Finding Greatness: Dr. Monica Miller

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, April 29, 2024 12:00 AM
Categories: Faculty/Staff | Honors/Awards | Pressroom | School of Arts and Letters

Macon, GA

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Dr. Monica Miller is the 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Scholarship faculty award.

Full Name: Dr. Monica Carol Miller

Title: Associate Professor and Coordinator of Graduate Writing Programs

Degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy, English and Women's and Gender Studies, Louisiana State University

Master of Arts, English, University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Bachelor of Arts, English, University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Describe your service to Middle Georgia State University and the community at large.

During my time at MGA, I've published three books that I edited or co-edited: The Tacky South, Dear Regina: Flannery O'Connor's Letters from Iowa, and The Routledge Companion to Literature of the US South. For the past two years, I've co-directed the Undergraduate Research Conference, which provides so many opportunities for MGA students to share their work and take part in important professional development and networking opportunities. And as the coordinator of graduate writing programs in the Department of English for the past two years, I've worked with students in our growing programs - we now have a Master of Arts in Technical and Professional Writing, a graduate certificate in Technical Writing and Digital Communication, a graduate certificate in Creative Writing, and a graduate certificate in Teaching College Writing.​

What do you like best about teaching?

I love the "light bulb moments"! It's so rewarding to watch students grow and learn in their work. As someone who enjoys both learning and creating things, I see teaching as creating opportunities for learning. It's incredibly satisfying to help students be successful.

In your opinion, what does it take for students majoring in your discipline to be successful these days?

A willingness to read things and try things that they may not fully grasp at first. Writing is a process of discovery as well as trial and error, and it can sometimes feel frustrating to students who want to know what the "right answer" is. (To be honest, I, too, feel this frustration in my own writing.) But as long as students can commit to keeping at it - - being willing to work with feedback and revision—writing well can be a satisfying achievement.​​​

What would students be surprised to learn about you?

I finished my bachelor's degree seventeen years after I started it. In the meantime, I worked a variety of jobs, including working as a sales associate in a high fashion fabric store, customer service for a satellite television company, a medical credentialing specialist, and a law school secretary.