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Mt. Stuart History by a CWU Poet
Virginia Mack
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Department of English
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Assistant Professor of English
Curriculum Vitae | Awards & Publications
Virginia Mack grew up in a small town in North Carolina, but she has called Ellensburg home for most of her adult life. She received her BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an MEd from Colorado State University, an MA in English from Central Washington University, and a PhD from University College Dublin (Ireland). Her primary research area is twentieth century Anglo-Irish literature and drama with a focus on Irish women's fiction. She has made frequent conference presentations and published articles in her area of specialization. Her primary course load is in the General Education curriculum. While teaching and reading are her first loves, travel is her second. She goes to Ireland frequently to do research, and for the past three years she has directed and taught a class there during spring break. For the winter of 2007, she has been appointed as visiting faculty member for the Northwest Council on Study Abroad (NCSA) in their London Center. She will teach a class on Virginia Woolf and Bloomsbury.
Curriculum Vitae
Education:
- Ph.D., Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama, University College, Dublin, 2001. Doctoral Thesis: "Woman and Nation: Val Mulkerns and the Aesthetics of Radical Ambiguity" Director: Catriona Clutterbuck
- M.A., English, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, 1986. Thesis: "Memphis as Crucible: The Trip to Memphis in the Works of William Faulkner." Distinguished Thesis Award, Central Washington University , 1986
- M.Ed., Concentration in English. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 1972
- B.A., Major: English; Minor: Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1967
Professional Experience:
- Assistant Professor , full-time, non-tenure track, English, CWU, 1989-present
- Assistant Director, William O. Douglas Honors College, CWU, 2004-2005
- Interim Director, McNair Scholars Program, CWU, 2002-2004
- Interim Director, William O. Douglas Honors College, CWU, spring 2002
- Lecturer, English, CWU, 1986-1989
Courses Taught:
- Eng. 102 (Research)
- Eng. 105 (Introduction to Literature)
- Eng. 301 (Argumentation)
- Special Topics: English 596, The Abbey Theatre: 1897-present
- English 398, Irish Writing: City and Country, spring break, 2006. Developed, directed, and taught in this faculty-led program in Dublin , Ireland , which focused upon twentieth century Irish prose, film, and drama.
- English/DHC 398, Irish Writing and Revolution, spring break, 2005.
- Developed, directed, and taught in this faculty-led program in Dublin , Ireland , which focused upon twentieth century Irish prose, film, and drama.
- English/DHC 398, Irish Writing and Culture, spring break 2004.
- Developed, directed, and taught in this faculty-led program in Dublin , Ireland , which focused upon twentieth century Irish poetry, prose, drama, and film.
- William O. Douglas Honors College : Senior Colloquium and Lecture, 2000-2005
- William O. Douglas Honors College : Senior Thesis Class, 2003-2005
- British Lit. Survey III (20th Century), spring 1993
Awards & Publications
Teaching Awards and Honors:
- Visiting professor, NCSA (Northwest Council on Study Abroad), London Centre, winter 2007
- Exchange professor, Department of English Literatures and Cultures, University of Pecs , Hungary , spring 1999.
Publications :
"Mary Beckett."Irish Women Writers: An A-To-Z Guide . Ed. Alexander
G. Gonzales. Westport , CT : Greenwood : 2005.
"Val Mulkerns."Irish Women Writers: An A-To-Z Guide. Ed. Alexander
G. Gonzales.Westport, CT: Greenwood : 2005.
"Challenging the Authority of the Lonely Voice: Val Mulkerns and the
Technique of Radical Ambiguity," New Voices in Irish Criticism 3 . Ed. Karen Vandeveld. Dublin : Four Courts Press, 2002. 94-101.
Review of William Trevor: The Writer and His Work , by Dolores
MacKenna. Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies 5.1 (1999): 268-69.
"An Interview with Sebastian Barry." The Irish Literary Supplement: A
Review of Irish Books 18.1 (1999): 24-26. Co-authored with Shannon Hopkins.
