The mission of the Division of Humanities is to help students appreciate their own culture and to help students view the world from different cultural and historical perspectives -enabling them to imagine new and creative possibilities for global human society.
The Division of Humanities offers courses designed to prepare students for life by providing them the necessary skills and knowledge to continue intellectual and character formation throughout their lives. The Division of Humanities understand that the best preparation for any career includes study in courses that teach critical thinking, the students’ own culture, appreciation of diverse cultures, and positive character formation. Those courses help people to become more capable of managing life in a global society, to become productive citizens in our nation, to be of service to their respective communities and to experience more satisfaction in their chosen careers.
The Division of Humanities offers courses in Drama, English, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Humanities, Mass Communication, Religion and Philosophy, and Speech.
Biography
• Interim Dean of the Division of Humanities.
Degrees
• Ph.D., Mathematics, Auburn University
• M.S., Mathematics, Alabama State University
• B.S., Mathematics, Alabama State University
Teaching / Courses
• Mathematics
• STEM leadership
• Research mentorship
• Academic administration
Research / Professional Interests
• Graph theory
• STEM education
• Research and grants
• Institutional innovation
• Student success
Accomplishments
• Dean, Division of Science & Mathematics
• Interim Dean, Division of Humanities
• Supports STEM academic programs, labs, grants, and outreach
Student Engagement / Service
• Faculty and student research support
• STEM partnerships
• Academic program development
Biography
• Chair and Associate Professor of Media Studies & Journalism.
Degrees
• Ph.D., Mass Communications, Howard University
• M.A., Mass Communications, Howard University
• B.Sc., University of Lagos, Nigeria
Teaching / Courses
• News Writing and Reporting
• AI and Storytelling
• Copy Reading and Editing
• Advertising
• TV Production
• Research in Communication
Research / Professional Interests
• New technologies of communication
• Media effects and society
• Media and science communication
Accomplishments
• Five-time Fulbright-Hays educational award scholar
• National Endowment for the Humanities award recipient
Student Engagement / Service
• Director, E.A. Smith Honors Program
• Campus Liaison, Algernon Sullivan Foundation Scholars
• EAB Navigate360 administrator
Biography
• Instructor of Media Studies & Journalism, WURC Music Director, and media advisor.
Degrees
• M.A., Journalism, University of Mississippi
• B.S., Broadcast Journalism, Mississippi University for Women
• A.A., Liberal Arts, East Central Community College
Teaching / Courses
• MAC 231 Introduction to Radio Production
• MAC 330 Mass Media Law
• MAC 337 Broadcast Announcing
• MAC 431 Advanced Radio Production
• MAC 234 Introduction to Digital Photography
• JOU 330 Investigative Reporting
Research / Professional Interests
• African American history
• Ida B. Wells-Barnett
• Black women and feminism
• Sports documentaries
Accomplishments
• Essay contributor to Impact: Personal Portraits of Activism
• 2026 Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network Outstanding Leadership Award
• Creator and host of the RustStory podcast
• Host of Straight Talk Live on WURC 88.1 FM
Student Engagement / Service
• Media Studies and Journalism advisor
• Honda Campus All-Star Challenge advisor
• Ida B. Wells Symposium director and co-founder
Biography
• Director of Broadcast Operations with experience in broadcasting, marketing, promotions, and station operations.
Degrees
• B.A., University of Memphis
Teaching / Courses
• Broadcast operations
• Radio station operations
• Student media training
Research / Professional Interests
• Broadcast operations
• Radio station management
• Media production
• Promotions and marketing
• Campus and community broadcasting
Accomplishments
• Director of Broadcast Operations, Rust College, 2021–present
• Station Manager, Rust College WURC, 2021–2023
• Director of Marketing and Promotions, iHeartMedia, 1994–2020
Student Engagement / Service
• Student-centered broadcast operations
• Campus media production
Research / Professional Interests
• Broadcast engineering
• Media operations
Biography
• Chair of the Department of Music, Professor of Music, and Choir Director.
Teaching / Courses
• Music
• Choir
• A’Cappella Choir
Research / Professional Interests
• Choral music
• Music performance
• Music education
Accomplishments
• Chair, Department of Music
• Professor of Music
• Choir Director
Student Engagement / Service
• Choir direction
• Music student mentorship
• A’Cappella Choir leadership
Biography
• Assistant Professor of Music and Assistant Choir Director. Named 2025 Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year.
Degrees
• Bachelor’s degree, Music Education, Alcorn State University
• Master’s degree, Music Performance and Education, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Teaching / Courses
• Music
• Vocal performance
• Choir support
• Music education
• Cultural dialogue through music
Research / Professional Interests
• Cultural dialogue
• Social change through music
• Humanities and performance
• Lifelong learning
Accomplishments
• 2025 Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year
• Lecture recital: A Musical Exploration of Social and Cultural Change
• Performs and presents across the Caribbean, United States, and Europe
Student Engagement / Service
• Choir support
• Performances
• Masterclasses
• Research presentations
Biography
• Instructor of Music whose research focuses on vibrato and the singing voice.
