ULM English Program

Congratulation to Dr. Patrick Morgan on the publication of his poem, "Words for the Living." The poem meditates on how we relate to loved ones who have died. It was published this past month in Valiant Scribe and can be read (for the time being) here: < https://www.valiantscribe.com/post/words-for-the-living-a-poem-by-patrick-morgan >. Read the poem now and remember it in your heart because the poem itself will disappear on October 25, 2026, never to be physically seen again.

Words for the Living, a Poem by Patrick Morgan I am in the water of your tears, the intake of your breath, the pressure of your knees as you kneel in depths of solitude and sorrow, half-remembered Bible verses, the memories of picnics and birthdays and family dinners

As we continue highlighting our lecturers for the "Focus on the Faculty" series, we're excited to introduce Ms. Dawson Jacobs to y'all!

Dawson Jacobs is a Ph.D. student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her research focuses on medieval and early modern literature that explores the intersections of power, identity, and community. As an instructor at ULM, she teaches and creates literature and composition courses for both in-person and virtual learning environments. Blending her background in anatomy with literature, Dawson is passionate about helping students uncover literature’s intertextuality. She is the coordinator for ULM’s Freshman Best Essay Contest, which encourages students to showcase their creative writing through campus wide engagement. Outside the classroom, she enjoys traveling and adding new titles to her diverse book collection.

Hi all! We hope y'all's week is off to a good start!

We are continuing with our "Focus on the Faculty" series with Ms. Tia Smith, one of our lecturers. Lecturers are essential to our students' and program's success, often serving as the first English faculty member students meet in First Year Writing or sophomore-level literature classes.

Please meet Ms. Smith:

Hi! My name is Tia Smith, and I've been an English instructor at ULM for two years. Other than enjoying teaching freshman English classes and the occasional American or World Literature course, my passions lie in creative writing and Black literature. Specifically, I love writing poetry and fiction about different family structures and experiences. I also like learning about the history of African American folklore. I hope to continue growing into an instructor who learns from and is respected by her students and peers.

Next up in our "Focus on the Faculty" series is Dr. Josh Chase!

Josh Chase came to ULM in 2022 after completing a PhD in Rhetoric, Theory, and Culture at Michigan Technological University. He lives in West Monroe with his wife, two children, and their dog .

Dr. Chase teaches courses in rhetoric and professional writing and coordinates tutoring services at the Write Place. He is the Tommy and Mary Barham Endowed Professor in English. His past publications examined the rhetorical construction of conspiracy culture and the hidden genres of workplace communication. His current work explores the relationship(s) between craft, technology, and human storytelling and argument-making in the design and use of everyday objects.

We're happy to start out the week with another faculty profile in our "Focus on the Faculty Series," as we introduce our specialist in Creative Writing, Professor Vanelis Rivera:

Vanelis Rivera is a Puerto Rican writer of nonfiction born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and raised in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. She received her MFA from the University of New Orleans and her MA from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). She is an assistant professor of English Literature at ULM and a contributing writer for BayouLife Magazine where she focuses extensively on the culture and lifestyle of Northeast Louisiana. Her personal essays have been published in the Peauxdunque Review and Callaloo Literary Journal. Currently, she holds an Endowed Professorship in English to complete a memoir mapping her upbringing on the island of St. Croix. She lives with her three-legged cat Peggy and a yard teeming with knobby crawfish mounds.

Our "Focus on the Faculty" series continues with Dr. Jaleesa Harris. If you don't know her, you should!

Jaleesa Harris, PhD, is an assistant professor of English and a L.M. McKneely Endowed Professor. She teaches Africana courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as British literature and Southern literature. She established the university’s first interdisciplinary Black Studies Minor. She also serves on the board of the Women’s Symposium, a community and university collaboration that connects women of all educational and professional levels.

Hi y'all--we hope you had a wonderful holiday!

We're continuing our "Focus on the Faculty" series with Dr. Meredith McKinnie!

Dr. McKinnie earned her doctorate in Rhetoric & Composition from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her research explores invitational rhetorics, feminist pedagogies, and equitable grading practices, with an emphasis on compassion-based approaches to institutional communication. In addition to teaching and designing courses in advanced grammar, feminist studies, and composition, she directs First-Year Writing at ULM. She has written and facilitated several grants funded by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, supporting reading discussions, writing workshops, and oral history projects. She also writes for BayouLife Magazine, contributing book reviews, ULM alumni profiles, feature articles, and a monthly column.

Before we return to our "Focus on the Faculty" series, we certainly want to congratulate one of our alumni, Will Ryan, whose most recent achievement at the University of Michigan is worth celebrating!

Upon completing his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Michigan in May, ULM English graduate Will Ryan (BA '22) received the 2025-26 Helen Zell Writers’ Program Notable Thesis Award!

Please join us in congratulating Will!

The faculty of the English Program are here for the students--so, we're happy to highlight David Brasher, who will graduate with his MA in English at the end of June. David recently passed his Comprehensive Exams, earning distinction and the praise of his committee, chaired by Dr. Oldfather. Dr. Morgan and Dr. Rogers were happy to serve as committee members!

In David's own words:

My time in the English graduate program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic and professional life. From late-evening meetings with professors to engaging discussions about novels that will stay with me forever (Mrs. Dalloway and Brideshead Revisited are must- reads!), the program challenged me to become a stronger reader, writer, and critical thinker.

This fall, I will begin teaching English IV at St. Thomas High School in Houston, where I look forward to sharing my love of literature with the next generation of readers and writers. As I begin this new chapter, I am deeply grateful to the English Department for its support and mentorship. A special thank you to Dr. Giles, Dr. Oldfather, Dr. Rogers, Dr. McKinnie, Dr. Haedicke, Ms. Rivera, and the many other faculty members who invested their time and energy in helping me become a better reader, thinker, and educator. Their guidance has made all the difference, and I will carry those lessons with me throughout my career.

At the end of the second week of our "Focus on the Faculty" series, we'd like to introduce Dr. Patrick Morgan:

Dr. Morgan is an Associate Professor of English at ULM. He loves researching early and nineteenth-century American literature, especially the connections between science and literature. Here he is with his contribution to The Oxford Handbook of Ralph Waldo Emerson (“Transcendental Geologies: Emerson, Anti-Slavery, and the Kairos of Deep Time”). A copy of this book is located at the ULM library, call number PS1638.O9 2024. Most of all, he loves teaching the wonders of American literature and involving students in memorable projects, such as his science writing course where every student became a published writer: < https://www.ulm.edu/news/2022/patrick_morgans_class_031022hy.html >.