Holly K. Tipton
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
E-mail: hollyktipton@yahoo.com. hkt2a@mtsu.edu
EDUCATION
Currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in English, August 2006-Present
Middle Tennessee State University
Areas: Old and Middle English; Composition, Language and Rhetoric
Dissertation: “The Gifstol: Almsgiving and Christian Kingship in The Exeter Book.”
Committee: Dr. Theodore Sherman (Director), Dr. Rhonda McDaniel, and
Dr. Phillip E. Phillips
Master of Arts in English (Concentration: Creative Writing), University of South Florida, May 2006
Bachelor of Arts in English and Writing, History Minor, Cum Laude, University of Tampa, May 2004
TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Middle Tennessee State University, 2006-Present
Duties: Teaching First-Year Composition (Instructor of Record)
English Teaching Assistants Program Assistant, Middle Tennessee State University, Summer 2009-present
Duties: Mentoring Teaching Assistants, Leading Grade-Norming
Sessions, Class Scheduling, Planning and Leading Orientation and Training Sessions,
Observing Teaching Assistants, Maintenance of English GTA Website, Assistance to
TA Program Administrator.
Graduate Student Administrator for Teaching Assistants, Middle Tennessee State University,
Summer 2007-Spring 2009
Duties: Supervising and Mentoring Teaching Assistants, Leading Grade-Norming
Sessions, Scheduling, Leading Orientation and Training Sessions, Observing Teaching
Assistants, Creation and Maintenance of English GTA Website.
Graduate Teaching Associate, University of South Florida, Spring 2006.
Duties: Teaching First-Year Composition (Instructor of Record)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of South Florida, Fall 2005.
Duties: Teaching First-Year Composition (Instructor of Record)
COURSES TAUGHT
Expository Writing (4 sections, average enrollment 20 students per section)
First semester course in the required FYC sequence at both MTSU and USF.
Research and Argument (USF, 1 section, enrollment 22 students)
Second semester course in the required FYC sequence. Focus on research methodologies and logic;
creating written arguments.
Research and Argumentative Writing (MTSU, 4 sections, average enrollment 20 students per section)
Second semester course in the required FYC sequence. Focus on research methodologies and using
research and other methods to create written arguments.
PUBLICATIONS
Articles
“ Hroðgar’s Infinite Patience: The Book of Job as Model for King Hroðgar in Beowulf.” Beowulf: Dialogues.
Ed. Nathan Breen. (Rodopi Press). Under review.
Textbook Contributions
Chapters 7-9 with Stacia Watkins (“Doing Research”; “Using MLA”; “Using Computers”). Production
Assistant (manuscript layout and design). Myatt, Julie and Stacia Watkins, editors. Surviving Freshman
Composition, 6th ed. (Fountainhead).
Chapters 7-9 (“Doing Research”; “Using MLA”; “Using Computers”). Production Assistant (manuscript
layout and design). Strickland, Rachel and Stacia Watkins, editors. Surviving Freshman Composition,
5th ed. (Fountainhead).
Contributor of assignment titled “Ethics in Se7en” and accompanying commentary and journal prompt.
Smith, Allison D., Trixie G. Smith, and Stacia Watkins, editors. The Pop Culture Zone (Cengage).
Poetry
“Debutante” and “Cashier.” Sunscripts (2006): 19, 31. (Conference Literary Journal, Florida Suncoast
Writer’s Conference)
Limbs and Voices. Tampa: Yellow Jacket Press, 2001. (Poetry Chapbook)
CONFERENCES
Organizer/Chair of “How Shocking! Radical Pop Culture in the First-Year Composition Classroom.”
Presenter of “It's Practically Magic: Using The Dresden Files to Teach Critical Analysis and
Argument” in same panel. Conference on College Composition and Communication, Louisville, KY, 2010.
(Under Review).
“The Teaching of Ideal Christian Kingship in Widsið.” Southeastern Medieval Association Conference.
Nashville, TN, scheduled for October 2009.
“Using South Park to Spark First-Year Writing” (Presentation in workshop “Biff! Bam! Zoom!
Popular Culture Hits the Composition Classroom.”) Conference on College Composition and
Communication. San Francisco, CA, 2009.
Chair, “The Gothic,” and Presenter of “The 'Queer' Monstrous Feminine in Clive Barker's The Books of
Blood” in same panel. Popular Culture &American Culture Associations of the South Conference. Lousiville,
KY, 2008.
“Playing God: Using The Police Procedural to Teach Ethics and Argument.” Conference on College Composition
and Communication. New Orleans, LA, 2008.
“Hroðgar’s Infinite Patience: The Book of Job as Model for King Hroðgar in Beowulf.” Southeastern Medieval
Association Conference. Spartanburg, SC, 2007.
“The Church, Divine Justice, and the Great Schism in Aðelston.” Southeastern Medieval Association Conference.
Daytona Beach, FL, 2005.
OTHER PRESENTATIONS
English Teaching Assistant Orientation: Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009. Responsible for co-planning and
leading several sessions in each weeklong orientation. MTSU, Murfreesboro, TN.