Degrees
• D.M.A., Opera Performance and Opera Stage Direction, University of Memphis
• M.M., Vocal Pedagogy, University of Memphis
• B.M., Vocal and Piano Performance, Louisiana Tech University
Teaching / Courses
• Applied Voice
• Song Literature
• Vocal Pedagogy
• Vocal Diction
• Piano Lab I and II
Research / Professional Interests
• Vibrato and the singing voice
Accomplishments
• Presented Vibrato: A Shaky State of Affairs at the 55th Voice Foundation Symposium
Student Engagement / Service
• Voice and piano instruction
• Student performance development
Biography
• Assistant Professor of Music teaching applied piano and class piano and collaborating with vocalists, instrumentalists, and the A’Cappella Choir.
Teaching / Courses
• Applied Piano
• Class Piano
• Collaborative Piano
• Vocal and instrumental coaching
Research / Professional Interests
• Collaborative piano
• Piano performance
• Music by marginalized composers
Accomplishments
• Collaborative Pianist, University of Memphis
• Head of Piano Studies, Brown Academy of Music
• Created more than 100 videos of solo piano music by marginalized composers
Student Engagement / Service
• A’Cappella Choir collaboration
• Campus performance support
• Vocalist and instrumentalist collaboration
Biography
• Assistant Professor of Music, Director of Applied Woodwind Studies, and clarinet/saxophone endorsing artist and clinician.
Degrees
• B.M.Ed., Valparaiso University
• M.Mus., Western Michigan University
• Completed doctoral studies, University of Memphis
Teaching / Courses
• Applied Woodwinds
• Music Appreciation
• Music History
• Aural Skills
• Music Theory
• Introduction to Music Fundamentals
• Small Chamber Music Ensembles
Research / Professional Interests
• Clarinet and saxophone performance
• Woodwind pedagogy
• Chamber music
• Composition
• Music by living composers
Accomplishments
• Yamaha Corporation of America Clarinet and Saxophone Endorsing Artist/Clinician
• D’Addario Woodwinds Endorsing Artist/Clinician
• Silverstein Works Endorsing Artist/Clinician
• Featured soloist with multiple university and community ensembles
Student Engagement / Service
• Faculty advisor for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
• Faculty advisor for Alpha Sigma Phi
• Applied woodwind instruction
Biography
• Director of Bands with more than 20 years of experience in secondary and collegiate music education.
Degrees
• Ed.D., Organizational Leadership, South College — In Progress
• M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, Concordia University
• B.A., Music Education, Lane College
• Graduate Studies in Music Education, Ohio University
Teaching / Courses
• Band program leadership
• Marching band
• Concert band
• Athletic bands
• Student musician mentorship
Research / Professional Interests
• Music education leadership
• Band program development
• Student recruitment and retention
• Community engagement
• Culturally responsive pedagogy
Accomplishments
• More than 20 years of secondary and collegiate music education experience
• Founder and CEO, Inner-City Arts Academy
• Guest Band Director, Mississippi Valley State University Presidential Inaugural Parade, 2025
Student Engagement / Service
• Band recruitment pipelines
• Student performance opportunities
• Community-based arts education
Biography
• Logistics Coordinator for Fine Arts in Music supporting scheduling, travel, performances, communications, and choir operations.
Degrees
• B.A., Broadcast Journalism, University of Mississippi
• Minor, African American Studies
• Certified Historical Interpreter, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Research / Professional Interests
• Film
• African American history and culture
• Cultural interpretation
• Storytelling and documentary work
• Arts logistics and performance operations
Accomplishments
• Supported operations for the Rust College A’Cappella Choir
• Former Historical Interpreter and Lead at the National Civil Rights Museum
Student Engagement / Service
• Scheduling, travel, performances, communications, and operations for the A’Cappella Choir
Biography
• Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre and Humanities Teacher of the Year, 2025–2026.
Degrees
• M.F.A., Directing, University of Memphis
• B.F.A., Performance, University of Memphis
Teaching / Courses
• Acting
• Speech
• Introduction to Theatre
• Introduction to Humanities
• Theatre History
• Stage Movement
• Directing
• Storytelling
Research / Professional Interests
• Theatrical creation
• Directing
• Performance
• Narrative theatre
• Physical theatre
Accomplishments
• Humanities Teacher of the Year, 2025–2026
• Directing Queen of Harts in the Frankel Theatre Festival, 2026
Student Engagement / Service
• Student theatre experiences
• Field trips and guest artists
• Theatre Club development
Biography
• Associate Professor of English with experience in writing, literature, legal writing, and African American cultural studies.
