Biography
Mary attended Marshall University as a first-generation student, going on to teach English, Literature, and First Year Seminar. Her experiences in the classroom with other first-generation students led her to an interest in Constructivist theories of teaching and learning. She is beginning her dissertation work on threshold concepts, an aspect of the hidden curriculum that she aims to foreground in faculty collaborations. Helping to improve learner engagement through a humanistic design approach is always at the heart of her vision of “Marshall for all.” For her, working in OEC represents the culmination of her experience and the perfect opportunity to pay it forward to the future sons and daughters of Marshall. When she isn’t on campus, Mary is likely reading or writing book reviews. Or, she is busy overanalyzing films with her partner Bill, her two daughters Mia and Emma, and her cat named Stevie Nicks.