MRather

Current Dean of Instruction at SOWELA Technical Community College. Served as an Assistant Professor of English at SOWELA Technical Community College from August 2018 until June 2022, and Instructor of English at Lamar State College - Orange from August 2012 until August 2018. I have also served as a Visiting Lecturer of English at McNeese State University. I earned my Ph.D. in English and Creative Writing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) and MA in English Literature from McNeese State University, a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English, and a Bachelor of English from the University of Iowa, and a Bachelors of History from High Point University. Beyond my education and work in higher education, I have taught high school English for Calcasieu Parish Schools, high school English and Drama for the Oskaloosa Community School District, and directed numerous plays as the head of their drama departments. I also ran the Oskaloosa Poetry Slam for a number of years and participated in the Iowa poetry slam community from 2002-2008. I have also performed in a number of theatrical productions, practiced theatrical combat, and currently study historical European martial arts. I am also a published writer with work appearing in numerous online and print journals.