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Title

Director and Professor of English

Office Building

Pugsley Center

Office

301A

Mailing Address

Pugsley Cont Ed Center 301A
English-Box 2218
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Education

• B.A. in english/education, minor in philosophy | South Dakota State University | 1994
• M.A. in english: language and rhetoric | South Dakota State University | 1988
• Ph.D. in english: American literature/film studies | University of Kentucky | 2004

Academic Interests

• American Literature
  • Modern/postmodern literature
  • DeLillo and Pynchon studies
  • war literature, specifically Vietnam to present
  • Westerns
  • Adaptation studies
• Film Studies
  • War films
  • Westerns
  • Adaptation studies
• Professional and technical writing
• Professional development:
  • Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), Portland, November 2021.
  • ������Ƶ Jackrabbit Philanthropy Academy, 2019.
  • Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), Denver, November 2017.
  • ������Ƶ Leadership Academy, 2013-14.
  • ������Ƶ Department Head Retreat, 2013.
  • ������Ƶ Educational Technology Center Active Learning Cloud Academy, July 2010.
  • Ohio State University Digital Media and Composition Conference, June 2006.
  • Michigan Technological University, Computers in the Writing Intensive Classroom Conference, July 2004.

Academic Responsibilities

• Department head of English, 2012-present.
• Acting associate dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, 2017-18.
• Coordinator of professional writing, 2004-10; 2011-present.
• Acting department head of English, 2010-12.
• English graduate advisor, 2009-10.
• Directed 10 M.A. students to degree completion by thesis or written examination and served on seventeen additional graduate student degree committees.

Committees and Professional Memberships

Committees

• Chair of the Ness School of Management and Economics Endowed Director search committee (2021-22)
• Chair of the School of Design Director search committee (2017-18)
• Imagine 2023 Strategic Planning Committee (2017-2018)
• ������Ƶ College Realignment Task Force (2017-18)
• ������Ƶ Quality Initiative for Assessment Steering Committee (2015-present)
• Modern Language Association (MLA) International Bibliography (2019-present): Advisory Committee on the MLA International Bibliography, March 2019-2022 (three year term). By invitation from the MLA Executive Council. Appointed Chair for 2021-22., August 2012-present
• International EBSCO Literature Editorial Board (2017-present): Serve on twenty-person international advisory board
• South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) Speaker’s Bureau/Scholarly Speaker, 2010-present.  
• 2017 Project Consultant and Keynote Speaker, SDHC “Rapid City Area Big Read” (Tim O’Brien’s Vietnam War novel, The Things They Carried).
• 2007-08 Project Consultant, SDHC “The Big Read” (Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451), (2008).
• South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) Board of Directors (2013-15; 2016-17): Nominated and subsequently elected (August 2013) to the SDHC Board of Directors (re-elected for second term in July 2016 and resigned in good standing in June 2017 due to appointment as Acting Associate Dean at ������Ƶ). Served as Grants Committee Chair, 2013-15 and 2016-17.
• Literature and Medicine Group (2011-17): Coordinator, Literature and Medicine Group, Sioux Falls VA Health System, 2011-17. Led war literature and film discussions for VA hospital staff. Program Consultant, 2017-present.

Professional Memberships

• Modern Language Association (MLA), 1998-present

Awards and Honors

• 2022-2023, Dr. Harold and Barbara Bailey Award for Excellence in Academic Department/School Leadership
• 2022-2023, Department/School Early Alert Award for Excellence
• 2019, MLA Award for Achievement: For Distinguished Contributions Made as Fellow for the MLA International Bibliography, 2015-18.
• 2016, ������Ƶ F. O. Butler Excellence in Service Award.
• 2015-2016, ������Ƶ Excellence in Departmental Leadership in Support of Veterans Affairs.
• 2014-2015, ������Ƶ Excellence in Departmental Leadership in Support of Veterans Affairs.
• 2013, ������Ƶ Excellence in Departmental Leadership and Support of Honors.
• 2010, ������Ƶ Victor Webster Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Lecture Award for Outstanding Teaching, Scholarship, and Service.
• 2003, UK English Department Outstanding Teacher of Literature.
• 2002, UK Association of Emeritus Faculty Scholarship, $2,000, for excellence in teaching.
• 2000, UK English Department Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant.
• 1998, ������Ƶ English Department Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
• 1998, ������Ƶ Vera Way Marghab Award, $2,000, for outstanding graduate student essay.

Grants

• GTA Support for Global Foundation Program specialist in the Writing Center. South Dakota Humanities Council CARES Grant, 2021, $5,000.
• ������Ƶ Scholarly Excellence Award, 2008-18, $500-600.00, for conference travel.
• 2008 ������Ƶ New Ideas Grant, $1100.00, for Research/Guest Lecturer Funds for ENGL/GS 380: Futuristic Communications.
• 2007 ������Ƶ Griffith Faculty Development Award, $2000.00, for War, Virtual War, and Human Security International Conference, Budapest, Hungary.
• 2007 ������Ƶ New Ideas Grant, $800.00, for promotion of the professional writing minor.
• 2006 ������Ƶ New Ideas Grant, $5500.00, for Research/Start-Up Funds for ENGL/GS 380.
• 2006 ������Ƶ New Ideas Grant, $3500.00, for Digital Media and Composition Conference.

Work Experience

• 2012-present, department head of English, South Dakota State University
• 2017-2018, acting associate dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, South Dakota State University
• 2004-2010, 2011-present, coordinator of professional writing, South Dakota State University
• 2010-2012, acting department head of English, South Dakota State University
• 2009-2010, English graduate advisor, South Dakota State University
• 2014-present, professor, South Dakota State University
• 2005-present, academic advisor, South Dakota State University
• 2008-2014, associate professor, South Dakota State University
• 2005-2008, assistant professor, South Dakota State University
• January 2004-2005, assistant professor, Visiting, South Dakota State University
• 2001-2007 (summers), lecturer, UK Robinson Scholars Writing Workshop
• 2001-2002, research assistant (for Dr. Gregory A. Waller), UK
• 1999-2000, mentor, UK Writing Program
• 1998-2003, UK graduate teaching assistant and writing center tutor
• 1996-1998, South Dakota State University graduate teaching assistant and writing center tutor
• 1995-1996, Weiser (Idaho) high school English teacher

Areas of Research

• American literature
• Film studies
• War literature and film (specifically Vietnam  to present)
• Adaptation studies.

Publications

• Published 11 peer-reviewed essays/articles/reviews, including “Together, We Ride: Partners and Posses in the Contemporary Western Action Film” (with Sharon Smith) in New Riders of the Cinematic Sage: The 21st Century Western in Film and Television (2019) and “The Last Palace Standing: Mitchell’s Corn Palace and the Rise of an Iconic Sports Venue” in Iconic Sports Venues: Persuasion in Public Spaces (2016).
• Delivered over 75 peer-reviewed or invited lectures at local, regional, national, and international conferences and related proceedings.