Rachel Bates

Rachel Bates is an Assistant Professor of Writing at Curry College. She holds a PhD in English with concentrations in Literary and Cultural Studies and Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse Studies. Her M.A. is in Liberal Studies with a concentration in creative writing from Dartmouth College, and she completed her B.A. in History and English at East Tennessee State University.

Rachel's creative writing is featured in several journals such as Appalachian Review, West Texas Literary Review, and Broad River Review, and Finishing Line Press published her debut chapbook, Dear River, in 2020. She draws inspiration from Appalachia, her family, her students, and life's general mundane and quotidian ongoings.

Her research focuses on the Anthropocene via Contemporary Appalachian literature and culture. She approaches these studies using ecofeminism, place studies, and affect theory methodologies. Additionally, she has a strong research interest in writing pedagogy with a focus on first-year composition studies. She frequently presents both her academic and pedagogical research and knowledge to professional colleagues. She is a motivated educator who inspires students, shares her knowledge, and often leads teams toward new curriculum and social endeavors. As an educator, her highest priority is creating equitable and diverse spaces for all students, and she works toward dismantling historical and contemporary barriers for historically marginalized groups. Her previous role as an academic director required her to hire and develop talent, coach, observe and evaluate English teachers using the Danielson Framework, create innovative professional learning opportunities for faculty and staff, manage multiple projects, contribute to course programming, and analyze and present school data. This and her many years as a high school English teacher inform her pedagogy and research in her current role. 

Her organization, planning, and communication skills are excellent. She always meets deadlines and is an exceptional multitasker. Teaching continues to enhance her extraordinary conflict resolution, time management, and interpersonal communication skills.

Connect at rmbates423@gmail.com