Joshua Steffey

Joshua Steffey serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), where he actively fosters compassionate, values-driven inquiry among students he describes as 'the creators and designers of a better world.' His role emphasizes ethical engagement through creative education within an art-focused institution.

His academic foundation includes:

• Undergraduate English studies at the University of Illinois
• Volunteer teaching service in the Peace Corps Western Russia program
• Graduate English studies at Marquette University with a dissertation analyzing mid-twentieth century American poets' deployment of visual arts rhetoric to address war, genocidal politics, and violent cultural exclusions

Steffey's core research investigates poetry and ethics through the lens of modern historical trauma, particularly examining how mid-20th century American literary figures integrated visual arts strategies to respond to societal violence and exclusion. This interdisciplinary work connects literary criticism, trauma theory, and ethical philosophy, revealing art's role in processing collective suffering while emphasizing rhetoric as a tool for cultural healing.

Scientific awards:

• No scientific awards mentioned in provided text

Regarding advising and grants, Steffey engages with MIAD students in a mentorship capacity but the text specifies no formal PhD/Master's advisees or grant funding details. His pedagogical narrative centers on nurturing values-driven inquiry as a transformative educational practice within creative disciplines.