Jacksonville State University College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences

Dr. Ashley Rattner, Associate Professor of English, has been awarded the 2026 Communal Studies Association Outstanding Article Award for her essay “Learning to Read Like an Abolitionist: Benjamin Lundy and the Early Antislavery Print Sphere,” published this year in Early American Literature. She will accept the award at the annual Communal Studies Association conference in Oneida, New York, this October.

In this episode of Real Estate Story Time with Amy Angel, Dr. Tim Lindblom, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences at Jacksonville State University, joins Amy to celebrate the natural beauty of Northeast Alabama. From the Ladiga Trail and Pinhoti Trail to Cheaha State Park and Terrapin Creek, the conversation explores why the region is becoming a destination for hiking, biking, paddling, camping, birdwatching, and outdoor adventure. Dr. Lindblom also shares how outdoor recreation strengthens communities, supports tourism, and enhances quality of life across the region.

Why Outdoor Enthusiasts Love Northeast Alabama- Dr. Tim Lindblom Podcast Episode · Real Estate Story Time with Amy Angel · June 4 · 1h 4m

Drs. Lindsay Holman (History) and Maureen McGuire (Art and Design) recently toured Italy and Greece with eleven JSU students. The tour was organized through EF Tours, and participants visited ancient and Classical sites like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Pompeii, the Acropolis, and Delphi. The students also enjoyed a walking food tour of Naples during which they sampled fresh seafood, bufala mozzarella, and, of course, pasta!

Associate Professor of English Christopher Douglas recently published a pedagogical essay entitled "Teaching with Birth of the Public Sphere: Pedagogical Approaches for a Glorious Revolution Classroom Coffeehouse" in New Perspectives on the Eighteenth Century. This article explores teaching suggestions for incorporating a Reacting to the Past game into the core curriculum classroom, based off of student feedback from a class he taught the Spring 2023 semester.

Introducing our Assistant Director of Bands, Mr. Chris Benedetti! Mr. Benedetti comes to the Marching Southerners after serving as Director of Bands at Gadsden City High School in Gadsden, Alabama from 2021–2026. A native of Peachtree City, Georgia, he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Instrumental Music Education from Jacksonville State University and is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education at William Carey University.

Mr. Benedetti is excited to join the faculty at Jacksonville State University. He and his family are deeply grateful for the opportunities and support they have received from the Jacksonville community and are excited for the opportunity to give back to a place that has had such a meaningful impact on their lives.