Lawanda Dickens

EDUCATION
Ph.D./ABD, Rhetoric and Composition, Wayne State University
M.A., English, Jackson State University
B.A., English/Journalism, Jackson State University
 

RESEARCH INTERESTS
Literacy Programming in Rural Communities
Support for Teachers and Students in Low Socioeconomic Areas
Culturally Relevant Teaching Approaches
Student Success Service-Learning in College Composition Courses
 

COURSES TAUGHT
Composition I
Composition II
World Literature
Advance Composition
Professional Writing
 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Society of Collegiate Scholars

PUBLICATIONS

“The Exhibitor’s Alley: A Garden Where Seeds Planted Generations Ago Blossomed.” Callaloo, vol. 42 no. 3, 2024, p. 202-204. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/cal.2024.a947929.

Ray, Ruth E., Gorzelsky, Gwen, Hall-Sturgis, Stephanie, and Dickens, LaWanda. “Practicing Democracy: An Experience-Based Approach.” Activism and Rhetoric: Contexts and Theories for Political Engagement. Eds. Seth Kahn and Jong Hwa Lee. London: Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2011. 161-69. Print.

Davis, Kim, Denham, Gwendolyn, Dickens, LaWanda, Hall, Mary, Hall-Sturgis, Stephanie, Hankerson, Shenika, Jackson, Austin, Keaton, Karen, Kirkland, David, Long, A’Kena, and Tate, Stacie. “Toward a Philosophy of Effective Mentorship for New Professionals in Composition and Language.” Language Arts Journal of Michigan. 20 (1) (2004): 27-34. Print.

PRESENTATIONS

• “The Magnolia Literacy Project: Multimodality, Practice, and Empowerment in Mississippi Communities.” Mississippi State University, March 2025.
• “Mississippi Women on the Map but below the Radar: Facilitators of Voice, Agency, and Activism”. Mississippi State University, March 2025.
• “Rurality, Early Childhood Literacy Development, and Community Programs: Parents, Administrators, and Teachers Cannot Do Everything.” Special Topics in Early Childhood and Elementary Education course. Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Jackson State University, July 2024.
• “Advocacy and Emergence: Omission of the Rural Voice from Rhetorical Scholarship.” HBCU Symposium. Department of English and Modern Languages. Jackson State University, Oct. 2023.
• “Conflict, Collaboration, and Change: Coalition-Building in the Service-Learning Classroom.” Conference on College Composition and Communication. Mar. 2006.
• “Democracy in the Writing Classroom.” Michigan College English Association. Oct. 2004. ∙
• “Nurturing Critical Consciousness in the Service-Learning Classroom.” Michigan College English Association. Oct. 2003.
• “Engaging Today’s Writing Students through Popular Appeal: The Poetic, Philosophical, and Intellectual Qualities in Tupac Shakur’s and Bob Marley’s Lyrics.” Michigan Council for Teachers of English. Oct. 2003.