KAREN E. WEEKES
Assistant Professor
Penn State Abington
English Department
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, Pennsylvania 19001
215-881-7656
EDUCATION
Ph.D., English, May 2000; University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Major areas: American literature, creative nonfiction, contemporary fiction, women’s writing. Dissertation: “Creating a Self: Contemporary American Women’s Short Story Cycles.” Director: Dr. James Nagel.
Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate, December 1997; University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Major areas: classroom gender issues, women’s contemporary fiction.
M.A., English (Creative Writing Program), August 1994; University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Major areas: poetry and prose writing, American literature. Thesis: “Settling,” a collection of creative nonfiction and poetry. Director: Dr. James Kilgo.
B.A., English, summa cum laude, August 1985; Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. Major area: British literature.
PUBLICATIONS
Essays:
“Taking Stock in Live People: Using Contemporary Literary Journals in the American Literature Classroom.” Pedagogy. In press.
“Multi-Ethnic Identity and Denise Chavez’s The Last of the Menu Girls.” Blackwell’s
Companion to the American Short Story. Eds. James Nagel and Alfred Bendixen.
Blackwell, in press.
“Postmodernism in Women’s Short Story Cycles: Lorrie Moore’s Anagrams.” The Postmodern Short Story: Forms and Issues. Eds. Farhat Iftekharrudin, Joseph Boyden, Mary Rohrberger, and Jaie Claudet. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003. 94-106.
“Identity in the Short Story Cycles of Lorrie Moore.” Journal of the Short Story in English. 39 (Fall 2002): 109-22.
XXX
“Poe’s Feminine Ideal.” The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Kevin Hayes. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002. 148-62.
“Northern Bias in Constance Fenimore Woolson’s Rodman the Keeper.” Southern Literary
Journal 25.2 (Spring 2000): 102-15.
“‘Something is not right!’: Sophie and Madeline in Minot's ‘Party Blues,’” Notes on
Contemporary Literature 27 (March 1997): 6-8.
Reference Articles:
“Girl,” “Jamaica Kincaid,” “Mary Hood,” “Lust,” “Susan Minot,” “Lorrie Moore,” “Rodman the Keeper,” “Constance Fenimore Woolson,” “Say Yes,” and “Tobias Wolff.” The Facts on File Companion to the American Short Story. Ed. Abby Werlock. New York: Facts on File, 2000.
Workbook:
The Longman Workbook for Writers and Readers. New York: Longman, 1996.
Book Reviews:
A Song I Knew By Heart, by Bret Lott. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 26 August 2004: E2.
The Master Butcher’s Singing Club, by Louise Erdrich. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 9 February 2003: H14.
Career Strategies for Women in Academe: Arming Athena, by Lynn H. Collins, Joan C. Chrisler, and Kathryn Quina. Women’s Studies International Forum 23 (2000): 135-36.
The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing, by Melissa Bank. The Georgia Review 54 (Spring 2000): 176-77.
Rethinking Feminist Identification: The Case for de Facto Feminism, by Patrica S. Misciagno. Women’s Studies International Forum 22 (1999): 127-28.
In the Wilderness: Coming of Age in Unknown Country, by Kim Barnes. The Georgia Review 51 (Fall 1997): 593-94.
The Other Door, by Karen Heuler. The Georgia Review 50 (Fall 1996): 624-25.
Listening to Mozart, by Charles Wyatt. The Georgia Review 50 (Summer 1996): 418-19.
PRESENTATIONS
Scholarly:
• international/national
“Gender and the ‘Producers’ of Knowledge.” (Re)Examining Race and Gender (sponsored by the Center for the Study of Justice in Society, Seattle University) Seattle, WA, March 4-5, 2005.
“IM4U: Self-Presentation in Internet Dating Profiles.” International Conference on Language and Social Psychology, State College, PA, June 30-July 3, 2004.
“Drop That Quilt and Get Naked: Women and the Fine Arts.” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, Milwaukee, WI, June 17-20, 2004.
