Narrative

I earned my Ph.D. in English from the University of Iowa in 1995, where I taught as a graduate instructor in the Rhetoric and General Education programs.  My focus in graduate studies included rhetorical and translational issues in Anglo-Saxon and biblical texts, as well as the oral and written traditions of English folk ballads. After a two-year stint as an assistant professor at a tiny liberal arts college on the east coast, I came to the U of M in 1997. 

My work as a writing teacher and administrator has piqued my interest in the institutional history and place of composition studies, as well as the evolving possibilities of technologies such as blogs and wikis for writing instruction. In my role as a writing program administrator, I particularly enjoy supporting, mentoring, and learning from instructors. 

Outside of academe, I love to camp, canoe, and travel with my wife and two kids.  I'm a baseball fan and youth baseball coach, and I compulsively write songs and play guitar in a couple of bands.