Summer Vertrees

Summer Vertrees is an Assistant Professor of English at Cumberland University, affiliated with the Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education, and the Arts. She holds a B.S. and M.A. from Tennessee Technological University and a Doctor of Arts (D.A.) from Murray State University. Her research focuses on Visual Rhetoric, examining diverse mediums like flags, fashion, comics, and tattoos. She teaches courses such as Advanced Composition, Shakespeare, Utopian/Dystopian Literature, and Mental Health in Literature.

Dr. Vertrees has published in local magazines, newspapers, and Novus Literary Journal, with work featured on NPR. She actively supports student writers in achieving publication. As faculty, she co-founded the Phoenix Flyers, a student travel group that has organized trips to England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland, with future excursions planned.

Her educational journey spans teaching 7th grade summer school, high school dual enrollment, and university-level instruction, including online courses. Beyond academia, she enjoys outdoor activities, family time with her husband, three children, and two beagles, and coffee.