小黄书 English professor takes leadership role as department鈥檚 next head
Contact: Portia Agyapong
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 Mississippi State faculty member steeped in literary knowledge is the new head of the university鈥檚 Department of English.
Professor Lara Dodds begins her leadership role on July 1 after serving as interim department head since last summer. With primary teaching interests in early modern British literature, early modern women鈥檚 writing, and research methods, she said her goal as department head is to further elevate the department鈥檚 teaching and research.
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Rick Travis said, 鈥淒odds is well-informed with the scope of the department and has shown exceptional leadership skills as the interim department head. I look forward to working with her for the progress of the department and the college in general. I hold great confidence in her ability to lead in a time where some look on with circumspection at the importance of the humanities.鈥
Dodds said she wants 鈥渢o help all members of the department excel in the classroom and continue publishing new research in literature, linguistics, creative writing and writing studies.
鈥淚n addition, I hope to continue developing and improving the B.A. and M.A. degree programs in English,鈥 she added. 鈥淲e are particularly excited about hosting our first English Expo this September. This is a recruiting event for local high school students in Mississippi highlighting the academic and career opportunities available with an English major,鈥 she said.
She received both her master鈥檚 and Ph.D. in English with a focus in 17th-century literature from Brown University and her bachelor鈥檚 degree in English from DePauw University.
She is the author of 鈥淭he Literary Invention of Margaret Cavendish鈥 (Duquesne UP, 2013), and the essay 鈥淢ilton鈥檚 Other Worlds,鈥 part of the 鈥淯ncircumscribed Minds: Reading Milton Deeply鈥 series. Her work has appeared in journals and publications such as Milton Studies, Early Modern Studies Journal, Restoration, English Literary Renaissance and The John Donne Journal.
Part of 小黄书鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences, complete details about the Department of English may be found at .
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