Alcorn State University Department of English

04/17/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Wiedenfeld on his participation in the dialogue following the screening of the Natchez documentary, hosted by Mississippi Cultural Crossroads!

04/01/2026

Congratulations to Dr. J. Janice Coleman for her ongoing work!! She was recently featured in an interview by Mississippi Today:

Alcorn State professor says of her work on a Fannie Lou Hamer quilt: "As you engage with the art, the art engages with you. When it's talking to you, you have to listen or you'll never be able to finish anything. I'm serious about that."

12/11/2025

A huge congratulations to Arshayla Johnson, who was selected as the outstanding graduating senior for the entire Alcorn State University graduating class of Fall 2025! We are SO proud!

12/09/2025

Congratulations to our outstanding graduating senior for Fall 2025, Arshayla Johnson!

12/08/2025

We are so excited that the English Department is taking the lead on this exciting new program!

Alcorn State University has been awarded a grant through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) to launch the interdisciplinary Gulf Scholars Program (GSP). The initiative prepares undergraduate students to address pressing sustainability challenges in the Gulf Coast reg...

10/06/2025

High School Day was so much fun!
Drs. Obilade, Coleman, Dogini and Mr. Myles from the Deoartmnt of English and Mass Communication welcomed new and potential students to the Alcorn community!

05/10/2025

Congratulations to our Spring 2025 English Major Graduate Mariah Emanuel! We are so proud!!

04/15/2025

Congratulations to Dr. J. Janice Coleman and Ms. Sheri Wallace for participating in Alcorn’s library sponsored panel discussion, “Right to Read”!

04/04/2025

Congratulations Dr. Dupree!

Welcome to "Two Minutes With...” a faculty and staff profile series for Alcorn State University! In this series, we'll be featuring interviews with some of the university's most accomplished and inspiring individuals. From seasoned professors to dedicated support staff, get to know the people who make Alcorn State University a great place to learn and work.

Our feature this month is Dr. Timothy Dupree, QEP director and assistant professor of English.

Tell us a little about how you grew up.
"I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi. Initially, I guess you could say we probably moved around a lot. There was some financial issues and things of that nature, so there was not a lot of stability outside of school. School was where I always felt my best. I always wanted to go to Alcorn. I had an aunt who attended Alcorn, so I was always on this campus ever since I was probably about five years old."

Why did you choose your career path?
"I always knew that I wanted to teach. What changed for me is what I wanted to teach. If you were to walk up to anyone who knew me growing up, they would tell you without a doubt, he teaches math at Alcorn. Because everybody knew me as the math person. But at some point, I realized I can work out any problem you put in front of me. I don’t know how to teach that to somebody else. English was different. I felt I could teach English to anyone."

What do you love most about working at Alcorn?
To see students go from having no concern for what was going on in the class to becoming the star student. It’s rewarding to see them complete their education and aspire to great things.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
"When you have someone (a student) who comes into the classroom and on the first day when you're dismissing class, they'll walk up to you. Maybe it's a traditional Sometimes it's non-traditional students. And they'll walk up to you and say, you're going to have to help me out or go slow with me now because I've never been a good English student. And then in about two, three weeks into the class, they're the person who's answering all the questions."

What is your favorite motto?
"If you come to my office right now, on my wall I have a diamond is just a piece of coal that did well under pressure."

What are your hobbies?
"I was in the driveway yesterday straightening up my basketball goal... I love to play sports. More than anything, I’m just a big kid. I spend more time probably playing my video game. When I get spring break, I most of the time go out of town, but you give me Christmas break? I’m sitting at home playing video games."

What is your favorite food?
"Pizza is the one thing I can eat every day, seven days a week without getting tired of it. There’s no such thing as a bad pizza."

04/04/2025

Our Third Annual Undergraduate Conference, hosted in collaboration with the Office of Global Programs, was a success! Thank you to all of the faculty and students who participated!