Eric Sentell, PHD
Instructor — English
I'm like the Chris Pratt of the English department. Handsome. Charming. Hilarious. Capable of playing a goofball, a Navy Seal, or an intergalactic superhero. And, of course, extremely humble.
Seriously, my range as a teacher mirrors Chris's range as an actor. I teach the following classes in various formats (face-to-face, online, or Hyflex):
- EN100: Fundamentals of Composition
- EN140: Rhetoric and Critical Thinking
- EN190: Writing for Environmental Science
- EN303: Content Copywriting
- EN305: Writing for the Professions
- EN307: Writing for New Media
- EN309: Writing for Science and Technology
- LI220: Fiction and the Human Experience
In the past, I've also taught these classes:
- EN099: Introduction to Composition
- EN275: Introduction to Creative Writing
- EN423/623: Visual Rhetoric
- LI222: Mythic Dimensions in Literature
Oh, yeah, I'm also the Coordinator of General Education for Southeast and the chair of two English department committees: Recruitment and Retention and Undergraduate Curriculum. Please ask me your questions about English degree programs and writing-related careers!
I'm a self-published author (which is simultaneously as cool, and not as cool, as it sounds) and a blogger for Edge for Scholars and various Medium publications. I've published some scholarly articles and many short stories over the years, though not as many as I'd like.
I grew up in Qulin, Missouri (Twin Rivers school district), and now live in Piedmont, Missouri (Clearwater school district), with my wife and son. I began my teaching career in 2007 as a Teaching Assistant at Missouri State. Next, I directed a Writing Center at Northern Virginia Community College in the Washington, D.C., suburbs.
I hold an M.A. in Composition and Rhetoric and a Ph.D. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse Studies, which are fancy ways of saying I've studied writing and how to teach it. I've been at Southeast since 2012, and I have no plans of ever leaving.
Additional Information
“ Self-reflection and analysis are the keys to improving any activity, especially writing. Focusing on these skills makes my teaching relevant to every person regardless of major or career. ”
What area do you teach?
Composition, Technical Writing, and Mythology
Education/Degree(s)
Ph.D. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse Studies (2015)
M.A. in Composition and Rhetoric (2009)
B.A. in Creative Writing (2007)
Your Philosophy of Teaching
My primary goal is helping students become more self-reflective critical thinkers. Self-reflection and analysis are the keys to improving any activity, especially writing. Focusing on these skills makes my teaching relevant to every person regardless of major or career.
To achieve this goal, I strive to facilitate student-led discussions (whether face-to-face or online) in which students contemplate and back up their ideas as well as engage with other perspectives. When giving feedback on papers, I try to engage with my students' ideas, develop their critical thinking, and improve their writing processes.
If my students give an honest effort, then they will get a great deal out of my class. I provide the instruction necessary for improving their writing abilities from wherever they're starting, but it's up to them to fully engage with the material, their writing processes, and their self-reflection.
Why Did You Decide to Teach?
I became a Teaching Assistant to facilitate obtaining my master's degree, and I quickly fell in love with engaging complex ideas with my students and helping them develop their critical thinking and writing abilities.
Credentials/Career Path
I began my teaching career as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Missouri State University from 2007-2009. Upon graduating with my master's in Composition and Rhetoric, I taught as an adjunct in the University of Maryland system before becoming a Writing Center Director for Northern Virginia Community College. I started teaching at Southeast Missouri State University in 2012 and completed my Ph.D. from Old Dominion University in 2015.
Professional Highlight
Whenever students say in their evaluations that my class helped them like writing more!
Awards/Honors/Recognitions
- Nominated for Alumni Federation Faculty of the Year Award, Northern Virginia Community College, 2012
- Story of the Month, Long Story Short, Sept. 2010
Organizations with Which You are Involved
- Master Advising, Southeast Missouri State University
Most Recent/Notable Publications
- Using Schema for Analyzing Audiences: Simplicity and Complexity Balance, Technical Communication (2021)
- This peer-reviewed article describes using schema theory to analyze audiences.
- How to Write an Essay like an Equation (2020)
- This is Dr. Sentell's self-published book on academic and professional writing.
- Become Your Own Fact-Checker (2020)
- This is Dr. Sentell's self-published book on applying rhetorical analysis to news, social media, and politics.
- Rally Cap, Hobart Online (2018)
- This short story features a man grappling with death and faith at a baseball game.
- Making Memories: Writing and Designing More Memorable Documents, Technical Communication (2016)
- This peer-reviewed article explores how we can get readers to remember our work.
Best Advice for Students
Try to value and engage with your assignments even when they don't seem directly applicable to your major, career, or interests. Remember that you're practicing skills for future academic, professional, and personal work.