“Beyond the Anthology: Exploring Literary Journals.” American Literature Association Conference, San Francisco, CA, May 27-30, 2004.
“Contemporary Feminist Short-Story Cycles.” American Literature Association Conference, San Francisco, CA, May 27-30, 2004.
“Tales out of School: Academic Women’s Autobiographies.” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, New Orleans, LA, June 19-22, 2003.
“The Schisms of the Female Poet-Scholar Self.” Language-Communication-Culture
Conference, Evora, Portugal, Nov. 27-30, 2002.
“Wolves at the Sledge: Louise Erdrich’s ‘The Shawl’ and Willa Cather’s My Antonia.” American Literature Association Contemporary Literature Symposium, Santa Fe, NM, Oct. 25-28, 2001.
“Female American Identity in Kingston’s The Woman Warrior,” American Literature
Conference, Cambridge, MA, May 24-27, 2001.
“Will the Real Me Please Stand Still?: The Angst of Female Identity in Contemporary Films,” 26th Annual Conference on Film and Literature, Tallahassee, FL, Feb. 1-3, 2001.
“Ordering a Self: Multi-Ethnic Identity in Chavez’s The Last of the Menu Girls,” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, Albuquerque, NM, June 17-20, 1999.
“Identity and the Short Story Cycles of Lorrie Moore,” American Literature Association Conference, Baltimore, MD, May 27-30, 1999.
“Women’s Identity and the Short Story Cycle: Lorrie Moore’s Anagrams,” Fifth International Conference on the Short Story in English, New Orleans, LA, June 27-30, 1998.
“Who’s Talking?: Gender Equity in On-Line Classroom Discussions,” Writing the Future: Writing and Computers 10 Conference, Brighton, England, September 1997.
““Northern Bias in Woolson’s Rodman the Keeper: Southern Sketches,” American Literature Association Symposium on the Short Story, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, November 1995.
“Andersonville, Georgia: The Setting for Constance Fenimore Woolson’s ‘Rodman the Keeper,’” American Literature Association Symposium on American Realism, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, November 1993.
• regional
“This Just In: Contemporary Literary Journals in the American Literature Classroom,” South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 4-6, 1999.
“Life In-Between: Contemporary Depictions of Adolescence,” South Central Modern
Language Association Conference, Memphis, TN, October 28-30, 1999.
“Lost in Space?: Classroom Technology Meets Teaching Issues,” Lilly Southeastern Teaching Conference, Athens, GA, May 22-24, 1998.
“Mouth to Mouth: How Book Groups Keep Reading Alive and Well,” American Culture Association of the South Conference, Savannah, GA, October 1996.
“Rhetoric in Woody Allen’s Husbands and Wives,” Popular Culture Association of the South Conference, Charlotte, NC, October 1994.
• state/local
“Where Do We Go from Here?: Computers and Gender in Education,” Faculty Research Series, Penn State Abington, March 2001.
“Why Women’s Studies?” Radio Commentary, WUGA (Athens Public Radio), March 31, 1999.
“The Scholarship of Teaching,” Interdisciplinary University of Georgia TA Mentor session, Athens, GA, February 22, 1999.
“Virtually Equal?: Classroom Discussions and Gender,” Women’s Studies Noon Speaker Series, Athens, GA, November 13, 1998.
“Domestic Violence,” Radio Commentary, WUGA (Athens Public Radio), October 30, 1998.
“Creative Nonfiction,” Georgia Student Press Association, Athens, GA, October 26, 1998.
“Gender Issues in Our Very Own Freshman English Classes,” University of Georgia TA
Mentor Series, Athens, GA, April 1997.
Creative:
Poetry & creative nonfiction reading, National Women’s Studies Association, New Orleans, LA, June 20, 2003.
Poetry reading, South Atlantic Modern Language Association, Atlanta, GA, November 5, 1998.
