English and Foreign Languages Directory

Barbara H. Wyman earned her Masters of English Literature and Masters of Fine Arts degree in poetry and translation from McNeese State University, focusing on Latin translation. She is co-translator and co-editor of the Ignatius Critical Edition of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy.  Current research focuses on John Henry Newman’s poetry and Boethian influence in Early Modern…

Dr. Scott Goins earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee, and his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Florida State University. Dr. Goins serves as the Director of the McNeese State University Honors college, and translated and edited the Ignatius Critical Edition of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy with Barbara H. Wyman. Courses…

Dr. Rita Costello earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and English from Bowling Green State University, her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and English from Wichita State University, and her PhD in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her research interests are broad from composition pedagogy to popular…

Michael Robins holds degrees from the University of Oregon (BA in English) and UMass Amherst (MFA in Creative Writing). He is the author of five collections of poetry, most recently The Bright Invisible (Saturnalia Books, 2022), and his writing has appeared in American Poetry Review, The Common, New England Review, Poetry, Puerto del Sol, and…

Dr. Vallie Lynn Watson earned an undergraduate degree from University of Mississippi (BA – English and Psychology); two master’s degrees, from Southeast Missouri State University (MA – English) and University of North Carolina Wilmington (MA – Liberal Studies); and a doctorate degree from University of Southern Mississippi/Center for Writers (PhD – English/Creative Writing). She is an Assistant…

Mike Horner earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst  (BA – English) and his graduate degrees from McNeese State University (MFA – Creative Writing, Fiction; MA – English Literature). He is the Director of the MFA Creative Writing Program. He teaches graduate and undergraduate writing and literature courses. Horner is the author…

Dr. Emily A. O’Dell earned an undergraduate degree from University of California, Santa Barbara (BA in French) and graduate degrees from Louisiana State University (MA in French Studies & PhD in Comparative Literature). Her research interests include folklore and literature of Louisiana and the Caribbean. Her work has been published in The Louisiana Folklife Journal, The…

Dr. Jimmy F. Trahan is an accomplished educator with nearly two decades of experience teaching English and Psychology here at McNeese. He holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Learning from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in both English and Psychology from McNeese State University. Courses Taught:

Kevin Thomasonis the author of the poetry collection, Even the Sky. He teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing and directs McNeese’s first-year writing classes. Courses Taught:

Jack Vanchiere is a Visiting Lecturer in the Dept. of English and Foreign Languages. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English, Master of Arts in English, and Master of Fine Arts in Poetry at McNeese State University. Courses Taught:

Dr. Wendy Whelan-Stewart advises and supports all students in the MA in English Program. She is the author of Breastfeeding in American Women’s Literature: Latching On and multiple chapters and articles. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.  Courses taught: