School of Humanities

Meet Our Faculty

College and Expository Writing Program

Department Chair

John Mitchell Morris
Chair of College Writing
- BA, California State University, Northridge
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
- JD, Villanova University
john.morris@purchase.edu

Full-Time Faculty

Bradley Brookshire

Professor of Music
- BM, University of Michigan
- MM, Mannes College of Music
- PhD, Graduate Center, City University of New York
- Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
bradley.brookshire@purchase.edu
Gaura Narayan

(on leave: Fall 2021-Spring 2022)

Associate Professor of Literature
- BA (Honors), University of Delhi (India)
- MA, MPhil, PhD, Columbia University
gaura.narayan@purchase.edu
Mariel Rodney

Associate Professor of Literature
- BA, Queens College, City University of New York
- MA, PhD, Columbia University
mariel.rodney@purchase.edu
Aviva Taubenfeld

Associate Professor of Literature and Writing

Director, School of Humanities
- BA, MA, PhD, Columbia University
- Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
aviva.taubenfeld@purchase.edu
Amy Beth Wright

Professor of Practice
- BA, Oberlin College
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
amy-b.wright@purchase.edu

Part-Time Faculty

Ellen Brooks

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Pennsylvania State University
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
- MEd, Temple University
- EdD, University of Pennsylvania
ellen.brooks@purchase.edu
Deborah Cooper

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Wayne State University
- MPS, Manhattanville College
deborah.cooper@purchase.edu
Peter Dearing

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Hunter College, City University of New York
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
peter.dearing@purchase.edu
Melissa Joplin Higley

Lecturer of Writing

BA, North Carolina Wesleyan College
BS, Barton College
MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
Christopher Konzelman

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Occidental College
- MA, California State University, Los Angeles
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
c.konzelman@purchase.edu
Rachel McCain

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, York College, City University of New York
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
rachel.mccain@purchase.edu
Peter Polinski

Lecturer of Writing

Assistant Director, Advising Center
- MusB, MM, Purchase College, SUNY
peter.polinski@purchase.edu
Corinne Santiago

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Purchase College, SUNY
- MFA, Sarah Lawrence College
Emily Sausen

Lecturer of Writing
- AB, Princeton University
- JD, New York University School of Law
emily.sausen@purchase.edu
Olga Seham

Lecturer of Writing
- BA, Yale University
- MPS, Manhattanville College
olga.seham@purchase.edu