Susanna Childress

Susanna Childress is the DuMez Associate Professor of English at Hope College, where she has taught since 2006 (excluding two years as a Lilly Postdoctoral Fellow at Valparaiso University). She advises the campus literary magazine Opus and directs the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series since 2017.

• Ph.D., Poetry and Women’s Writing, Florida State University, 2007
• M.A., Poetry, University of Texas at Austin, 2003
• B.A., Literature and Writing (double major), Indiana Wesleyan University, 2001

Her research and teaching focus on literary writing across genres, including modern poetry, linked story collections, lyric essays, and nature writing. She specializes in the intersection of faith and art, the role of writing in social justice, and contemporary Native American literature. Her publications span multiple journals and awards, reflecting her expertise in hybrid genre experimentation.

Recent publications like Four Before I Begin Again (2019) and How to Name Dead Babies (2019) demonstrate her focus on personal essays and mixed-genre exploration, while her 2011 poetry collection Entering the House of Awe highlights spiritual and emotional themes. Her work consistently bridges creative practice with community engagement.

• Trifecta Award, Iron Horse Literary Journal, 2019
• Mellon Scholars’ Excellence in Mentoring Award, 2017
• Nature in Words Fellowship Mentor, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 2015
• Inclusion in Best American Poetry, 2015
• Society of Midland Authors Award, 2012
• Lilly Postdoctoral Fellowship, Valparaiso University, 2008–2010

Dr. Childress has organized panels at the AWP Conference on hybrid writing pedagogy and community impact of poetry contests. She bridges academic rigor with public engagement through initiatives like the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series and service-learning projects.