Four readings of poetry and creative nonfiction at Old Black Dog Bookstore in Writers’ Bloc Reading Series, including a reading featuring Robert Dana, 1993-96.
Two readings of creative nonfiction on “The Commons” WUGA radio program, 1994, 1995.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor, English & Women’s Studies, Penn State Abington, 2000-present. Responsible for a variety of writing and literature classes, including the design of ENGL 417, The Editing Process. Advisor for student literary magazine.
Courses taught:
Women Writers (cross-listed with Women’s Studies) Senior Seminar on Postmodernism
Advanced Business Writing The Editing Process
American Literature from 1865 Introduction to Creative Writing
Introduction to Critical Reading (Literary Theory) Basic Writing Skills
Freshman Seminar on Issues in Women’s Health Traditions in American Literature
Understanding Literature (Honors Seminar) Introduction to Women’s Studies
Teaching Assistant, English Department, University of Georgia, 1993-2000. In addition to planning and teaching the courses listed below, I also:
$ supervised novice teachers in the English department’s apprenticeship program
$ helped to establish departmental teaching assistant mentorship program
$ conducted departmental workshops in writing and mechanics
$ established and utilized computer newsgroup for sophomore discussion sections
$ class-tested Daedalus and Norton Connect computer programs for composition
$ class-tested HarperCollins Handbook for Writers and Readers
$ graded Regents’ Exams
English courses taught (unless otherwise noted, I had sole responsibility for courses, including syllabi design, lesson plans, exams, and grading) :
ENG 101 Composition I - topical/persuasive essays; computer-assisted
ENG 101 Special topic: Gender Issues (designed and implemented course)
ENG 102 Composition II - literary analysis; computer-assisted
ENG 233 Survey of American Literature, through 1865
ENG 234 Survey of American Literature, 1865-present (assisted Dr. James Nagel in 150-student lecture sessions, responsible for two 25-student discussion groups)
ENGL 3000 Introduction to English Studies (assisted Dr. Nelson Hilton in 150-student lecture sessions, responsible for two 25-student discussion groups)
Visiting Instructor, Women’s Studies, University of Georgia, 1998-2000. Planned and am chief instructor for multi-cultural course, including twice-weekly lectures to class of 100 students; supervise Teaching Assistants who run discussion sections; coordinate guest speakers and activities; design and maintain WebCT computer site and links for courses.
Women’s Studies courses taught:
WMST 1110 Multicultural Perspectives on Women (100-student lecture class)
WMST 2010 Introduction to Women’s Studies
Computer Support TA, University of Georgia, 1998-99. Assisted in the design and implementation of a computer support program encompassing all sections of introductory composition taught at UGA. This included:
$ training instructors in basic computer skills (Internet use, MS Word, Windows, and e-mail programs) and in how to teach these skills to undergraduates
$ assisting in selected classrooms to model strategies for incorporating computers and teaching students to use them
$ leading computer orientations for undergraduates
$ acting as on-call resource for instructors with pedagogical or technical needs
Writing Center Assistant Director, University of Georgia, 1999-2000. Scheduled and supervised staff of eleven tutors; trained new tutors; co-wrote grant proposal for Writing Center video and other outreach services; gave presentations to other departments explaining the center’s services; revised course packet for 400+ remediation students; organized, planned, and promoted workshops for the academic year; taught Regents’ Exam remediation course; fulfilled all functions of regular Writing Center tutor.
Writing Center Tutor, University of Georgia, 1994-1997. Assisted both graduates and undergraduates from all disciplines with writing projects/problems; supervised Regents’ Exam remediation course; worked with students who had failed Regents’ Exam; planned and organized writing workshops for 1994-95 academic year.
Instructor, Athens Technical Institute, 1997. Taught business grammar course to certificate-seeking technical students, many of whom were non-traditional students.
