Lyra Hilliard

Lyra Hilliard is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she has been affiliated since 2009. She holds dual teaching roles in the Academic Writing Program and the Professional Writing Program. Additionally, she serves as the Coordinator of Blended Learning for the Academic Writing Program, a role stemming from her involvement in the Provost's 2011 Blended Learning Initiative. Her primary academic affiliation is with the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU), emphasizing her contributions to the field of English and writing education.

Hilliard's research interests span several key areas within English and education. These include Creative Nonfiction, focusing on narrative and memoir; Composition and Rhetoric, exploring pedagogical strategies in writing instruction; Digital Learning Technologies, particularly their integration into blended and distance learning environments; and the Impact of Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in enhancing writing class dynamics. She is also deeply engaged in advancing Blended Learning methodologies and their application in higher education.

Hilliard has received the Provost's Teaching Excellence Award for PTK Faculty from the University of Maryland in 2017. This award recognizes outstanding contributions in teaching, scholarship, and service.

In her advising and grant-related work, Hilliard has been instrumental in shaping the Academic Writing Program's curriculum through the Blended Learning Initiative. While no specific grant amounts are detailed, her role in coordinating blended learning reflects institutional support for her educational innovations. She mentors students in both undergraduate and graduate writing programs, though no formal advisee names are listed in the provided information.

Hilliard is actively involved with the Writing Programs at the University of Maryland, contributing to initiatives like the Blended Learning Initiative and the design of hybrid educational models. She collaborates with the Center for Literary and Comparative Studies and contributes to journals such as Interpolations and the Paper Shell Review.