Invited Lecturer, Dr. Theodore Sherman's British Literature I class, Fall 2008. Five lectures on the
Middle English period/Medieval Literature. “Transition into Middle English and Medieval
England”; “Marie de France and Lanval”; “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” (over two class periods);
“The 14th century and Chaucer”; “The Canterbury Tales: Prologue” (over two class periods). MTSU,
Murfreesboro, TN.
“Why It’s ‘Awesome’ to Use Internet Media in the Freshman Composition Classroom.” Composition
ShareFair (colloquium), MTSU, Murfreesboro, TN, 2008.
Graduate Poetry Reading, USF Spotlight on Writing, Tampa, FL, 2006.
Featured Writer Poetry Reading, USF Writer’s Series, Tampa, FL, 2005.
SERVICE AND DEVELOPMENT
Middle Tennessee State University
-Participant, 1020 Program Assessment Project. English Department, MTSU, Murfreesboro, TN, 2009.
-Volunteer Instructor , Teaching Great Books in Tennessee Prisons Program (MTSU program that brings
faculty members into the Tennessee Prison System to conduct 10-week courses on Great Books).
Co-taught with Dr. Rhonda McDaniel (MTSU), Tennessee Prison for Women Annex. Spring 2009.
-Facilities Coordinator for 2009 Virginia L. Peck Composition Series presentation by Dr. Brian Huot.
-Graduate Student Representative, English Department Writing Committee, 2008-09.
-Graduate Student Representative, English Department Web-Based Curriculum Committee,
2007-08.
-Technology Coordinator for 2008 Virginia L. Peck Composition Series presentation by Dr. Andrea
Lunsford.
-Mentor to Jennifer Conner, GRASP Pre-TA Mentoring Program, MTSU, Spring Semester 2007.
-Committee Member, GTA Freshman Composition Textbook Committee, January 2007-Present.
-Teacher Consultant, Middle Tennessee Writing Project (NWP), MTSU, Summer 2007.
-Creator and Webmaster, MTSU English Department Graduate Teaching Assistant Website, May 2007Present.
University of South Florida
-Executive Board Member, English Graduate Student Association, USF, 2005-2006.
-Co-Coordinator of English Graduate Program Colloquia, USF, 2005-2006.
-Conference Volunteer, Florida Suncoast Writer’s Conference, USF, February 2005.
University of Tampa
-President, Rho Zeta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, Univ. of Tampa, 2003-2004.
-Editor-in-Chief, Commentary Editor, The Minaret, Weekly Campus Newspaper, Univ. of Tampa, 20032004.
HONORS
-Elected to Phi Kappa Phi, Middle Tennessee State University, 2008.
-John C. McDaniel Award For Excellence in Teaching, Middle Tennessee State University, 2008.
- William R. Wolfe Graduate Writing Award, (award for best graduate essay written in the previous year),
Middle Tennessee State University, 2008.
-Richard C. and Virginia L. Peck Award, (competitive English Department award by faculty
nomination), Middle Tennessee State University, 2007.
-Estelle J. Zbar Poetry Award, 2nd Place, University of South Florida, March 2006.
-Named to The Chancellor's List, 2006.
-Estelle J. Zbar Poetry Award, 2nd Place, University of South Florida, April 2005.
-Outstanding Senior Award, University of Tampa, May 2004.
-Advancement of Letters Award, English Department, University of Tampa, May 2004.
-Graduate of the University of Tampa Honors Program
-Elected as a Tampa Writing Scholar, English Department, University of Tampa, 2001-2004.
GRANTS AWARDED
$350: Travel Grant, Teaching Assistants’ Fund, English Department, Middle Tennessee State University,
2009. Project: Travel to Conference on College Composition and Communication in
San Francisco, CA
$500: Travel Grant, Graduate College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2009
Project: Travel to Conference on College Composition and Communication in San Francisco, CA
$350: Travel Grant, Teaching Assistants’ Fund, English Department, Middle Tennessee State University,
2008. Project: Travel to Conference on College Composition and Communication in
New Orleans, LA
$500: Travel Grant, Graduate College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2007
Project: Travel to Southeastern Medieval Association Conference in Spartanburg, SC
$500: Travel Grant, English Department, University of South Florida, 2005
Project: Travel to Southeastern Medieval Association Conference in Daytona Beach, FL
AFFILIATIONS
Conference on College Composition and Communication
National Council of Teachers of English
Middle Tennessee Writing Project and The National Writing Project
The Southeastern Medieval Association
Phi Kappa Phi
Sigma Tau Delta
Phi Alpha Theta
Omicron Delta Kappa
LANGUAGES
Old English
Middle English
Latin (basic)
French (reading/basic)
Italian (reading/basic)
Spanish (reading/basic)
German (basic)
INTERESTS
Old and Middle English poetry; Anglo-Saxon theories of kingship; Early Christianity; The
Anglo-Saxon Conversion(s); Medieval Paleography; Gift-giving theory; State and Church conflict in Middle
English literature; Composition Pedagogy; Pop Culture; Gothic and Horror Literature.
SCHOLARLY REFERENCES: Available upon Request
PERSONAL REFERENCES: Available upon Request