Paige Hermansen

Professor Wyatt Paige Hermansen (they/them) joined the faculty at WSU in 2016. Specializing in rhetoric, writing studies, and composition pedagogy, Professor Hermansen teaches writing courses and courses developed for students in the English education track at WSU. Professor Hermansen’s research interests include the transition from high school to college writing, the rhetoric of education policy, and discourse analysis. They enjoy supervising undergraduate research projects, particularly projects that focus on ELA pedagogy. Professor Hermansen also serves as the Coordinator of the Composition Program.

As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Professor Hermansen is enthusiastic about mentoring LGBTQIA+ educators and promoting the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ issues in teaching practices. They also believe that ELA teachers should play a role in promoting racial justice and anti-racist pedagogy, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.

Professor Hermansen also teaches dual enrollment courses in the Westfield Promise program, an early college program that allows students at nearby high schools to earn college credit. They have taught composition courses at Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield High School, and Springfield High School of Commerce, and they have loved the opportunity to work with high school students as they develop college-level writing skills.

• B.A. in English, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (2006)
• M.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA (2009)
• Ph.D. in English and Rhetoric and Composition, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (2016)