English Teacher, Gwinnett County Public Schools, 1989-93. Taught English, grades 9-12 (surveys of American, British, and world literature; composition; grammar); monitored and evaluated student teacher; acted as faculty advisor for Chrysalis, an award-winning student writing magazine; founded and advised student creative writing group; served as representative to faculty on Teacher Advisory Council; helped organize and coordinate model Teacher Induction Program for Gwinnett County as county representative.
GRANTS AND HONORS
Nominee, Outstanding Teacher Award, Penn State Abington, 2004-05 academic year.
Faculty Development Grant, Penn State Abington: Studies in Women’s Autobiography. Approved October 2004.
Recipient, “Above & Beyond” Student-Selected Faculty Award, April 2004.
Faculty Development Grant, Penn State Abington: Lessons in Design and Editing a Literary Journal. Approved October 2003.
Faculty Development Grant, Penn State Abington: Building a Women’s Studies Pedagogical Resource Center. Approved July 2003.
Faculty Development Grant, Penn State Abington: Holocaust Studies. Approved October 2001.
Instructional Technology & Curriculum Grant: “Extending the UGA Writing Center’s Outreach and Accessibility.” Approved November 1999.
Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities TA Mentor (interdisciplinary), 1998.
University-wide TA Mentor, 1997.
Editing Internship, The Georgia Review, 1995-96.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant award, 1995.
Essay finalist, Agnes Scott Writers' Festival, April 1994. Melissa Fay Greene, judge.
Travel Grants:
UGA English Deparment, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997.
UGA Graduate School, 1999.
UGA Women’s Studies Program, 1999.
SERVICE
Member, Board of Directors, Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association, 2004-present.
Member, Senate Green Committee, Penn State Abington, 2004-present.
Member, Senate Finance Committee, Penn State Abington, 2002-present.
Chair, Panel on California Writing, American Literature Association Conference, San Francisco, CA, May 27-30, 2004.
Chair and Organizer, Graduate Student Poets’ Circle panel, South Atlantic Modern Language Association, Atlanta, GA, November 4-6, 1999.
CURO Research TA Trainer, 1998-99. Responsibilities included designing, implementing, and leading a series of workshops to train TAs in how to best help undergraduates prepare and complete research projects and theses.
Member, Organizing Committee, Women’s Studies Student Conference, 1999 and 2000. Helped review and select papers for presentation and design panels around submissions; served as respondent on “Women and Identity” panel.
Teaching Assistant Mentor, 1997-98. Responsibilities included assessing needs and planning training workshops for TAs in English department, monitoring new TAs’ individual needs and progress in the classroom and helping them develop more effective teaching strategies, and participating in various administrative and university-wide panels and discussion groups as TA liaison.
Writing Across the Curriculum TA Liaison, 1997-98. Responsibilities included scheduling WAC TAs’ experiences in the Writing Center, training these TAs in working individually with students on specific writing problems, and attending bi-weekly WAC planning and feedback sessions to provide ongoing assistance in the program.
Member, Freshman English Committee, 1996-97. Responsibilities included helping to make decisions on textbook adoptions, course requirements, evaluation procedures, final
exam policies, and awards. Initiated and implemented revision of Freshman
Composition Grading Scale.
Co-chair, English Graduate Organization, 1995-96. Responsibilities included organizing fundraisers such as a book sale and coffee service, planning social events and lectures, and executing canned food drive as part of the University's Communiversity program.
Secretary, Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, 1997-98. Responsibilities included organizing and submitting membership and payment records. Coordinated “Poetry on the Lawn” annual readings.
Professional Memberships:
International Association on Language and Social Psychology
National Women’s Studies Association
Mid-Atlantic Women’s Studies Association
American Association of University Women
American Literature Association
Charter member, leader, and presenter in community book group, 1995-2000.
Volunteer Educator, Planned Parenthood, 2004-present. Responsibilities include giving presentations to groups of middle-school and high-school students regarding contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, relationship choices, and Planned Parenthood services. Also staff tables at community and charitable events to disseminate information.