Meet some of Our MA Students

Case Anderson, C'07, L'16 | English Teacher

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Sewanee, Case, a middle school English teacher, returned to earn his MA, concentrating on American and English literature. While motivated to acquire an advanced degree for his own professional development, it is the “life degree” he earned at Sewanee and the School of Letters that mean so much more to Case today. “Sewanee, in all its aspects, is beautiful and transformative. To my mind, no better place exists in this world to learn, live, and grow than The Mountain.”

Cory Thomas Hutcheson, L'13 | Assistant Professor of English

It was an interest in the intersection of literature and folklore that brought Cory to School of Letters. After completing his MA, he earned a PhD in American studies from Penn State. Cory is an expert on American folk religion, with an emphasis on folk magic and cosmology. His work has been published in the Journal of American Folklore, Journal of American Ethnic History, New Directions in Folklore, and more. “Passion and effort get the most rewards at School of Letters, and taking risks is a good idea.”

Louise Kennedy, L'15 | English Teacher

“It’s like summer camp for people who love words. I expected to get along with folks, but I didn't realize the friendships would be so close and lasting.” A lifelong lover of learning, Louise started at the School of Letters to not only advance her career but because she also wanted to be a student again. After earning her MA, Louise became chair of the English department at the college-preparatory school where she teaches. She counts the friends and mentors she met in Sewanee, however, as the real highlight of her experience and as an ongoing source of inspiration.

Carly Nations | MA Candidate

Carly Nations is a Northwestern University graduate and MA student at the School of Letters. A high school teacher, she has published both in the fields of education and literature, contributing monthly for BookPage and Sartorial Geek. Dedicated to all things British, feminist, and literary, she is currently working on publishing a work of lost Victorian fiction with School of Letters colleagues Anna Spydell and Dr. Barbara Black. Deeply interested in intersectionality, her thesis work seeks to connect the realms of the female, medieval devotional to 19th century New Woman fiction. She currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, two dogs, and a very dog-like cat.

Anna Spydell | MA Candidate

Anna Spydell received her BA in the Humanities with a literature concentration from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. While there, she served on the staff for the College's literary magazine and wrote her undergraduate thesis on sacred mother imagery in the work of Flannery O'Connor. She is currently a MA candidate at the Sewanee School of Letters, with an interest in 19th century British literature and the Gothic. She is a contributor to BookPage in their nonfiction department and a co-editor of Broadview Press' forthcoming edition of Olive Schreiner's Dreams, returning to print, after a long absence, in 2020. She is presently working on a novel about the Fox sisters and the spiritualist movement. She resides in Indiana with her three children, dog, and two cats, one tame and one utterly feral and loose in the house.

Kim West, L'11 | Lawyer and Professor

An invitation from her son to attend one of his poetry classes during his senior year at Sewanee would mean the start of a whole new chapter in Kim’s life. She left her son’s class inspired, and he encouraged her to apply to the School of Letters. During her first summer, Kim, a lawyer, met Ann Jennalie Cook Calhoun, her Shakespeare professor and soon-to-be lifelong mentor and friend. Ann passed away in 2017 but Kim’s work continues on without her. She has served as a trustee at the American Shakespeare Center for the last six years and is responsible for bringing its touring troupe to both Sewanee and Birmingham. Thanks to Kim, Sewanee is a founding member of a new leadership consortium with the American Shakespeare Center, an endeavor that will engage students and faculty with performances and workshops on campus and at Shakespeare’s “American home” in Staunton, Virginia.