WKU News

In February, Dr. Jane Fife was recognized with the PCAL Faculty Award for Service! Fife is the Colonnade Coordinator in the English Department, overseeing the English 100, 200, and 300 courses. She also teaches English 299 (Intro to English Studies), English 301 (Argument & Analysis), and English 510 (Rhetoric & Writing).

Her work, as well as her values, are incredibly student-centered. She was director of the Writing Center from 2003 until Fall 2025, and says her favorite part was watching tutors grow through the experience. She helped mentor the writing tutors and took joy in watching them develop writing and teaching skills, as well as grow their confidence in their capabilities. She also loves working with TAs in her ENG 299 classes. Though it takes a little extra time to coordinate while coteaching, she says that it’s tremendous fun. What’s most important is helping students succeed, learn, and reach their goals.

Dr. Fife is passionate about English and the people involved in it. She’s also interested in analog writing materials. “Part of what I want is to help students experience and understand what a life of words was like decades ago, before AI and screen reliance,” Fife explains. She is interested about the artifacts of writing, especially typewriters. One sits on her desk, and many pictures of typewriters hang around her office. She says that she owns about 20 more, obtaining them secondhand, often with the intention to “rescue” them from people who would take them apart to make jewelry. She demonstrates a little bit of typing on the keys which may have otherwise been turned into rings and pendants—the mechanically pleasing clacking possesses a natural, charming, and atmospheric ambiance which screens do not. The conveniences and connection of modern technology are still greatly appreciated, though, “I’m glad I have both,” she shares. Fife finds typewriters, as well as other early tools for writing, very aesthetically inspiring. Dr. Fife hopes to share what she sees in this old technology with others, especially the younger generation who didn’t get to experience it.

This student focused attitude comes partially from her family. When asked about her inspirations, Dr. Fife responds, “One big help to me was my parents, especially my dad. He was a high school English teacher, counselor, and assistant principal. He helped develop a framework in my head for caring about how other people learn—not just throwing facts at them.” Teaching with the student experience in mind is very important in the classroom—especially Colonnade English classes, where students come from a wide variety of majors and have vastly different learning styles.

Dr. Fife also talks very highly of the English Department itself! In her opinion, the whole department is incredibly helpful, collegial, and caring. She says that faculty members Dr. Alison Langdon and Dr. Trini Stickle are very hard workers; they are conscientious and caring about everyone in the department. English faculty connect as colleagues as well as being there for students. Mutual support within the department helps to avoid burnout and extends beyond the classroom in so many ways. University work can be both exciting and tiring—teaching as well as giving students the individualized support they need is a lot of work, but it’s worth it. Dr. Fife feels that all of her colleagues are so helpful, “The English department is an enthusiastic, caring, and passionate group of people,” she shares.

Dr. Fife says that being recognized for excellence in service is a nice “pat on the back.” She doesn’t do these things for recognition, she’s just passionate about them. But it’s good to be appreciated, she says, "like a cherry on top of a brownie Sundae.”