معرفی
Tena Helton is a Professor in the Department of English and Modern Languages at the University of Illinois Springfield within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. She has held significant administrative roles including interim associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, English Department chair, and Director of First-Year Writing.
Her educational background features a Ph.D. in American literature with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies from Louisiana State University, complemented by B.A. and M.A. degrees in English with Education concentrations from North Carolina State University.
Dr. Helton's research examines ethnic and regional American literatures through lenses of power structures, cultural representation, and genre conventions. Her work spans Antebellum American Literature, Film Studies, Writing pedagogy, and American Cultural studies with growing emphasis on digital humanities and graphic narratives. She investigates how texts either reinforce or challenge societal norms through metaphorical frameworks across diverse media.
Her publications explore truth-telling in Chinese American graphic narratives, 19th-century Indigenous celebrity, African American survival literature, and Southern regional identity. Current projects analyze Vietnamese diaspora representation in The Magic Fish, digital activism in gaming communities, and graduate program development in digital humanities.
Dr. Helton's academic contributions have been recognized through:
- Spencer Award for service (2020)
- University-level teaching awards at UIS
- Teaching honors at North Carolina State University
As an educator teaching over 30 courses across all levels, she conceptualizes instruction as a political act revealing power dynamics in texts and institutions. Her service includes extensive faculty development workshops, campus speaker initiatives, and community engagement throughout central Illinois.
Administrative leadership encompasses roles as Faculty Associate in dean's and provost's offices, General Education Council Chair, and co-chair of the General Education Review Committee, demonstrating sustained commitment to curriculum innovation and institutional advancement.
