" ... UTC prepared me for a successful PhD degree program and, eventually, a job at a PhD granting institution." |
Justin lewisDegrees:
BA Comparative Literature (University of Georgia in Athens), MA English Rhetoric and Composition (UTC), PhD Composition and Cultural Rhetoric (Syracuse University) Career Accomplishments: After finishing his MA at UTC, Justin taught as a full-time instructor in the UTC English Department, covering topics such as Rhetoric & Composition I & II, Western World Literature pre-1600, and some introductory speaking courses in ESL. After finishing his PhD at Syracuse, he took a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Digital Writing at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR. He has taught there for two years. Justin recently took a new tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of English at the University of Nevada where he will be teaching students at the PhD, MA and BA levels. His teaching and research emphases include technical writing, professional writing and writing-in-disciplines. He uses genre as a key analytic that informs his work as a teacher and researcher. Justin's Thoughts on the UTC English Department: The course of study in the MA at UTC was incredible. Because of my heavy literature background, I hadn't done much, if any, work with rhetorical theory, composition theory or writing pedagogy before I started. After one year of coursework, I fell in love with ancient Greek rhetoric and contemporary studies of technology vis-a-vis rhetorical theory. I also gained a practical background in writing pedagogy, allowing me to see, for the first time, how a career as a college instructor might work out for me. While completing the MA I was able to teach part-time to better hone the strategies and tactics I continue to employ as a writing teacher today. In addition to teaching, the close mentorship I received from the UTC English faculty taught me a lot about what it means to be a generous critic and sharp collaborator. I've modeled this behavior in my own career and it has helped me develop positive, lasting relationships with my own students. Because my career has continued in high education, I'm able to maintain relationships and ties to the English faculty at UTC. I can honestly say that the English, and especially Rhetoric and Composition, faculty at UTC prepared me for a successful PhD degree program and, eventually, a job at a PhD granting institution. The field of Writing Studies is relatively small; as such, the reputation of the UTC MA in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric & Composition is well respected. |