Marguerite Rippy

Marguerite Rippy is Professor of English and Associate Dean of Graduate Academic Affairs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at George Mason University, where she has served since 2020. Her role centers on advancing graduate education across the humanities and social sciences, championing inclusive excellence, and fostering community partnerships in the D.C. metropolitan region.

Education

• Ph.D. in English and American Literature, Indiana University Bloomington, 1999 (Minor: Performance Studies)
• M.A. in English and American Literature, Vanderbilt University, 1990
• B.A. with honors in English and American Literature, Brown University, 1989

Research & Scholarly Focus

Professor Rippy’s scholarship interrogates intersections of performance, race, and adaptation. She is internationally recognized for her work on Orson Welles—particularly his unfinished RKO projects, African-American collaborations, and the landmark 1936 “Voodoo” Macbeth. Her current monograph-in-progress, Orson Welles, Macbeth, and Africa: Collaborative Genius in the Age of Segregation, extends this research into the Federal Theatre Project’s national tour. Additional interests include transindigenous Shakespeares, ethical reasoning in literature pedagogy, and the iconography of Black stardom in classic Hollywood.

Grants & Fellowships

• National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend (2019, 2004)
• Text and Academic Authors Association Publication Grant (2008)
• Mednick Grant, Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (2007)
• Everett Helm Visiting Fellowship, Lilly Library (2001, 2006)
• Marshall Fishwick Travel Grant, Popular Culture Association (2004)

Teaching & Mentorship

While administrative duties limit her course load, Professor Rippy has taught ENGH 305: Dimensions of Writing and Literature Education and regularly mentors graduate students across CHSS programs. She designs inclusive pedagogies that connect high-school, community-college, and university pipelines, and she convenes workshops on small-group facilitation and ethical reasoning.

Affiliations & Service

Beyond GMU, Professor Rippy partners with regional cultural organizations and public-school systems to promote life-long learning and equity in higher education. Her office in Horizon Hall 6316 serves as a hub for graduate-student support, mentorship networks, and alumni engagement.