.D. (University of Tulsa)
Professor of English
Dr. Robertson has been teaching at 快猫成版视频 since 2003. He earned his doctorate
from the University of Tulsa in 2003 in British Romantic literature with special emphasis
on women鈥檚 writing and transatlantic/transnational confluences. His publications
include two monographs on Elizabeth Inchbald, a three-volume edition of Elizabeth
Inchbald鈥檚 diaries, two editions (in seven volumes) of travel literature by John Moore
and Nikolai Gretsch, and essay collections on Romantic sustainability, the sea in
literature, and conflict in the American South. He has published a number of journal
articles, book reviews, and encyclopedia entries, and he is a member of a dozen national
and international academic associations.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 258 | Tel. 334-670-3672 | E-mail: bprobertson@troy.edu | Web Site:
B. N. Rogers
M.F.A. (Savannah College of Art and Design)
Lecturer of English
B. N. Rogers is a native of Montgomery, AL. While attending Alabama A&M University,
she majored in Communications before graduating and receiving her M.F.A in Writing
at Savannah College of Art and Design. A self-taught etymologist, Ms. Rogers has been
a part of Troy's English faculty for eight years and enjoys art and gardening in her
spare time.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 178 | Tel. 334-670-3301 | E-mail: brogers150756@troy.edu
Kristin C. Ross
(Ph.D., Louisiana State University)
Associate Professor of English
Dr. Ross specializes in Victorian studies, feminist theory, and gender studies. Selected
publications include 鈥淧reparing the Girl for the 鈥楩ight of Life鈥: Female Education
and the New Woman in Ella Hepworth Dixon鈥檚 The Story of a Modern Woman鈥 in Women鈥檚 Writing and 鈥淐reating Dialogical Spaces in Blended Environments: A Case Study of Classroom
Design in Two English Literature Courses鈥 in Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments. She was chosen as a National Humanities Center Summer Institute scholar and has
served on the MLA Delegate Assembly.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 252 | Tel. 334-670-3313 | E-mail: rossk@troy.edu
Glennie Fitzgerald Sewell
B.A. (West Virginia University), M.A. (Middlebury鈥檚 Bread Loaf School of English鈥攁warded
through Oxford University's Lincoln College), M.Ed. (Western Carolina University),
M.F.A. (Goddard College)
Adjunct Instructor of English
I live in Montpelier, Vermont part of the year, and Greater London, United Kingdom,
during the summers. Work has commenced on my PhD in Transformative Studies at California
Institute of Integral Studies, with an inquiry on bringing the teachings of the 鈥楳ystery
Schools鈥 into the public sphere, making them freely accessible and affordable to all.
I鈥檓 a paranormal investigator, doing talks on the professional conference circuit
(by request). I鈥檝e taught in the Masters program for Champlain College鈥檚 Woodbury
Institute, under the Mediation and Peacekeeping program, and undergraduate English
at Appalachian State University, and the Community College of Vermont. I鈥檝e been with
Troy since spring, 2010.
Tel: 802-589-0820 | E-mail: gsewell@troy.edu |
Kyle Shook
M.Ed. (Auburn University Montgomery)
Lecturer of English
After graduating from 快猫成版视频 with a B.S. in English, Shook pursued graduate
education at AUM with a goal of teaching high school English. In that time, Shook
began adjuncting in the English department at the Montgomery and main campuses, and
he quickly realized that pivoting into full-time university teaching needed to be
the new goal. After teaching for a few years at the middle school level, Shook has
returned to his alma mater on the other side of the lectern. One of his proudest professional
achievements is becoming a published poet in the journal Three Line Poetry. He has plans of pursuing further education by earning a doctorate one day. In the
meantime, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter while serving in his
local church.
Office: Smith Hall, Room 273 | Email: kshook@troy.edu
Audra Shumpert-Ebarb
M. S. (快猫成版视频)
Lecturer of English
After graduating from 快猫成版视频 in 2007 with my Bachelors, I decided to continue
in the TESOL graduate program. I was a Teaching Assistant and adjunct professor for
the English department at Troy throughout completing my graduate degree. I felt so
at home while teaching that I knew after graduation, I had to follow that career path.
