English Department - Prince George's Community College

Faculty Bios and Info

Choose question: Nikki Bishop

Email: bishopnx@pgcc.edu

Nikki Bishop is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). She earned a B.A. and M.A. in writing and rhetoric and an M.A. in composition, rhetoric, and language from Salisbury University. Her research interests include first-year composition, service learning, and the rhetoric of popular culture. Professor Bishop has been with PGCC since 2014.

She was awarded the 2019 Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic's Alan G. Penczek Service-Learning Faculty Award. Outside of teaching, Professor Bishop has worked in nonprofit and higher education public relations and as a technical writer. She is a first-generation college graduate.; Grace Chen

Email: chengx@pgcc.edu

Grace Chen is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She received her Ph.D. in English in 2019 and has previously taught at Indiana University South Bend, University of Arizona, and California State University San Marcos. Grace Chen teaches English composition as well as business and technical writing.; Annie Cizek

Email: kellyad@pgcc.edu

Annie Cizek is an associate professor of English at Prince George's Community College. With over 16 years of experience, she has taught various English courses at the College since 2014. She enjoys coffee, hanging out with her family, and reading in her free time.; Stephanie Dashiell

Email: dashiesm@pgcc.edu

Stephanie Dashiell is an associate professor of English and the Academic Coordinator of Developmental English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). After earning her bachelor’s degree in English from Howard University, she entered the public school system as a high school English teacher in 2007. She received her Master of Arts in teaching from the University of Maryland Global Campus and a graduate certificate from George Washington University. She is currently completing her doctoral degree at Sam Houston State University. She has taught a variety of student demographics, but underprivileged and international students are her specialty. She began teaching at PGCC in 2013 and quickly fell in love with teaching at the collegiate level. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, she began taking teacher certification courses at PGCC.

As an English professor, she prepares students for college-level work and the workforce. She also specializes in teaching grammar, literature, and creative writing. As the Academic Coordinator of Developmental English, she collaborates with other full-time English faculty to create curricula, assess the program, and collaborate with other departments/areas of the college to support and educate students. She uses a mixture of traditional and differentiated instruction in the classroom, including virtual reality, coding, and video editing.

Professor Dashiell builds meaningful relationships with students and prepares them for life outside the classroom. Professor Dashiell has a documented history of increasing student success by personalizing the curriculum, playing fun educational games with students, and helping students see how the information taught in class relates to the real world. In addition to her personal accomplishments, she has been recognized with awards and accolades such as most creative teacher, exemplary faculty for the college’s poster campaign, and innovative teaching practices.; Marcia Dawson

Email: dawsonmm@pgcc.edu

Marcia Dawson is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). She has been with PGCC since 1996, teaching composition and integrated reading and writing. In addition to teaching, Professor Dawson is the coordinator of the Writing Center at PGCC and the International Education Center Coordinator from 2016 to 2018. She is the current president of the Faculty Organization, previously serving as vice president, secretary, and division and department senator.

Although her professional contributions to PGCC are numerous, two recent notable ones are enhancing the learning experience of PGCC students through being instrumental in developing the dance program curriculum and chairing the committee which developed and implemented the first integrated reading and writing courses at the College. She previously taught at Cumberland County College (now Rowan College of South Jersey Cumberland Campus) and served as tutoring coordinator and coordinator of the reading and writing curriculum for the Workforce Development Program there.; Anthony DeBartolomeo

Email: debartax@pgcc.edu

Anthony DeBartolomeo is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). He holds a B.A. in English and history and an M.S. in education. Mr. Bartolomeo has been at PGCC since 2009 and taught at the College of Southern Maryland and Montgomery College. He has served at the College as the president of the Faculty Senate and a co-chair of the Academic Council. He currently co-chairs the College-wide Forum.

His accomplishments include updating the DVE-0011 development English course, developing a textbook with Marci Dawson, and creating a completely online OER curriculum. Mr. DeBartolomeo previously worked at NPR, where he developed technical and instructional manuals. He is a former radio journalist, political campaign writer, and ran for the Anne Arundel County School Board. Mr. DeBartolomeo also wrote a collection of short stories titled When Angels Dream.

Mr. DeBartolomeo is proud to keep in contact with any former students who have gone on to achieve their life dreams.; Tasha Harris

Email: tashahr@pgcc.edu

Tasha Harris is an associate professor of Preparing for Academic Success (PAS) at Prince George’s Community College. Harris has been with PGCC since the fall of 2021. She previously worked as the assistant director and academic counselor for the University of Maryland men’s basketball program and worked as a part-time lecturer for the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education.

Before working at the University of Maryland, Harris was the Director of Basketball Operations for Georgetown University women’s basketball. She also served as an English teacher instructing below-level reading and honors courses to move students to their appropriate grade level at Hyattsville Middle School and Shaw Junior High School.

Harris is a first-generation college graduate from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in integrated strategic communications and English. She did graduate work at the University of Louisville and Georgetown University, respectively, earning a master’s in secondary education and sports management. She is currently working on her doctorate in special education from the University of Maryland.; Lindsey A. Dodson

Email: dodsonla@pgcc.edu

Lindsey A. Dodson is an associate professor of ESL (English as a Second Language) in the English Department. She has taught advanced ESL reading and writing courses at Prince George’s Community College since 2001. She holds a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law, where she was a production editor of the Journal of Public Law and Policy (1993-1994).

As an attorney, her primary work was in the litigation department of a prominent Washington, D.C., metro-area law firm. She holds an M.S. in audiology from the University of Washington, after which she completed her clinical fellowship year through the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine at the then-called Kennedy Institute for Handicapped Children in Baltimore. Lindsey also holds an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from American University and taught English in Bulgaria for two winter semesters as part of a USAID program. Additionally, she has an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-A) awarded through the American Speech-Language-Hearing (ASHA).

Lindsey has also studied in London, England, and has traveled to thirty-six countries and territories on five continents. She is a recipient of the Prince George’s Community College Champions for Academic Advising and Student Success SAPCR Award.; Mary Dutterer

Email: duttermm@pgcc.edu

Mary Dutterer is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. Mary received her A.A. from Valencia Community College in 1992, her B.A. in English literature (with a minor in film studies) in 1997, and her M.A. in English literature (with a concentration in film studies) from Illinois State University in 2000. She is a first-generation college graduate.; Sevtap Frantz

Email: frantzsx@pgcc.edu

Sevtap Franz is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She holds an M.A. in curriculum and instruction, specializing in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), and an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She also has a certification from Cambridge University CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults).

Sevtap Franz is a Swiss-born Turkish-American citizen who has spent almost equal years in Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States. She has been with the College since 2009 and has worked at various educational institutions, including George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Northern Virginia Community College. She is passionate about her work and continuously strives to improve her skills. She has also developed a passion for online teaching and has taken professional development courses to improve her online teaching skills in recent years.; Anthony Fulton

Email: fultonat@pgcc.edu

Anthony Fulton is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. He holds a B.A. in English from Otterbein University, an M.A. in English from the University of Dayton, and a Ph.D. in English from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Fulton began teaching at the College since 2010. In 2015, he developed EGL-2700: Comics and Graphic Novels, which serves as an introduction to comic books and graphic literature. In 2018, he co-authored Tell Me a Story: Using Narratives to Break Down Barriers in Composition Courses about strategies instructors can use to incorporate narrative writing in composition classes.

He has presented conference papers at the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference, and the Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con International. Dr. Fulton teaches EGL-1010: Composition I, EGL-1100: Composition II -Writing About Issues and Ideas, and EGL-1340: Composition II -Writing About Technical Topics.; Robert Goldberg

Email: goldbergj@pgcc.edu

CV link: www.linkedin.com/in/rjgoldberg

Robert (Bob) Goldberg is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English language and literature and is ABD in Old and Middle English languages and literature. Professor Goldberg has been with PGCC since 2002, teaching Composition 1 and 2 courses, including—and primarily—business communication. He also teaches a variety of literature courses, including Early British Literature and Science Fiction Literature. In Rhode Island, he previously taught at the New England Institute of Technology, the University of Rhode Island, and Rhode Island College.

His varied accomplishments include being awarded the PGCC Faculty Excellence Award in 2022. He is a past editor of The Instructional Forum and has served as an Academic Coordinator for the English Department. Professor Goldberg maintains memberships in the Association for Business Communication (ABC) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).; Sarah Gottschall

Email: gottscsd@pgcc.edu

Sarah Gottschall is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). She holds a B.A. and M.A. in English. Ms. Gottschall has been with PGCC since 2007, primarily teaching introduction to composition and expository writing courses. She led the development of PGCC’s ALP English program in 2011 and currently serves as the program’s coordinator. Ms. Gottschall also tutors in the College’s Writing Center.

