Emeritus & Retired Faculty

I was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota and grew up on the windswept prairies of Wyoming. After completing my graduate work at the University of Colorado, I taught writing in Colorado, California, and Seattle before moving to Bowling Green. I was fortunate to work with Alice Rowe in expanding and enhancing the Academic Support Program, which I headed after Dr. Rowe retired. After our move to South Campus, I taught the general English curriculum, in addition to creative writing. I served as Head of Liberal Arts and Science for the Community College for a time, but chose to return to the classroom–my first love.

Inspired by Dr. Catherine Ward, I served as Director of WIT (Women in Transition) from the mid-1990s until my retirement.

I was privileged to receive the Catherine Coogan Ward Feminist Action Award and the WKU Women’s Alliance Award for Outtstanding Contribution to Women.

Before and after retirement from WKU, I was a workshop director for the International Women’s Writing Guild at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. I continue to do various writing workshop.

Since retiring, I’ve devoted myself to writing short stories, plays and essays.  I also maintain a blog devoted to writing: thefirststraw.com. 

Books published: Nothing’s Ever Right or Wrong: A Novel (set in the Bowling Green area); Authentic Voices: Oral History and the Art of Creative Eavesdropping (a how-to manual); Frontier Justice With a Vengeance: The Execution of Clinton Dotson (nonfiction), and Blue Moon Rising: Kentucky Women in Transition.