I was lucky that I found a home and employment at Troy in the English department where
I had spent so much time developing my love of teaching literature and rhetoric. Over
the last decade teaching, I have fostered my love of reading with various subjects
and eras starting with the Victorian era and Southern American literature, and I spent
the summer of Covid reading and researching narratives of early enslaved Americans
and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Most recently, I have shifted my area of study
to Latin and South American authors like Ruben Dario and a personal favorite Gabriel
Garcia Marquez.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 247 | Tel. 334-670-3971 | E-mail: ashumpertebarb@troy.edu
Tatyana Slobodchikoff
Ph.D. (University of Arizona)
Lecturer of English
Theoretical Linguistics, Linguistic Theory, Syntax/Morphology, Historical Linguistics,
Slavic Languages, English Composition. The Evolution of the Slavic Dual: A Biolinguistic Perspective (Lexington, 2019). Additional publications in peer-reviewed journals. Presentations
at many prestigious theoretical- and Slavic-linguistics conferences in the United
States and internationally.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 256 | Tel. 334-670-3535 | E-mail: tslobodchikoff@troy.edu
Katelyn Smith
B.A.(快猫成版视频), M.L.A. (Auburn University at Montgomery)
Adjunct Instructor of English
Katelyn Smith returned to her alma mater of 快猫成版视频 in 2019, where she taught preparatory English and writing. A year later, she joined the Troy Online faculty as she moved abroad. She recently lived in Hiroshima, Japan, where she enjoyed volunteering with Tsubakikaikan, an English class for Japanese senior citizens. She also taught English and baking courses at Decopoco: a school founded to serve Japanese children with executive disfunction disorders. Her literature interests include the writers of the Lost Generation, Southern Studies, and Genbaku Bungaku (atomic bomb literature). Smith enjoys scuba diving and collecting vintage vinyl. Currently, she lives in Savannah, Georgia with her husband and two dogs. |Email: ksmith149857@troy.edu
Pamela Tharp Thompson
M.F.A. (Savannah College of Art and Design)
Adjunct Instructor of English, Tutor for the Center for Student Success
Ms. Thompson received a BS in English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing from
快猫成版视频 Montgomery (2013 Cum Laude) and an MFA Writing from Savannah College
of Art and Design (SCAD 2018). She holds numerous anthology awards from American Poetry
Association, World of Poetry, and Great American Poetry Association which include
over twenty Golden, Silver, and Honorable Mention Awards, among others. Thompson sold
over one thousand bookmarks of her award-winning poems: 鈥淟ife鈥 and 鈥淔orever Friends鈥
at the Rosa Parks Museum (2010-2015). As a published author, her authentic southern
voice flows naturally across the pages of her debut memoir (2019), Searching for Daddy A Memoir (Available at Barnes & Noble bookstore and on Amazon), as she remembers growing up
in the South with a Deputy Sheriff for a father who scared off more boyfriends than
she can count. Currently, a 快猫成版视频 Montgomery Adjunct Professor (ENG-1101/1102),
author, and freelance writer, Mrs. Thompson plans to continue sharing her memories
of growing up in the South, along with her rhyme-time children鈥檚 stories, poetry collections,
and young adult mysteries. Professor Thompson lives with her husband and mother in
Hope Hull, just south of Montgomery, Alabama, on a red dirt road.
Montgomery Campus Office: Whitley Hall 鈥 Center for Student Success | Tel. 334-590-6593 | Toll-Free: 888-357-8843, ext. 9777 | Fax 334-832-7297 | E-mail: ptharp@troy.edu |
Shannon Thompson
B.A. (English and Classics - Emory University), M.A. (University of Virginia), M.S.
(快猫成版视频)
Lecturer of English
Professional Memberships: National Council of Teachers of English; ALAN, Assembly
on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE. Publication: The Sea in the Literary Imagination: Global Perspectives, 2019, co-editor
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 188 | Tel. 334-670-3677 | E-mail: sthompson29236@troy.edu
Anna Shay Wasden
Lecturer
B.S. (快猫成版视频)
Anna Shay has experience as an English as a Second Language Instructor in Spain, helping
students aged 10-18 develop their English-speaking abilities and guiding them to Cambridge
certification. Since August 2020, she has taught remedial English courses at Troy
University, instructing over 300 students. Anna Shay is currently pursuing a Master
of Arts in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of North Alabama as well as
a Master of Science in International Relations at 快猫成版视频. She has attended
literary conferences for F. Scott Fitzgerald in France and Sweden. She has been published
in the Ernest Hemingway Society Newsletter, writing about her experiences living in
Pamplona, Spain. Anna Shay is an avid reader and enjoys travelling.
Katona Weddle
M.A. (Central Missouri State University)
Lecturer of English
Co-Editor, The Sea in the Literary Imagination: Global Perspectives (Cambridge Scholars,
2019). Essays in Publications of the Missouri Philological Association (1998) and
Chair Academy Journal (2002). Co-Organizer, Literature at Sea Conference I (2016)
and II (2018). Co-Organizer Domestic Cats in Literature Conference (2021). Presenter:
Cats in Literature Conference: Men in Black鈥檚 Orion the Cat, Protector of the Galaxy,
a Mouse with a Key Role (2021). Presenter: South Atlantic Modern Language Association:
Expressing Power and Helplessness through Dance in Novels by D. H. Lawrence (2019);
Harsh and Merciless: The Native American Quest for Justice (2020); and Emotional Distancing
and Filling the Void in Dahl鈥檚 Edward the Conqueror (2021). Member, South Atlantic
Modern Language Association.
Troy Campus Office: Smith Hall, Room 250 | Tel. 334-670-5670 | E-mail: kdweddle@troy.edu
Leslie Whatley
Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Lecturer of English
Leslie Whatley is a native of Alabama and a graduate of Auburn University; he received
a Ph.D. from the Creative Writing Program at Florida State University in 2008 and
has been an English teacher since 1997. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Whatley has taught
almost 250 courses in writing and literature and has held teaching positions at Auburn
University, the University of Alabama, and at schools in Greece, Spain, and The Bahamas.
He has been a Lecturer with the English Department at 快猫成版视频 since 2010.
Dr. Whatley鈥檚 publications include essays, poetry, and short stories, and his main
areas of interest are 20th century American literature, experimental fiction, philosophy
and literature, and writing and spirituality. Recent courses include: The Midcentury
American Novel: Post-War Identity (1950-1970), Contemporary Genre Studies: The Superhero
in Literature, The Beat Generation
E-mail: jlwhatley@troy.edu
John Willey
Ph.D. (Florida State University)
Lecturer of English
Dr. John Willey was born immediately after World War II to a U. S. Navy pilot, Pacific-Theater
veteran. He lived the East-Coast, West-Coast, Navy life until the family retired in
Florida. He attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship and was there
with Steve Spurrier (as a player, not coach) and Jack Youngblood. He then attended
the University of West Florida for a year and moved on to Florida State University
to receive a PhD in English. He has written many online courses, taught on military
bases for over thirty years and is now in his twenty-ninth year with 快猫成版视频.
Tel: 850-910-5676 | E-mail: jwilley@troy.edu