Jake McGinnis, PhD

Assistant Professor of Humanities

Ph.D. English, University of Notre Dame
M.A. English, University of Idaho
B.A. Writing, Northland College

Briggs Hall

Jake teaches courses in writing, literature, and environmental humanities because he believes in the power of stories and clear, engaging prose. For him, the written word is a tool to help us navigate a changing world.

Jake loves to read all sorts of writing, but environmental nonfiction is special to him because it helps readers and writers to see their own environments with new eyes. He is especially interested in the writing of Henry David Thoreau and other, more contemporary writers addressing climate change, ecological resilience, and sense of place in the United States and beyond.

In addition to teaching and working on his own research and writing, Jake enjoys being outside as much as possible. In the winter he often travels to compete in cross-country ski races across the Upper Midwest, and during the remainder of the year he enjoys trail running, fly-fishing, and caring for a large garden with his wife, Celeste, and their dog, Melville.

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