She previously taught at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. and she worked as a teacher’s assistant for introductory writing courses at Georgetown University while earning her M.A. degree there.; Tanya Greenfield

Email: greenftx@pgcc.edu

Tanya Greenfield is an associate professor of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. in English literature and writing, an M.A. in nonfiction writing, and an M.S. in TESOL. Mrs. Greenfield has been with the College since 2012, teaching Adult Education ESL and all levels of Academic ESL.

She is presently the educational coordinator for the College's Academic ESL program. Some of Mrs. Greenfield’s previous employers are Northern Virginia Community College and Baltimore County Public Schools. Additionally, she was an EFL instructor in Busan, South Korea.; Donna Prather Griggs

Email: griggsdp@pgcc.edu

Donna Prather Griggs is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She has taught at the College since 2016, following over a decade spent in K-12 education. She has a B.A. in economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland University College, an M.A. in interdisciplinary studies from Western New Mexico University, an M.B.A. from the University of the People, and an Ed.D. in adult education from Capella University. This diverse background has opened doors for teaching a variety of composition courses and best educational practices to prospective and in-service teachers.; Michele Hardy

Email: hardymm@pgcc.edu

Michele Hardy is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. in theater performance and an M.A. in creative writing. Professor Hardy has been with the College since 1998, instructing composition and creative writing courses. She is also a member of the Honors Program Faculty.; S. Selina Jamil

Email: jamilss@pgcc.edu

S. Selina Jamil is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She is the author of Jamesian Centers of Consciousness as Readers and Tellers of Stories and has written several scholarly articles. She specializes in nineteenth-century American literature. Professor Jamil joined the College as an associate professor in 2006 and was promoted to full professor in 2011.

She earned doctoral and master’s degrees from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dhaka.; Margaret H. Jenkins

Email: jenkinmh@pgcc.edu

Margaret H. Jenkins, whom students call Dr. Margo, is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). Dr. Jenkins has been with PGCC since 2011, teaching a range of English courses, from Developmental English to Writing Technical Topics. She has a deep passion for helping students achieve and values communication with her students. Jenkins has taught in the public school system for over 20 years and had been recognized in Who’s Who for Teachers, serving in various positions, including Reading Specialist and Learning Specialist. She has taught at other higher education institutions, including the College of Southern Maryland and the University of Maryland. She continues to serve as assistant director for the Summer Clinic (for grades K-8) at the University of Maryland.

At PGCC, Jenkins has served as an assessment coach. Currently, she serves on the following committees: Academic Technology Advisory Committee, Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study Standard V Committee, Advising Model Committee, and the Developmental English’s Department Assessment Team. She regularly contributes to various workshops and presents at conferences.; Keith W. Mathias

Email: mathiakw@pgcc.edu

Keith W. Mathias is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English literature from Salisbury University. Professor Mathias has been with PGCC since 2021 and teaches introductory and advanced composition courses.

Prior to joining PGCC, he served as an adjunct faculty member at Carroll Community College and Howard Community College, where in 2019, he was recognized as HCC’s Inspiring Adjunct Faculty Member. His work has appeared in publications such as Composition Forum, The Nor’Easter, Washington City Paper, and DCist.; Kristi Webster McGhee

Email: mcgheekw@pgcc.edu

Kristi McGhee is a professor of English as a Second Language at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics/TESL. Ms. McGhee has been with the College since 2005, teaching introductory to advanced-level reading and writing ESL courses.

