Middle Georgia State MVP: Dr. Kelly Whiddon
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, April 1, 2013 1:54 PM
Category:
Finding Greatness
Macon, GA
Residence: Macon.
Originally From: Adel.
Family: Husband, Dr. Steven Wallace (math professor at MGSC); children: Evelyn Claire Wallace (Evie) and Finley William Wallace (Finn); dog, Thomas McTavish Wallace (aka Tommy).
Job Title: Associate Professor of English.
Degrees: Doctorate of Philosophy in English from The Florida State University (Specialization: Creative Writing, Major: American Literature After 1875, Minor: American Literature Before 1875); Master’s Degree in English from Valdosta State University (Specialization: American and British Literature); Bachelor’s Degree in English from Valdosta State University.
Year she joined the Middle Georgia State (MSC) faculty: 2006.
Some of her teaching career highlights are … “Publishing my first book, The House Began to Pitch, a collection of poems; becoming the President of the Georgia Writers Association, helping to establish the Creative Writing minor, being a founding organizer of the Crossroads Writers Conference, and meeting my husband at a faculty cocktail buffet.”
She enjoys teaching at Middle Georgia State because … “The people here are wonderful. My colleagues include some of my very best friends, and I can’t say enough about them. In all honesty, I’ve experienced the most wonderful and the most tragic events in my life since I’ve been at Macon State (MGSC), and I’ve found this group of people to be the warmest, most caring, and most fun of any I’ve had the pleasure to work with or to know. I also respect them a great deal. Their work ethics and accomplishments make me proud to find myself among them.”
Her favorite course to teach is … “Wow. I don’t know if I can narrow it down to one. I love different courses for different reasons. My creative writing courses, particularly the ones dealing with poetry and fiction, are definitely at the very top of my list, but I also love teaching my revisionist fairy tale courses, and American literature classes are always fun. These are all in my areas of interest, so, naturally, I enjoy teaching students about them and learning more in the process.”
One thing people don’t know about Middle Georgia State is … “There are about five English professors (including myself) who are not members of the English Department. The department that I’m in (Media, Culture, & the Arts) is one of the few of its kind anywhere. I teach primarily creative writing, which is considered a fine art here. It’s unconventional, but MGSC has a good precedent for placing creative writing in the arts: Columbia University does it as well. The other English professors in our department specialize in film, women’s studies, writing for digital media, and, like me, creative writing. “
One thing people don’t know about her is … “I’m a former child star. :-) When I was three, for one day, I was a featured model on a regional kids television show called The Romper Room. It was broadcast out of Tallahassee, where my dad was working at the time.”
In her spare time she likes to … “Spare time? What’s that? I have infant twins, so I don’t see a lot of spare time these days, but spending time with them is the most delightful thing ever. I also like to read, write, watch TV, go to the movies, and take pictures. I used to paint and, like my good friend Dr. Laura Thomason, do some ballroom dancing, but I don’t get to do much of either anymore. She and I started taking ballroom classes at the same time, our first year at Macon State. I continued for a few years, but she kept at it and now gives her own ballroom dance lessons (in her spare time) while I change diapers. I don’t think either of us would have it any other way.”
The one person she’d most like to meet is … “Probably Jane Austen, simply to hear if she spoke with as much beauty and wit as her characters. I like to think she did.”
If she wasn’t a college professor she would be … “Well, when I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut or a Solid Gold dancer. I know it’s a shocker, but both dreams died. I’m not sure anyone would pay me for the other things I can imagine myself doing. I could say writing, but I like to think I’m already doing that. Ultimately, it would be something creative - maybe in the visual arts, like painting or photography. I love getting immersed in other worlds, even visually. If I can have some part in creating those worlds, all the better.”