Senator
Biography
Originally from Cache Valley, Utah, James Shepard is a Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. His current research focuses on the construction of epistemic stance in online activist discourses through the remediation of paralinguistic features. He enjoys craft beer, good music, and his two adorable dogs.
Research
Sociolinguistics, pedagogy, paralinguistics, activist rhetorics, cultural rhetorics, compositional theory, digital technology in the classroom, audience design, environmental studies, epistemic and affective stance.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Graduate Instructor, August 2019 - present.
- ENGL 101: Intro to Composition (Fall 2020)
- ENGL 102: Inquiry into Social Media (Scheduled Spring 2020)
- ENGL 101: Intro to Composition (Fall 2019)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, August 2018 - May 2019.
- ENGL 102: Inquiry into Food (Spring 2019)
- ENGL 101: Intro to Composition (Fall 2018)
Education
PhD, English - Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics, University of Tennessee, 2025
M.A., English - Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics, University of Tennessee, 2020.
Thesis Committee: Jessi Grieser (chair), Lisa King, Sean Morey.
B.S., English, Linguistics minor, Utah State University, 2016.
Cum Laude
Professional Service
Graduate Student Senate Liaison, University of Tennessee 2018 - present
Social media manager, Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts 2018 - 2020
Equipment management, Sundress Reading Series 2016 - 2020
Equipment management, The Only-Ten-I-See Reading Series 2016 - 2020
Graphic design, Sundress Academy for the Arts 2016-18
Graphic design, NEXUS Graduate Student Conference 2017-18
Graphic design, Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts 2016-17
Volunteer, Sundress Academy for the Arts Holler Salon 2016
Volunteer, OUTspoken 2016
Social media manager, Shakespeare at 400, Utah State University 2016
Developer, Language Learning Unit, Migrant Head Start 2015
Co-Author, “Grammar Lessons,” El Centro de la Familia 2013
Sustainability Council Member, Utah State University 2012-14
Event Coordinator, Utah State University Housing 2012-14
Assistant Coach, Sky View High School Debate 2012-13
Awards and Recognitions
Graduate Fellowship 2020
John C. Hodges Fellowship 2020, 2018
Writing Center Tutor Award Finalist 2019
John B. Emperor Fellowship 2018-19
NUCOR Fellowship 2015-16
Lucille Reading Scholarship 2015-16
USU Aggie Scholarship 2012-14
USU Service Scholarship 2012-13
Publications
PRESENTATIONS
“Bridging the Gap: Leveraging the Affordances of Alphabetic Computer-Mediate Communication to Convey Paralinguistic Features.” NEXUS, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, March 2020.
“Religious and Linguistic Identity in Utah English.” MMLA Conference, Chicago, IL, November 2019.