About the Department of English
Learn about our department faculty and program offerings.
Department of English
What We Do
Our students learn about literature and creative writing in small classes that focus on the individual. Exploring a variety of genres—from fiction to poetry to film and beyond—our programs develop cultural appreciation for how literature shapes our communities, our globe, and our selves. Students learn to write with clarity and style, to move, persuade, and entertain. By examining the historical and ethical dimensions of literature, they discover the power of language and develop critical thinking and communication skills that are in high demand in today’s competitive job market.
Who We Are
Our faculty ranks among the best in the nation. They include award-winning literary scholars and best-selling creative writers who have been recognized with prestigious fellowships and leadership roles in their professional associations. They have won teaching and mentorship awards at every level and are sought across the nation and world as speakers and authors. They produce innovative scholarship and powerful creative writing, and train students at every level for meaningful careers and vibrant futures.
Welcome from the Chair
In the Department of English, we practice literary studies and creative writing. As scholars and students of literature, we read British, American, and World Literatures from the Medieval period to today, and celebrate and investigate the written word, film, and other media as essential to our history and contemporary society. As creative writers, we move and inform through the craft of fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and other genres. In our classrooms, students strengthen their ability to read, analyze, and communicate in ways that are enduring and adaptable across the professions.
Caroline H Wigginton
Chair and Professor of English
Leadership & Support
Caroline Wigginton
- Chair and Professor of English
Daniel Stout
- Associate Chair and Associate Professor of English
Scott MacKenzie
- Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Jason Solinger
- Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Melissa Ginsburg
- Director of Graduate Creative Writing Programs and Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing
Dustin Parsons
- Director of the BFA in Creative Writing and Senior Lecturer of English and Creative Writing
Myra Gilmore
- Staff Assistant II
April Wootten
- Operations Coordinator II
Meet our Faculty
Meet our Faculty
Our faculty are award-winning teachers, acclaimed scholars, and bestselling authors. They create classroom experiences that are life-changing and will help you throughout your academic career at UM.
American Literatures
Patrick Alexander
- Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Andrew Bishop
- Instructor in English
Leigh Anne Duck
- Associate Professor of English and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Cinema
Timothy Earley
- Instructor in English
Cristin Ellis
- Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Adam Gussow
- Professor of English and Southern Studies
Jaime Harker
- Director of the Isom Center and Professor of English
Max Hipp
- Instructor in English
Kathryn McKee
- Director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, McMullan Professor of Southern Studies, and Professor of English
Richard Purcell
- Hubert H. McAlexander Chair in English and Associate Professor
Justin Raden
- Instructor in English
Peter Reed
- Professor of English
Ethel Scurlock
- Dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Eric Solomon
- Instructor in English
Annette Trefzer
- Professor of English
Alba Tomasula y Garcia
- Instructor in English
Caroline Wigginton
- Chair and Professor of English
British & World Literatures
Adetayo Alabi
- Professor of English
Sarah Baechle
- Associate Professor of English
Clay Cogswell
- Instructor in English
Timothy Earley
- Instructor in English
Ari Friedlander
- Associate Professor of English
Mary Hayes
- Associate Professor of English and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Medieval Studies
Shari Holt
- Instructional Associate Professor in English
Deanna Kreisel
- Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Kate Lechler
- Adjunct Instructor in English and Instructor in Gender Studies
Scott MacKenzie
- Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Kate Needham
- Instructor in English
Justin Raden
- Instructor in English
Karen Raber
- Distinguished Professor of English
Jason Solinger
- Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of English
Daniel Stout
- Associate Chair and Associate Professor of English
Creative Writing
Jerriod Avant
- Writer-in-Residence
Matthew Bondurant
- Professor of English
Beth Ann Fennelly
- Distinguished Professor of English
Tommy Franklin
- Associate Professor of Fiction Writing
Melissa Ginsburg
- Director of Graduate Creative Writing Programs and Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing
Aimee Nezhukumatathil
- Professor of English and Creative Writing
Elizabeth Spencer
- Senior Lecturer in English
Sheila Sundar
- Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing
Michael Wang
- Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing
Leaders Across Campus
Patrick Alexander
- Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Ethel Scurlock
- Dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and Associate Professor of English and African American Studies
Deanna Kreisel
- Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Cristin Ellis
- Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Studies
Jaime Harker
- Director of the Isom Center and Professor of English
Kathryn McKee
- Director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, McMullan Professor of Southern Studies, and Professor of English
Leigh Anne Duck
- Associate Professor of English and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Cinema
Mary Hayes
- Associate Professor of English and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Medieval Studies
Emeritus Faculty
Meet the honorable faculty who have retired from the Department of English.
Our Community
A Place That Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.