Biography

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

As a Graduate Teaching Associate, Sarah teaches first-year English composition courses and works 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

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.