Postdoctoral Lecturer

Biography

Sarah earned her PhD in Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies with a transhistorical focus on early medieval and Southern/Appalachian literature in 2025. She previously completed her MA in English at the University of Tennessee and her BA in English from the University of South Carolina- Aiken. Her dissertation, “The Medievalish McCarthy: Medieval Afterlives in Appalachian Literature,” interrogated how Cormac McCarthy employs medieval references in his first five novels: The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, Child of God, Suttree, and Blood Meridian. She also earned the Digital Humanities certificate and has several digital projects in process.

As a Graduate Teaching Associate, Sarah taught first-year English composition courses and worked as a TA in a Writing in the Workplace section. In the past, she also taught a section of the First-Year Studies course for students in the pre-professional track and worked as a line editor on the forthcoming anthology, Vikings, Knights, Elves, and Ogres: Essays in Honor of Shaun F.D. Hughes. Finally, Sarah is an embedded writing consultant at the UTK Veterans Success Center, as part of an outreach program she spearheaded in 2021.

Sarah has received several awards, including the John C. Hodges Excellence in Teaching Award, the Norman Sanders Dissertation Fellowship, and the Bain & Irene Stewart Fellowship, among others.

Education

PhD, English, University of Tennessee, 2025

Master of Arts, English, University of Tennessee, 2020

Bachelor of Arts, English, University of South Carolina- Aiken, 2016

Professional Service

“Child of Grendel, Child of God: Cormac McCarthy’s Appalachian Retelling of Beowulf.” Medieval Perspectives vol. 36, 2022.