She previously taught at the American University in Cairo in Cairo, Egypt. Ms. McGhee is a student of languages and culture and brings that enthusiasm to her classroom teaching.; Emily Philbrick

Email: philbree@pgcc.edu

Emily Philbrick is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. from William Tyndale College, an M.A. from Eastern Michigan University, and a Ph.D. from George Washington University. Her work focuses on materialist and ecological approaches to writing and literature, collaborative and community-based learning, and equitable assessment practices.; Annie Raney

Email: raneyar@pgcc.edu

Annie Raney is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). She holds a B.S. in elementary education, an M.A. in reading education, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. Dr. Raney has been with PGCC since 2006 as an adjunct, teaching developmental reading and writing courses. Since 2016, Dr. Raney has been a full-time faculty member at PGCC, teaching developmental English courses. She taught student-teacher interns for six years as an associate professor of the education department at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Before teaching in higher education, she taught English in grades K-12 for 12 years. Dr. Raney is passionate about integrating technology into the classroom and helping students improve their reading and writing skills.; Cliff Starkey

Email: starkecj@pgcc.edu

Cliff Starkey is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. He holds an M.A. in English literature from Kansas State University. He previously taught at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska, and Montgomery College in Rockville, MD. He has taught at the College since 2014.

Professor Starkey’s favorite areas of study are American and British literature from 1940-1965, as well as soccer fandom and culture in America, and he has published articles on those subjects. On campus, he has served as faculty advisor of the student newspaper, The Owl, and as editor of the Instructional Forum, a pedagogical journal featuring articles written by faculty and staff at community colleges throughout Maryland.; Jacqueline Sumner

Email: sumnerjr@pgcc.edu

Ms. Jacqueline Sumner is an associate professor of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. in sociology and an M.A. in education, specializing in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She has taught at the College since 2007.

Before moving to Maryland, Jacqueline taught intensive English language programs at the University of Delaware, Drexel University, and the University of Pennsylvania. She also lived in Hungary for three years, teaching English at the high school and college levels. She was a faculty member and teacher trainer at National Dong Hua University in Taiwan for three years.

She is grateful that her career and her academic and professional backgrounds keep her surrounded by language and fun linguistic questions. Her career has provided her with varied and energized classroom, cultural, and travel experiences.; Brenan Swartz

Email: swartzbr@pgcc.edu

Brenan Swartz is an associate professor of English as a Second Language (ESL) at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). He holds an M.A. in German languages and literature from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an M.A. in instructional design with a concentration in English for speakers of other languages from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. For over 25 years, he helped develop and teach the courses in the Academic ESL sequence at PGCC. Swartz has also served as the ESL Area Coordinator.

Swartz's area of interest and experience is developing strategies for advanced-level language students moving into higher education and professional positions. He continues his study of languages, having completed the beginning and intermediate levels of Spanish at PGCC with further study in Mexico.; Sandra Thomas

Email: thomassn@pgcc.edu

Sandra Thomas is an associate professor of English at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). She holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Miami. Ms. Thomas has taught developmental English courses full-time with PGCC since 2009.

She has also taught in Jamaica and the Bahamas. She serves as an assessment coach for the Teaching and Learning Assessment Committee and on the Board of the National Organization for Student Success/Maryland Chapter (NOSSMD).; Gail Upchurch

Email: upchurchgl@pgcc.edu

Gail Upchurch is a professor of English at Prince George’s Community College. She holds a B.A. in English from Howard University, an M.A. in English from Loyola University Chicago, an M.F.A. in Fiction from Chicago State University, and a Ph.D. in English from SUNY Binghamton. Professor Upchurch has been with the College since 2021 and teaches Composition I and II and African American Literature.

Before joining the faculty at Prince George’s Community College, she was a Professional Track (PTK) faculty member in the Academic Writing Program at The University of Maryland, College Park, and the Graduate Expository Writing Coordinator for the Howard University School of Education. She has also been a tenured faculty member at Olive-Harvey Community College in Chicago, Illinois, and Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she received the State University of New York’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Besides her commitment to teaching, Professor Upchurch is also a professional fiction writer whose work has been published in such journals as The Missouri Review and Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora. She has been awarded a 2018 scholarship to the Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop for Young Adult Fiction, the 2021 Tupelo Quarterly Prose Open Prize in Fiction, a 2021 Tin House Fellowship for Young Adult Fiction, the 2022 James Baldwin Fiction Award by Taint Taint Taint Literary Magazine, and a 2022 Kimbilio Fiction Fellowship. Professor Upchurch also moderated a panel at the 2022 Association of Writers and Writing Program’s Annual Conference entitled “Permission to Dream: Students of Color in Creative Writing Workshops.” The panel aimed to share best practices in both decolonizing creative workshops and centering the voices and stories of students of color.