MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Adrienne Jankens (Assistant Professor) has taught at WSU since 2011. Adrienne teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Rhetoric and Composition, and researches and writes about first-year writing, reflective writing, teacher development, and writing program administration. Adrienne has four kids (Jordan, Kari, Logan, and Moses), and lives in Rochester Hills. School and kids keep her fully busy, but she likes to practice kickboxing when she has time!

Wayne State Alumni, Nicole Varty, earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition in 2016. She is currently teaching ENG 3010, ENG 3020, and ENG 3085. Her research interests are an ecological model of writing, composition pedagogy and curriculum development, knowledge transfer, learning communities, assessment, and rhetoric of religion.

Jule Thomas has been at WSU since 2006. Her greatest professional joy is teaching, mentoring students, and transferring knowledge to practical applications inside and outside of the classroom. She directs the WRT Zone and finds daily inspiration from her work with tutors, students, faculty, and cross-campus departments. Jule has three sons: Gavin, Spencer, and Felix. Jule's best friend and partner in life is her husband Michael. Her family are her in-laws and close friends who have, over the years, become so much more than friends. Jule's personal interests are running, spinning, lifting, gardening, paintng, writing, and camping.

Kristi Morris is a Ph.D student in Rhetoric and Writing Studies. Her scholarly interests are in Multimodal Pedagogy, Visual Theory and Composition. Prior to her current program, Kristi also earned her M.A., at Wayne State University, in Secondary Education with certification in both English and History. She earned her B.A. in Art History, which explains her love of art and visual imagery. She plans to bring it all together in a proposed dissertation on multimodal composing in FYC- employing a unique, interactive format. As a GTA, Kristi has served as an instructor for ENG 1020 and 3010. When she is away from her desk, she is busy keeping up with her four children (twins Brinley & Blythe, only son Leo and little one Prima) and dog (Auggie). She and her husband (Jeff) live in Plymouth with their crazy brood. Kristi used to have hobbies (when she actually had time), but has resorted to watching Netflix for fun.

Carly Braxton is a PhD student in English department with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composision. Carly teaches Introduction to College Writing, and Intermediate Composition. As a teacher of writing, Carly's goals are to use their role and responsibility to assist students in developing their writing skills. Carley does this by leaning on key pedagogical concepts that reinforce the rhetorical and situated nature of writing.

Additionally, Carly strives to dismantle preconceived notions of what writing is and what writing should look like at the college level.

Jan Blaschak is has a B.A. in English, (Literature and Culture), 2017 and an M.A. in Rhetoric and Composition, 2018. Since then, Jan has taught composition and speech courses at Adrian College as well as teaching English 1020 and 1010 here at Wayne. Jan looks forward to teaching intermediate composition, (English 3010), Winter 2022. Jan is very happy to be part of the Composition Learning Community this year and hopes to continue her involvement in the future. While not un-stuck in time, her research interests leaves her bifurcated between women's rhetoric and instructional literature the long 18th century and medieval to Early Modern literature in the U.K. Jan is a mom, a grandma, and keeper of 4 hens and 1 semi-feral backyard cat, (as well as being visited by many wandering deer). Jan likes to knit, read, and occasionally take a stab at poetry, which sometimes stabs back.