Prof. Rachel Strickland
Assistant Director, University Writing Center
Office: PH 325; Phone/Voice Mail: 494-8930
Rachel Strickland earned her MA from MTSU in December 2005 with an emphasis on Children's and Young Adult Literature. Her current research interests include visual rhetoric, composition, writing centers, and popular culture. Each spring she teaches Intro to Peer Tutoring in Writing: Theory and Methods to train undergraduates to tutor in the UWC. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, cooking, watching movies, reading, and pondering the Dharma Initiative.
Conference Papers and Presentations
“Balance, Structure, and a Writing Center Assistant Director Position Statement” with Stacia Watkins. Research Network Forum. College Conference on Composition and Communication. San Francisco, CA. March 2009. Presentation.
“Retelling the Tale: Guessing Where Sambo, Britomart, Ichabod Crane and Others Fit into Bill Willingham’s Fables.” The Popular Culture Association of the South. Louisville, KY. October 2008. Presentation.
“Writing the MTSU University Writing Center History into a Reality.” Research Network Forum. College Conference on Composition and Communication. New Orleans, LA. April 2008. Presentation.
“The Problem of Assistant(s): Solutions to Dealing with Administration Balance in the Writing Center” with Stacia Watkins. Southeastern Writing Center Association. Savannah, GA. February 2008. Presentation.
“It Takes a Village to Raise Lorelai: How the Residents of Stars Hollow Create the 21st Century ‘Nuclear’ Family.” Panel Title: Creativity, Community, and Class: The Gilmore Girls. with Stacia Watkins and Hillary Robson. The Popular Culture Association of the South. Jacksonville, FL. September 2007. Presentation.
“Space Switcharoo: An Exploration of GSA Positions in Flux” with Dr. Trixie Smith and Tanya McLaughlin. International Writing Center Association. Houston, TX. April 2007. Presentation.
“How to Pierce the Brow: Using Art to Teach Writing, Take 2." Research Network Forum. College Conference on Composition and Communication. New York, NY. March 2007.
“How to Transition between Full-time Tutoring and Part-time Instruction: The Cons.” Panel Title: “Fine Tuning: The Morphing of Writing Assistants into Composition Instructors" with Stacia Watkins, Laurel Taylor, and Claire Bates. Southeastern Writing Center Association. Nashville, TN. February 2007. Presentation.
“Full Time in No Time: Using the Time You Have for Professional Development.” Panel Title: “Professional Development on the Fringes of Academia: The Compleat Contingent” with Stacia Watkins, Clifton Kaiser, and Evelyn Beck. National Council of Teachers of English. Nashville, TN. November 2006. Presentation.
“Theorizing Grey’s Anatomy: A Roundtable Discussion of the Hit ABC Series.” with Hillary Robson, Cynthia Burkhead, and Kristi Key. The Popular Culture Association of the South. Savannah, GA. October 2006. Presentation.
“And, Namaste: The Concept of dharma, Being ‘Special,’ and Finding Enlightenment in Lost” with Hillary Robson. Panel Title: “The Battle Continues: Reason, Faith, Enlightenment, and Specialness in Lost’s Mysteries” with Dr. Lynnette Porter. The Popular Culture Association of the South. Savannah, GA. October 2006. Presentation.
“Bravery in the Writing Center: Experimenting with New GSA Positions” with Dr. Trixie Smith and Laurel Taylor. College Conference on Composition and Communication. Chicago, IL. March 2006. Presentation.
“High Brow Meets Pierced Brow: Using Art in the Composition Classroom.” Panel Title: “Believing is Seeing: Using Popular Culture as Visual Rhetoric in Composition Classrooms” with Stacia Watkins, David Taylor, and Emilee’ LeClear. Popular Culture Association of the South. Atlantic Beach, FL. October, 2005. Presentation.
“Guinea Pigs, Teamwork, and Blood Pacts: A Director and Two MA Students Journey through GSAs” with Dr. Trixie Smith. International Writing Center Association. Minneapolis, MN. September 2005. Presentation.
“Child’s Play: Roald Dahl and the Grotesque." The Sixth Bi-Annual Conference of Modern Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature. Nashville, TN. March 2005. Presentation.
“Punking the System: Four Perspectives on Punk Pedagogies” with Chris Driver, Brandon Barker, and Dave Taylor. Southeastern Writing Center Association. Charleston, SC. February 2005. Presentation. Writing Centers in Schools of Faith.” Chair. The Thomas R. Watson Conference. Louisville, KY. October 2004.
“Respectin’ the Least Respected: Teaching Young Adult Literature in Freshman Composition.” The 14th Annual Central New York Conference on Language and Literature. Cortland, NY. October 2004. Presentation.
“Strategically Dynamic Tutors: A Fresh Approach to Student-Centered Sessions” with Gary Morrison and Brandon Barker. Southeastern Writing Center Association. Atlanta, GA. February 2004. Presentation.