Disciplinary Interests: composition

Diane K. Lofstrom Miniel
Diane K. Lofstrom Miniel recently obtained her MFA in Creative Writing, Creative Nonfiction, and Certificate of Advanced Study in Composition from CSU Fresno. As of fall 2010, she will be teaching English Composition at the University of Nevada, Reno as a term lecturer. While a graduate student, she was the past president of Students of English Studies Association and the San Joaquin Literary Association. She was the creative nonfiction editor for the 2005 issue of the San Joaquin Review. She also served on the Campus Advisory Fees Committee and Task Force for Graduate Culture. Her essay "Mystery Spot" aired on local Fresno radio station KVPR's Valley Writers Read, 89.3 FM, on Jan. 7, 2009 and is available online.
Janice McKendrick
Ms. Janice McKendrick is the founding Director for the Centre for Public Policy & Knowledge, and a Sessional Professor at the University of Prince Edward Island. She has presented research papers for professional organizations such as the Association for Donor Professionals (ADRP) and the International Small Islands Association (ISISA) Academically, Ms. McKendrick completed a Bachelor of Arts with first class distinction in both English and Political Studies in 2002. She earned a diploma in public administration at the University of Prince Edward Island in 2001. She went on to become the first student to complete the Master of Arts degree in Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island in 2006. Following the completion of her M.A., Ms. McKendrick continued to perform much needed recruitment and community development services in her health care profession. In 2008, Ms. McKendrick began teaching adult learners how to acquire academic credit for prior learning in the workplace using PLAR processes at the University of Prince Edward Island. This pioneer University 193 course transitions adult learners into the University of Prince Edward Island Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree program. As well, Ms. McKendrick’s certification as an ISTP trainer has led to her comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the theoretical principles and methodology associated with teaching adults workplace skills in professional and clinical environments. In previous teaching positions, Ms. McKendrick taught numerous small business development and accounting courses. As an Adult Training Instructor responsible for curriculum development, program revisions and course delivery in a broad range of learning environments and subjects, she acquired considerable experience teaching workplace training skills to adults from disadvantaged groups, graduate and undergraduate students, community volunteers and adult learners entering the workforce either for the first time or after an extended absence. For a pilot program she co-initiated, she taught intellectually and physically disabled adults how to read and write. She was a member of the Steering Committee responsible for publishing “Stepping Forward: Including Volunteers with Intellectual Disabilities” in 2006. As well, Ms. McKendrick served as a researcher for the Prince Edward Island Task Force on Student Achievement, a report that resulted in $13 million in funding for new K-12 projects. She has completed considerable research in public policy and legislation, making numerous presentations to Standing Committees and Legislative Hearings. She spearheaded the implementation of Freedom of Information and Privacy legislation in Prince Edward Island in the early 1990’s, and, as an elected Director for Parents Opposed to Government Waste in Education, reversed the government imposed, mandatory Textbook Fee. Another significant accomplishment for which Ms. McKendrick was primarily responsible was the changing of the Health Care Identification system from the previously used Social Insurance Numbers to numerical identifiers specific to healthcare. Ms. McKendrick’s current project involves writing a book entitled, “When Inspiration Whispers: The Mantra of the Academy.” Ms. McKendrick is particularly proud of her five adult children and eight grandchildren.
Stephen Carson
Stephen Carson is External Relations Director for MIT OpenCourseWare (http://ocw.mit.edu). His responsibilities include sustainability initiatives; strategic partnerships with other organizations; MIT OCW's support of opencourseware projects at other institutions; special projects in priority areas; and project evaluation. Stephen is also currently serving as the first president of the OpenCourseWare Consortium. Stephen has previously served in numerous other positions on the senior management and publication teams for MIT OCW. In the early stages of the program, Stephen developed a mission-critical workflow tracking database still in use; implemented a department liaison program that remains OCW's key interface with academic departments; and managed the publication of 100 of the first 500 courses to be published on the site. Prior to joining the MIT OCW team, Stephen served as Associate Director of Emerson College's Division of Continuing Education in Boston, where - in addition to managing core academic activities of the division - he developed and taught Emerson's first asynchronous, Web-based distance learning course. Stephen earned his MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College, and taught creative and expository writing there for five years.
Ryan Cordell
Ryan Cordell is Assistant Professor of English and Director of Writing-Across-the-Curriculum at St. Norbert College. He is currently working on a digital edition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "The Celestial Railroad," which can be found at http://celestialrailroad.org.
Trent Batson
English professor at Michigan State, George Washington University, Gallaudet University, Carnegie Mellon; academic technology director at Gallaudet and University of Rhode Island. Communications Strategist, Office of Educational Innovation and Technology, MIT. Editor, Campus Technology web 2.0 newsletter. Chair of the Board, The Open Source Portfolio Initiative. Director, Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-Based Learning.
Debra Ballard
Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Otis College of Art and Design
Jason Stuart
Jason Stuart is a graduate student in English (composition and professional writing) at Case Western Reserve University.
wallen@astate.edu
b. Tuscaloosa, AL; BA U of Alabama, masters and doctorate Johns Hopkins, at Arkansas State University once served as chair of art department and as dean of the college of fine arts; created center to assist faculty with new technologies, a project that continues