Degrees
• J.D., Howard University School of Law
• M.A., English / Technical Writing, University of Memphis
• B.A., English, LeMoyne-Owen College
Teaching / Courses
• Composition I and II
• Advanced Writing
• Professional Writing
• Introduction to Literature
Research / Professional Interests
• Legal writing
• African American literature
• Writing instruction
• Professional communication
Accomplishments
• Published poetry and short stories in Homespun Images
• Helped direct the Ethridge Knight Conference at LeMoyne-Owen College
Student Engagement / Service
• Community and professional service
• English student support
Biography
• Instructor of English whose research focuses on African American literature, artifacts, archives, and memory.
Degrees
• M.F.A., Writing, Savannah College of Art and Design
• Graduate Certificate, African-American Literature, University of Memphis
• B.S., Marketing, Southern University and A&M Colleg
Teaching / Courses
• Composition I and II
• African American Literature
• Harlem Renaissance
• Creative Writing
• Major Authors
• Contemporary Literature
Research / Professional Interests
• 19th- and 20th-century African American literature
• Artifacts
• Archives
• Memory
• Afrofuturism
Accomplishments
• UNCF-Mellon Archive Research Grant, Spring 2026
• Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year, 2024
Student Engagement / Service
• Faculty Advisor, Birds of a Feather Audubon Chapter
• English major advisor
Biography
• Assistant Professor of Spanish and writer, filmmaker, translator, and language educator.
Degrees
• B.A., Political Science, Louisiana State University
• Cursos Internacionales, Universidad de Salamanca, España
• M.F.A., Creative Writing in Spanish, New York University
Teaching / Courses
• SPA 131 Elementary Spanish I
• SPA 132 Elementary Spanish II
Research / Professional Interests
• Finnegans Wake
• Don Quijote
• Translanguaging
• Translingualism
Accomplishments
• Albertine Cinémathèque French Film Festival Grant, 2024
• Present Mississippi Award for New Art Event: French Film Festival, 2024
• Mississippi Digital Humanities Hub Digitization Grants, 2025
Student Engagement / Service
• Building Spanish-language courses
• Developing international opportunities
• Study abroad development
• Language recognition program development
Biography
• Associate Professor of Education connected to reading education, literacy, and student support.
Degrees
• Ph.D., Higher Education & Student Personnel, University of Mississippi
• M.E., Education — Reading Education, University of Mississippi
• M.B.E., Business Education, University of Mississippi
• B.S., Business Education, Alcorn A&M College
• A.A., Business Education, Coahoma Community College
• Certification, Secondary School Administration
Teaching / Courses
• REA 121 College Reading
• Early Literacy Instruction
• Teaching the Language Arts
• Literature in the Schools
• Reading and Literacy
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Disabilities
• Classroom Management
Research / Professional Interests
• Teaching
• Writing
• Research
• Workshop presentation
• Public speaking
• Program planning
Accomplishments
• Creator of Adult Pathway degree program in business
• Developed Simulation Lab for office environment experience
• Vice/Assistant Principal of Holly Springs High School
Student Engagement / Service
• Chartering Sponsor, Theta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
• Chartering Sponsor, Mu Theta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society
Biography
• Literacy Coach supporting students and English faculty in Composition I and II through the Success Lab.
Degrees
• M.A., Southern Studies, University of Mississippi
• B.S., History, Mississippi Valley State University
Teaching / Courses
• English Composition support
• Cengage-supported literacy work
• Reading and writing support
Research / Professional Interests
• Student support
• Academic writing
• Literacy development
• Southern studies
Student Engagement / Service
• Success Lab support
• Assists English faculty and students in Composition I and II
| Accounting | 52.0301 |
| Biology | 26.0101 |
| Business Administration | 52.0201 |
| Chemistry | 40.0501 |
| Childcare Management | 13.1209 |
| Computer Science | 11.0701 |
| Elementary Education | 13.1202 |
| English | 23.9999 |
| Forensic Science ** | 43.0106 |
| General Education | 13.0101 |
| Global Supply Chain Management | 52.0201 |
| Health Science | 51.0000 |
| Marketing | 52.1401 |
| Mass Communication/Broadcast Journalism | 09.0102 |
| Mass Communication/Print Journalism | 09.0102 |
| Mathematics | 27.0101 |
| Music | 50.0901 |
| Political Science (Government and Administration) | 45.001 |
| Religion** | 38.0201 |
| Secondary Education / Biology | 13.1205 / 13.1322 |
| Secondary Education / Business | 13.1205 / 13.1303 |
| Secondary Education / English | 13.1205 / 23.9999 |
| Secondary Education / Mathematics | 13.1205 / 27.0101 |
| Secondary Education / Social Science | 13.1205 / 45.0101 |
| Social Work | 44.0701 |
| Sociology | 45.1101 |
| Sociology with Criminal Justice Concentration | 45.1101 / 43.0104 |
150 Rust Ave
Holly Springs, MS 38635
(662) 252-8000
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