Biography
Dr. Harris began teaching full-time in 1992 at Virginia Intermont College, and in 2003 the Lord called him to work at Liberty. He chaired Liberty’s Department of English and Modern Languages from 2003 to 2008 and directed the Master of Arts in English program at Liberty from 2007 to 2019. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in English from Lehigh University. Dr. Harris teaches composition, all periods of American literature, Shakespeare, and modern and postmodern literature, at both undergraduate and graduate levels He has developed several courses for the graduate program as well. In addition, he serves on a number of university committees at the department, school, graduate, and university levels.
Courses Taught
- English 100: Basic Composition
- English 101: Grammar and Composition
- English 102: Composition and Literature
- English 201 and 202: American Literature I and II
- English 322: Shakespeare
- English 339: Early American Literature
- English 350: Advanced Expository Writing
- English 400: Faulkner
- English 433: Literary Criticism
- English 523: Shakespeare *
- English 529: American Poetry *
- English 529: American Modernism *
- English 529: American Romanticism *
- English 532: Hawthorne and Twain *
- English 532: Henry James *
- English 532: Faulkner *
- English 613: Modernism and Postmodernism in Literature *
- LING 213: Intro to Linguistics
- American Realism and Naturalism
- Business Writing
- Contemporary American Literature
- Internship in Freshman Composition
- Women and Minority American Writers
* Developed course
Publications/Presentations
- Now You See Her. Novel, Black Rose Writing, 2018
- Fire in the Bones. Novel, Black Rose Writing, 2015
- “These Kids Today.” School of Communication, 2011
- “Nothing New.” Poem, Euphony, University of Chicago, January 2011
- Guest speaker, Creative Writing Poetry course, 2010
- Poetry reading, “After Hours,” 2009
- “Christian Worldview.” Department of English and Modern Languages, 2008
- “An American Literary Christmas.” Poem, Nantahala Review, 2003
- “Drive-Thru Life.” Poem, Nantahala Review, 2003
- “Be’s Are Good.” Virginia Intermont College, 2001
- “Morning, Sickling.” Poem, Nantahala Review, 2001
- “A New Version of Borges’ ‘Three’,” Article, Contra Mundum, 1998
- “The Failed Dream: A New Reading of ‘Ethan Brand,’” Article, Studies in Short Fiction, Winter 1993-94
- “The Wives of the Living? Absence of Dreams in Hawthorne’s ‘The Wives of the Dead,’” Article, Studies in Short Fiction, 1992
- “Theodor’s Imperfect Creation: The Mysterious Stranger,” Article, Cithara, 1992
Awards
- Nominated for Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award, 2002
- Outstanding Faculty Award, 2002
- Nominated for Outstanding Faculty Award, 2001, 2002
- Who’s Who, 1997, 2001
- Faculty of the Year Award, 1996-1997
Institutional/Community/Christian Service
- Director, Master of Arts in English, 2007-2019
- Chair, Graduate Senate, 2013-2014
- Vice-Chair, Graduate Senate, 2012-2013
- Advisory Board, English 102, Spring 2012
- Secretary, Graduate Senate, 2011-2012
- Member, Graduate Senate, 2010-present
- Member, Graduate Administrative Council, 2007-present
- Member, Reaffirmation Committee, 2012-2013
- Coordinator, Graduate Poster Session, 2009-present
- Co-Sponsor, English Alumni Lecture Series, 2009-present
- Question reader, Liberty University Quiz Bowl, 2008-present
- Captain, Faculty Quiz Bowl Team, 2009-present
- Chair and reader for undergraduate honors theses, 2004-present
- Chair, Department of English and Modern Languages, 2003-2008
- Bible Correspondence Course worker, Calvary Chapel Lynchburg
- Usher, Calvary Chapel Lynchburg
- Head of Benevolence ministry, Calvary Chapel Lynchburg
- Offering Collection, Calvary Chapel Lynchburg
- Missionary Supporter, Gospel for Asia
- Missionary Supporter, Far-Reaching Ministries
- Participant, Under the Son Academy (Home-schooling co-op)