Episode 48: Samantha Dean & Toria Folsom

Episode 48 of The Big Rhetorical Podcast features a discussion with Samantha Dean and Toria Folsom about their presentation at the Southeastern Writing Center Association Conference. Samantha Dean is a master’s student at Mississippi State University. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Writing at Mississippi College and also earned her TESOL certificate while completing her undergrad. She is now pursuing a M.A. in English literature, and she works as a graduate/teaching assistant with the Mississippi State University English department. Sam also works as a tutor with the Writing Center on campus and teaches English Composition. Her research interests include American literature and Composition and Rhetoric studies. Toria Folsom was born in Holly Springs, MS, and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English at Mississippi State University. She has previously conducted research regarding the declining use of public libraries in America and the rate of extra-curricular institutional support for English majors as compared to STEM majors. She has worked as a writing tutor at the MSU Writing Center since 2019 and has since been conducting research regarding ESL students in the American academic context and in writing centers. She is also currently researching the relationship and history between food, identity, and literature in the Native American community.