Department of English
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
3243 N. Downer Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
mmkruse@uwm.edu

EDUCATION

PhD. in English, emphasis in Modern Studies with a certificate in Women’s Studies
Expected in May 2012, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Dissertation Title: Toward An Ethics of Response: Reading “Queerness” in Modernist Women’s Literature

Using insights from contemporary theories of ethical reading, I conduct a case study of feminist critics’ response to the “queerness” of modernist women’s literature.  The aim is to develop a set of practices and principles capable of ethically responding to “queerness” in literary texts and everyday life.

Committee: Dr. Alice Gillam (Chair), Dr. Krista Ratcliffe, and Dr. Gregory Jay

M.A. in Sociology, emphasis in Women’s Studies and Qualitative Methodologies
2000 August, Illinois State University
Master’s Thesis: The Voices of Women Transitioning Off Welfare: Their Lived Experiences and How They Define Successful Welfare Reform

B.A. in Sociology, minor in Women’s Studies
1998 May, Illinois Wesleyan University

Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco de Español, Spanish Language Immersion Program
2001 Summer and 2003 Summer, Quetzaltenango Guatemala

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

            “Feminist Criticism and the Ethics of Response: Reading Willa Cather.” 
            Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin February 2010.

            “Hauntingly Queer: Looking Across Spivak and Sedgwick.”
            Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin February 2008.

            “How ‘Personal’ is ‘the Political’?” Cross Generational Transpositions of Feminist Rhetoric(s).”
            Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference, Little Rock, Arkansas October 2007.

            “Queering the Critical: ‘Reading Through’ the Theories of Elizabeth Ellsworth.” 
            3th Annual College Composition Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin December 2006.

            “The Voices of Women Transitioning Off Welfare.”
            5th Annual Women’s and Gender Studies Symposium, Bloomington-Normal, Illinois April 2000.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

            Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of English, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
                        English 101: Introduction to College Writing (fall 2006, spring 2007, spring 2008, fall 2009)
                        English 105: College Writing Workshop (fall 2007)
                        English 102: College Research Writing (fall 2008, spring 2009, spring 2010, fall 2010, spring 2011)
                        English 215: Introduction to English Studies( fall 2008, spring 2009)                      
                       English 248: Contemporary Literary Criticism of Modern Women’s Writing (spring 2010, spring 2011)

            Graduate Teaching Assistant, Women’s Studies Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
                        LESBIGAY 200: Introduction to LGBT Studies(fall 2009)

            Instructor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, Illinois Wesleyan University
                        Sociology 103: Race and Ethnic Relations( fall 2005, spring 2006)
                        Sociology 222: Sex and Gender in Society (fall 2005)
                        Sociology 270: Contested Visions of U.S. Experience(spring 2006)
           
            Instructor of Sociology, Department of Sociology, Illinois State University                       
                        Sociology 111: American Diversity, Contested Visions of U.S. Experience (fall 2000, spring 2001)
                        Sociology 264: Minority Relations (fall 2004, spring 2005)
           
            Instructor of Women’s Studies, Women and Gender Studies Department, Illinois State University
                        WS 120: Women, Gender, and Society (fall 2000, spring 2001, spring 2005)

            Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Sociology, Illinois State University
                        Sociology 110: Marriage and Family in the United States (spring 2000)
           
            Graduate Teaching Assistant, Women and Gender Studies Department, Illinois State University
                        WS 120: Women, Gender, and Society(fall 1999, spring 2000)

HONORS AND AWARDS
           
            UW-Milwaukee English Department’s Sappenfeld Award for First Year Graduate Students, 2007

            Illinois Wesleyan University’s Nelson Mandela Award, In Recognition of Service to the University
            By Promoting Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Education & Understanding, 2006

            Illinois State University/American Sociology Association Outstanding Graduate Student Award, 2000
           
            Illinois State University Research Grants, 1999 and 2000

CONFERENCES ATTENDED

            Modern Language Association Annual Conference, Los Angeles, California (January 2011)

            Modern Language Association Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (December 2009)

            “Commemorating Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick,” Critical Theory & Sexuality Studies Program
            At Independent Colleges, Dublin, Ireland (November 2009)

            Modern Language Association Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois (December 2008)

            “In Terms of Gender,” Center for 21st Century Studies, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (May 2007)

SERVICE
           
            Committee Work
           
                        English Department Graduate Policy Committee, UW-Milwaukee (2007-2008)

• Elected as Graduate Student Representative to monitor the assessment of dissertation and preliminary exam proposals (and policy decisions) by English Department faculty.

                        English Department Modern Studies Program Committee, UW-Milwaukee (2007-2008)

• Elected as Graduate Student Representative to participate in the admission of new Modern Studies students, assist with the conceptualization of our plan, and help coordinate speaking/social events for Modern Studies students and faculty.

                        LGBT Studies Advisory Committee, UW-Milwaukee (2007-2008)

• Helped assess the campus climate for LGBT Students and worked with the LGBT Student Resource Center to increase resources for this community.

                        Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC) Planning Committee, UW-Milwaukee (2006-2009)

• Helped develop theme and call for papers (CFP) for three conferences: “Performing (In)Visibility” 2007, “Living Remains” 2008, and “Faking It! Production, Knowledge, Authenticity” 2009.
• Worked with other graduate students to secure ongoing funding for the MIGC from the Dean of Arts and Sciences and Center for 21st Century Studies.
• Coordinated design of conference programs, posters, and promotional material.
• Volunteered during the conferences to facilitate panels, register participants, and provide hospitality for keynote speakers Heather K. Love and David Halperin.

            Pedagogy Presentations

                       “Reading and Writing Connections: Working with Course Texts”
                      (Workshop Presenter) UW- Milwaukee New Instructor Orientation, September 2007.

                       “Close Reading in the Composition Classroom.” (Workshop Co-Presenter) UW-Milwaukee
                       First Year Composition Forum, February 2010.

            Community Work

                       Vice President of Bargaining, Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association, American
                       Federation of Teachers Local 2169 (2009-2010)

                       Member, FORGE Transgender Support Group/Activist Network, Milwaukee (2006-2007)
           
                       Participant, Rights Action Delegation to Guatemala (August 2003), and Witness for Peace
                       Delegations to Colombia (March 2001) and Nicaragua (July 2000)                   

PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE

Human Rights Accompanier for Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala
(NISGUA), Guatemala (2003-2004)

• Assisted members of the rural communities Ilom and Xix to bring legal cases of genocide against former Guatemalan military dictators.

Executive Director of Illinois Disciples Foundation, Urbana Illinois (2001-2003)

• Coordinated operations of this “peace with justice” non-profit organization.

LANGUAGES

            Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish and introductory knowledge of Korean.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

            National Council of Teachers of English
            Modern Language Association

(Please contact for a list of references.)