Selected Papers Presented at Professional Meetings and Other Participation :
"An Introduction to the Work of Michael Coady," American Conference
for Irish Studies, Western Regional Meeting, Greeley , Colorado : Oct. 2004.
"The Aesthetics of Radical Ambiguity in the Works of Val Mulkerns and
Mary Beckett," American Conference for Irish Studies, National Meeting, Milwaukee , Wisconsin : June 2002.
"Val Mulkerns and the Technique of Radical Ambiguity," New Voices
Conference, Galway , Ireland : Feb. 2001.
"Val Mulkerns and Censorship," National Meeting, American Conference
for Irish Studies, Carbondale , Illinois : May 1996.
"Sebastian Barry's White Woman Street ," American Conference for Irish
Studies, Western Regional Meeting, San Francisco : Oct. 1996.
"We Are Still Not Saved: Val Mulkerns'The Summer House ," American
Conference for Irish Studies, Western Regional Meeting, Corvallis , Oregon : Oct. 1994.
"An Introduction to the Work of Val Mulkerns," American Conference for
Irish Studies, Midwestern Regional Meeting, Carbondale , Illinois : Oct.1992.
Discussion Leader, Post-Play Discussion. Topic: Discriminatory Themes
in The Merchant of Venice , Central Washington University : Nov. 1992.
Speaker, English Department Public Lecture Series, Central Washington
University . Topic: Faulkner: Jan. 1990.
Membership and Offices Held in Professional Societies:
President, Western Region, American Conference for Irish Studies: 2003-2005.
Executive Committee Member, American Conference for Irish Studies: 2003-2005.
Member, International Association for the Study of Irish Literature.
Teaching and Research Interests:
Twentieth Century Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama
Irish Women Writers and Feminist Theory
Post Colonial Theory and Irish Writing
Joyce, Woolf, Faulkner and Modernism
Participation in Professional Conferences and Academic Summer Schools
Western Regional Honors Conference, University of Nevada , Las Vegas , spring 2005. Five senior Honors College students presented papers.
Western Regional Honors Conference, University of Montana , Missoula . spring, 2004. Two senior Honors College students presented papers.
James Joyce Summer School, Dublin , Ireland . Summer 1998. This summer school was supported by grants from the Dean of Arts and Humanities and from the Office of International Studies and Programs.
Current Graduate Faculty Status:
Associate member of graduate faculty since 2005
Co-chair, thesis committee, Jeanine Bator, English, present
Thesis committee, member, Angie Maurina, Department of Education, spring 2005
Senior thesis committee, member, Mark Cole, Douglas Honors College, 2005-2006
Other Academic Contributions:
Director of Internship for Leslie Chamberlain, Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, winter, 2006
Douglas Honors College , Lecturer, James Joyce
Douglas Honors College , Lecturer, Virginia Woolf
University Service
General Education Committee, Department of English, 2005-Present
Office of Undergraduate Research Advisory Committee, 2002-Present
Judge, SOURCE Meetings, Spring 2005
Student Support Services Advisory Committee, 2002-2005
Search Committee: Academic Advisor, Student Support Services, Fall 2004
Search Committee: Vice President for Development, CWU: Summer 2004
Search Committee: Development Officers for College of Arts and Humanities, College of the Sciences, College of Business, and Library: Spring and Summer 2004
William O. Douglas Honors College Visioning Committee: Spring 2003
College of Arts and Humanities Scholars Committee: 2001-02
Volunteer, History Day: Spring 2002
Session Chair, SOURCE Meetings: Spring 2002
English Dept News
Congratulations to Professional and Creative Writing Major Olivia Abt for her poem in 99 Pine Street
Congratulations Sandra Wells!Congratulations to Online Professional and Creative Writing Major Sandra Wells on her publication in
EGSA Fundraiser Event - Live Music Thursday May 11
