Dr. Thomas Coakley is chairperson of the English & Fine Arts Department at Mount Aloysius College. Before returning to his native Pennsylvania, Dr. Coakley was on active duty with the United States Air Force for twenty-two years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and serving in a variety of positions, ranging from squadron commander to Professor of English at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Coakley earned his bachelor’s degree from Villanova University, his master’s from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his Ph.D. from Penn State. He has written extensively about American and Post-Colonial Literatures in English. Additionally, his Command and Control for War and Peace, an award-winning book on decision-making, has been required reading at institutions as diverse as Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and The Marine Corps University at Quantico.

Dr. Barbara J. Cook is an Associate Professor at Mount Aloysius College where she teaches literature (American, World Comparative, Native American, Women Writers) and women’s studies. Her Ph.D. in English with Women’s Studies and Literature & Environment concentrations is from University of Oregon. She was awarded a Publication prize from Colorado Endowment for the Humanities for the collection, From the Center of Tradition: Critical Perspectives on Linda Hogan (2003). Other publications include: Women Writing Nature: A Feminist View (2008); guest co-editor, Studies in American Indian Literatures (2007); contributor, Restoring the Connection to the Natural World: Essays on the African American Environmental Imagination (2003), John Graves, Writer (2007); articles in Northwest Review, American Indian Quarterly, Southwest American Literature. Her latest publication is “Reciprocal Spirituality: Human Animal Interface in Linda Hogan’s Multiple Genres” in Critical Insights series edited by Scott Slovak.

"The English program at Mount Aloysius is large enough that students can take specialty courses, such as Multicultural Literature or Fantasy Literature; however, it’s small enough that the teachers and advisors get to know each and every student by name. The advisors come to know the students’ majors and career goals, and they genuinely care about assisting and encouraging each student in reaching his or her ambition. The campus newspaper, the Belltower, is also a significant part of the English program, allowing students to get involved on campus and incorporate writing!"

Kaitlyn Kuzio